I like working from my office. I don't understand people that like working from home.
Possible confounding variable: I live exactly two blocks from my office and don't have to commute. Perhaps, in actuality, people don't like to commute?
Possible confounding variable: I live exactly two blocks from my office and don't have to commute. Perhaps, in actuality, people don't like to commute?
- I'm in an open office situation.
- Standing desk is awkward when everyone else is sitting.
- If I make a loud noise eating or sneezing or something like 5 people stare at me trying to figure out what is going on.
- I can't have twitch or a baseball game on in the background because nosey co-workers will walk by, see my screen, and comment or internalize that I'm a slacker because I like a running commentary instead of music when I work.
- Constantly being pulled aside for conversations that can be answered in a sentence or two via slack or email. (not having me in person forces people to think about and write down exactly what they want to say or ask before they actually say it)
- My home setup is significantly nicer than my office set up.
- Open office means I hear all about everyone's past or upcoming weekends, vacations, etc.
- I enjoy stretching or doing small exercises throughout the day, which is super weird to do while in the office (plus no yoga mat).
- People low key hate me because I am the only person with a mechanical keyboard and make lots of noise when I start typing a lot. (I've learned to ignore the not so subtle stare downs)
So probably my biggest thing is the open office problem. As a programmer, being in the middle of a group of chatty 20-30 somethings all day is not great for productivity.
The only thing worse than open-office for me is a setting where my back is to a space that people are walking through. I can't even have my back to an open doorway in an office (assuming the hallway outside is somewhat busy), or I spend much of my time in a low-grade fight-or-flight situation.
If you put me in an open office where people are regularly walking by behind me, you are probably getting (at best) 60% of my productivity in an office with a door. Actually, in this job market, you are getting 0% of my productivity because I will work elsewhere.
Yes, I prefer it. I can very easily drown out everyone and everything in the room by simply listening to music when I need to, and I like the proximity to everyone else that the open office provides.
There are so many reasons... I think you either get it, or you don't.
most places if you close the door your office is cut off from the nearest thermostat, so you get too hot or too cold.
...assuming your office was even a reasonable temperature to start with. and that the HVAC is working that day. and that your office mate isn't some 70 year old who is cold all the time but can't just put on a sweater.
Me. I like having the background activity and don't find it distracting. I've only done it in small group / company settings though.
There is a fucking difference between commentary and music and radio btw.
Try not to project your own limitations on to other people!
I have a whole range of preferred noise depending on the task, from dead silence for hard, tricky problems up to what I just described for easy but important detail work. I even know exactly what kind of music I want to listen to for different tasks, and whether or not I want vocals in it.
There is no one-size-fits-all solution to what works for people.
This alone is a major productivity booster
Personal pet peeve: questions that I answer by literally pulling up the commit message for the last commit that changed the line in question.
I guess there are different kind of personalities, some people prefer working from an office others prefer working from an Starbucks. I have a coworker who prefers the library.
My ultimate "office perk" is no meetings over skype/hangout/zoom/gotomeeting.
And for others, it gives them a chance to spend more time with their kids. Or live in a place that is far more relaxing and calm than wherever the office might be located.
I understand preferring to separate work from home, or being more productive at the office, but I don't understand people who don't understand why people like working from home. I don't mean to be offensive but it just doesn't seem that complicated to imagine some of the benefits people prefer.
Getting that time back in the evening, when needed, allowed me to schedule local appointments or meet a friend at a more reasonable time.
I've worked in an office before, I work from home now. Really what I want is to work from home some days, in an office some days, all depending on my mood or schedule.
I really, really, really hate the bathroom at my current workplace.
Also I can take a shower in the middle of the day. Which is the best time.
I'm intrigued. Why is that the best time?
At the moment after a couple of months I still rather enjoy the commute - helps that it is scenic (along coast and then across Forth Bridge into Edinburgh) and I can always get a seat.
Edit: Getting a house in the country, even relatively close to Edinburgh, that has decent Internet access speed was very difficult and quite stressful as you can't really know what speed you are going to get until after you move in.
"Well sounds like you should get a new job" people always retort -- nope sorry, this open floor plan bullshit has permeated everywhere, and I have no desire to move to the west coast.
Um, what does the west coast have to do with it? In fact, isn't it even worse over there? It seems like that's where this stupid open-office fad started.
If there's some region where open offices are not the norm, someone please tell me so I can start making plans to move there.
I still choose to work from home one day every week or two in order to take care of various other stuff like going to the dentist or checking up the car.
It's a 20-25 minute commute to work, and I really notice the difference in the quality of my day when I work from home. I can work, go to the gym, make food, do chores, and still have time to do something worthwhile after work hours.
When I commute, all of the little things end up and my day feels so much shorter.
That said, I like going into the office, even if it is cubicle land. Spontaneous design conversations are valuable. If people are having a problem, I can hear it, and jump in if I can contribute. It would be challenging to be 100% remote in my role, which involves communication, mentoring, and team organization in additional to technical work.
If I lived two blocks from the office, I'd have the best of both worlds :)
Possible confounding variable: I hate commuting and being in less privacy and comfort than I am at home. Perhaps, in actuality, people like convenience and comfort?
However, if I could not be in the office, that means I could find a mountain cabin in the winter, and go ski after work, or a beach cabin in the summer, or just go travel the world, while still working during the day.
These are the kinds of benefits that are extremely desirable.
I make a point of making myself available at the office a couple of hours per day, but I vastly prefer -- and am more productive -- working from my office at home. Fewer distractions, less noise, and I can work when I want. For somebody that's severely ADHD and has always been a night owl, it makes a huge difference.
I still prefer getting some face time to quickly talk through some issues, which is why I do physically go in to the office most days (and I'm about to head there now), but if I had to choose to go strictly one direction or the other, I'd choose remote work without any question.
My office is in the city, and unfortunately living within walking distance is not really an option. Plus, if I ever change job the odds of being nearby the new job are not that high anyway.
Driving is fun!
Driving in traffic, not so much...
Also, I like my coworkers so coming to work seems like playing sometimes.
If I had to drive to work I'd be even more into WFH.
On the other hand my commute is 11 minutes. So that makes it easy.
If I lived within walking distance of a job I'd otherwise enjoy, I'd strongly consider it.