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I'm actually kinda pissed off at this. My girlfriends college is so far rescheduled to be in person in the Fall. I know 1 of her classes can't be online unless this thing continues, and another one of her classes has basically **** teachers for online outside of this thing based on reviews. Sacrificial lambs.
It's also causing our long term Japan stay to get interrupted, but that's just me ******ing As of yesterday, we would have been able to stay until around October 11, but now we'll be coming back likely around August 16. Fingers crossed there won't be grocery lines anymore in NYC. We've gotten kinda used to the relaxed reaction as risky as it is here in Tokyo.
Low-key envious that you have an extended stay there; only spent a week in Japan back in the Fall and it was too brief!
Not likely. Distractions in the office are more work related, so not really distractions. Distractions at home ar non-work related. And I think managers are going to actually want to see what their subordinates are doing all day. As I said, some companies, Facebook being the poster child, tried allowing large numbers of their employees to work remotely, then stopped that policy as a failure.
And people will do it because they need jobs and need to get paid. If that involves going into an office, they will, as they have for the last 100 years.
And note Millenials, and now Gen Zs are now in their childbearing years. The Boomers are way past that. So they'll have the non-work distraction issues.
I don't think you realize how the shift of WFH is accelerating at a rapid pace due to all this.
And guess what? The employees have a say as well. If they decide they want to WFH, then either the company will die or adapt to the situation. It goes both ways.
And just because a manager can see you in the office, doesn't mean you're actually doing any work. They can easily see what you're doing WFH by asking for updates.
Twitter has already said everyone can WFH forever if they choose to for one.
As others have already said, I also don't get the "allure" of NYC NOW. Now that the only "attractive" factor for me of living in NYC is basically destroyed (the nightlife and convenience of so many different type of shops open that require gatherings and things that are not safe any longer), I along with millions of others am already packing my bags. I need to get tested for COVID19 this week "just in case" (although I do not think I ever had the virus since I don´t come into much contact with people, thankfully) and then I am setting my eyes on different locations. Without the allure of nightlife and other conveniences that will now be gone for a very, very long time, there is NO POINT of paying NYC rents and COL.
If we add to that:
crappy weather, crappy cramped apartments, dirt, in your face rudeness from all races and backgrounds, a dismal public educational system and public transportation that was already falling apart but that on top of that will now be unsafe AND dangerous for your health (more than it already was) plus expensive too, why on earth would any rational single person with opportunities to work from home in other places that give you more space and cheaper COL and better quality of life choose to stay here?
NYC is done, sorry. It may come back in who knows how many years, but most of us do not have either the desire or the luxury ($$) to wait around so long in the hope that "maybe" things will improve.
Exactly what I’ve been saying for years. NYC has been done this is just the final nail in the coffin.
WFH is another step in globalization and corporatism. Lots of employees think they'll get to keep their prestigious nyc salary and move to the middle of nowhere and keep it. Think again! Not only that but some of you will work yourself out of a job from your own couch. Ironic, I know! If you can do it from your couch, why can't Pajeet do it from his, for a fraction of your already downgraded middle of nowhere salary? Sooner or later the quality of outsourced work will catch up. Trouble is right around the corner. I get that some superstar performers/companies are totally unaffected by this (they're the one's leading the race), but the future is bleak for the majority of Americans. What's happening now is yet another flow of wealth to the rich at the expense of current and future poor. Rich getting richer, poor getting poorer. Same poop, different day. Expect lots of radical politicians to pop up on both sides of the spectrum going forward. They're going after your 1st amendment, only because you gave up your second like an idiot. And just like that all of those" hillybilly redneck trump supporting white nationalist nazi straight males with their evil machine guns" have a solid point behind protesting.
WFH is another step in globalization and corporatism. Lots of employees think they'll get to keep their prestigious nyc salary and move to the middle of nowhere and keep it. Think again! Not only that but some of you will work yourself out of a job from your own couch. Ironic, I know! If you can do it from your couch, why can't Pajeet do it from his, for a fraction of your already downgraded middle of nowhere salary? Sooner or later the quality of outsourced work will catch up. Trouble is right around the corner. I get that some superstar performers/companies are totally unaffected by this (they're the one's leading the race), but the future is bleak for the majority of Americans. What's happening now is yet another flow of wealth to the rich at the expense of current and future poor. Rich getting richer, poor getting poorer. Same poop, different day. Expect lots of radical politicians to pop up on both sides of the spectrum going forward. They're going after your 1st amendment, only because you gave up your second like an idiot. And just like that all of those" hillybilly redneck trump supporting white nationalist nazi straight males with their evil machine guns" have a solid point behind protesting.
They tried. They failed.
But I agree. The MAJORITY of Americans are screwed more than most realize IF you are unable to do more than repetitive tasks.
Critical thinking skills and problem solving is how you avoid getting automated out of a job or replaced by Prakesh in Hyderabad or Malloy in Manila.
I think WFH has largely been a success, not just at my company but from the sounds of it across the country. The technology has improved to the point that it actually would be theoretically possible for the majority of white collar jobs to be fully remote. From the company perspective, if anything people are putting in more hours than ever - I've had calls at 10pm, and on Saturdays and Sundays. It's been, quite literally, insane. If anything, the company has probably been more "productive".
That said, in my mind there are real concerns to flipping the switch permanently:
1. It would be more difficult for those with young children. I'm saying this from first-hand experience (2 & 5-year old). It's hard for them to understand the concept of "working from home". We're fortunate enough to have our nanny still coming, but even then it's hard (she didn't come for 3 weeks, and it was actually impossible to WFH and parent at the same time).
2. Work spaces. My wife and I are "officing" out of our small bedroom, on opposite sides of the bed. We are both on calls all days, which becomes extremely annoying to us (and the people on the other end of the call). But we don't have another option - those kids mentioned in #1 are lurking just outside our bedroom door. I spend 11 hours a day cooped up in a 150 sqft room. It's wearing on our sanity. This could obviously be solved longer term by living in a place with a home office, but assuming most people in NYC do not have this luxury.
3. Boundaries. My commute, although not particularly long, did represent a barrier between my work life and my home life. It also afforded me the ability to completely zone out for 30 minutes and listen to music and shut my brain off. I'm always on at work, and I'm always on at home (at least until kids are in bed.) There now seems to be no boundary, and I bounce between checking / responding to email and attending to my children. Calls have crept later and later, and respect for personal time has been eroded. I've heard this has not been limited to my company. This could be solved, of course, but so far hasn't been.
Of my colleagues, at least half are looking forward to getting back to the office. A few are totally sold on fully remote and would never go back if given the option. Will be interesting to see how this plays out.
My wife has been working from home. We're hoping it becomes at least semi-permanent but we are not optimistic. He company seems to want to get everyone back in the office. since her company is based in NJ, we were actually wondering if working from home permanently would affect our taxes. Technically she'd be making the money in NY so why should be pay NJ taxes as well. But on the other hand, NJ unemployment is much better, so maybe we are better off.
They can try it, but most won't go for it. "Not risking my life to have unproductive chats at the water cooler with people I could care less about"
It's the opposite. They'll see that WFH productivity is HIGHER due to lack of distractions. At least with childless Millennials. The Boomers are struggling though.
75% of my job requires FOCUS. I have way too many meetings on my calendar and not enough time to do actual work. It blows my mind how much companies are willing to pay excessive commercial real estate prices especially in NY for the ILLUSION of "collaboration". People spend half the time bull****ting and shooting the breeze.
When I had to go in 3 days a week it took me an extra week to complete deliverables I now finish same week. It depends on the job function but for what I do, remote work is best. Most of the stakeholders I have to interact with are not in NYC anyways.
All this talk of pensions...are we talking city pensions, state? Who guaranteed you a pension? Some politician 80 years ago? We are all leaving...no ones gonna be around to pay it.
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As of yesterday, we would have been able to stay until around October 11, but now we'll be coming back likely around August 16. Fingers crossed there won't be grocery lines anymore in NYC. We've gotten kinda used to the relaxed reaction as risky as it is here in Tokyo.
