rondonjon t1_jddb2pb wrote
When you build an office like that you gotta put it to use.
Cariboudjan t1_jde8nxa wrote
No joke. There's two big reasons why these companies are obsessed with returning to the office.
1 - The managers are dinosaurs. They do not understand and do not want to understand the potential of emerging technologies for enhancing WFH efficiency, such as Augmented Reality. They barely understand Zoom.
2 - They invested a lot into office real estate and if working from home becomes the new normal, it has no resale value.
This has nothing to do with productivity and everything to do with stubbornness, incompetency, and greed.
Soon enough new emerging companies will be started by younger generations that will embrace new technology and WFH will be the normal. Older companies that choose to not adapt will lose their talent, and either change their thinking or slowly fade into financial obscurity.
Beerificus t1_jdeddzv wrote
>They invested a lot into office real estate and if working from home becomes the new normal, it has no resale value.
This is the big one that I see. I work with several tech companies throughout Nor. Cal. The ones that have big, grand offices (and are also not able to downsize/sell/lease) are all the one hammering on employees to return to work. Other companies that have many offices, so combo buildings are the ones reducing their real-estate footprints and promoting hybrid. It's becoming a "we're screwed, so you're also screwed." Whereas others are, "hell yea, lets shed some buildings, save costs."
baldthrowaway4u t1_jdeqdg5 wrote
Yes a big tech company like apple is run by people who barely understand zoom
NoiseyTurbulence t1_jdeiv8v wrote
Exactly, all of this!
sredd007 t1_jdfwi79 wrote
Not managers, its the investors/board.
Im-relatively-happy t1_jdfb1tu wrote
To be fair though, those “dinosaurs” have done some pretty impressive things. Their techniques must mean something. We will always work for ‘the man’. It’s a tough pill to swallow but if we don’t like it we can leave.
Amadacius t1_jdfgnt2 wrote
The managers have done impressive things? Like what?
GimmeShockTreatment t1_jdgkf50 wrote
Please tell me how AR has WFH applications
Cariboudjan t1_jdm8per wrote
Found the dinosaur
GimmeShockTreatment t1_jdmn7il wrote
Just explain it to me. I’m happy to learn. I know exactly what AR is by the way. But not seeing what it adds to a work environment at this time.
Cariboudjan t1_jdne29l wrote
A control room or security control operator is able to see hundreds of virtual screens monitoring equipment and sensors without the need of a single monitor. Screens are therefor mobile and operator can work in any environment.
People hundreds of miles apart can collaborate on the same task as if in the same room. Meetings can be had from anywhere. People can stand up and draw on a whiteboard, or manipulate a 3D model.
Instructors, teachers, even healthcare can be done remotely to some extent. Combined with advancements in Lidar, two or more people can exist inside a reproduction of the host's environment, allowing them to assist or consult in real world problems, such as structural failures, electrical or plumbing problems without needing to leave their house. They can in a way teleport from environment to environment all over the world, ending the need to physically travel somewhere to advise on a project.
Not all jobs can be done remotely - I'd wager less than 20% of jobs can be done this way. But that 20% is a 20% reduction in traffic on the road every morning, 20% reduction in transportation greenhouse gases from cars and planes, and the cost of real estate in previously over-congested areas of a city will go down as the demand for this space extends out into rural areas, where rural area property values will increase.
GimmeShockTreatment t1_jdno545 wrote
But these are all future theoretical applications right? Are any of these possible without spending huge amounts of money? My whole point is that current WFH applications work well enough. A company could spend tons of money to get an extra tiny bit of production but I’m not sure there’s evidence that it’s worth it. Making economical decisions doesn’t make someone a dinosaur lol. I work in tech btw so I’m not completely behind the times.
Cariboudjan t1_jdnw7uu wrote
Uh. These applications would save millions of dollars each year by not having to provide office space, purchase monitors or monitor mounting hardware, desks, chairs, coffee, bathrooms, toilet paper, parking space, heat, electricity... The list goes on and on.
The thing is a lot of these ESTABLISHED businesses have already invested in the office space and are inclined to use it. New businesses that are not yet established would prefer not to invest in office space as a cost-saving measure. All of this futuristic hardware is cheaper than the cost of property taxes on office space for a single year. Do you think a start-up is going to invest millions of dollars in downtown office space when they can accomplish the same productivity by investing thousands in hardware?
GimmeShockTreatment t1_jdo4egs wrote
No but the cheapest option is to work from home with zoom. It works fairly well. The type of technology you’re suggesting might make sense in niche scenarios but ultimately seems like it has a low cost to benefit ratio.
I can’t speak specifically to the security guard angle of your point. Maybe you’re correct but again that’s niche in the grand scale of jobs that can be WFH.
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