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rule #1: be kind
We've had this capacity for several decades now, and it seems ridiculous that our culture has not fully embraced it with open arms. If that's not a sign that "we the people" aren't running the show, I don't know what is. Freedom my ass.
Due to how isolating our culture and urban planning has become, a lot of people have started using their work as a replacement for their social life. Without it they realize just how caged they are under this system, so they refuse it. They think being given more free time and the ability to do work from the comfort of their own home is a bad thing because it takes away their social outlet.
People have to do what's best for them. If they need to commute to a job to have a social life, let them. This is absolutely not a reason to force other people to do it.
Of course it isn't but you are the one who said that it was ridiculous that we haven't embraced it.
It isn't ridiculous. It's actually pretty expected of the society we have built to be against it. There are perfectly explainable reasons why we have yet to embrace it.
I don't say this to tell you it shouldn't change. I'm saying this to specifically highlight the things we need to change so that no one will be forced into doing it.
People do need to do what's best, so we should probably fix things so that being forced to use office work as a replacement for a social life isn't the best option people have available to them.
I know a few boomers who are against it. They think that online work is not real work and that people who work remote are lazy bums who should get a "real job". They're the same type of people who went insane during the lockdowns instead of enjoying the free vacation.
Boomer here, software developer, I started fighting the telecommuting battle with managers in the early 90s. They'd say, "We need you here." I'd ask, "Why? I can dial in. You have contractors in India you've never even met, and that works out fine." "That's different." "How?" They never could come up with valid reasons why we really needed to physically be there, and would generally shut down the conversation with like, "Well, I can see we don't agree on this." Correct, and 30 years later they're still making the same ludicrous arguments.
In my experience, after a little back and forth they realize they can't win this on facts and just pull rank.
A hard truth is that if you see an executive pushing return to office, you know one of two things about them. One of the following is true.
They are terrible at finance and don't understand the sunk-cost fallacy. They have to keep using that building they bought; they've spent so much on it and simply can't bring themselves to sell it.
They're a sexual molester. They're someone that uses the power of their position to coerce sex out of their employees. Fucking their employees is their primary motivation for not retiring early right now. You can't coerce your secretary to give you a blowjob over Zoom.
That's really it. They're either bad at business or they're a sexual predator. If you see an executive pushing return to office, be sure to ask them which one of these they are. Because they're definitely one or the other.
Those are both covered under 'bad at business'.
As well as being a sexual monster. A lot of tradition is built around reinforcement of sexist gender roles.
Honestly I think your first point is just a subset of something larger and even more basic - "we've always done it this way. Change is scawwy. Different bad. Are you implying I was wrong before?" Etc.
Of course it does!
When I get a complaint email I can yell at Myles to go fuck himself with a toilet brush, all whole sitting in my favourite chair and Myles will still wish me a good evening at the end of the work day.
What's not to like?
This popped into my head…
That's why they want to put a stop to it. You're not allowed to be happy.
how will landlords who own all the buildings in business districts get paid, then? do you want their properties to stay empty? do you just want them to starve?
Just an FYI, most commercial real estate is owned by massive corporations because they're the only ones with enough money to build and own skyscrapers. Most mom and pop landlords are residential and they own 4 units or less. It's very rare for an average, even a wealthy average person to own more than a couple of commercial properties that they rent out. Corporate landlords are very much a big reason why WFH isn't the standard.
Truth. I am so happy where I'm at that I am not looking for a new job with better pay because I love WFH so much. I know here I will always WFH.
Don't need to put on makeup, don't need to put together outfits for the week, don't need to drive anywhere. I wake up thirty minutes before I clock in.
Love it!
Well, it makes most of us happier. There was a minority of people who were very unhappy about remote working and who were eager for everyone to be forced back into the office. Not me, but there were some people.
It was managers, especially middle-managers. And if they are not happy, no one can be happy. Too bad middle-managers are always unhappy.
Little do they know that worker happiness is considered the enemy of productivity.* Plus, it's harder to micromanage them when they're at home.
*By employers, not the workers, obviously.
I don't get this.
When I was unhappy at my last job I was way less productive.
Now I'm enjoying my new job and spend my time solving real technical problems and building real projects.
I was considering taking a pay cut just to leave my last job it had gotten so toxic. You can pay employees less if they're otherwise satisfied.
Even better is if we all got a monthly allowance and not have to work full time. 😆
Haha! Now if only the point of work was to make you happy! If research showed it made your boss wealthier then everyone would be WFH tomorrow!