Working From Home Megathread

PokeHerKing

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119994528#Comment_119994528

Yeah but then you're paying more on diesel/petrol? Swings and roundabouts, no?

Im walkin around the house in my ski gear the last week. Still rather be at home as much as I want to be. Especially the last week, my estate is lethal and the car is frozen over.

I think one day a week were everyone is in together is perfectly reasonable/productive but my place are insisting on that "anchor" day plus 2 more days.

Its unnecessary but its better than pre pandemic so I'm sucking it up as leaving doesn't suit me.

Fr Tod Umptious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119873839#Comment_119873839

The lads in India appear to be managing quite nicely.

I'm 27 years in the IT industry and I've been hearing that Indians are going to take my job for at least 25 of those 27 years.

But it has never happened.

In fact I'm more in demand in Ireland than I've ever been.

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119994579#Comment_119994579

Have the costs gone up sufficient to outweigh the cost & time of the commute? For people who can walk or cycle maybe, but otherwise that's a doubtful proposition.

Dav010

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119994613#Comment_119994613

I’m not sure if you expect an answer from me on that or whether it was a rhetorical question, either way, surely it depends on the circumstances of the person giving it consideration.

Cluedo Monopoly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119994619#Comment_119994619

He's right though. The average commute time in Ireland is 30 mins. For car drivers that's 20 hours a month. How much would 20 hours of driving cost on diesel/petrol? I am pretty sure you'd buy a lot of heating fuel for that.

Fr Tod Umptious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119989516#Comment_119989516

That's very s****y but as another poster mentioned talk with your employer.

Explain to them how hybrid doesn't suit you, and how it will probably adversely affect you and your work in the long run.

If you can prove how productive you are working from home drive that point across to them.

I still don't get this forced hybrid idea.

If a day in or a few days at home suits people that's great, but forcing people in for certain arbitrary days is pure rubbish.

Dav010

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119994640#Comment_119994640

Again, the consideration would be circumstance, and indeed personal preference, dependent. Average commute time/engine size/house size/energy costs/wage means nothing to the individual thinking whether they would be better off/prefer to be in an office.

AdamD

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119994640#Comment_119994640

What percentage of people drive to work though? Anyone walking/cycling or getting say a €2 bus fair would probably consider it. Driving more than 30 minutes? I wouldn't even consider it for non-monetary reasons

Mrs OBumble

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119994599#Comment_119994599

Lucky you.

I've trained my replacement in China twice now. And I reckon the one in my current job is likely to be in Romania.

Cluedo Monopoly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119994690#Comment_119994690

65.5% in 2017 CSO report.

10% of working population spent an hour or more commuting.

Dav010

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119994797#Comment_119994797

When I see people post stuff about average values, it reminds me of the 2.4 children stat regarding housing , great for statistical analysis, utterly useless to actual families when they are considering whether to buy a house, unless of course you think a family can have .4 of a child.

It only matters Cluedo if travel time is the only consideration, which of course it isn’t.

Cluedo Monopoly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119994843#Comment_119994843

The stats are fairly clear and answered questions asked. I wasn't focusing on time, I was focusing on relative fuel costs in relation to a post earlier about going into the office during a cold snap to get heat and save on heating costs.

Frank Bullitt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119994716#Comment_119994716

Why on earth would you train your own replacement…

In many companies, when a staff member leaves, they are expected to train their replacement, unless they're sacked.

I have seen this in companies who have outsourced production offshore, where they actually sent the most experienced machine operators to train their replacements.

A bit of a boost for their redundancy payments, but still a bitter pill.

Kintarō Hattori

Left my job of 6 years in September as we had been told to find another role, our existing one couldn't be guaranteed. I had been working at home since the pandemic kicked in and it really opened my eyes as to how much time I was missing with my little one. Any new job I was going to take had to be WFH. Thankfully I found a great company and while we are supposed to officially be in the office once a month, it's not set in stone.

I cherish being able to drop off my 5 year old to school and collect again in the afternoon.

Backstreet Moyes

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119994716#Comment_119994716

You seem to have a rare negative experience for every scenario put forward in favor of working from home.

These are things that happen to nobody else but they have all happened to you.

It's rather strange.

Cluedo Monopoly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119995057#Comment_119995057

Its very important to understand that you can only make a role redundant under Irish law. You do not make a person redundant.

--------------------

Redundancy in Ireland-What Employers and Employees Ought to Know About Non Collective Redundancies – Employment Rights Ireland

Key factors in redundancy: impersonality and change

There are two critical factors to be gleaned from this definition-

1. The redundancy should arise from the doing away with the job, not the person. This feature of impersonality is necessary in a genuine redundancy situation.
2. Change-the change must arise as a result of change in the workplace which might range from a closing down of the business to a simple reduction in number of employees.

-----------------

You cannot simply make someone redundant because the other guy will do it cheaper - in Ireland. If however your area of work/operations is moved abroad, then redundancy could be on the cards - or a new role/contract.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119995192#Comment_119995192

Yes, in the case I am referring to, they closed the factory and moved production to Poland.

This was back in the days (1990s) when outsourcing was all the rage.

Frank Bullitt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119995057#Comment_119995057

That is really not my experience, maybe that is my industry (design, product, software), the mere idea of training your replacement is laughable.

Also, if you refuse to do so, what exactly can be done? You would already be leaving.

We were told to go home from the office on Monday this week and stay there until the weather clears as it was only 12 degrees in the building. Heating is supposed to be set at 19 degrees in the office but it was no where near that. i was happy to go home where I could control the temp myself.

Cyrus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119995259#Comment_119995259

Maybe you have never worked somewhere where outsourcing was being implemented or joined afterwards but im sure plenty people have experienced it. You may not be training your replacement explicitly but if you are training the team in poland for example that are taking over some of the work streams that are considered ok to outsource you can be sure once they are bedded in they look to see what can be outsourced next further up the value chain.

Cyrus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119994645#Comment_119994645

If you are running a hybrid model getting everyone in on the same days makes tonnes of sense, may as well get people together on the days they are in the office.

Plenty of co's only offer hybrid working because they have to, not because they really want to.

Frank Bullitt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119995352#Comment_119995352

Sounds like I haven't worked in a place like that, no. Nor will I ever want to either.

The idea of training a replacement, I just can't get my head around why anyone would want to even entertain that (there might be scenarios where it does happen), but if I was being let go for example, and they said/asked for me to train my replacement, I would laugh at that.

Cyrus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119995374#Comment_119995374

you are misunderstanding my post, you won't be told at the time it's your replacement but it could well be what they become, depending on how successful the outsourcing is. In other scenarios, it'll be more blatant but I'm sure they have ways of ensuring your compliance linked in some way to a financial benefit that you would forego if you aren't willing.

Frank Bullitt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119995384#Comment_119995384

If they have an office, but no one has a desire to want to go to it, they would be mad to insist on people to go to it. Especially as a large number of employers/companies support remote work so workers have larger choice. Especially true in the tech sector.

Frank Bullitt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119995393#Comment_119995393

So you would be "training" someone but not told why, or that it is your replacement? Sorry to say, but you would be really naïve to fall for something like that. Especially if training isn't part of your day to day tasks.

As for the last part, that sounds like a ransom to your pay-off or redundancy pack. I am sure a solicitor would love to entertain that.

Cyrus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119995417#Comment_119995417

there are two scenarios, one where outsourcing takes place and if thats a success then further down the line they outsource more and you have unwittingly trained your replacement or the other where you are told whats happening and asked to train, there may well be a bonus or enhanced redundancy for complying.

Frank Bullitt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119995522#Comment_119995522

I can't see any scenario where compliance with training a replacement or you forfeit a payment package even being remotely legal or just. Not saying a company wouldn't try that of course, but a labour court or solicitor might see that in a very different light.

As for this outsourcing and training through smoke and mirrors. As I said, you'd have to be really naïve and shortsighted to not see that happening in the moment. Especially if more and more of the work was being outsourced. Stevie Wonder would be able to see that coming.

Cyrus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119995536#Comment_119995536

you arent forfeiting anything, you may be entitled to extra if you do, there would need to be some incentive to comply. So Frank Bullitt who doesnt want to do his job ill get basic redundancy and AN other who is happy to will get a bonus or an enhanced redundancy. Seems fair.

Frank Bullitt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119995552#Comment_119995552

I am not seeing any logic here.

Frank Bullitt or any worker, who is told they are losing their job and is asked to train their replacement for a bonus or fee? Your job isn't to train a replacement, especially if it is not in your contract around what tasks you are asked to complete as part of your contract. So, you aren't not doing your job, you are refusing to do something not listed in your contract.

And even at that, I have more respect for myself than to do something like that for a fee (it wouldn't be a huge sum, if this crazy scenario ever happened).

That company can keep their "enhanced" redundancy.

Even with this very creative scenario you have created here, like I said, a solicitor or labour court would love to take a look at a company doing something as moral as this ;) There is your enhanced redundancy.