Working from Home

swarlb

I realise this can be different things for different people, but lets take the obvious working from home scenario.... as in using a computer and sitting at a desk.
Given the option, which is preferable, getting up at 6/7am, sorting kids (or not) for school, and either sitting in a car or public transport for a few hours BEFORE you actually start work, and the same again in the evening on the way home. Realistically, by the time you've prepared a meal and done the house chores, it's time for bed... and then start all over again.
I know one friend who gets up at 5 to be in work by 9, and usually arrives home by 7 almost ready to fall over. While working from home over the past few weeks seemed like a Godsend, it's actually been more stressful for her, as she finds herself doing MORE work on the computer, and not taking proper breaks.
I'm semi retired, and have worked from home for many years, but a completely different scenario, as I had a purpose built workshop at the bottom of my garden, as opposed to a 'work station' on the kitchen table.

I can see how working from home can be a bonus, but there are times when it can be a hindrance.

LuasSimon

Very isolating on a full time basis would be my biggest failing with home working

Creamy Goodness

You have to be super disciplined to make it work right and given the current situation with a few 100,000's thrown into the deep end it's going to give a bad impression to most.

Few tips I've learned from a few of my friends who do it full time.

1. Have a dedicated space, one you can close the door on and don't have to go back to after 5pm.
2. Keep the same routine, get up at the same time you would have done if commuting, and use your commuting time wisely. Go for a walk, prep dinner or start work early and finish early.
3. Have a place where you can go for change of scenery e.g. a coffee shop, library (if you don't take calls) etc. (obviously can't be done now).
4. Implement a system that shows explicitly you're working, door closed = I'm working, please try not to bother unless it's an emergency. Headphones in, means I'm on a call etc.
5. Block time out in your calendar, that explicitly tells you to take breaks, I fill mine up with regular breaks because otherwise there'll be a meeting in there.

With regards to C19 times juggling kids is neigh on impossible (given their ages), you got to remember everyone in your office will be in the same boat at the moment so some disruption is bound to happen. You're also staying at home trying to work during a pandemic, not the other way around (know that might be a bit cheesy, but it's true).

WFH is not for me, I much prefer the office environment. It's too quiet here, hard to stay motivated and have no one to bounce ideas off in the same way (zoom/skype/phone etc. isn't the same).

Technocentral

LuasSimon wrote: »

Very isolating on a full time basis would be my biggest failing with home working

I'm lucky in that all my friends are from outside my work, if I never had to go into an office again I'd be delighted, work for me is just that: work, not a social setting.

swarlb

swarlb wrote: »

..............
I know one friend who gets up at 5 to be in work by 9, and usually arrives home by 7 almost ready to fall over. While working from home over the past few weeks seemed like a Godsend, it's actually been more stressful for her, as she finds herself doing MORE work on the computer, and not taking proper breaks.....................

Removing at least 20 hrs commuting and she's more stressed now? A total outlier.

Creamy Goodness

Augeo wrote: »

Removing at least 20 hrs commuting and she's more stressed now? A total outlier.

A commute isn't the only thing that can stress people out. More time at home with kids etc. making sure they're getting the support they need whilst also trying to work from home is incredibly taxing on people.

Doesn't sound like an outlier to me in the slightest.

Creamy Goodness

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

A commute isn't the only thing that can stress people out. More time at home with kids etc. making sure they're getting the support they need whilst also trying to work from home is incredibly taxing on people.

Doesn't sound like an outlier to me in the slightest.

Yeah, pure normal is getting up at 5am to be at work at 9am. Nothing unusual at all. Sure there'd be no stress in that at all.

swarlb wrote: »

...........
I know one friend who gets up at 5 to be in work by 9, and usually arrives home by 7 almost ready to fall over..............

Cal4567

I sincerely hope this is one of the benefits to take out of all this. A new way of working for office based tasks. You can do almost all remotely. I would still have an office to go to, to meet people, not just every day. Staggered work hours as well.

If we go back to the old ways, with these stressful and long commutes, we will have really missed a trick.

mloc123

I have worked from home full time for 5 years... 7 weeks ago schools closed and my wife was sent home from work with a laptop. The last 7 weeks do not reflect what my work life was like for the previous years... the current situation is not working from home, it is some form of mental torture

Creamy Goodness

Augeo wrote: »

Yeah, pure normal is getting up at 5am to be at work at 9am. Nothing unusual at all. Sure there'd be no stress in that at all.

They're more stressed now is the key here. not their previous commute. Everyone has stress from time to time it's normal.

and yes people do get up at 5 to be in a 9. There's plenty of people in my office that commute from Gorey/Wexford Town. It's not something I'd choose to do, but I'm lucky I can choose. For others there isn't a choice.

There's a 5:57am train that leaves Wexford bound for Dundalk that gets you in Dublin for 8:40. I've gotten this train from Bray before, it's rammed. 57 minutes to get up shower, dress, breakfast, and get to the station doesn't leave a lot of time.

StupidLikeAFox

I think 2/3 day split between office and home is the sweet spot.

Creamy Goodness

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

They're more stressed now is the key here. not their previous commute. Everyone has stress from time to time it's normal.

and yes people do get up at 5 to be in a 9. There's plenty of people in my office that commute from Gorey/Wexford Town. It's not something I'd choose to do, but I'm lucky I can choose. For others there isn't a choice.

There's a 5:57am train that leaves Wexford bound for Dundalk that gets you in Dublin for 8:40. I've gotten this train from Bray before, it's rammed. 57 minutes to get up shower, dress, breakfast, and get to the station doesn't leave a lot of time.

Yes, for folk commuting from Gorey/Wexford Town to Dublin such a commute isn't unusual but it's still an unusual commute.

I'm not disputing that some folk get up at 5am, it's still far from the norm.

swarlb

Augeo wrote: »

Removing at least 20 hrs commuting and she's more stressed now? A total outlier.

She's stressed because she has 2 kids at home (under 15) and a husband. Her workstation is the kitchen table, with 2 large screens (provided by her job just before the actual 'lockdown').
Apart from her work, she has 2 kids doing what kids do when they have nothing to do, and a husband who is slowly re decorating the house around her.
Not a normal scenario by any means, but one she is stuck with for the moment.
At the outset she thought it was going to be a doddle, cutting out the 20 mile back and forth commute each day.
This debate is not about a particular person working from home, I only mentioned her as an example.
My business is the motor trade, and it was not a difficult transition from work to home, as I have a dedicated workshop within walking distance but completely apart from my house, it's got everything I need from toilet facilities to an 'canteen' area. At this stage I can pick and choose my jobs, but I appreciate not everyone is so lucky.
I'm just curious as to what will happen after this, will companies see a saving in having someone work from home, and/or will people as a whole opt to do it considering they are 'forced' at the moment.
Would the benefits outweigh any negatives ?

The Bishop Basher

Been working from home for years and I wouldn’t go back to the office for any money.

It’s lovely to be able to get up, go for a leisurely walk and then open the laptop and be “in work”.

My kids aren’t kids anymore so it’s a pleasure having them around and I’m really enjoying the time with them but I can imagine it must be difficult with small ones and trying to juggle work as well.

It’s like being on holidays though, we may never this chance again..

Make the most of it..

Working from home. Saving 90 minutes a day traveling.
Up at 7. Work 8-4. In the garden at 4:10.

I could get used to it:)

Colonel Claptrap

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

Few tips I've learned from a few of my friends who do it full time.

1. Have a dedicated space, one you can close the door on and don't have to go back to after 5pm.

I prefer to pick up the laptop and move from room to room. It keeps things interesting. I follow the sun as it moves from the back of the house to the front.

Timistry

WFH 2-3 days a week.Never busier or doing more hours.

LimeFruitGum

It is very easy to do longer hours when WFH if you’re not careful. (Assuming this lady is a regular employee who would normally be pretty good at managing her time) I have done WFH for years in various different companies and I would fully agree with the recommendation to have a dedicated space and a cut-off point.

I prefer starting at 7.30, take a 30m lunch and then I am done for the day at 3.30.. no later than 4pm anyway. I'm lucky in that I only need to work with Europe though in my role, and I am no longer in direct production/operations. The OP’s friend might be?

In my previous WFH role, I had direct reports in APAC and Argentina, a client in California & my hours were nuts. My US colleagues would be online from 5am to 2pm, then back online in the evening to catch APAC. I couldn’t do that. I need that mental cut off point: once the laptop is closed, that’s me done.

gazzer

I'm really enjoying wfh. The key is to have a set routine though. So instead of my getting up at 7, leaving for work at 7.30 and not getting home until 7 I now still get up at 7, have a shower, make breakfast, start work at 8, have lunch at 1 to 1.30 and finish at 4.30. Have 2 and a half hours extra per day to myself.

Rowley Birkin QC

Have worked from home on and off for years. Solid routine is key.

Not missing the office but I am missing the travel that goes with it. Would usually be on a plane 2-3 times a month and I am missing that aspect.

beauf

Colonel Claptrap wrote: »

I prefer to pick up the laptop and move from room to room. It keeps things interesting. I follow the sun as it moves from the back of the house to the front.

I'd like that too. Only I have to move around to where everyone else isn't. We've a few workstations in the house fire Schoolwork so I can plug the laptop into a desk and bigger screen in a couple of locations..

Tork

If my employer made it a permanent thing, it'd solve a few family-related issues that I'm juggling at the moment. I've found it fine so far, though it can get a bit noisy when there are wired neighbouring kids in the nearby back gardens. The routine is key. I keep to the same hours as I did in the office and don't have the TV on or anything like that.

I would hate for things to go back to the way they were. Should we be taking some positives from the lockdown? It seems that many people can work from home so is there really a need to have everyone trooping in and out of offices at the same time, 5 days a week? In the long term it'd save the government and people a lot of money. Our larger cities have been struggling to cope with the numbers of people needing to live and work there. Public transport can't meet the demand there is for it, they can't build enough houses in Dublin and most of them are beyond the reach of people on average wages anyway.

Would people having the option to live closer to their families down the country really be a bad thing either? There are plenty of people who are trying to raise kids almost singlehandedly because their jobs have them living away from the family support network. It'd revitalise rural Ireland and the regional towns and villages which are struggling because of depopulation. It'd also give people who have good educations and skillsets the chance to live where they want, rather than where they can catch a jam-packed bus, train or tram in the mornings. Less cars on the roads would reduce our need to build more roads and reduce emissions too, no?

beauf

gazzer wrote: »

I'm really enjoying wfh. The key is to have a set routine though. So instead of my getting up at 7, leaving for work at 7.30 and not getting home until 7 I now still get up at 7, have a shower, make breakfast, start work at 8, have lunch at 1 to 1.30 and finish at 4.30. Have 2 and a half hours extra per day to myself.

I prefer it too.

I have done it in the past more on contracts. Current place is really inconsistent about it. So only do it now and then. But thats very different to doing it all the time. Also doing it when everyone else is at home and
Kids and looking after other people cocooning means regular hours aren't always possible.

The other issue is communication. Some places are brutal at communication. With data silo's and not sharing information.

So having everyone at home and having to communicate is seismic shift of organisational culture. But ironically is probably achieving the same productivity.

caviardreams

I actually find I am missing a lot of the informal learning from others from bouncing ideas off them and having a chat about stuff which might prompt you to think in different ways etc.

Video meetings are just too structured and don't encourage this kind of spontaneous interaction I find. In that sense I feel I am not developing my skills in the same way the past couple of months - I am doing lots of webinars, reading stuff etc. alongside work video meetings and work but it's just like there is a part missing! I think a 1/2 days from home, office the rest of the time or a flexible approach would work for me.

Right now the thought of missing out on that informal learning from chats with colleagues etc. for longer than 3-6 months terrifies me tbh! :o But lots of people I talk too don't find that at all, they find everything is just the same but based at home, so I feel like it's just me that can't adjust or something.

Kilboor

Wouldn't mind work from home if I had my own place so I could dedicate a room to it. Renting a room currently so my complete setup (work didn't get laptops in time so we had to bring desktops) is all cramped into my bedroom - not ideal and it makes it less worthwhile to invest in a proper desk especially when there's no space.

No doubt with a laptop and a spare room to work in as an office things would be a lot easier.

LimeFruitGum

caviardreams wrote: »

I actually find I am missing a lot of the informal learning from others from bouncing ideas off them and having a chat about stuff which might prompt you to think in different ways etc.

Oh same here! I am a manager in a SME, and I learn tons of stuff just from earwigging and chatting in the canteen, that wouldn't be reported or bumped to me. I'm always fine with being ambushed if someone wants to ask me something by the kettle

storker

Routine and a space to work is a big help alright. I already had a man-cave (OK, Ok a box-room) with a desk and PC and office chair and was occasionally working from home anyway, about one day a fortnight.

Before, if I wanted to be in work for 9 I had to get the train at 7.30, which meant up at 6.45, and not home until 7pm. Now I get up at 7.30, do self-directed training/learning between 8 and 9 work 9-5, cook or help with dinner (depending on what hours Mme Storkeuse is doing that day), finish dinner and clear up by 6.30, then another hours learning and I still have a nice long evening.

It's a big increase in quality of life. And I'm eating better and spending less. I'm lucky, though, because my kids are in their teens and take care of themselves during the day - I just touch base with them periodically to see if they need anything or else they come to me and tell me. Work might be interrupted to sort out an algebra problem or something but such interruptions are a lot less than you get in an office.



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moneymaid

Technocentral wrote:

I'm lucky in that all my friends are from outside my work, if I never had to go into an office again I'd be delighted, work for me is just that: work, not a social setting.

I agree with this 100%. Work colleagues are just that, colleagues. Not friends.
I hope going forward that more employers offer working from home positions for those that want it. For me it's been life changing - I've lost weight, gone off anti anxiety medication, saved money etc by working from home.
I do understand that some people, for various reasons, would prefer to attend the office but for those of us that don't want to and can work perfectly from home should be offered the opportunity to do so.