Rise of remote work

[wtburnette]

Microsoft’s remote-work-friendly CEO puts his finger on the big problem with working from home

The data doesn't lie.

fortune.com

Wow, refreshing. Pretty much what I've been saying. There is a disconnect somewhere. If you are a manager and don't think your employees are as productive at home, prove it. X amount of work should be done by your team each week/month. Is that getting done? If not, you should be able to track individual performance. Are they online at least partially during core hours? Are they attending meetings? This stuff isn't rocket science. If you don't know and don't have time to find out because upper management has you doing other things, you need a team lead or supervisor. Someone has to track productivity to ensure things are getting done. Bringing everyone back into the office may make you feel better, but there's no guarantee it'll lead to increased productivity and it'll likely damage morale if you do it because of your shortcomings instead of a real issue with productivity.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

Wow, refreshing. Pretty much what I've been saying. There is a disconnect somewhere. If you are a manager and don't think your employees are as productive at home, prove it. X amount of work should be done by your team each week/month. Is that getting done? If not, you should be able to track individual performance. Are they online at least partially during core hours? Are they attending meetings? This stuff isn't rocket science. If you don't know and don't have time to find out because upper management has you doing other things, you need a team lead or supervisor. Someone has to track productivity to ensure things are getting done. Bringing everyone back into the office may make you feel better, but there's no guarantee it'll lead to increased productivity and it'll likely damage morale if you do it because of your shortcomings instead of a real issue with productivity.

We have/had managers that were firmly in the camp of “you can’t **** ‘em if they’re not here”.

 

[wtburnette]

We have/had managers that were firmly in the camp of “you can’t **** ‘em if they’re not here”.

I've known plenty like that as well and they're idiots. There is nothing about a butt in a seat that has any effect or control over productivity.

My team has been one of the teams who has had higher productivity while working from home. Now we're starting to slip. I have coworkers who aren't pulling their weight. Thankfully, we're splitting our team into two separate teams soon and I'll be made team lead over the existing team. I already know who is struggling and am developing plans on how to work with them to improve their performance. If that doesn't work I'll be documenting the lack of productivity in an effort to move them out of the organization. The person taking over the other half of the team will be doing the same thing. I'm hoping by this time next year, if not sooner, we'll be back on track.

 

[yeahbaby]

I've known plenty like that as well and they're idiots. There is nothing about a butt in a seat that has any effect or control over productivity.

My team has been one of the teams who has had higher productivity while working from home. Now we're starting to slip. I have coworkers who aren't pulling their weight. Thankfully, we're splitting our team into two separate teams soon and I'll be made team lead over the existing team. I already know who is struggling and am developing plans on how to work with them to improve their performance. If that doesn't work I'll be documenting the lack of productivity in an effort to move them out of the organization. The person taking over the other half of the team will be doing the same thing. I'm hoping by this time next year, if not sooner, we'll be back on track.

Sounds like you have a good plan. Good luck, hope everything works out.

 

[wtburnette]

Sounds like you have a good plan. Good luck, hope everything works out.

Thanks. That'll depend on the employees in question, my manager and HR, but I have high hopes.

 

[Ingomike]

Microsoft’s remote-work-friendly CEO puts his finger on the big problem with working from home

The data doesn't lie.

fortune.com

Good article…

 

[Ingomike]

There is nothing about a butt in a seat that has any effect or control over productivity.

I do disagree with the absolute nature of the comment. There are those that can self manage given what you ask of managers and there are those that need the structure of strict management in a seat. It will take even better managers to figure out who is who and for many it will be easier to put everyone in a seat…

 

[wtburnette]

I do disagree with the absolute nature of the comment. There are those that can self manage given what you ask of managers and there are those that need the structure of strict management in a seat. It will take even better managers to figure out who is who and for many it will be easier to put everyone in a seat…

I guess I should have said there are no absolutes. My comment means, just because someone is sitting at their desk, it doesn't mean they're being productive. There are a plethora of HR studies that show this. A manager should be able to understand what each of their team is responsible for and what they're doing at any given time, within reason. Face to face interaction is often helpful, but it shouldn't be necessary in order to manage someone. Don't even think of this as related strictly to remote work. Think of it in reference to huge companies who have employees in other offices. When I worked at Anthem, my team had several people in the Indy office, but it also included 2 team members in Virginia, 1 in Atlanta and a couple in California. On a day to day basis, the manager never saw these individuals, but was still able to manage them. Remote work is similar in that regard.

 

[Ingomike]

I guess I should have said there are no absolutes. My comment means, just because someone is sitting at their desk, it doesn't mean they're being productive. There are a plethora of HR studies that show this. A manager should be able to understand what each of their team is responsible for and what they're doing at any given time, within reason. Face to face interaction is often helpful, but it shouldn't be necessary in order to manage someone. Don't even think of this as related strictly to remote work. Think of it in reference to huge companies who have employees in other offices. When I worked at Anthem, my team had several people in the Indy office, but it also included 2 team members in Virginia, 1 in Atlanta and a couple in California. On a day to day basis, the manager never saw these individuals, but was still able to manage them. Remote work is similar in that regard.

How does a company address personality/work style types? If they have good employees, some a self managing more productive at home types and others need the focus of the office types. I can see this causing issues in the long run, and many companies saying the former, while more productive at home are also productive at the office where the need focus types can also be productive.

 

[wtburnette]

How does a company address personality/work style types?

There is nothing stopping this when the employee is remote or in another office.

If they have good employees, some a self managing more productive at home types and others need the focus of the office types. I can see this causing issues in the long run, and many companies saying the former, while more productive at home are also productive at the office where the need focus types can also be productive.

A lot of large organizations already have to deal with this in regards to employees in different offices. It's not a new issue. I do agree with you that not everyone is suited to remote work, but it's up to the manager to find that out, just like verifying any other qualifications the employee needs for the position. If the position is remote, whether working from home or another office, the employee needs to be able to be productive and accountable. If they can't be, they are a bad fit for the position and should be dealt with as such.

 

[Ingomike]

There is nothing stopping this when the employee is remote or in another office.



A lot of large organizations already have to deal with this in regards to employees in different offices. It's not a new issue. I do agree with you that not everyone is suited to remote work, but it's up to the manager to find that out, just like verifying any other qualifications the employee needs for the position. If the position is remote, whether working from home or another office, the employee needs to be able to be productive and accountable. If they can't be, they are a bad fit for the position and should be dealt with as such.

While I am sure you will not agree with the approach do you think many companies, because they need the employees that cannot function at home, will bring entire teams back in offices?

 

[wtburnette]

While I am sure you will not agree with the approach do you think many companies, because they need the employees that cannot function at home, will bring entire teams back in offices?

Absolutely. There are tons and tons of absolutely clueless companies/managers. They'll see a huge impact in productivity, in a lot of cases, due to having a knee jerk reaction and ending something employees see as a huge benefit. Smart companies will take a measured approach. They'll end remote work if they are able to determine that productivity is actually impacted and leave people alone if they determine that there is no issue. The problem that I see is that this is a perception issue. Management would be smart to verify the productivity issues rather than just reacting to the perception of there being a problem.

That said, there will absolutely be companies that do this. Right or wrong.

 

[wtburnette]

Think about this like any other issue. Let's say upper management decides to let people work 4 - 10's and get off one day a week. There are enough members in each team to have adequate staffing 5 days a week under this work schedule. Employees love this as it gives them an extra day off and better flexibility with their work/life balance.

After 6 months, management perceives there to be an issue with productivity under the new work schedule. What do you do? Do you immediately go back to everyone working 5 days a week, or do you verify the productivity numbers to see if there is an actual problem? I've seen too many managers and executives react to perception rather than dealing with whether the perceived issue is actually a problem. Good companies/managers know this and work to squash perception with facts.

 

[WebSnyper]

Harley Is Rethinking Its Headquarters as CEO Rejects a Return to Office

Jochen Zeitz says virtual meetings ‘democratize’ the workplace

www.bloomberg.com

More info on the linkedin post but you may have to be signed in to see it: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/harl...5-3mgZ?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios

 

[wtburnette]

In the end, it's results that count.

Amen

 

[Ingomike]

Stay-At-Home Worker Rewards Self For Replying To Email By Taking 3-Hour Break

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Local stay-at-home tech worker Flamden Dwadles is taking a much-needed 3-hour break from hard labor this afternoon as a welcome reward for answering one email.

babylonbee.com

 

[wtburnette]

Stay-At-Home Worker Rewards Self For Replying To Email By Taking 3-Hour Break

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Local stay-at-home tech worker Flamden Dwadles is taking a much-needed 3-hour break from hard labor this afternoon as a welcome reward for answering one email.

babylonbee.com

 

[wtburnette]

BTW, if remote work appeals to you, my organization is hiring. Gotta have experience in third party/vendor risk. Contact me to learn more.

 

[KLB]

Stay-At-Home Worker Rewards Self For Replying To Email By Taking 3-Hour Break

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Local stay-at-home tech worker Flamden Dwadles is taking a much-needed 3-hour break from hard labor this afternoon as a welcome reward for answering one email.

babylonbee.com

That's a great idea! Typing an email can be terribly draining. Especially when you have to retype it a half dozen times to not be so mean when you are telling someone how stupid they are.

 

[Ingomike]

Twitter Employees Reportedly Put on Notice with 2:30 am Message from Elon Musk

Elon Musk has laid down the law for Twitter employees who do not want to give up working from their homes.

www.thegatewaypundit.com