Re:Ask HN: Why aren't more UK companies offering WFH friendl...
by screwturner68 on Wednesday August 02, 2023 @10:16AM
(#36971216)
One of the reasons I hate remote learning is that it eliminates the informal knowledge swap. If you've ever taken an in person class with a wide range of people you know how much swapping of knowledge happens during breaks and before and after the class. With zoom training people usually don't ask questions, they aren't fully focused as they are likely multi-tasking -training is in addition to their daily work not in place of their daily work and finally when class is over it's over everyone hangs up.
You're certainly not alone in feeling this way. But communications online and inoffice are different.
For example, when I skype an employee there's an automatic formality to it. "The boss is calling". If I bump into an employee in the office (even if I deliberately bumped) it's a lot more relaxed. They can read my body language and I can read theirs.
I'm not saying we can't communicate online clearly we do. But the quality of the communication is impaired.
Regarding promotions, there's formal stuff (you've been here 6 weeks so you're now a senior developer) and the informal (hmm new project coming up, I'm wondering who to make team leader..) In the latter case it's easier to choose someone you know, have observed, seen their interactions with teammates etc.)
That doesn't mean you have to be in the office, but its really hard to do the informal stuff over the Internet. And that stuff -really- matters.