Dennis Gorelik

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jjjensen90
I always thought I enjoyed remote work as an engineer/architect, I did it for 6 months by my own volition before coming back. I am extremely unhappy. I really miss being in the office with my coworkers and friends. I've struggled deeply with overwhelming sadness at the idea of not going back anytime soon. My work has suffered from a lack of dynamic interactions. I get lots of focus time, just like I did at the office, but working in the same building I live in has been brutal. Maybe I'm different than the average HN reader, but I'm a social butterfly and not going in to the office has been devastating to my mental health, my appetite, my motivation, and my overall interest in work. I exercise the same amount, I eat just as healthy (just less), but something is missing. If this field goes primarily remote, I will leave.
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wonderwonder
I have worked from home for the last couple of years. Prior to the Covid shutdown, I had generally enjoyed it. Once my children's school closed and my wife's work switched to work from home, my productivity has plummeted. I find it impossible to focus as every 10 minutes I have a young child running into my office, or have to listen to them yelling at each other (as all kids do). My wife has had a hard time adjusting and she is equally distracted by the kids and her frustration feeds mine. She is forced to be on conference calls for most of the day (I am actually surprised at how many there are, they are all calls with executive level people so she cant opt out. Almost all income producing departments have to pass through her team and they laid off her support staff) but is still expected to complete real work as well which she cant do now until the calls stop after 5. I have been able to get very little deep work done and find myself working until 2 / 3 am to accomplish the same work I used to do in a normal shift.
I feel very bad for my kids as all they want is to be able to play with their friends and do all the things they could before so I do my very best to not show them my frustration. Its a depressing situation all around but I am very grateful to actually still have a job while so many others have lost theirs. My kids ask me why I have to work so much all the time, as all they want to do is spend time with me.

I guess what I am trying to say is the current situation is not optimal.
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mundo
My company (large-ish un-sexy software company you've never heard of) gave the software managers clear direction on this: "It's not realistic for people with school-aged children to be fully productive right now. Do not demand they take PTO or ask them to work at night. If they can only work five hours a day, that's what they can do."
I suspect it's unusual that my boss actually said that out loud, but I hope everyone is thinking it. This is a temporary situation none of us planned for, and it ought to be reasonable and expected to lower your standards until schools and childcare are around again.
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One of Ukrainian programmers I hired one year ago (let's call him "The Dude") took a 3 weeks break for his University session.

This was the third session break already.
The Dude wrote "Session will be finished at 8 of June."
I asked him to focus on finishing session and then come back to work full time.

The Dude stopped replying to our emails (that was ~expected until June 8). But then he did not show up on June 8 either.

So I decided that he decided to silently quit (like it already happened with 2 my other remove programmers I hired in the past).
But no - the dude showed up June 25 (17 days later after the planned end of his University session) as if nothing happened.

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The Dude 2019-06-25 15:34
Hello. I can work again and, as I understand, we need to talk about it.

Dennis 2019-06-26 00:45
Why are you showing up only now? I thought you are gone completely without notice.
You wrote "Session will be finished at 8 of June."

The Dude 15:56
I have some personal problems and spend more time on session. Only yesterday I finished course work)

Dennis 15:56
Why you did not tell us that you had these problems? You could, at least, write an email.

The Dude 15:58
I watched time to time to email and zoom. Nobody ask me, so I decide that no problem.

Dennis 15:59
That is not correct attitude. And in fact, you received emails with direct questions to you, but did NOT reply.

The Dude 16:01
Yes, I saw them.
First about time, which I poorly remember, when I check it.
Second looks like just notice, that Andrey solved crash in another way and I need to review it.

Dennis 16:03
If you do not remember, you should reply anyway. You are not a princess that we all should run around.
I told you multiple times about importance of timely communications. I told you multiple times that you are severely undercommunicating. But you just reject to learn it. So for me it seems hopeless.

The Dude 16:06
I know that, I am not a princess)
I just decide that it's not a problem.
Okay, sorry for that.

Dennis 16:07
Breaking promises is a problem.

The Dude 16:07
What promises do you mean?

Dennis 16:07
Promise to show up on June 07.

The Dude 16:10
I already told, that I have some problems and unfinished session.
I told that I will start to work after session, as we discussed. You don't accept partial work, so I decide to continue when I will can work without delays.

The Dude 16:24
Well, okay, maybe it's better)
About work and time.
Can I send invoice about time, which I worked before delay?

Dennis 16:33
Yes, please send the invoice for the time you already worked.

The Dude 16:33
okay

Dennis 16:34
Deciding to continue with your session and other business was OK.
Not notifying us about your decision -- was NOT ok, and makes you unreliable worker (which we do NOT need).

The Dude 16:41
Okay, understand you.
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