Is your company letting you work from home?

Tazium · 17-03-2020 01:27PM

Dear boss,

Please outline the health and safety measures you have taken to ensure that coming into the office provides no increased risk to my health, safety and well-being.

Thanks very much,

Snotty · 17-03-2020 01:27PM

Work for a large subsidiary of a US company, we've been informed the whole workforce is to WFT till June at least and it will be reviewed again then, however the building will be opened 24/7 should someone have IT issues at home.
WFT is great but it gets old quickly, diet suffers, less exercise and cabin fever sets in, however if you plan a routine it is manageable

PhilOssophy · 17-03-2020 01:40PM

Snotty wrote: »

Work for a large subsidiary of a US company, we've been informed the whole workforce is to WFT till June at least and it will be reviewed again then, however the building will be opened 24/7 should someone have IT issues at home.
WFT is great but it gets old quickly, diet suffers, less exercise and cabin fever sets in, however if you plan a routine it is manageable

Yeah, a day or two a week is grand but after that, cabin fever sets in for sure.

ancapailldorcha · 17-03-2020 02:00PM

I've my first ever working from home day tomorrow. Any advice? I work in a lab so my productivity is going to take some form of a hit.

DopeTech · 17-03-2020 02:05PM

We done a WFH test day last week. Management extended it until Friday. By Friday afternoon we were all told to work from home until the end of the month with any office visits to be passed by management first. From an IT perspective my company was prepared. Globally most of the workforce are now working from home all virtually without a hiccup. I can see us working from home for at least 6-8 weeks.

TheBody · 17-03-2020 02:07PM

We have been told to work from home where possible. However, living in rural Ireland means my broadband is so crap, I'll almost certainly have to go to the office.

RedXIV · 17-03-2020 02:09PM

Email last night came in from overlords (irish arm of a MNC) that unless you physically NEED to be in the building to do your job, to WFH until the end of the month and a further review will happen then

17-03-2020 02:09PM

Have been WFH since 2015 - started at one day a week, moved to two days a week in 2018. On Thursday we were given a directive to work from home wherever possible. Office still open but I believe there is hardly anyone there so no issue with social distancing for the few that have gone in. Can do the job from home aside from dealing with incoming post - but a shift to every day is proving to be a challenge - given my children are here all the time.

punisher5112 · 17-03-2020 02:10PM

Was off few days, back in today, can't work from home as will be ferrying others around....

Supposedly it's very quiet though.

Kintarō Hattori · 17-03-2020 02:12PM

Very fortunate that my job can be done from anywhere that has a decent internet connection. We were told to work from home and things would be evaluated at the end of the month.

Working from home is easy- it's trying to disguise the fact that I'm here from the 3 year old that's the issue :pac:

jester77 · 17-03-2020 02:16PM

Mine always offered wfh, so everything is functioning normal. They are also giving us 2 weeks paid leave to look after the children when we have no alternatives, which is super helpful under the current circumstances.

Squeeonline · 17-03-2020 02:20PM

Been WFH since Monday. Expect it will last 4 weeks but will be reevaluated after 2. I work in a pharma company in Vienna but I can work from home. I'll probably pop in some time this week to pick up some paper/notes that I forgot on Friday in all the excitement.

The company actually gave me a letter meant for the police or whoever stops me that my company is critical and I am allowed to commute/travel as long as it's for business. Granted, I'm entry level so this went to everyone I imagine.

QuestionSpark · 17-03-2020 04:26PM

I'm a TCO Finishing contract next week. Not feeling great in health at moment. With the virus I don't want to get public transport or go to office. Playing it by ear but ccould I finish up the contract without returning to the office? Advice appreciated.

_Brian · 17-03-2020 04:31PM

Yea.
Not back to the office for weeks.

Stheno · 17-03-2020 04:43PM

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

I've my first ever working from home day tomorrow. Any advice? I work in a lab so my productivity is going to take some form of a hit.

1. If you can, have a dedicated workspace.
2. Get up shower have breakfast then "go" to work
3. Structure your day and take regular breaks, I have a to do list
4. Keep in touch with colleagues.
5. Finish on time and "go" home

Stheno · 17-03-2020 04:44PM

_Brian wrote: »

Yea.
Not back to the office for weeks.

Same here, we work in a global team with conference calls 70% of the time so apart from the social aspect it doesn't make much sifference

17-03-2020 05:03PM

solidasarock wrote: »

I work as a CO in a department in the civil service and No. Not unless I get infected or I need to be home if I had kids and need to mind them due to schools closing.

The official HR response is we are encouraged to work from home if we can but LOL only the higher grades are given work laptops that allow them to work from home so now all the senior staff will be "working from home" and everyone else has to drag themselves to the office to do the daily grind without unit leaders.

I understand the civil service isnt known for its fast acting, logical processes at times but it seems we have to wait until someone gets infected before they take it seriously.

Hi Solidasarock - I posted a similar situation yesterday in another thread.

I work in civil service as a TCO.
I work on a team which is mostly people in their mid twenties. I am 60. There is one bottle of sanitizer in the entire building of over 200 people - it is at the clock in area. There is none in the bathroom or at work areas. I've made my own sanitizer but its not very strong and may not be effective enough. I am very worried about picking up this virus.

We share document pouches, we operate machines with everyone touching screens, buttons and keyboards. From when I enter the building I have 10 doors to go through from going to the clock in area back to the floor I work on. Same again at lunchtime and break. I could be going through doors up to 40 times a day, that's a lot of door handles. The younger crowd were all talking about their weekend in pubs in Dublin. I feel very uneasy about this. Our work is non essential under the circumstances right now, its not Health or Social welfare.

Do I have to keep going to work when I feel this uneasy and worried? I live alone and my kids live abroad. If I get sick I am going to be completely alone.

17-03-2020 05:07PM

QuestionSpark wrote: »

I'm a TCO Finishing contract next week. Not feeling great in health at moment. With the virus I don't want to get public transport or go to office. Playing it by ear but ccould I finish up the contract without returning to the office? Advice appreciated.

I'm a TCO too and I feel upset at there being no discussion at all about stopping work. We have no sanitisers or other precautions and share desks, documents, machines, bathrooms and go through numerous doors to get to my area of work. I hope there is some clarity tomorrow. I feel very vulnerable . Some HEO's and permanent staff have been given the option to work from home.

QuestionSpark · 17-03-2020 05:13PM

Deleted User wrote: »

I'm a TCO too and I feel upset at there being no discussion at all about stopping work. We have no sanitisers or other precautions and share desks, documents, machines, bathrooms and go through numerous doors to get to my area of work. I hope there is some clarity tomorrow. I feel very vulnerable . Some HEO's and permanent staff have been given the option to work from home.

No discussion. Very disappointing and upsetting in the current crisis. Same as yourself with about 100 doors to get through, buttons to touch, shared surfaces. Horrible. I feel like staying away, for both the sake of myself and others, particularly as I am so close to finishing up. Hope you get some clarity.

Tesla3 · 17-03-2020 10:37PM

PhilOssophy wrote: »

I'll get the popcorn ready for the reaction from his boss to this crazy suggestion....record it if you can LolaJJ.

While I don't agree with his actions, I doubt very much he will recognise a union........

Well some people believe the boss is king, and others know better!
My experience is you can decide to fight and maybe you will lose or you can decide not to fight and allow the boss to win every way

Captain Flaps · 18-03-2020 11:38AM

Captain Flaps wrote: »

Have been set up to work from home for days, can do 100% of my job effectively using my equipment at home and can remote in to my work pc for the 5% of the time it's needed... but no, we're still being told to come in wednesday despite zero attempt to implement social distancing

Update: back in work. No sanitisers, email sent around about social distancing, both of the company owners appear to be working from home themselves as there's no sign of them here.

PhilOssophy · 18-03-2020 12:07PM

Tesla3 wrote: »

Well some people believe the boss is king, and others know better!
My experience is you can decide to fight and maybe you will lose or you can decide not to fight and allow the boss to win every way

Yeah well in the real world, he who pays the piper calls the tune. I am not defending his bosses stance but telling him you will help him join a union as a proposed action is just nonsense.

Mazuma · 18-03-2020 09:24PM

solidasarock wrote: »

I work as a CO in a department in the civil service and No. Not unless I get infected or I need to be home if I had kids and need to mind them due to schools closing.

The official HR response is we are encouraged to work from home if we can but LOL only the higher grades are given work laptops that allow them to work from home so now all the senior staff will be "working from home" and everyone else has to drag themselves to the office to do the daily grind without unit leaders.

I understand the civil service isnt known for its fast acting, logical processes at times but it seems we have to wait until someone gets infected before they take it seriously.

Same here we can work from home if you have a department laptop - which only AP and upwards have - so while they all left the building last week in a rush out the door - everyone else has to come in to such time IT can get people set up remotely using their own PCs at home - which could be weeks !

18-03-2020 09:52PM

Mazuma wrote: »

Same here we can work from home if you have a department laptop - which only AP and upwards have - so while they all left the building last week in a rush out the door - everyone else has to come in to such time IT can get people set up remotely using their own PCs at home - which could be weeks !

There is software readily available to download onto your work computer that allows you log into it remotely.

I would like to think it would not take weeks for IT to distribute this software.

bladespin · 19-03-2020 12:44PM

salonfire wrote: »

There is software readily available to download onto your work computer that allows you log into it remotely.

I would like to think it would not take weeks for IT to distribute this software.

There are some serious security issues with the more standard off-the shelf remote log in softwares, most companies will want stronger software, especially for payroll related.

skooterblue2 · 19-03-2020 01:48PM

LolaJJ wrote: »

We were all given laptops and set up on networks to facilitate us working from home but our boss thinks it's just like the flu and everyone is being hysterical so we all need to be here...in reality, we could all do our jobs from home

Could you buy your boss a history book and show him the parallels with our current time? I am not saying he will appreciate it but it might knock some sense into him.

listermint · 19-03-2020 01:52PM

bladespin wrote: »

There are some serious security issues with the more standard off-the shelf remote log in softwares, most companies will want stronger software, especially for payroll related.

Off the shelf stuff is what is used for remote access the world over.

I urge you to find a SAAS company using their own in house built and developed remote access software.

Its all third party known industry names (off the shelf)

bladespin · 19-03-2020 01:56PM

listermint wrote: »

Off the shelf stuff is what is used for remote access the world over.

I urge you to find a SAAS company using their own in house built and developed remote access software.

Its all third party known industry names (off the shelf)

I only know what I'm told not to use, but cheers, I'll pass that on to our IT manager.

Tesla3 · 20-03-2020 08:51PM

PhilOssophy wrote: »

Yeah well in the real world, he who pays the piper calls the tune. I am not defending his bosses stance but telling him you will help him join a union as a proposed action is just nonsense.

Thankfully over 350,000 workers in Ireland have decided to join a union, they know that there is power in a union! They do not win every fight but they win enough. Hopefully you might gain enough courage someday to fight for yourself and colleagues. Come on you know you want to to!

Mrs OBumble · 21-03-2020 12:47AM

I am the IT support. Just about finished enabling 30-ish staff to work from home, this meant teaching some of them how to use laptops, as well as how to log in to the VPN. I was one of the last to be enabled, and will still need to attend the office for a short time each day to perform critical tasks there.

Three weeks ago, this company did not allow work from home. They had a minimal (1-2 person) setup to allow off-site working is extreme cases, usually when senior managers had to attend meetings.

It's been a busy few weeks, with lots of problem solving and changes of direction.

Is your company letting you work from home?

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