Comment by simonsarris | Hacker News Reader

Comment by simonsarris | Hacker News Reader

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I see a lot of comments on HN about people wishing they could work from home and barely any wishing what I prefer instead: A workplace worth being at.

I work from home on occasion, but I also consider my workplace to be a society that I enjoy being a part of.

I like talking to the people in my office throughout the day. I like going to lunch with them sometimes. I like that I am in a building of experts and collaborators.

I suppose I am more fortunate than most in that I can walk to work and that my work is on Main Street, surrounded by many wonderful cafes and restaurants. But that many people do not share such suitable conditions I think is an argument against their conditions (poor commute, poor workplace location), and I don't think their conditions necessarily point to teleworking as the best solution, while it is certainly a better alternative than a miserable commute, I don't see it as an ideal.

So I must Ask HN: If your work was closer to you and in a pleasant location, would you still want to work from home primarily?

This the difference between introversion and extroversion. While you enjoy the company of your teammates, others may prefer to work independently.

The freedom to work from home doesn't mean you have to be cooped up inside your house. You can work from cafes, parks, anywhere and everywhere with wi-fi. Sick of the same restaurants and bars? Take a weekend flight to Europe and work from there. It's the sort of romantic nonsense that some of us find appealing.

I'm high on the introversion scale (and work from home, the cafe, etc. with some regularity) but I agree with the grandparent post. I like having a space dedicated to work and the ability to collaborate with my coworkers in person.

> Sick of the same restaurants and bars? Take a weekend flight to Europe and work from there.

I love how casual you make this sound.

Indeed. One boss said to me once, working from home is a privilege not a right. I snorted in derision, me working at home is a privilege not a right for him, I expect the office to be an optimal working environment and if it's not he's not doing his job.

I'm of the mindset right now that me working for someone else should be considered a privilege by them. If they don't, it's not some place I want to be involved in. I'm not talking red carpet fawning all over me type of stuff, but at least an acknowledgement that I could be doing something else with my time (just like they could have hired someone else).

You make a good point. I started to write what promised to be a lengthy reply, but I realized it came down to a simple characteristic--flexibility. Ultimately, what's needed is flexibility provided to the employee. Provide the means to work from home (VPN, etc.), to arrive/leave the office as needed, etc. Does the employer trust their employees to do what they need to get their work done?

For myself, I work from home as much as I can because the alternative is a 2 hour commute to my current client's office (I'm a consultant). It doesn't matter if paradise awaits me at the other end of that trip - I don't want to go.

That said, half the time I work from home winds up being spent in a Starbucks 5 minutes from the house, just for the change of scenery (and free coffee).

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