> Baszucki cited “Zoom fatigue,” as well as concern that early-career workers may miss out on mentorship opportunities without in-office interactions.<p>Zoom fatigue was addressed during the pandemic by multiple ways to deal with it. Remote work is not some impossible dream. Lots of companies do it successfully.<p>But the idea that "our junior employees might not ask for a mentor, so let's fire them" is ridiculous.
As someone who has moved long distance (from NYC to SF and back) for a job, all you're doing is creating 6 months to a year of hell for the employees that actually relocate to San Mateo. It is not easy to uproot your life. It is not pain free. If the excuse is that you want your workers to be productive, are you considering the productivity impact on the workers that take up the offer to relocate?<p>If a remote worker sucks, fire them. If not, let them be. As far as the opportunities for junior workers, as it has always been, it's on the managers and more senior engineers to cultivate that. It is on the juniors to put in the effort. If they're not doing it remotely (for the juniors, putting in the work, for the management and seniors, putting in the effort to cultivate the junior), why would you think they would do it in person?
> may miss out on mentorship opportunities without in-office interactions<p>I don't know how to translate "mentorship opportunities" from management into normal talk.<p>I know what this means on the surface level. But I suspect I can't really read between the lines.<p>I'm the defacto technical on-boarder for one of the teams I'm on; and I hire interns every summer and some fall/springs. I feel I do a fair bit of what one might call "mentorship", I still need an explainer.<p>edit: took out a ranty bit. I'm actually interested in an answer
You have to love the false choice of "do this or quit." You're going to have to fire me or make it worth my while to leave unless I find my next opportunity first. I'm not doing the hard part and giving up potential unemployment benefits.
The only dim silver lining here is that non-executive employees will have a clear(er) understanding and legibility of their status within the organization.<p>This signal is typically pretty valuable beause it gives those who are allowed to work remotely the understanding that they possess a unique and currently difficult-to-replace skillset. Conversely, those on the other side of the invisible divide (i.e. deemed replaceable or non-essential) will also realize that they should either start developing a difficult-to-replace skillset within the eyes of the company, or seek other employment <i>even if they end up moving to San Mateo</i>.
<i>sigh</i> why is this even news anymore? Executives will always ignore the brute facts of reality (after all, we just spent all of Covid working remote, to no perceptible detriment to productivity at all) in service of making excuses for earning calls.<p>Yeah, we're screwed. <i>yawn</i> Tell me something I don't know.
But Roblox recruiters have been telling me for years that they're "building the metaverse". Does this mean they aren't sold on the value of virtual interactions?
"Move to this high cost of living area and come in to the office, oh and we'll probably lay you off anyway when not enough people voluntarily leave" doesn't sound very appealing to me, but in this economy it might be a smart move.
Never quit in response a change in work conditions, if they no longer want to have you as a remote worker they can fire you, but none of this BS “implied quitting” it’s just an attempt to get out of legally required compensation.
I'd love the opportunity to opt-in to a severance package! Can start interviewing over the next 3 months and then have paid time off before you start your new gig.