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Illustration by Mohit Pandey Read more at: https://analyticsindiamag.com/ai-insights-analysis/remote-work-needs-to-be-banned/ |
“It’s not just a productivity thing, I think it’s morally wrong,” Elon Musk noted
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit the world, working from home became a norm. While it was the only choice at first, many of us now have adopted this working model perhaps longer than needed.
Recently, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt reflected on this shift and said, “Google decided that work-life balance, going home early, and working from home, is more important than winning.”
Schmidt highlighted the reality and remarked that startups like OpenAI are taking over Google because employees at these big companies come to the office just one day per week.\
Ironically, back in April in 2021, current Google CEO Sundar Pichai suggested that the ideal way to achieve work-life balance is to offer employees two days of work from home.
But, it seems like the comfort zone is not for innovators.
Several scientists from Google DeepMind have left the company to establish new AI startups. One such venture is Paris-based startup H, which develops foundational AI models. Mistral AI, another AI company founded in 2023 by former Google DeepMind and Meta researchers, focuses on building open-source and commercial AI models.
Unacherated Labs, a generative AI startup, was launched by three Google DeepMind researchers – David Ding, Charlie Nash, and Yaroslav Ganin. Additionally, Tokyo-based Sakana AI was founded by David Ha and Llion Jones, two former Google researchers.
And the list goes on. --->READ MORE HERE
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A newly published study by economists from the University of Essex and University of Chicago is the latest to demonstrate that our ongoing post-pandemic work-from-home culture is stifling innovation.
“Innovation often occurs through random, spontaneous ‘watercooler’ interactions between employees,” lead researcher Dr. Christoph Siemroth wrote. “Such ‘productive accidents’ are less likely to occur when all employees work from home. . . . We find that innovation suffers during remote work.”
But I think I speak for a majority of working people when I say, phooey! Innovation is a problem for wealthy business owners, not their employees.
Until now, I would have fought tooth and nail to dodge any return to my florescent, particle-board prison.
Like millions of other Americans, I left the office to work from home full time two years ago. The freedom was amazing. Not only did my hour and a half round-trip subway commute vanish, I was now free to be comfortable. I could luxuriate in a state of undress. I could email from a resort daybed. I could toil efficiently, without distracting conversations from bothersome coworkers.
At first, I made a half-hearted attempt to set up a home office — but it went unused. Call me a snob, but nothing looks more out of place in the well-furnished residence than an ergonomic Aeron chair.
Then, as with any act of sustained hedonism, my indulgent work habits caught up with me.
For weeks, I had been experiencing a sharp pins-and-needles sensation emanating from my right shoulder and traveling down to my fingertips. Last week, I finally dragged myself into my physiotherapist’s office, where after a short interview, he wasn’t surprised by my condition.
“What does your work station look like?” was his first question. I had to admit that it was my deep leather couch, and as often my bed. “The guy that was in before you has the same injury,” he said.
X-rays proved his prognosis. I was diagnosed with “disc and uncovertebral joint disease,” which my doctor kindly translated to “wear and tear” from hunching over my laptop. The doctor’s orders: get back to the office or face the surgeon’s knife before I’m 40. A large portion of the American workforce will likely share my fate. --->READ MORE HEREFollow links below to relevant/related stories and resources:
People In Miami Are More Likely To Return To The Office Than Those On The West Coast, A New Analysis Finds
Doctors Say The Mpox 'Emergency' Is Different From COVID. Here's Why
USA TODAY: Coronavirus Updates
WSJ: Coronavirus Live Updates
YAHOO NEWS: Coronavirus Live Updates
NEW YORK POST: Coronavirus The Latest
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2 comments:
“Innovation often occurs through random, spontaneous ‘watercooler’ interactions between employees,” lead researcher Dr. Christoph Siemroth wrote. “Such ‘productive accidents’ are less likely to occur when all employees work from home. . . . We find that innovation suffers during remote work.”
I've got a CEO who thinks this way. Forces us to come into the office T,W,Th, mandatory. You know what I do. I go into the office, get onto the Google Meet call, and video conference with my manager and coworker in GA, my other coworker in NY. Then I go home and do the same video conference.
When I do go in the office, do you know what kind of "watercooler" talk I have? "Nice day for fishin', ain't it. uh-huh!" You know, just BS stuff. It's not work talk, unless it's complaining about having to be in the office or other "do this or your fired" mandates.
Anyone I would have to talk to about getting stuff done are usually working in another state. It's a joke, this "spontaneous interactions" thing.
Oh, frell... you're having physical issues from an improperly setup workstation... and you're blaming work from home? You even said you setup an office and aren't using it. Even still, get out, do something, be active, find a sport or other activity that doesn't involve work.
For me, it was ice hockey. I started a couple years before Covid (and I was in my 40s). But before that it was taekwondo, distance running, or basketball. (If you're suffering from bone structure issues, though, seek your doctor's opinion. Do start slow if you need to.)
Point is, be active, don't work in an environment where your posture suffers. Get up after an hour and walk around. You can do this in an office setting or the home setting.
And I hope the author is able to overcome their current health issue. And I'm glad, for them, that the office setting works for them.
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