Comment by JumpCrisscross | Hacker News Reader

Comment by JumpCrisscross | Hacker News Reader

The data are heterogenous. I broadly see three categories: jobs where RTO is a clear win, jobs where the RTO penalty is more and the WFH penalty less than the offshoring penalty and jobs where both are more.

The first will RTO. The second will permit WFH with good compensation. The last will be offshored. We’re presently figuring out the divides, with a strong bias on the coasts towards domestic layoffs and offshoring experimentation in software development.

The missing category, jobs where WFH is a clear win, continues to elude. From what I’ve seen, it’s dominated by niche groups of ultra-elite workers providing unique services within otherwise mixed work environments. (Disclaimer: I do this.)

How about a fourth category: Jobs where RTO and WFH are a draw, but if enough people WFH the company can save a large amount of money on renting an office.

There have to be companies where the C-suite people can look at the rental expense and see "money that could go straight to the bottom line, and make us look good for doing it", right? If WFH/RTO is a draw, those companies ought to financially out-compete companies with power-tripping or incompetent managers that demand RTO, right? Smart leaders (don't laugh; there are a few) have to figure this out eventually, don't they?

Companies have been relentlessly thinking about how to automate and offshore positions, regardless of the broader economic trends and definitely regardless of your physical work location, for decades now. It isn't "RTO and avoid getting laid off", it's "RTO and get laid off anyway".

> Companies have been relentlessly thinking about how to automate and offshore positions, regardless of the broader economic trends

Sure? The point is WFH provides a working template that expands where it works, and where it’s worth trying.

it’s dominated by niche groups of ultra-elite workers providing unique services within otherwise mixed work environments.

Which applies to most people on HN.

*almost no one

lol

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