[alfiedotwtf]

This.

I know companies where management have refused work-from-home PRE-COVID have struggled to deal with their whole company forced to work from home because of lockdowns as they were unprepared. As soon as restrictions were lifted here, these same companies forced workers to come back into the office... and now only a few weeks later, we’re in a lockdown again.

In a digital world, and being the primary workers in this industry, I find companies that outright refuse work-from-home because “culture” are pissing in the wind.

[onethought]

I agree. But what about the business that aren’t 100% digital? Is it okay to have half your workforce at home? Is it fair? What about roles that thrive off human interaction, do they get written off?

[NeverFade]

Is it "fair" for many workers to work in hostile and dangerous environments like oil rigs or policing high-crime streets, while SWEs sit in comfortable climate-controlled offices?

Is it "fair" that thousands of employees of particular companies work endless shifts in unpleasant warehouses, while others enjoy nice downtown offices?

[francis-io]

Fair has nothing to do with it. We want to remove risk from as many people as possible. If you can do a job from home, do it from home.

Lets not put people at risk just to increase "fairness".

[alfiedotwtf]

This, so much. Can’t have us flatten the curve if we’re all jammed packed on public transport!

The Victorian government’s messaging here has been along the lines of “if you can work for home, please do it”, and fines can be issued if you force workers into the office when unnecessary... but from what I’m hearing, workers aren’t raising alarm bells

[onethought]

I wasn't referring to "During the pandemic" I was responding to the idea of "Is this permanent".

Also: Not every country is the US... some can safely go back to work. Or others, like Taiwan, never stopped.

[StopHammoTime]

In general, less people using the infrastructure around cities means that traveling is more safer, is generally better for the environment, and also supports small business growth in local communities instead of in a few blocks in the big city.

Even people that don't get to work from home still benefit from work from home. At the very least there's one less person to get annoyed with on the commute.

[onethought]

Really good point. It's kind of the Urban planners dream of decentralised hubs being realised.

[alfiedotwtf]

This is Hacker News, so I was speaking to the crowds here. Sure, most companies can’t have work-from-home as a viable alternative, but I’m specifically talking about purely digital companies - even where devs don’t interact with customers :shrug.gif: