Why work doesn't happen at work
I don't agree with him. There is no logic in what he says. If you are answering a phone, I consider that work. If you are forced to attend a meeting, it's work. What exactly does he consider work? I never picked up on it.
I understand that the creative people (programmers, designers, etc.) he talks about independent time to do contemplative thinking about but still my question, what exactly does he consider work?
I do, however, agree with his point about voluntary disruptions as opposed to involuntary disruptions in the work place.
I understand that the creative people (programmers, designers, etc.) he talks about independent time to do contemplative thinking about but still my question, what exactly does he consider work?
I do, however, agree with his point about voluntary disruptions as opposed to involuntary disruptions in the work place.
Most of my programming work happens when I'm washing the dishes, tidying up or doing some other housework or when I'm at the gym. Writing down the code is a simple thing in most cases. Thinking how to organise the code to keep it clean and maintainable is the hardest. Phones, meetings, emails etc. can be a great distractor. I work often with one or 2 other programmers and we understand each other so well and we work on different parts of the system, so we don't need to synchronise too often, therefore the time for meetings is very short.
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@thepedestrian
Well yeah, one size does not fit all. We are all different and I agree with the major things he talk about. But yeah I you have also a point, meeting should also be considered work and others.
@rapidcoder
Well what can I say, just WOW! I envy you man for having such good friends or co-workers.
Well yeah, one size does not fit all. We are all different and I agree with the major things he talk about. But yeah I you have also a point, meeting should also be considered work and others.
@rapidcoder
Well what can I say, just WOW! I envy you man for having such good friends or co-workers.
You see, we are also friends in "real life". I doubt such cooperation would be possible without it.
But the cooperation is much different if you do a startup for yourself (all or nothing situation), than just work for someone else, on someone else's project, for a regular salary. We have the vision of the project, we are at the control of it, not some "boss" or "project manager" and most technical meetings are for solving the most complex problems, just to keep going forward. But we don't discuss a single function implementation, or even internal module architecture. We trust ourselves.
You could not do this with person whou you don't know for enough long.
But the cooperation is much different if you do a startup for yourself (all or nothing situation), than just work for someone else, on someone else's project, for a regular salary. We have the vision of the project, we are at the control of it, not some "boss" or "project manager" and most technical meetings are for solving the most complex problems, just to keep going forward. But we don't discuss a single function implementation, or even internal module architecture. We trust ourselves.
You could not do this with person whou you don't know for enough long.
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I personally do work better at home, but I can think of a number of reason to still go to an office:
- Better supervision, when you need to know something / more details about what you have to do, you'll hear as soon as anyone knows.
- Better support, when you have a problem you are stuck on a practical problem you can ask peers without having to use phones (which I personally really dislike for giving instructions or hints through, since you don't get the visuals).
And probably some more.
- Better supervision, when you need to know something / more details about what you have to do, you'll hear as soon as anyone knows.
- Better support, when you have a problem you are stuck on a practical problem you can ask peers without having to use phones (which I personally really dislike for giving instructions or hints through, since you don't get the visuals).
And probably some more.
@blackcoder41
Yeah, you're definitely correct. One side does not fit all. But I think it applies only to the creative community.
I think he's speaking more from his standpoint and I also sense a little bias in what he says. I don't really see how 37 Signal's software, which is the company he co-founded, has become a standard in the creative industry. But the point i'm trying to make is that founders of the company always seemed a little snobby to me. They think too highly of themselves. I wouldn't be surprised he came up with this topic just so he can have something to talk about.
He does make some valid points but the scenarios he talks about probably will not work for 99% of the population. People have seemed to develop an hatred for their jobs. Would you expect this person to get any work done from home? Probably not.
He questions why companies need to build an institution where people come to work. Well at an elementary level, should we not build hospitals, grocery stores, or oil rigs etc.? How can "work" be accomplished then? It's not practical for everyone to have advance medical or drilling equipment in their homes. It works only for micro and fails for the macro.
Yeah, you're definitely correct. One side does not fit all. But I think it applies only to the creative community.
I think he's speaking more from his standpoint and I also sense a little bias in what he says. I don't really see how 37 Signal's software, which is the company he co-founded, has become a standard in the creative industry. But the point i'm trying to make is that founders of the company always seemed a little snobby to me. They think too highly of themselves. I wouldn't be surprised he came up with this topic just so he can have something to talk about.
He does make some valid points but the scenarios he talks about probably will not work for 99% of the population. People have seemed to develop an hatred for their jobs. Would you expect this person to get any work done from home? Probably not.
He questions why companies need to build an institution where people come to work. Well at an elementary level, should we not build hospitals, grocery stores, or oil rigs etc.? How can "work" be accomplished then? It's not practical for everyone to have advance medical or drilling equipment in their homes. It works only for micro and fails for the macro.
closed account (S6k9GNh0)
I agree with some of it. The radical idea that the office isn't the best place to accomplish something is, I think, accurate. The idea that facebook, youtube, etc. aren't an addition to the problem is, I think, wrong. People spend more time on this crap than one would think possible. This idea doesn't apply to those with an awesome office environment.
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I think it depend a lot on the company culture. In most Asian companies, bosses want to see their workers at work. The thought of having them work from home is like they paying salaries but not seeing their workers work. This is despite the fact if work from home can deliver the deliverables. I think this is mind-set problem.
In some US companies, they do have work from home but also not 100%, it could be a balance between work from home and at work. E.g Mon and Fri work from home, Tue to Thurs work in office.
I being an employee has never has the chance to work from home but based from my friends who have experience, they feel work from home is so much harder as distractions are much more. TV, games, radio, sleep etc etc. So in the end they revert back to work in office.
The company industry also play a part. Some jobs require you to travel and go to sites so it will be illogical for you to work in office isn't it ? Imagine you are a construction site supervisor so most of your time would be spent on sites instead of office for example. You are a salesman so most of the time you are traveling than work in office (unless you are doing telephone sales marketing) and a lot more professions that require you to be away from office.
In some US companies, they do have work from home but also not 100%, it could be a balance between work from home and at work. E.g Mon and Fri work from home, Tue to Thurs work in office.
I being an employee has never has the chance to work from home but based from my friends who have experience, they feel work from home is so much harder as distractions are much more. TV, games, radio, sleep etc etc. So in the end they revert back to work in office.
The company industry also play a part. Some jobs require you to travel and go to sites so it will be illogical for you to work in office isn't it ? Imagine you are a construction site supervisor so most of your time would be spent on sites instead of office for example. You are a salesman so most of the time you are traveling than work in office (unless you are doing telephone sales marketing) and a lot more professions that require you to be away from office.
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