this post was submitted on 16 Nov 2023
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McKinsey said cities could adapt to the declining demand for office space by “taking a hybrid approach themselves,” developing multi-use office and retail space and constructing buildings that can be easily adapted to serve different purposes.

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[–] [email protected] 184 points 1 year ago (5 children)

So what? The market decides what is needed or not. Business need to stop whining, stop with the silly 'return to office' mandates that are killing their productivity and reducing their quality of talent, and adapt.

It's business. Adapt or die.

[–] [email protected] 65 points 1 year ago (1 children)

socialism for the capitalists, harsh rugged capitalism for the rest of us

[–] [email protected] 31 points 1 year ago

Socialize the losses, privatize the gains

[–] [email protected] 43 points 1 year ago

Damn rent-seekers

[–] [email protected] 32 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (10 children)

I (don't really) like to imagine how if someone were to invent a star trek-esqe teleportation device that beams people from place to place, how the auto manufacturers, road infrastructure organizations, and a probably countless other industries would be up in arms about their "losses" without realizing how stupid and short sighted that stance would be.

It's like we're unable to outgrow anything as a society without toddler-tantrum-like backlash from those who have benefitted from us being beholden to the current status quo.

[–] [email protected] 20 points 1 year ago (8 children)

You should look at the history of public transit in Detroit, and trains more broadly in the US. Its the same thing.

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[–] [email protected] 20 points 1 year ago

The market decides what is needed or not.

Silly thing. Capitalism only matters when it's good for business.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Business is risk, highness. Anyone who says different is selling something.

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[–] [email protected] 100 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Oh no, more space that could be transformed into housing.

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[–] [email protected] 79 points 1 year ago (2 children)

What about how much pollution, stress, accidents leading to insurance claims, that will eventually be saved by not having millions drive and live in traffic everyday?

What about that McKinsey?

[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 year ago

We don't care about that because that doesn't make rich companies happy.

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[–] [email protected] 59 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)
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[–] [email protected] 47 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

Ok so for the pros of working from home that's:

  • lower demand for prime real estate downtown
  • less environmental impact due to daily commutes
  • less employee time wasted due to daily commutes
  • more comfortable and familiar work environments
  • less business overhead associated with running a permanent office
  • more reasons to do company events or retreats in interesting environments
  • better accesses to a broader pool of talent
  • more/cheaper housing options for people to live outside of cities
  • less traffic and traffic accidents, with lower demand for cars and parking in city centers

But let's not forget the big cons of work from home too!

  • your inferiority complex-having superviser/boss/manager doesn't get to feel powerful and important by performing workplace theater while breathing down your neck constantly or counting your keystrokes.
  • you don't have to pretend to like the people you work with every day, but only some days.
[–] [email protected] 17 points 1 year ago (2 children)

There are pros for working in the office. They don't outweigh the cons, but let's not pretend there are 0 benefits.

I could see a day-a-week thing being positive, but why the hell would we pay for the real estate? Just can't see it working out for a net positive.

Maybe shared office space that's network/security agnostic? We had a thing going like that in Seattle for a bit. Not sure how it worked on the ground, wasn't there.

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[–] [email protected] 44 points 1 year ago (11 children)

They could use them for retail or…they could re-zone these areas for residential housing and reduce the cost of renting or buying a home, but that would make too much sense.

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[–] [email protected] 41 points 1 year ago

Of course it could. I guarantee if you look at all the “return to work or else” CEOs they are all heavily invested in commercial real estate.

[–] [email protected] 34 points 1 year ago (4 children)

I don't understand why corporates are so against the idea of savings millions of dollar in office spaces. More people working remotely mean smaller office required, cut on office supplies and utilities bills. Higher employees moral, motivation, and productivity.

What are so bad about all that? Just because the boss can't spy on their employees and assert their authority ?

[–] [email protected] 23 points 1 year ago

The guy next to them in the circle jerk is a commerical real estate Holder and they don't want they dick goin soft

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Just because the boss can't spy on their employees

Even this is no longer a valid justification. Activity monitoring software installed on companay provided computing devices used by remote employees has been around for a while and is gaining in popularity. They don't even need physical presence to spy on employees.

So, its even more confusing why corporations are so against the idea of remote work.

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[–] [email protected] 29 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Insert the "it's free real estate" meme here

[–] [email protected] 28 points 1 year ago (1 children)
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[–] [email protected] 27 points 1 year ago

And this is exactly why board rooms are demanding a return to office. The wealthy people who run companies are invested in commercial real estate.

[–] [email protected] 26 points 1 year ago

"So yeah, if all you peasants could get back in the office, that'd be greeeeeeat."

[–] [email protected] 24 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Do they really still have that value if we have to reorganize our comfortable lifestyle in order to keep it? Seems like that value was already lost during the pandemic and they are trying to pass the loss on to the workers

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[–] [email protected] 24 points 1 year ago

There is no value lost unless you're an owner being forced to sell. Employment space is not worth anywhere near what the value of housing is. Call this what it is, a market correction.

[–] [email protected] 24 points 1 year ago (1 children)

That's right all the money and time we've all spent on commutes was a subsidy for commercial real estate out of our pockets.

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[–] [email protected] 24 points 1 year ago

If businesses can run without $800 billion tied up in assets, not only should they, the market dictates that they have to. Sorry landlords, sucks to suck.

[–] [email protected] 24 points 1 year ago

I see this as an absolute win

[–] [email protected] 23 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Oh darn. All those REITs and capital funds.

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[–] [email protected] 20 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Good. Capitalism dictates they adapt or die.

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[–] [email protected] 20 points 1 year ago (8 children)
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[–] [email protected] 19 points 1 year ago

So you're saying WFH both reduces carbon emissions and frees up real estate for affordable housing?

[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Sounds like the march of technology continues. When cars became common, did Big Horse whinny about it? When the printing press hit the scene, did we mourn for the loss of monk jobs? Why should we care about people caught holding the bag when we no longer need a building? That's their gamble and they lost.

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[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 year ago (12 children)

Too bad it's not doing the same to Residential Real Estate. Seems like every country around the world is getting absolutely fucked by old people.

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[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 year ago

Think of how much value was wiped off the horse industry after the horseless carriage.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 year ago
[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Fuck McKinsey. Seriously. Fuck those guys with a 3 foot piece of 1 inch rebar.

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[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 year ago (6 children)

Most companies are trying their best to get people back in the office, but this strategy is tough to pull off with other companies poaching talent by just not caring.

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[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 year ago
[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 year ago

Working from home is a net cost cutter, if done right. It will take a while for us to adjust though. Workers who game the system from home are the same ones who game the system in offices. Then too, boss suck-ups will have a bit harder time getting ahead while working from home.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Listen, we bailed the banks out once.

If you make a bad investment, you make a bad investment. Literally, eat it.

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[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago (5 children)

People should put pressure on employers to let them choose if they want to work from office, or home. Homeoffice FTW!

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago
[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago

Turn them into housing

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