> why not join a smaller company where you can work fully remote and only 4 days a week?

this seems to be what everyone is craving these days, saturating the job search market, sadly :(

Eventually companies will have to start hiring for a 4 day work week.

It might even exist to be fair, I just can't seem to find it but a game that: - plays like Diablo (ARPG), not the most recent versions of ARPGs though, I'm talking about D1: very few frills and not-so-clogged environments, with worth-my-time enemies rather than loads-and-loads-and-loads - has the same degree of freedom Ultima Online offered, in terms of skills and character building (including non-fighting skills) - has a very medieval rather than fantasy feeling - is literally 2.5d, not 3d - is a mmorpg - user-driven economy and where guilds are UO styled groups of people sharing some sort of values, rather than endgame-oriented only

I want to be immersed in the lore and feel part of it

If it does exist, please point me in the right direction; if it doesn't, let's build it!

Are they really though? I'm nearly ready to call it once and for all, toxic and disruptive industry, after 12+ years in it. Expectations are unfairly high, salaries make absolutely no sense, 60+ hours a week are expected even though contracts talk about 37/40hrs/week on average. Meh.

Depends on the days really, I generally don't like WFH anymore (was fine during lockdown#1); I am going to the office daily now, even when it's empty. Better lights, better desks, a monitor, seats, noise. I do quite like hiding away in a coffee/restaurant etc, if I don't have meetings. But having a buzz and people around is important indeed.

Agreed. I've had requests ahead of start dates and it was not a problem for those I turned down; accepting/attending has always been optional and appreciated, but nothing more than that.