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Comment by mabbo | Hacker News Reader

Simply put, if my employer told me I needed to be in the office more than 5 days per month, I would find a new employer.

I'm more productive than ever. I'm happier than ever. I'm eating healthier. I sleep better. My marriage is stronger. My finances are kicking ass.

I won't give this up.

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Too take the exact opposite view :

Simply put, if my employer told me I needed to setup zoom calls every time I need to talk to someone more than 5 days per month, I would find a new employer. I'm less productive than ever. I'm more depressed than ever. I'm eating poorly and drinking more. I almost don't sleep anymore. I just want to spend few hours by myself instead of being constantly around my family members. My finances are unchanged.

I won't give this up. Give me a schedule, a break from home to work, let me see and meet people.

It’s almost as if different people have very different preferences and companies should provide flexibility to work in whatever way you prefer and are most productive.

Exactly, until people need to work together. If I like talking face to face in an office, and you prefer talking via zoom from home: either I have to yield to your preference and setup zoom, or you have to yield to mine and come to the office.

And that's where company/team policy and culture will rule. Some companies will be "remote first" and zoom will win - most of the time. Some companies will be "onsite first" and office it will be - most of the time. Both policies are completely OK when understood and agreed upon by everyone. I know that it's important for me, personally, to work in a company that will favour the office option. I also know that some other people will prefer the zoom option. The key part I believe is that company should clearly set and communicate their policies and expectations and employees should seek to work in companies that have culture matching their preferred way of working.

What do zoom calls have to do with eating poorly and drinking more? What does it have to do with not sleeping?

Go to the office if you want (to be "by yourself"? a bit weird but whatever) and let your coworker stay home if they prefer that.

Sounds like your problems are caused by something a bit more profound than a few zoom calls a day.

How many of the issues above do you control? I could make an argument the zoom calls being the only thing.

Maybe you should improve your home life... that's really sad, man. You deserve better.

If you hate your family so much why don't you move in with roommates? I don't talk to my family either.

On the opposite side, if there was no covid and my employer gave me the option to either WFH or go to the office, I would go to the office every single day. Hopefully people will have more options in the near future instead of being forced into a model they don't like whether it's the office or WFH.

I left a job in February 2020 because they had instituted a policy that no more employees would get remote work...a year earlier, they promised me WFH after a year. It was a big reason I left. Then, covid hit, and suddenly WFH was and still is mandatory.

That's cool, it's your preference. A lot of people prefer going in, especially if they are single and live alone.

I do not need an expensive car anymore when I am working from home. That alone is huge benefit.

You are quite privileged

Maybe so, but please don't post unsubstantive comments to HN, and especially not ones that are personally provocative. It just makes discussion worse.

https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

You're right. I am living an incredibly fortunate, privileged life. That's why we're considering which charities to donate to, which local groups have needs we can help.

When life is good, share it.

Why? Because an individual has difference circumstances they are automatically "privileged"?

Why are you working if not to earn privilege?

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