←back to thread

113 points robtherobber | 1 comments | | HN request time: 0.654s | source
Show context
Koshima ◴[] No.44005133[source]
The remote work era exposed a strange paradox: while we saved time on commutes, we often ended up working longer. Maybe it’s because our calendars became too accessible, or perhaps the "out of sight, out of mind" fear kicked in for managers. Either way, the true cost of this shift is still playing out.
replies(6): >>44005427 #>>44005563 #>>44005642 #>>44006171 #>>44006658 #>>44006686 #
lukashoff ◴[] No.44005427[source]
The WFH shift also exposed the ones who have self discipline and the ones who are not. Nobody is asking you to go beyond the contracted hours. Inability to stop working is a fault of the person and not the mode of working. Agree that the managers fear kicked in so they start to pretend to do work for "visibility". However, that's a sign of a rotten culture and these people were most likely NOT productive in the first place and now they are being exposed therefore they have a need to over-compensate for it.

There are plenty of us who became extremely productive and can finally enjoy life rather than constantly play the spectacle in the office or sit in traffic for hours. And don't get me started on the ones who are neurodiverse or have any kind of disability.

replies(4): >>44005539 #>>44005570 #>>44005649 #>>44006605 #
1. ChrisMarshallNY ◴[] No.44005570[source]
Seems that was an unpopular comment, but it's basically correct.

Overwork can be corrosive to productivity and quality, but that can happen in-office, as much as at home.

But also, working at home does require self-discipline, and not everyone is able to do that. It's also like being a manager, or a company owner. These require a certain type of personality/skillset, and not everyone has it. There's a good possibility that we need external structure. I know folks who rented a desk in a local incubator, during COVID, because they needed the time away from home.

That's not necessarily a bad thing. Some of the most materially successful people in history, have been right bastards, in life. There's a lot to be said for a healthy work/life balance.

As far as neurodiverse folks; some of them can do very well at home.