Blizzard Q&A With Leadership about Return to Office, WoW Hotfixes - February 17, 2023

[Baalboski]

Isn't the new ceo the guy who was playing animal crossing during dragonflights dreadful launch. Yea. not the right hire. The cool thing about 2023 is its easy to figure out who isn't "All in". I don't care what your job title or salary is. If you ain't authentic you are going to fail. Get a new Ceo imo

[arkanon]

Isn't the new ceo the guy who was playing animal crossing during dragonflights dreadful launch. Yea. not the right hire. The cool thing about 2023 is its easy to figure out who isn't "All in". I don't care what your job title or salary is. If you ain't authentic you are going to fail. Get a new Ceo imo

What do you feel the CEO should have been doing?

[Chain Chungus]

It's not entitlement at all. I don't understand why people like you defend corporate over the people actually doing all the work. Because getting rid of WFH is nothing but a control move. Management clearly has a superiority complex and that's why they're wanting to force people into the office despite employees able to get more work done and that work is of higher quality.

You're not "calling a spade a spade" because you're objectively wrong. Again, I don't understand why people like you worship management and throw employees not in management under the bus. And if you're going to say that people should get a different job if they want to work from home, then you better not whine about product quality dropping as a result of less people available to work on it.

It's funny how many people don't understand what entitlement means. Entitlement literally has the word title in it, as in royal titles and aristocracy. One is entitled when they have wealth/power/influence/TITLES that were given to them at birth. Things that they didn't earn themselves or deserve based on merit. Then they rabidly defend their "right" to this undeserved power, and gaslight people without wealth or power into thinking that wanting those things that the powerful have too is somehow being needy or whiny.

Sadly, it is often the people without wealth themselves that defend the abuses of the rich and powerful. Like seriously, you aren't going to get let into their club just because your head is so far up their ass that it's sticking out their mouth. In fact, if you DID become wealthy at some point, that "old money" would hate you even more than the poor for daring to get on their level, call you nouveau riche, and seek to destroy you for threatening THEIR entitlement.

[Chapel]

Wow, a company wants people to come to work again. Let’s bring the pitchforks out! Having worked on several full remote software projects, even if individual people each are able to do more work (which, especially for peope with kids is arguable to say the least), the team as a whole is nowhere near as effective as if everyone was sitting in the same room.

This is not what the 'I demand to work from home' people want to hear.

[Dervrak]

"At the end of the day we want people to be happy, and if decisions about about being happy don't align with where we're going, and you won't be happy, then you'll have to do what will make [you] happy."

That's what we in the corporate world call "Telling people to go to hell in such a way they look forward to the trip." Basically, he's saying, "If you don't like our polices then there's the door, see ya."

[TheRevenantHero]

It's funny how many people don't understand what entitlement means. Entitlement literally has the word title in it, as in royal titles and aristocracy. One is entitled when they have wealth/power/influence/TITLES that were given to them at birth. Things that they didn't earn themselves or deserve based on merit. Then they rabidly defend their "right" to this undeserved power, and gaslight people without wealth or power into thinking that wanting those things that the powerful have too is somehow being needy or whiny.

Sadly, it is often the people without wealth themselves that defend the abuses of the rich and powerful. Like seriously, you aren't going to get let into their club just because your head is so far up their ass that it's sticking out their mouth. In fact, if you DID become wealthy at some point, that "old money" would hate you even more than the poor for daring to get on their level, call you nouveau riche, and seek to destroy you for threatening THEIR entitlement.

I am just so appreciative of your comment. Seriously. It gives me hope that there are people who actually properly educate themselves instead of eating up propaganda. I tip my hat to you.

[Byleth]

LOL I am terrible because I think it is OK for companies who want their employees in the office? Thr terrible person is the one who throws temper tantrums until they get their way. The terrible person is the one who thinks they can do whatever the hell they want and that the employer has no right to tell them what to do.


There is a terrible person here,and it ain't me.

Nice attempt at gaslighting mate.

There was no temper tantrums. There was no emotional aspect to my negotiations at all actually.

I just said, I'm not doing it, and if you want me to I'll go work elsewhere. The company themselves decided that I was valuable enough to make an exception for.

My employer can ask me to do whatever they please. Me being employed by them doesn't negate my right to negotiate my terms.

[Nymrohd]

Honestly looking through actual articles (not journalist ones) WFH and productivity correlations seem a mixed bag (https://scholar.google.com/scholar?s...20&as_yhi=2023) and especially for the pandemic period more likely to be negative than positive for a wide variety of factors (most importantly poor work spaces or children at home).
I had a great WFH experience myself but I have no distractions (other than a cat or two!) and a very comfortable office space at home so I'd expect to be the exception.

For me the main argument about this being problematic is a) the time horizon between announcement and enforcement possibly being fairly short and b) the fact that several people have likely been hired during this WFH period and that should entitle them to severance pay.

[TheRevenantHero]

Honestly looking through actual articles (not journalist ones) WFH and productivity correlations seem a mixed bag (https://scholar.google.com/scholar?s...20&as_yhi=2023) and especially for the pandemic period more likely to be negative than positive for a wide variety of factors (most importantly poor work spaces or children at home).
I had a great WFH experience myself but I have no distractions (other than a cat or two!) and a very comfortable office space at home so I'd expect to be the exception.

For me the main argument about this being problematic is a) the time horizon between announcement and enforcement possibly being fairly short and b) the fact that several people have likely been hired during this WFH period and that should entitle them to severance pay.

Even with distractions, WFH productivity was still better than office productivity. Working in an office is also VERY mentally taxing because humans don't do well with being in one spot all day that is nowhere near their comfort place. There's also the commuting factor which is something I'm pretty sure nobody likes.

Anyway, if the work is getting done on time and it's not of poor quality then forcing people to come into the office is nothing but management needing to control their employees because they have a superiority complex.

[rrayy]

[FONT=Verdana]

Nice attempt at gaslighting mate.

There was no temper tantrums. There was no emotional aspect to my negotiations at all actually.

I just said, I'm not doing it, and if you want me to I'll go work elsewhere. The company themselves decided that I was valuable enough to make an exception for.

My employer can ask me to do whatever they please. Me being employed by them doesn't negate my right to negotiate my terms.

Go read yoru post again. What you did comes off like a temper tantrum.

They should have let you work elsewhere. Caving sets a bad precedent. It tells the rest of the company that if you whine loud enough, you will get your way.

[Nymrohd]

Even with distractions, WFH productivity was still better than office productivity. Working in an office is also VERY mentally taxing because humans don't do well with being in one spot all day that is nowhere near their comfort place. There's also the commuting factor which is something I'm pretty sure nobody likes.

Anyway, if the work is getting done on time and it's not of poor quality then forcing people to come into the office is nothing but management needing to control their employees because they have a superiority complex.

I just think it varies significantly. With Blizzard's location, either your commute or your office space will be horrible so I would definitely expect them to see a productivity increase. I am just saying, my limited research above shows that actual business research does not support a blanket statement of WFH=Productivity Increase; it is far more nuanced than that.

- - - Updated - - -

Go read yoru post again. What you did comes off like a temper tantrum.

They should have let you work elsewhere. Caving sets a bad precedent. It tells the rest of the company that if you whine loud enough, you will get your way.

Negotiation is not whining.

[rrayy]

"At the end of the day we want people to be happy, and if decisions about about being happy don't align with where we're going, and you won't be happy, then you'll have to do what will make [you] happy."

That's what we in the corporate world call "Telling people to go to hell in such a way they look forward to the trip." Basically, he's saying, "If you don't like our polices then there's the door, see ya."

There is nothing wrong with that. Again, people are getting so entitled that they think they get to dictate the policies to their employer. The outrage proves my point about about entitlement.

[Biomega]

Caving sets a bad precedent. It tells the rest of the company that if you whine loud enough, you will get your way.

And remaining stubborn and resisting all change tells the rest of the company that you don't care and aren't willing to work with your own employees.

There's a GIANT space between the two extremes of dictator and doormat.

[kamuimac]

You're really going to justify Blizzard's shitty treatment of employees by saying it was because of burnout? Are you fucking serious?

where do you see this shitty treatment ? if you dont like how muhc you make or that you have to commute to work you give resignation letter and look for new work.

this is not a labor camp - you can leave at any given time you dont like it

the treat them this way because they can - becaue for each that will leave they have like 20 willing to get a junior position there.

people really refuse to accept that whole west world is in middle of huge recession now and all those "dream jobs" wont exist for years or decades to come. the more people are fired the more competition for any positions there will open and the less companies will have to pay their employees

- - - Updated - - -

"At the end of the day we want people to be happy, and if decisions about about being happy don't align with where we're going, and you won't be happy, then you'll have to do what will make [you] happy."

That's what we in the corporate world call "Telling people to go to hell in such a way they look forward to the trip." Basically, he's saying, "If you don't like our polices then there's the door, see ya."

yes and ? he was honest about it.

it means that if they dont like current conditions / payment they should look for new workplace imiddiately because the conditions of their employement wont change.

also can you blame them really ? didnt US companies/corporations just fired like >150k employees ? where do you think those people will be looking for jobs ? in local wallmart ? they will go to farm ? they will suddenly become truck drivers ? or they will be desperately look for any possible job opening in another corporation even in QA/CS/BSS ?

for all corporations it will be golden decade with people fighting each other for any semi-decent corporate job.

whole west is atm in huge recession - ask you father/grandfather how is it to work or to look for work in non prosperity times because you clearly have no idea.

[TheRevenantHero]

I just think it varies significantly. With Blizzard's location, either your commute or your office space will be horrible so I would definitely expect them to see a productivity increase. I am just saying, my limited research above shows that actual business research does not support a blanket statement of WFH=Productivity Increase; it is far more nuanced than that.

- - - Updated - - -



Negotiation is not whining.

When it comes to Blizzard specifically, I'd push for WFH purely because I don't want to get harassed by management.

- - - Updated - - -

There is nothing wrong with that. Again, people are getting so entitled that they think they get to dictate the policies to their employer. The outrage proves my point about about entitlement.

The only people who are asking for entitlement is corporate that is getting rid of a WFH. They think they're entitled to controlling employess as much as possible. And that's toxic as fuck. And honestly? People who aren't part of corporate work WAY more and WAY harder than anyone in corporate. So employees should be able to negotiate their own terms because they're the ones doing the vast majority of the fucking work.

I don't understand why you are defending toxic management. It really doesn't make any sense.

[Doombringer]

Mike Ybarra is pushing mythic keys and a lot of the people under him are casuals. That about explains the divide between where his head is and where reality is.

I wonder if we'll see some moves now about someone taking over for Mike in terms of being the "face" of leadership... someone who isn't a complete and total douchebag and can actually do a Q&A like this without insulting half the employee base.

And for anyone saying "omg, WFH is over, suck it up" -- when your pay is low, as it is in many Blizzard positions versus your cost of living to exist near to the office and GET the job in the first place ... EVERYTHING is compensation at that point. WFH is a huge boon to employees facing an hours-long commute into Orange County.

Stop defending senior leadership -- unless you ARE senior leadership. They don't have your best interest at heart, in ANY company. Yours or Blizzard's or mine. Their interests are to lin their own pockets and in this case, satisfy shareholders. That means record profits year over year... and if you're not making the money on selling games, you're saving money by firing people or rolling back bonuses. Don't be ignorant, the deck in the corporate world is definitely stacked against the average worker.

[cuafpr]

where do you see this shitty treatment ? if you dont like how muhc you make or that you have to commute to work you give resignation letter and look for new work.

this is not a labor camp - you can leave at any given time you dont like it

the treat them this way because they can - becaue for each that will leave they have like 20 willing to get a junior position there.

people really refuse to accept that whole west world is in middle of huge recession now and all those "dream jobs" wont exist for years or decades to come. the more people are fired the more competition for any positions there will open and the less companies will have to pay their employees

- - - Updated - - -



yes and ? he was honest about it.

it means that if they dont like current conditions / payment they should look for new workplace imiddiately because the conditions of their employement wont change.

also can you blame them really ? didnt US companies/corporations just fired like >150k employees ? where do you think those people will be looking for jobs ? in local wallmart ? they will go to farm ? they will suddenly become truck drivers ? or they will be desperately look for any possible job opening in another corporation even in QA/CS/BSS ?

for all corporations it will be golden decade with people fighting each other for any semi-decent corporate job.

whole west is atm in huge recession - ask you father/grandfather how is it to work or to look for work in non prosperity times because you clearly have no idea.

Wow what an attitude/view towards people and employees. Look companies need workers more than the other way around. You best believe I'd go work for wal-mart before I let a company control my life (not saying wal-mart doesn't control pull just a random company).

The world has changed and I hope this bites blizz in the ass. The quality people that want to be remote will find remote work or hybrid models at least. Then blizz can settle for who they can get/desperate people. I get my career field is different (Cyber Sec) and there are like 500k open roles currently so I have options but damn I couldn't imagine thinking like this anymore.

[Gasparde]

Wow what an attitude/view towards people and employees. Look companies need workers more than the other way around. You best believe I'd go work for wal-mart before I let a company control my life (not saying wal-mart doesn't control pull just a random company).

The world has changed and I hope this bites blizz in the ass. The quality people that want to be remote will find remote work or hybrid models at least. Then blizz can settle for who they can get/desperate people. I get my career field is different (Cyber Sec) and there are like 500k open roles currently so I have options but damn I couldn't imagine thinking like this anymore.

It's a realist world view.
I give you money so I get to set the terms - if you disagree with those terms, feel free to leave. No hard feelings, no nothing, take it or leave it.
Now if there are enough people that do in fact leave it... then I might have to overthink my stance... but as long as there are enough people taking it... why should i change my stance?

Blizzard can do whatever the fuck they want, they're not breaking any labor laws with their policy changes. Like, personally, I'd hate being in the position of the employees, and I would totally look to find something new... but still, unless enough people do that, why should Blizzard care? There's still thousands upon thousands of people applying at Blizzard, dreaming of making it big, willingly taking all the shit pay, the crunch, shit like this and god knows what... and Blizzard can totally get away with it just fine.

If you have a problem with that... vote with your wallet. If these employees have a problem with that? Quit. Otherwise... I mean... good luck waiting for your government to step in and change something lol. If you don't or the affected people don't stand up against this, why exactly would Blizzard change? Because you think they're being mean and "the world doesn't work like that anymore"?

[TheRevenantHero]

where do you see this shitty treatment ? if you dont like how muhc you make or that you have to commute to work you give resignation letter and look for new work.

this is not a labor camp - you can leave at any given time you dont like it

the treat them this way because they can - becaue for each that will leave they have like 20 willing to get a junior position there.

people really refuse to accept that whole west world is in middle of huge recession now and all those "dream jobs" wont exist for years or decades to come. the more people are fired the more competition for any positions there will open and the less companies will have to pay their employees

- - - Updated - - -



yes and ? he was honest about it.

it means that if they dont like current conditions / payment they should look for new workplace imiddiately because the conditions of their employement wont change.

also can you blame them really ? didnt US companies/corporations just fired like >150k employees ? where do you think those people will be looking for jobs ? in local wallmart ? they will go to farm ? they will suddenly become truck drivers ? or they will be desperately look for any possible job opening in another corporation even in QA/CS/BSS ?

for all corporations it will be golden decade with people fighting each other for any semi-decent corporate job.

whole west is atm in huge recession - ask you father/grandfather how is it to work or to look for work in non prosperity times because you clearly have no idea.

Just up and finding a new job is nowhere near as easy as you're saying. And as for shitty treatment, it's a long list. Sexual harassment, sexual assault, general degradation from management, rarely ever getting pay raises....need I go on?

- - - Updated - - -

Wow what an attitude/view towards people and employees. Look companies need workers more than the other way around. You best believe I'd go work for wal-mart before I let a company control my life (not saying wal-mart doesn't control pull just a random company).

The world has changed and I hope this bites blizz in the ass. The quality people that want to be remote will find remote work or hybrid models at least. Then blizz can settle for who they can get/desperate people. I get my career field is different (Cyber Sec) and there are like 500k open roles currently so I have options but damn I couldn't imagine thinking like this anymore.

All of his comments are basically the kind of boomer talk where they think it's still the 60s or 70s. Everything single thing he has said so far is tone deaf and exceptionally out of touch with the current times.

- - - Updated - - -

It's a realist world view.
I give you money so I get to set the terms - if you disagree with those terms, feel free to leave. No hard feelings, no nothing, take it or leave it.
Now if there are enough people that do in fact leave it... then I might have to overthink my stance... but as long as there are enough people taking it... why should i change my stance?

Blizzard can do whatever the fuck they want, they're not breaking any labor laws with their policy changes. Like, personally, I'd hate being in the position of the employees, and I would totally look to find something new... but still, unless enough people do that, why should Blizzard care? There's still thousands upon thousands of people applying at Blizzard, dreaming of making it big, willingly taking all the shit pay, the crunch, shit like this and god knows what... and Blizzard can totally get away with it just fine.

If you have a problem with that... vote with your wallet. If these employees have a problem with that? Quit. Otherwise... I mean... good luck waiting for your government to step in and change something lol. If you don't or the affected people don't stand up against this, why exactly would Blizzard change? Because you think they're being mean and "the world doesn't work like that anymore"?

The fact that you think it's so easy to just quit a job and find a new one just shows you've never struggled financially in your life. Quitting a job for most people in the USA is practically a death sentence with our current economy and job market.

[Jester Joe]

Go read yoru post again. What you did comes off like a temper tantrum.

They should have let you work elsewhere. Caving sets a bad precedent. It tells the rest of the company that if you whine loud enough, you will get your way.

That was nowhere near a temper tantrum.

It's pretty wild to accuse someone else of that when you kept going on tangents when I asked for you to support your opinion with facts and you still have yet to outside of personal snipes and just generally constantly spitting out smear campaigns instead.

And thankfully most sane people do not want to participate in this weird idea that the rich/those in power should be able to get away with anything that you seem to enjoy.