Damn, you weren't kidding.
Dito. Its still what you make of it, but the hellish painting people see to have of it in their heads is rather baffling to me.
Thats not entirely true though. Sure its a perk for a company and some might exploit that (which is bad), but its also mostly about finding a work structure that actually leaves you comfortable, trusted and focussed without feeling tied to your chair and being afraid someone will snitch on you for looking at your phone for 5 minutes or standing in the kitchen to talk with a colleague.Lot of the whole point of making workplace feels like a fun place like google or facebook is to keep you in the office longer. Idea is to merge work and home imo.
Feels like envy to me, sour grapes and all. Or a total lack of experience with the reality of what it's like working here. Either way it feels ignorant.Dito. Its still what you make of it, but the hellish painting people see to have of it in their heads is rather baffling to me.
Our company actually tries to educate on and facilitate that type of culture shift for companies in our state and its amazing the kind of positive impact it can have on companies and employees. So I can see some people either a) having bad experiences in a shitty company or b) not having much experience with that type of work.Feels like envy to me, sour grapes and all. Or a total lack of experience with the reality of what it's like working here. Either way it feel ignorant.
You just described half of Era. People will flock to anti work or anti capitalism threads like zombies. They will read snippets of the article and post their opinion with little sense in reality. *shrugs*Feels like envy to me, sour grapes and all. Or a total lack of experience with the reality of what it's like working here. Either way it feel ignorant.
I worked in start ups for many many years, in silicon valley and elsewhere, and I think the work environment in most startups is horrible.Feels like envy to me, sour grapes and all. Or a total lack of experience with the reality of what it's like working here. Either way it feels ignorant.
Yah, I guess my experience has been overwhelmingly at companies that do it well and treat their workers really well. Ironically, it's a lot of the same companies ERA loves to hate. I do agree though, I could not possibly go back to an "old school" corporate environment; it does not fit or jive with me at all and feels extremely unproductive and full of useless, backwards practices. I feel so much happier and more satisfied with work since I got int otech.Our company actually tries to educate on and facilitate that type of culture shift for companies in our state and its amazing the kind of positive impact it can have on companies and employees. So I can see some people either a) having bad experiences in a shitty company or b) not having much experience with that type of work.
Shitty companies are still shitty though, no matter the structure.
edit: well and to be fair c) There are people who obviously arent the type for that style of working, and thats alright. Not everyone needs to like every approach and its no different here. Just still a bit baffled by the vocal majority here screaming about this dystopian hellscape.
Pretty much, and ERA does the same with the games industry, which is near and dear to me. Know very little, but like to talk and judge a whole lot.You just described half of Era. People will flock to anti work or anti capitalism threads like zombies. They will read snippets of the article and post their opinion with little sense in reality. *shrugs*
I'll just drink my free coffee and play Smash in a few minutes with my co workers.
Same!I love my free coffee and beer and chilling with coworkers after work is done.
Ah, the table Tennis is neat too.
Sure, maybe it's not a great fit for you. Calling it a toxic work environment since you didn't like it or had bad experiences with a particular set of companies or because an article says so is also wrong. Anecdotally, everyone I know out here is quite happy.I worked in start ups for many many years, in silicon valley and elsewhere, and I think the work environment in most startups is horrible.
It's fine to disagree, but I don't think you should assume that anyone who doesn't share your view about that culture is envious or ignorant.
That work life balance issue is found in companies outside of Silicon Valley and isn't influenced by those big companies generally. It's just this unwritten bullshit rule that too many people buy into.
I think the bigger problem is that it's not a great fit for single parents, women, people who has to take care of a sick family member, people with certain medical conditions, people of certain personality types etc.Sure, maybe it's not a great fit for you. Calling it a toxic work environment since you didn't like it or had bad experiences with a particular set of companies or because an article says so is also wrong. Anecdotally, everyone I know out here is quite happy.
I don't think most demanding jobs or careers are a good fit for the spectrum of workers you mentioned, why would Silicon Valley be any different? Not every industry is a good fit for every person. I've actually found most of my workplaces to be way, way more accommodating (extended parental leave, day care benefits, generous health insurance, leave of absence to take care of immediate family, medical accommodations and extended health benefits) than traditional companies towards basically all the groups of people you mentioned.I think the bigger problem is that it's not a great fit for single parents, women, people who has to take care of a sick family member, people with certain medical conditions, people of certain personality types etc.
I did fine.
Also, not anecdotally, research showed that there is few things people regret more later in life than working too much. But research also show that long work hours hurt productivity, so it's not like SV is going to start give a fuck about what research says about its work culture.
Very fortunate to be in the same position as well. It helps that I'm part of a small company too where everyone is close knit.I got lucky. Got a job in an ad/adserving agency in the city, all the perks of a tech company (causal dress code, unlimited DTO, happy hours, free food and partner-sponsored events) but also a very inclusive environment and managers who care about work-life balance. My team's managers are always telling us that we should put life/health/etc over work, encouraging us to take personal days. It's the kind of place that encourages people to head home when 5:30 rolls around
I think you assume that those jobs requires those long hours and that type of work cultural that currently exist in SV, and I wholeheartedly reject that premise.I don't think most demanding jobs or careers are a good fit for the spectrum of workers you mentioned, why would Silicon Valley be any different? Not every industry is a good fit for every person. I've actually found most of my workplaces to be way, way more accommodating (extended parental leave, day care benefits, generous health insurance, leave of absence to take care of immediate family, medical accommodations and extended health benefits) than traditional companies towards basically all the groups of people you mentioned.
My issue isn't with there being fun thing in the office, I enjoy free food, fun activities, beer in my office, etc..but it's not worth it for a company that makes the actual work culture toxic, which mine does not. I think a poster said it earlier. 98% of all companies suck regardless of SV. But its starting to feel like a trend that companies can put decorations on top of bad work environments.Feels like envy to me, sour grapes and all. Or a total lack of experience with the reality of what it's like working here. Either way it feels ignorant.
heh tbh this is not far from the kind of critiques I'd get.. "No one's gonna listen to you in your blue hat!"You're never gonna get anywhere in this town with your orange turtleneck.
You think Theranos orJuicero dominate their industries with brightly colored turtlenecks?
Maybe that's the secret: the SV tech firms actually have good work-life balance, along with amazing perks and benefits. It's the old companies just copying the latter and calling it a day that's fucking everyone up.
Feels like envy to me, sour grapes and all. Or a total lack of experience with the reality of what it's like working here. Either way it feels ignorant.
I love how it's always the worst companies that have the fanciest presentations about how they're committed to improve work life balance (I hate that term) and they have all these advanced metrics to track that. As if this is some complicated problem we need AI to solve.also all the posts about the fooseball and whatnot in the studio - yes they're designed to have you stay at work longer, but they're also built as managerial traps. people start noticing the ones who use the arcade machine or attend beer-fridays frequently, and they can start using that to say you're not working hard enough.
"company culture" kool-aid is wild innit. if a studio i'm interviewing for touts their "culture" nonstop with their cereal bars and sleep nooks, but doesn't really mention work-life balance, it's become a big red flag for me.
Keeping work and private life separate is the one rule I'll never break. 8 hours a day and I'm gone.
Lot of the whole point of making workplace feels like a fun place like google or facebook is to keep you in the office longer. Idea is to merge work and home imo.