Re:Why can't software engineers work from home most of the t...
by doubled112 on Tuesday July 27, 2021 @12:00PM
(#27973985)
Managed or refereed? Ahh, team dynamics...
I had a manager in one of my first jobs tell me to always have a hard discussion in person, if you can, because "there are eyes". It stuck with me then, and it makes more sense all the time.
You definitely miss some important indicators being on Slack all day.
Many probably don't realize (yet) that there's a difference between working with people in the office then being remote and just being remote.
If you've spent some time with somebody, it's easier to assume tone and intent behind something that may seem hostile in isolation.
In my experience, being forced to be a Slack @tag or DM away from coworkers who see you as a screen name rather than a face is far worse for conflict.
Remote work doesn't mean employees get to withdraw from social interaction and isolate themselves. It just moves the interaction to a different medium.
I've managed in-person, mixed, and full-remote teams. Conflict always gets more heated in the remote teams. When you're in the office with someone and talking face to face, people are more likely to treat each other like humans. When you're trying to communicate through emotionless Slack text all day, some people misinterpret harmless comments as being aggressive and struggle to treat their coworkers differently than screen names in an internet flame war.