Comment by parsimo2010 | Hacker News Reader

Comment by parsimo2010 | Hacker News Reader

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Yeah, I caught that too. Some people need to have frank conversations with workers in other fields. Work from home wasn’t about being able to fold your laundry or take a nap during the work day. If you do so, you shouldn’t be making your employer pay for that time. I can empathize with people not being allowed to take bathroom breaks, but don’t take it too far. At the end of the day, you are in an agreement with your employer to produce something in exchange for money.

And later on in the article they mention a man who’s boss messages them “whenever they go to get a drink of water.” Either their bossware has deviated from the default settings, or this person has a really long walk to their kitchen. Or maybe they are hiding some information, and regular people wouldn’t be so sympathetic when they heard that these “water breaks” are over five minutes long three times an hour, on top of their regular break time.

Right, but isn't this whole discussion about how "producing something" doesn't necessarily mean "presence"?

Sometimes a 15 minute "unscheduled" break to fold laundry is the perfect routine-break that helps me solve a problem. Sometimes a nap on the couch helps increase productivity for the rest of the day. I'd do it in a real office if the couches were more comfortable. In fact, sleep pods and the like should be more common in workplaces.

If productivity rates aren't being adversely affected micromanagers can take a long walk off a short pier

Most workplaces I've observed allow for short breaks, conversations, etc. Not just techies, not just office work; I've seen it in restaurants, in retail, in warehouses. Smoke breaks and bathroom breaks are unmetered in all but the most egregious work environments.

Working from home, you're closer to the bathroom, closer to the lunchroom, and almost certainly spend less time socializing at the water cooler. You spend less time commuting, and probably work longer days as a result. That's adds up to hours that your employer gets for free. Also, you're probably a knowledge worker, so productivity isn't a strictly linear function of hours at the keyboard. Taking a quick nap, doing some laundry, etc. balances out that bonus labor. It is not theft. In my experience, short breaks like this increase my productivity.

Except nobody questions when people at the office "steal" time ot the coffee machine, talking about sports, talking on the phone or just wandering around thinking about something. At home it seema like we are bolted to the chairs

Why is the agreement between the employee and employer any of your concern?

Of course you can have an opinion about what is appropriate, but you phrase your comment as if they should never involve the sort of flexibility you mention.

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