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INTEREST: Square Enix Offers Permanent Work-From-Home Program




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Romuska
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Joined: 02 Mar 2004
Posts: 795
PostPosted: Wed Dec 02, 2020 8:00 pm Reply with quote
This is very interesting. I wonder if more companies will follow suit. As a freelance animator I've been working from home which has its perks. But a friend of mine works at a game studio and it has its pros and cons. The pros are that he doesn't have to go into the office which suits him fine. But the cons are that they keep giving him additional computers and monitors to set up and its doing murder on his electric bill, which they refuse to compensate.
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Cutiebunny



Joined: 18 Apr 2010
Posts: 1746
PostPosted: Wed Dec 02, 2020 11:09 pm Reply with quote
I think it depends who you are, where you are and what your family life is like. I have a friend who also works for the video game industry and he's absolutely hated being at home for months on end. He feels utterly trapped and like he can't get away from his family. He said that he used to enjoy the camaraderie activities that corporate life provided, such as a monthly outing to get drunk, and hasn't been able to do anything like that since lockdown began here at the end of February.

While it's nice to have the option to work from home, it's not something I'd want. I enjoy having the freedom to go out to work, drive to work and socialize with people there.
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Alan45
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Joined: 25 Aug 2010
Posts: 9809
Location: Virginia
PostPosted: Thu Dec 03, 2020 8:03 am Reply with quote
Home was home, and work was work. I never wanted any aspect of work at home. Of course it helped that my daily drive to work was about five miles round trip.
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Wrangler



Joined: 11 Nov 2007
Posts: 1346
PostPosted: Thu Dec 03, 2020 12:05 pm Reply with quote
Alan45 wrote:
Home was home, and work was work. I never wanted any aspect of work at home. Of course it helped that my daily drive to work was about five miles round trip.

While i'm not stranded at home. Due to the nature my work, i do know that stress and problems work come to YOU in a place that suppose to be your sanitary. I agree, i rather go to work than bring it home. Since work will keep coming and pressuring you while in your sanitary. That's unfair, but corporate world does NOT CARE.

if future is people work at home, i'd make sure that work is locked in a room. Contract is written, you are unavailable between THESE HOURS or your walking. Work from home is dangerous for work-oholics. Work can be endless

I really feel bad for the people being shafted by the corps who aren't backing up your bills during working hours, especially the electric. Corp heads think this going cost saving, the works need get unionized so they don't get abused. Its better than moving to another job getting same treatment.
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maximilianjenus



Joined: 29 Apr 2013
Posts: 2858
PostPosted: Thu Dec 03, 2020 12:06 pm Reply with quote
The square method is good, having tome through different schedules in covid. The work some day at the Office and other data at Home works Best, You still get to socialize with your coworkers and You still get the work at Home economies.
Funny thing Someone mentioned the electricity Bill, for some of us the transporte savings offset the extra electricity pretty well. Fun enough some socialist parties ( i think ir was spain ) want the companies to pay for the employees electricity and equipment used when working at Home, But also to add it to the net value of the employees so they pay more taxes. As in, the employees get an extra 100 to pay for electricity, But that is considered a bonita SO the employee/employer has to pay an extra 30 on that as taxes for the government.
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jdnation



Joined: 15 May 2007
Posts: 1994
PostPosted: Thu Dec 03, 2020 5:57 pm Reply with quote
The option is good.

But I feel this is of bigger benefit to smaller indy teams to save costs (Unless you're in Germany where the half-wit bankers desire to tax work-from-homers, just because...).

But for larger teams and projects it's far more efficient to manage people are complex things onsite to directly communicate and solve issues.

I personally would rather go to a workplace, as I'm more likely to be lazier at home and there's tons of distractions.

But since I hear stories about how some places are making working at the office a living hell due to virus paranoia where they close bathrooms, prevent anyone from using the kitchen to store their lunch in a refrigerator or even use the microwave or coffee machine or water, I can understand why some would just prefer to stay home and not put up with such nonsense.

Naturally you'll have to factor in costs of electricity, whether you need to pay more for higher speed internet etc. etc. where companies aren't covering your expenses, and are trying to shift people to contractor statuses and even cut off benefits.

On the other hand, this means a crash in terms of office space rentals and building costs and other services from cleaning to catering etc. so this will mean a loss of jobs and income in several areas as a consequence.

Allowing people time and freedom to make the shifts and determine how to live their lives would be useful in easing the process and adapting. But to forcibly try and make the shift to millions of people would lead to disaster.
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xxmsxx



Joined: 06 Sep 2017
Posts: 556
PostPosted: Fri Dec 04, 2020 12:30 am Reply with quote
Good for the company to keep the policy intact. Flexibility is hard to find in Japanese companies.

Working from home has been amazing for me personally, but my position does not have the option to stay like this in the future. So I guess I will have to cherish the moment.
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