Working From Home Megathread

Frank Bullitt · 21-01-2022 6:38pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118512331#Comment_118512331

No, they are widening their talent pool by not being bound by geography. Likewise, it means that people living in other countries can open their search for more jobs.

I believe, in the industry, they call this a "win win".

So let's hear your take on how this somehow exploits the employer and employee.

el Fenomeno · 21-01-2022 6:48pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118513371#Comment_118513371

I would imagine the employer can phase it any way they want until the end of February, after which (assuming no changes to the guidance) they can bring you back 5 days a week if they want, or whatever their policy on remote working says for going forward.

Cyrus · 21-01-2022 7:46pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118513434#Comment_118513434

Not bound by geography? Perhaps but I'm sure you'll be well aware of the administrative burden and tax risks of employing people in countries outside the one you are incorporated in.

Frank Bullitt · 21-01-2022 8:15pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118513812#Comment_118513812

It is an easy fix and the benefits outweigh the cons. It is how so many companies have remote work now, they set up an entity in that country and go from there. It isn't as hard as you think.

Mrs OBumble · 21-01-2022 8:16pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118512893#Comment_118512893

Luckily I've had contracts which allowed and/or required me to be in-office 3 days/week.

I'd likely be divorced if I hadn't had these.

Ohmeha · 21-01-2022 8:22pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118513497#Comment_118513497

I'm thinking like in September a phased staggered basis for specific purposes which was a month but then enough employers like my own took the piss ordering you back 5 days a week at no notice

Frank Bullitt · 21-01-2022 8:44pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118513996#Comment_118513996

You didn't answer the question though.

FlubberJones · 21-01-2022 8:53pm

Did 5 days in the office this week, admittedly I live handy to the place but it was nice to be there

gmisk · 21-01-2022 9:01pm

I think the cat is out of the bag when it comes to working from home thankfully.

I have been in the office 4 times in the last two years to meet new staff, there is no reason why a lot of office based jobs can't be done from home. In all likelihood we will be going back at least a day a week, I would be ok with that not much more...so we will see what happens, talk is it will be in small bubbles to start. Tonnes of time and money saved in commuting, working the same if not more hours. I would also be commuting even longer than before as office in town likely closing!

21-01-2022 10:10pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118317405#Comment_118317405

Nailed it! 😜

My other comments made about the same time (deleted to protect the snowflakes) have also proven to be correct!

21-01-2022 10:49pm

Straight from the horses mouth

Last year, a massive 82% of job seekers on the platform looked for remote work – up from 15-20% pre-pandemic. Startup jobs also moved in the same direction: remote jobs grew 6.4x in the last year, and now 69.5% of all jobs are remote or remote-friendly.

https://blog.ycombinator.com/what-startup-hiring-looks-like-in-2021-and-during-a-pandemic/

Cyrus · 21-01-2022 11:35pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118513992#Comment_118513992

Saying it's an easy fix is a massive understatement I can only assume you haven't ever been involved in doing it.

I may suit a large company but it's not palatable for a small company looking to hire one or two employees in a jurisdiction.

Frank Bullitt · 22-01-2022 1:29am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118515268#Comment_118515268

You have just compared 2 massively different ends of the spectrum there.

If it is a small company (what exactly is small in terms of size?), then yes, there may or may not be issues, but I personally know of a company of 4 people and 1 was in France, so they were able to manage it.

Another company had employees in France and Croatia as well, again, that worked fine. That company was closer to 30/40. So yes, it can, and is being done.

Mrs OBumble · 22-01-2022 2:56am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118514132#Comment_118514132

I did answer the question. The question was

Is your company allowing you to go back to office or are you fixated that every single employee should go back to the office and work from home shoudnt be allowed.

And the answer is very clearly, that I've always been not only allowed, but required to be in the office, at least some of the time.

This is unlike many of my colleagues, who were not allowed to be in the office unless they had management sign-off to be there.

I totally believe that there are reasons why some employees should not be working off-site. Not every single employee. But I've seen enough to believe that there good reasons for many people to be working from an employer-controlled location.

And I believe that allowing employers to not provide a work-location discriminates against young people and people from disadvantaged backgrounds, who are less likely to afford to have a work-suitable space in their homes.

Mrs OBumble · 22-01-2022 3:04am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118515705#Comment_118515705

Employees, or self-employed contractors, or did they use a umbrella companies?

Setting up an operation in different countries is not trivial. A company has to to register a business there, find out about and comply with local labour laws, and operate the local tax system, ie the equivalent of Ireland's PAYE, VAT, etc. The labour laws can be quite challenging to know and follow, especially if you don't speak the local language.

22-01-2022 3:46am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118515858#Comment_118515858

Sounds like a good idea for a company to service that need.... something like this

https://pilot.co/

Or this

https://www.letsdeel.com/

So yeah it takes a bit of work but it's definitely possible to do using services like those

Young_gunner · 22-01-2022 9:57am

Every solution has a problem!!

in a few years we’ll look back on the pointless time-consuming commutes we used to do, the same way we think of dial-up internet now - served a purpose for a while but now totally obsolete.

Cyrus · 22-01-2022 11:02am

Can and is being done doesn't mean it's easy or not expensive and a large administrative burden, that's assuming they have gotten the correct tax advice in the first place....

Cyrus · 22-01-2022 11:06am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118515884#Comment_118515884

I'll have someone look into this next time we have a remote employee in a new jurisdiction and let you know what it costs, I'd be surprised if it's not a mid 4 figure sum per employee annually

adocholiday · 22-01-2022 11:33am

There's no way I can or will go back to the office any more than 1 day per week. If my employer tries to get us in any more I will be gone. The job I do is in demand right now and in the past few months I have been inundated with offers and the majority of their headline benefits was full time remote working available.

I estimate that with no commute I am saving about 3k per year just in diesel. Factor in incidental office expenses like coffee, lunch out, work clothes, etc. I was saving maybe 5k total, the equivalent of €10k salary. Obviously my utilities have increased but its still very much a net win for me. That's before all the other benefits to physical & mental health and work/life balance.

The only way I will ever be full time back in an office will be if every employer in Ireland that would require my services decides to drop remote working. I am pessimistic about it long term being honest though.

Mrs OBumble · 22-01-2022 11:55am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118516355#Comment_118516355

Why are you pessimistic about it being long term?

jrosen · 22-01-2022 12:15pm

I hope work from home stays in some way for anyone who wants to avail of it. I cant work from home but the hubby can and the difference it has made to his work life balance and our family is incredible. His company always had a very generous WFH policy but few availed of it.

Before now he would be rushing out the door to try and pick the kids up to get to football/gaa training. Sat in his car on calls/email. Then home for homework/dinner and the inevitable arguments that would start because at that stage everyone was tired, hungry and fed up. Life is better for all involved

22-01-2022 12:44pm

Honestly, I'm unlikely to ever go back to an office. Pretty want on in the pandemic I managed to get a tech role where my role was explicitly defined as remote. I get a better salary than I would locally and more interesting work. Now most of the industry have shifted in that direction. I'll still intermittently travel to the office but that will be expensed.

Overall it's a much more more pleasant balance and I get to do the kind of work I like. Other issues have cropped up for me during pandemic but wfh is a shift that I'm glad has accelerated.

22-01-2022 1:20pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118515852#Comment_118515852

Complete and utter nonsense. Most companies are giving the people the option to go in if they need to.

Now that the pandemic is over things are going to have to be set out for employees for the future.

Cyrus · 22-01-2022 2:12pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118516355#Comment_118516355

What you mean is you won't , you can of course but you don't want to , which is your right and I'd agree with you , if the company you work for doesn't offer something you want then you are free to seek it elsewhere.