I am in a weird position, as a software developer, I work for a tiny company and they’re against work from home, but they’re absolutely amazing and accommodating in all other areas and I have no complaints.
So I had car issues and was able to work from home 3 days a week, but it still pisses me off that I have to go in those two days. They say it’s so we can communicate and ask for help, but mostly it’s a silent office and we can’t even wear headphones. Often I can go in and if I’m in a mood there is no communication all day long (I am the chatty one and will engage in debates a lot). Yet I’ve had to take a 3 hours public transport route to work (car issues) just to sit there and not talk.
I’m torn because they’re amazing in every other aspect and super understanding about my mental health issues and leaving early and making up time etc. we don’t have targets and are just trusted we will work hard, I struggle as I overthink and put a lot more pressure on myself than my employer does, but I can’t change the way my mind work.
I have no idea tbh, on the headphones side; they’re not Nazis (I don’t think).
What if you just…wore headphones? Will security escort you put with a baton?
By spreading such usage of the word Nazis you’re numbing down the average person’s response to someone being called a Nazi, as it becomes a normal thing.
Save the term for people who deserve it
My friend likes this 3hours podcast of bunch of people in a table just chatting and talking over each other and I can’t stand It, I like a 20min podcast that has a script, is edited and transmit a coherent message. Them he told me he likes to listen like in the background while working (we are programmers) and then it all makes sense. I can’t listen to the type of podcasts that I like because I have to pay attention. Music is better I can tune out the music while focusing on writing code (and maybe reading code) but I can’t do it while I am reading documentation and researching.
accommodating in all other areas
have to be completely silent at work
can’t wear headphones
they don’t get mad when I’m sick
no communication all day long
don’t have targets
are you sure?
Absolutely. As I said when I had car issues, which are ongoing for almost a year now, I was able to work from home.
If I’m not in a good head space I can just log off and make up the time whenever I want. I get as much support as I ask for.
With the no targets (even if my brain doesn’t do well with that) it means I just work and never get questioned about how long something is taking.
My boss will take my neurotic nature into account when doing things. So when he took me out of the office to give me my raise after a year he messaged first to say can you come outside with me, don’t worry it’s not for anything bad.
I am being mentored and when I ask for help he will break things don’t and tell me why he made certain choices when engineering a solution.
Edit: Naturally this is my first role in this industry so I have no frame of reference.
I mean I don’t know your life, but “no targets” doesn’t read “good work environment” to me, it reads “no work/life balance”
People will look at one aspect and say that the job sucks. Truth is, there is no perfect job and only you can tell that it balances out. The way you talk about it really feels like a nice place to work, with the exception of the headphones thing, that is weird. And if you like to chat with coworkers a full remote Job may be kinda hell, it is really easy to feel isolated and not connect with people because it takes more effort like going to audio or video calls to hangout or having to chat over text more
Exactly. I feel like a couple of the comments have come across as just leave if it isn’t 100% perfect, where I agree that no job is 100% ideal and it’s about trade offs.
As much I have lamented going to the office two days I week, I do notice on the weeks where I don’t go at all (feeling a little down or under the weather I can stay home more) that my mood dips and as much as I am introverted and love alone time, I have years of experience of being a faux extrovert and I actually need to converse with people to be happy. The worst thing for me is to be depressed and then isolate myself which makes me worse. Luckily Minecraft is a marker for me. If I find myself wanting to play Minecraft I am probably not doing well and just want to shut off and mindlessly play solo 😂
If you’re a developer just get a new job. Seriously, don’t put up with it
As I said they’re incredible in other aspects and my imposter syndrome makes me worry I still dont know enough and that I don’t belong. I’m almost two years in so my plan was to wait here until I am more confident in my abilities and then begin interviewing again.
I also suck at interviews and with my ADHD I’m either coming across as weirdo, I shut down or I overshare. Seriously had like 50 interviews to get this job.
The only way to get better at something is to do it more. That includes interviewing for jobs.
Feel ya, no job is perfect. My giant employer is great about WFH for those hired as such during a particular period of time, but they’ve outsourced HR entirely to a third party - a simple inquiry becomes a three day saga, abd if I’m talking in real time to HR, voluntarily, it’s because I’ve a concern of some immediacy.
WFH plus great benefits > downsides, but it’s always a balancing act of priorities for sure.
I’d grin and bear it to be honest. Perhaps try and look at it like time you won’t be spending money on utilities to warm your house and stuff like that. For perspective, though, I prefer going out to work rather than working from home, and my commute takes just over an hour each way four days a week.
Due to my car issues my commute is 2.5 - 3 hours. I have to walk 20 mins to the tram, then a 35 minute tram ride, followed by a 55 minute train and another 20 minute walk. Which is why it sucks for me.
When I have a car again and this claim is settled I’d happily do more in the office as it’s only a 90 minute drive. I really need something closer to home.
