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Comment by davidw | Hacker News Reader

> Google likes to solve tough problems on a global scale. People work hard...and love it. Most nights I work late and eat dinner at Google. Last night there were at least 400 people eating dinner at 8:00PM. Larry Page was there too, sitting at the table next to me. This is not unusual. When you are achieving goals and being recognized for your work...it doesn't feel like work. Again, to use the New England Patriots analogy, you put everything you've got into it every single day, but when you are doing it alongside the best in the world, it is a privilege and doesn't seem like work at all.

Ok, I can definitely see that. On the other hand... if I weren't home for dinner, my daughter would wonder where 'dada' was.

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Seconded. Being home for supper w/ wife and two-year-old son is the highlight of my day.

Read a different way "Last night there were at least 400 people eating dinner at 8:00PM" means that there were at least 400 people who either don't have families or for whatever reason felt it was better to stay at the office than to be at home w/ their families. The novelty of eating in a company cafeteria wears off, the long-term grind of working for a company where there is pressure to put the company ahead of your personal life does not.

"Last night there were at least 400 people eating dinner at 8:00PM" means that there were at least 400 people who either don't have families or for whatever reason felt it was better to stay at the office than to be at home w/ their families.

Welcome to Silicon Valley.

When you have a family and lots of outside obligations, you lose the ability to take risk and gain large rewards in favor of increased stability. It's not a matter of one being better than the other. These people work extremely hard and contribute in ways that they find meaningful. Nobody should be criticized for being dedicated.

How is working for Google, one of the world's most profitable companies, taking a risk?

I'm not averse to risk but I am skeptical that everyone working late at Google is doing so because they're having so much fun as "rock star" engineers that they can't wait to get back to work.

When you have a family that you love and enjoy you already have the large reward. Work you enjoy is icing on top of that. The reason you may seek less risk with family is that the upside is relatively small (it will always be dwarfed by family), and the downside is large (losing your home, putting financial stress on your family, etc..).

But I agree, they shouldn't be criticized for being dedicated to their job. But I do think posts, like Don's, seem to implicitly criticize those people who aren't at the cafeteria at 8pm.

Ken, There is NO implicit criticism of people who don't work nights, and none was intended. Sorry if you came away with that impression.

Google is all about achievement...not which hours you choose to work. The fact is that most employees do not stay for dinner. Google people have different work schedules. Some come in early, some stay late, some work 9 to 5 at the office, and get back online at night after the kids go to bed. Some people work from home. There is no pressure to conform to some schedule.

Google is like a college campus. There are people everywhere, all working different schedules. There is always someone around so you never feel alone.

Don

Most of the Googlers I know with kids don't stay for dinner, or they'll grab dinner and go (which technically you're not supposed to do, but they work hard the rest of the day...)

The 400+ people at the Googleplex at 8:00 PM is mostly a reflection of the relative youth of the employee base (median age: 28). When you're young and single, hanging out with friends for dinner certainly beats going home and eating alone.

I totally agree. Most don't stay for dinner. Many go home, have dinner with their family, and get back on line from home later. Everyone is free to do what they need to do. There is no pressure from anyone.

Google feels a lot like a college campus. Lots of people around at all hours of the day and night. People have different work schedules, but you never feel alone.

Most don't stay for dinner. Many go home, have dinner with their family, and get back on line from home later.

Does anyone work strict eight hour days, five days a week?

I think there are some. I know some people who go home around 5:15, every day. I'm not entirely sure when they get in, but I think it's around 9:00, +- 15 minutes.

I've been working pretty consistent 8 hour days lately, noon to 8. Granted, in my last project, I was often working 11-12 hour days + weekends. I think that's only typical if you're on a high profile project with a company-wide push to get it out the door, though. There are 20,000 Googlers; most of them are not on such projects.

As long as they're there by free will and not silent peer pressure, great for them. Otherwise, condolences.

If there are that many people working late how can there not be a silent peer pressure to do so?

Maybe they're not morning people? I sometimes get on a bad cycle of work late, stay up late, sleep in, and get into work at 11 the next day. It's not because anyone asked me to keep this schedule.

The "I can definitely see that" part of my comment was because I really can. I work well at that time of day and there are times when I would love to just keep cranking away. Maybe some of them, like btilly says, get there late. I could see that working: spend some time with the kid(s) in the morning and then work later.

Each person has freedom to find their own balance.

My kids are 2 and 5. And yes, I was at work last night at 9 PM. How horrible is that?

However I got time with my kids in the morning, arrived around noon, and like having the freedom to commute at a time where I can avoid rush hour traffic.

I'm with you. I'm younger but still, the idea of sitting at WORK at 8pm eating dinner next to a billionaire and countless early employee millionaires while making them all even richer sort of turns my god damn stomach.

I think that's a good litmus test. If a job at hot company xyz sounds more like 'wage slavery' than 'great career opportunity', you know you should be an entrepreneur.

You, good sir, should be an entrepreneur.

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