re: #334 Sinistershade

If you don’t mind my asking, what kind of work do you do?

(Wondering as a Googler)

I’m a tech manager for a too big to fail bank. Which is just a fancy name for cat herder. Basically, I manage availability issues and prod people towards solutions. I can (and have) done this from home since March. Some of my coworkers have always worked from home.

Last year the management went all in on this “everyone needs to be working in the office” thing “for the synergies.” Small sites were being shut down and people told to either move into a larger office or get packing At the same time, a new command center was built for my team and other teams, with emphasis on packing people in and subjecting us to constant bombardment by oversized television screens (and some monitoring screens). The execs absolutely turned on a dime the week of March 15. I mean, serious 180 degree. It’s now at the point where we’re getting OMG YOU MUST STAY HOME DON’T EVEN THINK ABOUT COMING IN WE WILL SIC HR ON YOU JUST DON’T DO IT warnings from our leaders.

As of right now, we’re out of the office until Sept. 8 at the earliest. I expect as we get into August, that day is going to be pushed out again. And again.

ETA: It wasn’t until I was out of the office that I realized what a coronavirus nightmare that place was. The seating is such that you can lean over and touch the next person. And there’s a huge HVAC system constantly recycling the air. It would have been a disaster had we stayed.