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Tell HN: I love my family and friends more than you, coworkers

11 points by tkiolp4 ↗ HN
I’m astonished by the amount of people that are OK with going back to the office because their companies say so. They usually claim things like collaboration is way better in person, socialization is much needed, if you spend 8h/day with your coworkers then they ultimately become almost friends, productivity seems to be lower when WFH, etc.

My bet is that most of the people who thinks like this are probably in their 20s. I’m not in my 20s anymore, and I couldn’t care less about all the claims above. I’m a professional that takes his career seriously (I didn’t study CS for the money, over here they don’t pay that much either), and I study every day to become better because I just like it… but I have zero empathy for companies that want to micromanage me and for coworkers that want me to be their friends and share food time.

I have more important commitments in life than being physically around my coworkers sharing an open office space, yet I can successfully and professionally do my job. I understand companies wanting us to go back to the office (they are businesses looking for revenue, they are not our friends), but it really causes me pain to see how many employees do not mind at all going back to a way of working that diminishes quality of life.

5 comments

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galsol
It might diminish your quality of life. We are individuals with different needs and preferences. How is that so difficult to understand. I'm happy to be back in the office and to see my co-workers and I'm 37
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mattbgates
During COVID-19, my company laid off hundreds of people. Then they attacked my paycheck and cut my pay, with a month's notice, leaving me to scramble in debt [still ongoing] to pay it off, while almost wanting me to be grateful for letting me keep my job.

I moved across the country for my job, only to eventually end up working remotely 5 years later once COVID hit. I will never go back into an office. The issue is that if I ask for more money... I'll be the first to be laid off when they are scrambling around to save every penny possible.

I also stopped working overtime and going above and beyond for my company. I do just what my job description says: no more, no less. I do not volunteer for anything anymore. I used to be that gungho employee who really believed that if I tried hard enough.. if I did this or that.. I would get that promotion or raise... it never happened.

My wife used to tell me: "If you go that extra mile... they will notice." Nope. Never. Not once. And if they noticed.. it was because I made mistakes. I don't believe a word any of my managers tell me. I don't believe a word the CEO says. Always just there to do my job... and during downtime, I'm working on my own side products.

I completely agree you 100%. Only so many lies and bullshit you can go through before you understand how the corporate world works. Why don't I quit my job, you ask? I get to work from home. And "working from home" doesn't always mean I'm home... sometimes I'm in a car driving across Colorado.. or California... or wherever tomorrow brings me. Gotta love the Internet I bring with me.

johncoltrane
You accustomed yourself to a situation that was always supposed to be temporary. Now that the storm is over, it's time to be the grown up you claim to be and go back to normal. WFH was not a gift.