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Child Item

If Work From Home becomes a thing...

bilbot79

I'd be tempted to buy a little apartment in the Canaries and spend my winters there, in fact I'd probably

1/ Sell my Dublin gaff

2/ By a cheaper Irish gaff in the countryside

3/ Buy a place in the Canaries

4/ Buy another place somewhere in Europe, Hvar or somewhere like that

And just spend weeks and months in each place.

How would the rest of you exploit work from home if you had it permanently?

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seamus

Mr.S wrote: »

I presume it’s easier to deepclean the office when everyone is hot-desking? But then, wouldn’t it make more sense to keep everyone in an assigned seat so you don’t pick up something from the previous person, that cleaning might have missed?

That's what I'd be thinking; if everyone has an assigned seat, then you don't even really *have* to clean daily, even though you should.
Another option would be colour-coded hot desk; use Green desks one day, Blue desks the next, and Green the next, etc. Means that even if cleaning is missed, you're leaving a desk empty for 24 hours to be sure.

Hot desking is my idea of hell, but then I'm in a role where using a laptop all of the time is a non-runner. I mean, I do use a laptop, but plugged into three screens and with a proper keyboard and mouse.

gladerunner

shesty wrote: »

I'd actually tighten that to once a month, maybe even once a fortnight.

If you walk fresh into a job, meeting people for an hour every 6 months or so isn't really that beneficial.

My own place is very flexible, and I can do my job from home, but my preference would be 1-2 days in the office each week, I think.Just to move things along more smoothly (the nature of my work).Some people I am better to speak to in the flesh, it's more productive.

As for people who think childcare costs will decrease due to WFH...eh, no.Young kids have the heaviest childcare costs and it is no easy job to work with kids around, and impossible when they are young. (I can testify to this particularly after the last 4 months).If they were school-going you would likely get work done while they are in school (4/5 hours ) and then end up logging in at night or something to make up hours, depending on what your employer requires, and most people don't like that.It might help a small bit in terms of your commuting time meaning kids spend less time in childcare but overall I reckon the decrease in childcare costs would be minimal if you were WFH full/most of the time.

I just wish that some people could remember that we don't all work the same jobs.
When you mention childcare costs not reducing, you can only talk about yourself. You don't know how that system of play could work for others.
For me, I could work 7 - 2.30 ( 7hrs 30mins which is a full day for me.
School finishes at 2.30 and is local, so i could get even my parents to collect them and bring them home. Id be home for dinners, homework and all the usual madness.
In exchange my husband could do the get ready out the door breakfast madness. so yes, a much more reduced childcare situation.
Smaller children too could be minded by grandparents - say dropped up later and collected earlier. At least allowing people to make choices.

We have been caught in a form of madness prior to this pandemic.
Its time to get rid of the old way of thinking.
I see parents using breakfast clubs for children and tired children entering another creche facility after a tiring day at school.
All for what ? huge commutes, huge childcare costs and less time with children.

Sorry, didn't mean to rant, I just want people to see the positives and that all people have different workable solutions given the choice.

Cyrus

gladerunner wrote: »

I just wish that some people could remember that we don't all work the same jobs.
When you mention childcare costs not reducing, you can only talk about yourself. You don't know how that system of play could work for others.
For me, I could work 7 - 2.30 ( 7hrs 30mins which is a full day for me.
School finishes at 2.30 and is local, so i could get even my parents to collect them and bring them home. Id be home for dinners, homework and all the usual madness.
In exchange my husband could do the get ready out the door breakfast madness. so yes, a much more reduced childcare situation.
Smaller children too could be minded by grandparents - say dropped up later and collected earlier. At least allowing people to make choices.

We have been caught in a form of madness prior to this pandemic.
Its time to get rid of the old way of thinking.
I see parents using breakfast clubs for children and tired children entering another creche facility after a tiring day at school.
All for what ? huge commutes, huge childcare costs and less time with children.

Sorry, didn't mean to rant, I just want people to see the positives and that all people have different workable solutions given the choice.

What will you do all summer , Christmas , Easter , mid term ? What if your parents can’t help for free any more ?

There’s workarounds but they aren’t ideal either especially if you are relying on the elderly to provide free child care

gladerunner

Cyrus wrote: »

What will you do all summer , Christmas , Easter , mid term ? What if your parents can’t help for free any more ?

There’s workarounds but they aren’t ideal either especially if you are relying on the elderly to provide free child care

You assume my parents are elderly, which they are not.

But regardless, come summer i will do what i usually do.
Take unpaid Shorter Working year and use my annual leave for mid-term/easter etc.
WFH means i can take far less unpaid leave, such as parental during the year.
Removing the commute time would open up so much more possibilities.
Not everyone is the same.

[Deleted User]

gladerunner wrote: »

You assume my parents are elderly, which they are not.............

Don't they work so?

gladerunner wrote: »

........

Sorry, didn't mean to rant, I just want people to see the positives and that all people have different workable solutions given the choice.

Loads of folk live no where near theor parents, loads of folk also have elderly or deceased parents so I'm not so sure where your "ALL..... " spiel comes from. A significant proportion, if not a majority require paid for childcare.

gladerunner

Augeo wrote: »

Don't they work so?

Cyrus

gladerunner wrote: »

You assume my parents are elderly, which they are not.

But regardless, come summer i will do what i usually do.
Take unpaid Shorter Working year and use my annual leave for mid-term/easter etc.
WFH means i can take far less unpaid leave, such as parental during the year.
Removing the commute time would open up so much more possibilities.
Not everyone is the same.

Well they are elderly in comparison to you obviously !

So you need grandparents help , an employer that allows unpaid leave / shorter working week,

You are right not everyone is the same .

[Deleted User]

gladerunner wrote: »

No

Unemployed? On sick benefits? Early retirement?

gladerunner

Augeo wrote: »

Unemployed? On sick benefits? Early retirement?

That's none of your business.
I was simply outlining my situation for balance

Cyrus

gladerunner wrote: »

That's none of your business.
I was simply outlining my situation for balance

Balance ? Right

gladerunner

Cyrus wrote: »

Balance ? Right

Crikey, its a tough crowd this morning.
By all means, lets go back to the amazing work life balance we had before Covid. Lets not look to amend the ways we work or how are children are cared for.

[Deleted User]

gladerunner wrote: »

That's none of your business.
I was simply outlining my situation for balance

You were sh1tting on about how " all people have different workable solutions given the choice." ..................... your situation relies on utilising non elderly grandparents ........ it turns out they are likely on the scratch.

SeeMoreBut

So people think working in office will be more benefit to have meetings and team collaboration etc.

How do you envisage that will work?

Not like people can all go into a meeting room or sit down beside someone for 30/60 minutes and talk through masks?

Have Skype/Zoom/Teams meeting in an office?

Cyrus

gladerunner wrote: »

Crikey, its a tough crowd this morning.
By all means, lets go back to the amazing work life balance we had before Covid. Lets not look to amend the ways we work or how are children are cared for.

That’s a euphemistic way of saying why not rope in some free labour where available.

If you are happy going that way good for you but don’t present it as a solution for balance , it’s specific to you .

My wife is going to take a few years off work to look after the kids and we will see how it goes , should I present that as a solution to all for balance ?

beauf

Whats wrong with balance? Lots of different variables at at play.

Childcare issues are only for a few years. Once they are older like 5th and 6th class they mostly need minimal baby sitting.
Then again that depends on the kids. There is no one size fits all.

So it might be worth struggling through it to maintain your career.

gladerunner

Cyrus wrote: »

That’s a euphemistic way of saying why not rope in some free labour where available.

If you are happy going that way good for you but don’t present it as a solution for balance , it’s specific to you .

That's what balance is
One person views it one way, and the other doesn't.

Cyrus

beauf wrote: »

Whats wrong with balance? Lots of different variables at at play.

Childcare issues are only for a few years. Once they are older like 5th and 6th class they mostly need minimal baby sitting.
Then again that depends on the kids. There is no one size fits all.

So it might be worth struggling through it to maintain your career.

Sounds like 11-12 years then by your own reckoning and that’s with only one child hardly a few years

beauf

SeeMoreBut wrote: »

...Have Skype/Zoom/Teams meeting in an office?

That what we are going to do. Seems pointless going in, unless you need the quiet and/or equipment.

Kamu

Cyrus wrote: »

That’s a euphemistic way of saying why not rope in some free labour where available.

If you are happy going that way good for you but don’t present it as a solution for balance , it’s specific to you .

My wife is going to take a few years off work to look after the kids and we will see how it goes , should I present that as a solution to all for balance ?

I don't think it is specific just to Gladerunner though, my brothers did/do the exact same thing and I know many others who rely on family help in looking after their children, both before and during Covid.

WFH, especially if you have flexible arrangements, can help with childcare; having family members willing to look after children can help with childcare.

Not everyone has these arrangements in place, but some do.

Everyone's situation is different and having the option of WFH, especially if both parents have this option, can possibly factor in on childcare.

beauf

Cyrus wrote: »

Sounds like 11-12 years then by your own reckoning and that’s with only one child hardly a few years

We did a mix of things parents, creche, wfh, one quit work for a time etc.
That was with a mix of kids of all different ages and abilities.

If your a half glass empty kinda mindset, then it probably isn't going to work.

Cyrus

beauf wrote: »

We did a mix of things parents, creche, wfh, one quit work for a time etc.
That was with a mix of kids of all different ages and abilities.

If your a half glass empty kinda mindset, then it probably isn't going to work.

explain to me how this is a mindset thing?

some people have options, i.e. we can afford for one of us to take a break from work, but there is no point on me presenting that as a solution to someone who cant avail of that?

most people need child care, some people have options or free labour available, thats a solution for them though not the masses.

gladerunner

Cyrus wrote: »

That’s a euphemistic way of saying why not rope in some free labour where available.

If you are happy going that way good for you but don’t present it as a solution for balance , it’s specific to you .

My wife is going to take a few years off work to look after the kids and we will see how it goes , should I present that as a solution to all for balance ?

So your wife is now providing free labour in order to help with your childcare issues. That's a lovely solution. I wish I had that option, but again we are all different.
The free labour i would get is a short collection from school to home. Hardly a huge inconvenience.

beauf

Cyrus wrote: »

explain to me how this is a mindset thing?

some people have options, i.e. we can afford for one of us to take a break from work, but there is no point on me presenting that as a solution to someone who cant avail of that?

most people need child care, some people have options or free labour available, thats a solution for them though not the masses.

https://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/er/q-chi/qnhschildcarequarter32016/#:~:text=Use%20of%20parental%20childcare%20falls,70%25%20between%202007%20and%202016&text=There%20has%20been%20a%20fall,the%20years%202007%20and%202016.&text=The%20percentage%20of%20pre-school,primary%20school%20children%20is%2074%25.

It's not so much can afford to. It's more have no choice.

beauf

It's a bit like unpaid parental leave which a company can insist is taken as a block not as a few days ago week. This often makes that unviable.

Cyrus

gladerunner wrote: »

So your wife is now providing free labour in order to help with your childcare issues. That's a lovely solution. I wish I had that option, but again we are all different.
.

Now you get the point but it took a while

Cyrus

beauf wrote: »

https://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/er/q-chi/qnhschildcarequarter32016/#:~:text=Use%20of%20parental%20childcare%20falls,70%25%20between%202007%20and%202016&text=There%20has%20been%20a%20fall,the%20years%202007%20and%202016.&text=The%20percentage%20of%20pre-school,primary%20school%20children%20is%2074%25.

It's not so much can afford to. It's more have no choice.

Sorry what’s the point ?

beauf

Cyrus wrote: »

Sorry what’s the point ?

You have to make it work.

gladerunner

Cyrus wrote: »

Now you get the point but it took a while

I don't know where you got your flare for robust debate, but you come across as someone with tunnel vision.
I really must have hit a nerve when i explained my rather mundane work life balance..

Cyrus

gladerunner wrote: »

I don't know where you got your flare for robust debate, but you come across as someone with tunnel vision.
I really must have hit a nerve when i explained my rather mundane work life balance..

you literally proved my point yet you cant see it

Cyrus

beauf wrote: »

You have to make it work.

are you referring to someone taking time out to care for their own kids?

well of course if you cant afford it it isnt a choice. Its a binary thing, you can afford it or not, if you can then its an option.