Any 'essential' workers here?

[Draz]

Curious to learn about what everyone does here but focusing on those that fit the category of essential.

The economy is at an all time low. I'm considered an essential worker because I'm a case manager for a shelter. My wife works at a hospital in NYC. We're both still working and while some days for the both of us might be remote work it feels good knowing my paycheck is still secured.

That's the only thing keeping me at this job still. Financial security through these times.

While I'm still making larger purchases and spending because I have income coming in, I could only imagine the people that aren't in that situation.

My father is a diesel mechanic for a concrete company and while he makes good money ($140k+) he is seeing reduced hours and days. He's even considering unemployment. He has a house to still pay off and I could feel that fear everyone else is seeing with payments needing to be made on a monthly basis. His tenants are also now unemployed and will be collecting unemployment soon but seeing how they'd be able to pay for rent is the tricky part.

All of my IT friends are home being paid. One in particular is secured because it's a huge company (Outbrain), for the rest I'm unsure whether they'd close down indefinitely.

Anyone else here an essential worker?

[tpols]

most corporate workers are essential. just wfh.

walmarts, targets, fast foods chains, delivery services UPS, Fedex, Amazon, etc. still running great.

its really all the small business and service industries that are getting hammered.

[Jasper]

my wife an hospice RN

[andgar923]

Some businesses are adapting and learning that they can still operate from home. Some essential government services are functioning with most staff working from home as well. I think this will be an opportunity for businesses to reevaluate how to operate and find ways on how working from home is not only possible but in some cases beneficial.

[Styles p]

I work in a waste water plant, so as long as people poop i'll have a job.

[Raymone]

Software developer here. Coronavirus is going to set back the remote work movement by 10 years. Top companies were finally starting to get so lenient with WFH benefits, my previous employer let engineers WFH two days out of the week. There were talks of bumping it up to 4 days a week, with just 1 day in the office for meetings.

There was an implicit understanding that as long as workers would remain as productive at home as at work, the leash would keep getting loosened. Turnover was low, output was high, high degree of trust between management and engineers. Gradually, the entire industry would have seen the benefits of WFH and shifted.

My new employer (1000+ headcount) has now been forced to "trial" remote work for the first time. All they see is production and commits literally grinding to a halt. Our two week sprints have been extended to two months. Millions in salaries paid out past couple of months, not a single feature.

Some employees are just depressed or dealing with issues in their family. Other employees are going nuts with the sudden freedom and treating it like a vacation. I can't reach any of my co-workers between 9-5 because they're at the beach or taking their dog on 2 hour walks or in the middle of a LoL match. I send a Slack message in the morning, don't get response until 5pm or next day.

Github commit graph basically went from block of deep green to one dot a week. Fresh juniors out of college even get upset that we're "forcing" them to do work because the sky is falling down. It's like everyone's forgotten they're still being paid a salary at home.

Sadly, companies are going to feel burned by this forced experiment. WFH should be gradually integrated into a company's culture, built on bricks of mutual benefit and goodwill. Instead, our product hasn't pushed a new feature since January and layoffs are coming.

[Long Duck Dong]

Essential on multiple fronts. As long as people are eating, I'll be working. Unless I die, or get so sick my competitors swoop in like vultures and take a lot of my clients :coleman:

[Cleverness]

yea

[fsvr54]

most corporate workers are essential. just wfh.

walmarts, targets, fast foods chains, delivery services UPS, Fedex, Amazon, etc. still running great.

its really all the small business and service industries that are getting hammered.

That's a negative on the fast food. I work at one and they're down to management and 1 regular worker at a time. 95% of the workers are on forced leave.

[tpols]

Software developer here. Coronavirus is going to set back the remote work movement by 10 years. Top companies were finally starting to get so lenient with WFH benefits, my previous employer let engineers WFH two days out of the week. There were talks of bumping it up to 4 days a week, with just 1 day in the office for meetings.

There was an implicit understanding that as long as workers would remain as productive at home as at work, the leash would keep getting loosened. Turnover was low, output was high, high degree of trust between management and engineers. Gradually, the entire industry would have seen the benefits of WFH and shifted.

My new employer (1000+ headcount) has now been forced to "trial" remote work for the first time. All they see is production and commits literally grinding to a halt. Our two week sprints have been extended to two months. Millions in salaries paid out past couple of months, not a single feature.

Some employees are just depressed or dealing with issues in their family. Other employees are going nuts with the sudden freedom and treating it like a vacation. I can't reach any of my co-workers between 9-5 because they're at the beach or taking their dog on 2 hour walks or in the middle of a LoL match. I send a Slack message in the morning, don't get response until 5pm or next day.

Github commit graph basically went from block of deep green to one dot a week. Fresh juniors out of college even get upset that we're "forcing" them to do work because the sky is falling down. It's like everyone's forgotten they're still being paid a salary at home.

Sadly, companies are going to feel burned by this forced experiment. WFH should be gradually integrated into a company's culture, built on bricks of mutual benefit and goodwill. Instead, our product hasn't pushed a new feature since January and layoffs are coming.

i see it as the opposite. it will force us the to become good at wfh and have all the tools for it. my company would never allow people to pulls stunts like that.

[tpols]

That's a negative on the fast food. I work at one and they're down to management and 1 regular worker at a time. 95% of the workers are on forced leave.

that sucks, all the chains around my way have lines wrapped around the drive thru still.

[fsvr54]

that sucks, all the chains around my way have lines wrapped around the drive thru still.

There it is, my store doesn't have a drive thru. The last week and a half I worked, the dining room was closed and customers had to order at the door or through the online app; delivery still going though.

[tpols]

There it is, my store doesn't have a drive thru. The last week and a half I worked, the dining room was closed and customers had to order at the door or through the online app; delivery still going though.

yea man... i went to wendy's. out of homestyle chicken sandwhiches. McDonalds, out of the premium chicken strips. They've gotta be selling, ive never even seen that. small business is getting wrecked, corporate america is gonna have a 99% market share by the time this is all over. there is a bagel joint i go to every morning on the weekdays.

[HylianNightmare]

The catering company in work for got in with some government money providing meals some are busy until someone test positive

[ItsMillerTime]

Been providing IT support to the State Dept. of Health for a couple years now. It's been crazy lately, I work remote most of the time, but go into the office on a rotating schedule to assist with COVID-19 project related shit.

[rawimpact]

i see it as the opposite. it will force us the to become good at wfh and have all the tools for it. my company would never allow people to pulls stunts like that.

I agree with this... employees taking advantage of WFH is an issue. That issue is with the employee, not the WFH order... this is a easy way to weed out quality vs replaceable staff.

The whole WFH is also a very slippery slope, it's one step further towards outsourcing.

[andgar923]

Software developer here. Coronavirus is going to set back the remote work movement by 10 years. Top companies were finally starting to get so lenient with WFH benefits, my previous employer let engineers WFH two days out of the week. There were talks of bumping it up to 4 days a week, with just 1 day in the office for meetings.

There was an implicit understanding that as long as workers would remain as productive at home as at work, the leash would keep getting loosened. Turnover was low, output was high, high degree of trust between management and engineers. Gradually, the entire industry would have seen the benefits of WFH and shifted.

My new employer (1000+ headcount) has now been forced to "trial" remote work for the first time. All they see is production and commits literally grinding to a halt. Our two week sprints have been extended to two months. Millions in salaries paid out past couple of months, not a single feature.

Some employees are just depressed or dealing with issues in their family. Other employees are going nuts with the sudden freedom and treating it like a vacation. I can't reach any of my co-workers between 9-5 because they're at the beach or taking their dog on 2 hour walks or in the middle of a LoL match. I send a Slack message in the morning, don't get response until 5pm or next day.

Github commit graph basically went from block of deep green to one dot a week. Fresh juniors out of college even get upset that we're "forcing" them to do work because the sky is falling down. It's like everyone's forgotten they're still being paid a salary at home.

Sadly, companies are going to feel burned by this forced experiment. WFH should be gradually integrated into a company's culture, built on bricks of mutual benefit and goodwill. Instead, our product hasn't pushed a new feature since January and layoffs are coming.

It's not slowing down Apple.

Companies simply need to find solutions and adapt.

[tpols]

I agree with this... employees taking advantage of WFH is an issue. That issue is with the employee, not the WFH order... this is a easy way to weed out quality vs replaceable staff.

The whole WFH is also a very slippery slope, it's one step further towards outsourcing.


true... but OTOH this whole virus thing is kinda showing the western world the dangers of outsourcing to all the asian countries.

[Stanley Kobrick]

its really all the small business and service industries that are getting hammered.

lol no, nearly all manufacturing and labor unions nationwide are suspended. are you living under a rock?

[rawimpact]

true... but OTOH this whole virus thing is kinda showing the western world the dangers of outsourcing to all the asian countries.

I don't think those dangers really apply to skilled labor services vs products like medicine

[Wally450]

I work in TV and media. The mayor of our town comes in during weekdays to give daily updates to to residents. I usually have to go to the studios for a couple hours in the afternoon.

[Overdrive]

Maintaince in a newspriting factory. We even raised our printrun, but nonessential businesses stopped putting ads. Double edged sword.

[hold this L]

Software developer here. Coronavirus is going to set back the remote work movement by 10 years. Top companies were finally starting to get so lenient with WFH benefits, my previous employer let engineers WFH two days out of the week. There were talks of bumping it up to 4 days a week, with just 1 day in the office for meetings.

There was an implicit understanding that as long as workers would remain as productive at home as at work, the leash would keep getting loosened. Turnover was low, output was high, high degree of trust between management and engineers. Gradually, the entire industry would have seen the benefits of WFH and shifted.

My new employer (1000+ headcount) has now been forced to "trial" remote work for the first time. All they see is production and commits literally grinding to a halt. Our two week sprints have been extended to two months. Millions in salaries paid out past couple of months, not a single feature.

Some employees are just depressed or dealing with issues in their family. Other employees are going nuts with the sudden freedom and treating it like a vacation. I can't reach any of my co-workers between 9-5 because they're at the beach or taking their dog on 2 hour walks or in the middle of a LoL match. I send a Slack message in the morning, don't get response until 5pm or next day.

Github commit graph basically went from block of deep green to one dot a week. Fresh juniors out of college even get upset that we're "forcing" them to do work because the sky is falling down. It's like everyone's forgotten they're still being paid a salary at home.

Sadly, companies are going to feel burned by this forced experiment. WFH should be gradually integrated into a company's culture, built on bricks of mutual benefit and goodwill. Instead, our product hasn't pushed a new feature since January and layoffs are coming.

People are not as effective as working at the office, I don't know who people are trying to kid (other than themselves or their bosses). We have 2-3 days WFH, but esp for a collaborative team environment, it's a f*cking disaster. I can tell how much lazier people are on the days they work at home vs the office, and in general how much faster work gets done. However WFH helps in terms of people being generally happier, which makes them productive when they do actual work.

[coin24]

Luckily still working but a lot have been stood down

[Long Duck Dong]

I can't believe some dentists are still open . I thought they'd be closed and preparing to help doctors with COVID-19 outbreaks. Mine and all the other dentists I know of are closed but apparently my dad's is open.

Got into an argument with him over the phone last night when my sister told me he was going to the dentist to have an implant put it in. I told him he shouldn't be going to the dentist for a minor procedure and even if he wasn't concerned about his own health, he should think of my mom who has health issues. He's like don't worry then laughs, "the guy does this in a space suit right now". I'm like "that protects him, not you!" He can be stubborn as hell. Thinking about reporting that dentist to the dental board.

[hateraid]

Still run a supplement company so I'm considered essential. Although we shifted focus to use raw materials for RTD's and mean replacements. That seems to fulfill the public demand more. Also looking to make baby formula to supply the stock issues. It's a sick world we live in when during a crisis people hoard baby formula

[Hawker]

People are not as effective as working at the office, I don't know who people are trying to kid (other than themselves or their bosses). We have 2-3 days WFH, but esp for a collaborative team environment, it's a f*cking disaster. I can tell how much lazier people are on the days they work at home vs the office, and in general how much faster work gets done. However WFH helps in terms of people being generally happier, which makes them productive when they do actual work.

The collaborative aspect is what is missed with WFH.

I'm an engineer/BD/project manager so I can't really "WFH" and it's good to be around the ops guys so we can communicate quickly which translates it getting shit done quickly.

Double edged sword at times as well because I can be deep in doing something detailed and get distracted with random questions.

So sometimes I'll "WFH" for 2-3 hrs to complete those tasks and then go to the office for the rest.

[imdaman99]

Yes and No. I had to install the adobe programs on my home laptop and it is painfully slow, I use a fancy mac at work with plenty of memory. Honestly I'd rather go in to work to finish what I need to in a few hours instead of spending all day at home clunkering around. I have been going in once or twice a week to finish the week's work that I need to, thankful I'm still getting paid. I live close enough (10 min commute) where it doesn't bother me to go in. Even though I will be the only one in, I am ok with it.

[The Iron Fist]

true... but OTOH this whole virus thing is kinda showing the western world the dangers of outsourcing to all the asian countries.

It’s exposing a lot of issues.

[highwhey]

I can't believe some dentists are still open . I thought they'd be closed and preparing to help doctors with COVID-19 outbreaks. Mine and all the other dentists I know of are closed but apparently my dad's is open.

Got into an argument with him over the phone last night when my sister told me he was going to the dentist to have an implant put it in. I told him he shouldn't be going to the dentist for a minor procedure and even if he wasn't concerned about his own health, he should think of my mom who has health issues. He's like don't worry then laughs, "the guy does this in a space suit right now". I'm like "that protects him, not you!" He can be stubborn as hell. Thinking about reporting that dentist to the dental board.

My mom just texted me this morning my dad continues to walk to the grocery store down

[Hittin_Shots]

Doing my appointments on the phone or having clients send in their information via email. No more home visits or coming into the office. There are only 411 confirmed cases in my state atm though. and I'd assume some of those have recovered now.

[hold this L]

The collaborative aspect is what is missed with WFH.

I'm an engineer/BD/project manager so I can't really "WFH" and it's good to be around the ops guys so we can communicate quickly which translates it getting shit done quickly.

Double edged sword at times as well because I can be deep in doing something detailed and get distracted with random questions.

So sometimes I'll "WFH" for 2-3 hrs to complete those tasks and then go to the office for the rest.

I can't get away from people asking me for shit even when I work from home unfortunately. :lol

[Draz]

Worked from home today remotely. 90% of my job can be done work from home. The only thing stopping me is having to do intakes in person and having the clients sign paperwork. Otherwise, I don't see why I'm only allowed 1 day to work from home.

Also, I see WFH being added to some jobs now and it might just be a gold standard on top of PTO to some employers. It's definitely something I'd cater to if and when this becomes more popular moving forward. However, I'll admit I'm way more lazier at home.

[Raymone]

I'm plenty productive at home with my three monitors, desired mouse and keyboard, and dev environment set up precisely how I want it. The problem is I feel like the work day never really ends. It just bleeds into the next. Work, sleep, work.

I feel like I'm always on-call, regardless of what time of day it is. I would have gone into medicine if I wanted to be on-call.