Is there really that many working from home?

veryangryman · 07-10-2020 1:30pm #1

Dr Glynn the other wk mentioned the traffic around Dublin. Given that alot of the work there is office based, what is causing the queues. There must be a decent amount of office workers in those cars.

07-10-2020 1:44pm

I am WFH about 80% of the time, but still make frequent trips into the office.
So right now, I do about 50% of the journeys that I did in the years BC.

bk · 07-10-2020 2:52pm

veryangryman wrote: »

Dr Glynn the other wk mentioned the traffic around Dublin. Given that alot of the work there is office based, what is causing the queues. There must be a decent amount of office workers in those cars.

That is definitely a lot of offices closed. Certainly all the big IT companies are.

However for those who are going into offices still, people who would have a car, but might have taken public transport in the past, are probably opting to take the car now instead over worries about Covid19 on public transport, thus adding to congestion.

GT89 · 07-10-2020 2:54pm

The schools would be a big one too

jrosen · 07-10-2020 2:55pm

Offices are not closed they are very much open and there are lots of people who are required in the office or want to be in the office. Im sure there are also employees who previously would have taken public transport who are now driving.

Then all the sectors who are required on site plus the schools are back and there are lots of parents who are choosing to drive their kids to school because buses are full.

Tabnabs · 07-10-2020 2:56pm

M50 is very light on traffic these days, especially during rush hour. When you get into the suburbs it's the school traffic and awful traffic light sequencing that is screwing traffic up.

sphinxicus · 07-10-2020 2:56pm

veryangryman wrote: »

Dr Glynn the other wk mentioned the traffic around Dublin. Given that alot of the work there is office based, what is causing the queues. There must be a decent amount of office workers in those cars.

from comments i've read elsewhere it seems that lots of places are starting to ask their staff to come back into their place of work. Once a few people go maybe the rest feel even more pressured to go in too?

I've definately notices a massive uptick in the number of cars on the road when im dropping the kids off at school.

Personally my company has said we wont be back until well into next year at the very least and even then they are actively pushing many teams to consider making working from home a permenent thing. If enough do it, they can cancel rents on office space they no longer need.

GooglePlus · 07-10-2020 2:59pm

jrosen wrote: »

Offices are not closed they are very much open and there are lots of people who are required in the office or want to be in the office. Im sure there are also employees who previously would have taken public transport who are now driving.

Then all the sectors who are required on site plus the schools are back and there are lots of parents who are choosing to drive their kids to school because buses are full.

I've friends divided over a number of sectors from marketing to IT and even public service. They're all working from home and haven't been into the city for work since late March.

GerardKeating · 07-10-2020 3:00pm

We are approx 200 people in our offices in Galway and Dublin, and most every is working from home since march, maybe a dozen make the odd trip to the office, last time i was there, we had 3 cars in the car park.

loyatemu · 07-10-2020 3:01pm

jrosen wrote: »

Offices are not closed they are very much open and there are lots of people who are required in the office or want to be in the office. Im sure there are also employees who previously would have taken public transport who are now driving.

really - all the tech company offices are closed, & anyone I know in the banks are WFH full time. I pass the Dart station in Greystones and there's rarely anyone on the trains, or any buses that I see, and the bike racks are 90% empty which would normally be full. Now maybe loads of Dart commuters have switched to the car, but my impression is most large offices are currently closed, or have a skeleton staff in.

A colleague who was in the IFSC last week said the whole area is dead. Colleges are also closed so there are no students or lecturers on the road.

jrosen · 07-10-2020 5:36pm

loyatemu wrote: »

really - all the tech company offices are closed, & anyone I know in the banks are WFH full time. I pass the Dart station in Greystones and there's rarely anyone on the trains, or any buses that I see, and the bike racks are 90% empty which would normally be full. Now maybe loads of Dart commuters have switched to the car, but my impression is most large offices are currently closed, or have a skeleton staff in.

A colleague who was in the IFSC last week said the whole area is dead. Colleges are also closed so there are no students or lecturers on the road.

Yes lots of offices open.

Cookiemunster · 07-10-2020 6:24pm

Most people in employment in Ireland don't work in jobs where WFH is possible, so once non essential workers were allowed backed to work traffic shot up too. The fact that PT is still limited means that more of those are driving than before too.

MaryL88 · 12-10-2020 3:31pm

in my company 95% are working form home and will be until March next year.

Milena009 · 12-10-2020 4:42pm

My company is on WFH further notice with the note that our regular contracts do allow Flex work (wfh and occasional office depending on agreement)

Mrs OBumble · 17-10-2020 2:45pm

Companies may be WFH - but is it actually home, or just some other convenient place that people are working from.

In one company I do work for, there's one person we know is working from an office somewhere-or-other, one from her brother's house 'cos hers is too noisy, one who works from her home or her mothers depending on which sibling is doing the elder-care that week. There may be others who've done all sorts of deals that we just don't know about yet, too. All we really know is that they're not working from our offices.

bk · 18-10-2020 1:32pm

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Companies may be WFH - but is it actually home, or just some other convenient place that people are working from.

In one company I do work for, there's one person we know is working from an office somewhere-or-other, one from her brother's house 'cos hers is too noisy, one who works from her home or her mothers depending on which sibling is doing the elder-care that week. There may be others who've done all sorts of deals that we just don't know about yet, too. All we really know is that they're not working from our offices.

Of course there would be some exceptions, but from what I've seen most are genuinely working from home. At least as far as I can tell from zoom meetings and from what people say.

Having said that, I've been WFH for years and pre-covid, sure I would change it up and work from various local cafes and a local library just for a change of scenery. I'd also work from family or friends homes in other parts of the country and even other countries. WFH back then was more of a broader idea that you aren't office based, rather then definitely being home. It is more about flexibility of working where is suits you and makes life easier for you.

magicbastarder · 18-10-2020 3:51pm

i've been able to work from home for years, but used to go into the office a couple of days a week for the social aspect, and for the exercise.

i can't work in a public place though, a lot of what i deal with is in relation to cyber security so not something i can let people eavesdrop on should i need to take a call.

breezy1985 · 18-10-2020 3:54pm

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Companies may be WFH - but is it actually home, or just some other convenient place that people are working from.

In one company I do work for, there's one person we know is working from an office somewhere-or-other, one from her brother's house 'cos hers is too noisy, one who works from her home or her mothers depending on which sibling is doing the elder-care that week. There may be others who've done all sorts of deals that we just don't know about yet, too. All we really know is that they're not working from our offices.

You make that sound very sinister

techdiver · 18-10-2020 4:06pm

I've been working from home since March and I love it. I did do a couple of days a week at home for the last few years anyway and have an appropriate home office setup.

I live in the Midlands but my job is based in Dublin and I feel like I've gotten my life back. There has been no drop in productivity in our team and I really hope companies look at this as a long term strategy and only have people come into the office that want to and not require it. It would be a win win for everyone apart from commercial property owners. Companies save money by reducing office space and they have happier employees with a better work life balance.

18-10-2020 4:10pm

techdiver wrote: »

I've been working from home since March and I love it. I did do a couple of days a week at home for the last few years anyway and have an appropriate home office setup.

I live in the Midlands but my job is based in Dublin and I feel like I've gotten my life back. There has been no drop in productivity in our team and I really hope companies look at this as a long term strategy and only have people come into the office that want to and not require it. It would be a win win for everyone apart from commercial property owners. Companies save money by reducing office space and they have happier employees with a better work life balance.

Same here, I used to work in Dublin and the commute was an absolute nightmare,I since quit that job and got one only 10 minutes away so no commute to speak of now.
Having said that, I am now WFH 3.5 - 4 days a week and loving it!
Long may it continue, It's also much better for the environment as well as far less stressful.

18-10-2020 4:14pm

Everyone is in the car and nobody is sharing cars

I mean, is that really a mystery

Actual numbers in town are noticeably much reduced.

drunk_monk · 18-10-2020 4:20pm

I believe most large offices are closed particularly in the IT sector and call centres. Companies have a responsibility to protect the health and well being of their employees and it is very difficult for companies to do that and be compliant with C19 regulations when workers are in the office. Also no company wants to be in the news for a large C19 outbreak.

Mrs OBumble · 18-10-2020 4:25pm

breezy1985 wrote: »

You make that sound very sinister

Not sure where you get that from.

It does have some GDPR implications, though, which managers are currently ignoring.

18-10-2020 4:49pm

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Not sure where you get that from.

It does have some GDPR implications, though, which managers are currently ignoring.

If all the data is retained on the company devices and that device is kept secure, there should be no issues.

AndrewJRenko · 18-10-2020 4:56pm

drunk_monk wrote: »

I believe most large offices are closed particularly in the IT sector and call centres. Companies have a responsibility to protect the health and well being of their employees and it is very difficult for companies to do that and be compliant with C19 regulations when workers are in the office. Also no company wants to be in the news for a large C19 outbreak.

It's also very difficult for companies to be compliant with H&S obligations when staff are hunched over a laptop at a kitchen table or a dressing table in a box room

Mrs OBumble · 18-10-2020 5:08pm

[Deleted User] wrote: »

If all the data is retained on the company devices and that device is kept secure, there should be no issues.

We've told them that they aren't allowed to print, but couldn't find a way to prevent taking screenshots only when logged in thru the VPN.

Also we've said that no member of the household should be able to overhear phone calls, but there's no way to enforce that.

Thinkingaboutit · 18-10-2020 5:21pm

WFH for all except one day a week. Some things cannot be easily be done remotely.

18-10-2020 5:23pm

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

We've told them that they aren't allowed to print, but couldn't find a way to prevent taking screenshots only when logged in thru the VPN.

Also we've said that no member of the household should be able to overhear phone calls, but there's no way to enforce that.

You don't have to be this extreme, but most people can find a private space for the WFH.
home-front-door-security-cartoon-illustration-many-locks-weapons-31441949.jpg

home-front-door-security-cartoon-illustration-many-locks-weapons-31441949.jpg

If privacy is an absolute requirement, then it would make sense to rent a local office space, they're going to be part of the new normal.

_Brian · 18-10-2020 5:24pm

Haven’t literally been inside the company premises since February.

I’m actually planning (and hoping) that my job will be 100% WFH going forward.

techdiver · 18-10-2020 5:27pm

Thinkingaboutit wrote: »

WFH for all except one day a week. Some things cannot be easily be done remotely.

True but it depends on the industry. Some managers seem to be very creative with the "required in the office" line. I know people going to the office that do not need to. All to satisfy an over zealous manager who wants everyone on his eye line.

Luckily my company is more trusting of their employees. That in turn actually has a positive outcome as regards quality and quantity of work.

If the government are bringing in more stringent measures workplaces should be forced to allow staff to work from home unless they can present a valid reason as to why they cannot.

18-10-2020 6:00pm

I find that many companies are actively keeping non essential staff WFH to reduce the risk of production staff being infected by the office staff.

kippy · 18-10-2020 6:04pm

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I find that many companies are actively keeping non essential staff WFH to reduce the risk of production staff being infected by the office staff.

This is what I am seeing also. They are trying to keep those who have to come to the office/workplace there wihile asking all others to work from home.
Same with college who have been told to keep students off campus unless there is no option but to have them on site.

ED E · 18-10-2020 6:36pm

veryangryman wrote: »

There must be a decent amount of office workers in those cars.

bk wrote: »

That is definitely a lot of offices closed. Certainly all the big IT companies are.

However for those who are going into offices still, people who would have a car, but might have taken public transport in the past, are probably opting to take the car now instead over worries about Covid19 on public transport, thus adding to congestion.

Some of the tech offices have TINY amounts of parking. Like really nothing. Some will fly park about the city but lots were public transport users and have emptied the busses not the bus lanes of private cars.

Zebra3 · 18-10-2020 6:43pm

A friend works for a major SM company through an agency here and he's been back to the office whenever it's been allowed.

When they are working from home they can't deal with tickets above a certain level of sensitivity.

Based in S Dublin tho not CC.

OscarMIlde · 18-10-2020 6:58pm

veryangryman wrote: »

Dr Glynn the other wk mentioned the traffic around Dublin. Given that alot of the work there is office based, what is causing the queues. There must be a decent amount of office workers in those cars.

Traffic definitely picked up in the mornings in Dublin as soon as the schools went back. I suspect a lot of people were WFH due to childcare issues and as soon as schools went back chose/were told to come back into the office.

18-10-2020 7:06pm

OscarMIlde wrote: »

Traffic definitely picked up in the mornings in Dublin as soon as the schools went back. I suspect a lot of people were WFH due to childcare issues and as soon as schools went back chose/were told to come back into the office.

I suspect that many are doing the school run due to lack of bus spaces and driving home afterwards to continue with the WFH.
I have done the odd school runs and the wife has done them every day, far more kids in cars than before.

angel eyes 2012 · 18-10-2020 7:09pm

[Deleted User] wrote: »

You don't have to be this extreme, but most people can find a private space for the WFH.

If privacy is an absolute requirement, then it would make sense to rent a local office space, they're going to be part of the new normal.

How is this going to work in reality from a data protection stance. Presumably the offices will be open plan. So you have Johnny bank worker processing a mortgage application on one side with Jane HSE staff processing a medical card application on the other. Both processes may require contact by telephone and involve processing of special category or sensitive data. Seems like a high risk proposal.

An Ri rua · 18-10-2020 7:19pm

angel eyes 2012 wrote: »

How is this going to work in reality from a data protection stance. Presumably the offices will be open plan. So you have Johnny bank worker processing a mortgage application on one side with Jane HSE staff processing a medical card application on the other. Both processes may require contact by telephone and involve processing of special category or sensitive data. Seems like a high risk proposal.

A lot of these hotdesking places would be open plan, yes.
Which sort of negates the whole point of why one might want to use it. At least until WFH is driven by square footage, heating etc. For now, it's simply driven by Covid.

19-10-2020 12:13am

Looks like the preference for home working is getting stronger, it will take a brave company to try to force them all back into the office for 40 hours a week.

https://www.rte.ie/news/2020/1019/1172345-remote-working-survey/

94% of workers would like to work remotely some or all of the time when the Covid-19 crisis ends, according to the latest National Remote Working Employee Survey.

The survey carried out by NUI Galway and the Western Development Commission shows that 23% of respondents would even consider relocating because of the possibility of remote working, while 7% have already moved.

thebourke · 19-10-2020 12:21am

i work in IT...been working from home since march...probably wont be going to back into the office until next year....

Zebra3 · 19-10-2020 9:33am

Deleted User wrote: »

Looks like the preference for home working is getting stronger, it will take a brave company to try to force them all back into the office for 40 hours a week.

https://www.rte.ie/news/2020/1019/1172345-remote-working-survey/

Unless it's in their contracts that they are entitled to work from home they won't have much choice if the company clicks its' fingers.

loyatemu · 19-10-2020 9:46am

Zebra3 wrote: »

Unless it's in their contracts that they are entitled to work from home they won't have much choice if the company clicks its' fingers.

a significant number of companies have already said they'll be allowing WFH to continue after the pandemic. Companies that don't allow it will find themselves at a hiring disadvantage and will gradually lose experienced staff.

19-10-2020 10:03am

Zebra3 wrote: »

Unless it's in their contracts that they are entitled to work from home they won't have much choice if the company clicks its' fingers.

If my company clicked its fingers, I'd be looking elsewhere. I'm sure some of the people I work with would say the same. Thankfully I don't see them going that route. They have already acknowledged that productivity has gone up since March while 99% of employees have been WFH.

19-10-2020 10:20am

Deleted User wrote: »

If my company clicked its fingers, I'd be looking elsewhere. I'm sure some of the people I work with would say the same. Thankfully I don't see them going that route. They have already acknowledged that productivity has gone up since March while 99% of employees have been WFH.

Yes, this particular genie is most definitely out of the bottle, vacancies that advertise office only working will find recruitment much harder in the future.
People know which jobs are doable from home so will seek out positions that have that option if they prefer WFH.

blackwave · 19-10-2020 12:23pm

Our company has managed to get previous employees to come back as they were offering working from home because the companies that they left our company weren't offering working from home. One had a 2.5 commute each day if he had to go back to his old company office so working from home is great for him.

bk · 19-10-2020 12:26pm

This trend has already been happening in big IT companies for a few years now.

Flexibility to WFH at least a few days a week had already become pretty normal and considered a quality of life perk. Companies who refused to do this, were finding it harder and harder to compete for top talent and experienced staff and were suffering from high turn over.

This is why many of the big IT companies handled this transition so relatively easily. They were mostly already set up for it and doing it at least part time.

Other sectors will now see the same shift. I don't think this genie is going back in the bottle.

Milena009 · 19-10-2020 12:29pm

bk wrote: »

This trend has already been happening in big IT companies for a few years now.

Flexibility to WFH at least a few days a week had already become pretty normal and considered a quality of life perk. Companies who refused to do this, were finding it harder and harder to compete for top talent and experienced staff and were suffering from high turn over.

This is why many of the big IT companies handled this transition so relatively easily. They were mostly already set up for it and doing it at least part time.

Other sectors will now see the same shift. I don't think this genie is going back in the bottle.

Agreed, my company has flex work as part of a contract for years now.
Everyone kind of just got up and wfh since mid-march.
They have provided extra screens, mouse, keyboard etc for home as well.

I personally did not wfh a lot before however going forward I will be looking to flex work more, which in turn will help to buy further away from office

listermint · 19-10-2020 12:31pm

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Not sure where you get that from.

It does have some GDPR implications, though, which managers are currently ignoring.

Absolutely bizarre. Sure people could take photographs of their monitor's in the office or at home or anywhere.

Sure why have staff at all, they are obviously a gdpr nightmare..

Chris_5339762 · 19-10-2020 8:22pm

Friend of mine (who is pregnant) has a husband working in Insurance. They were doing WFH during first lockdown, and soon after were brought in for 3 days, off 3 days (surrounding weekends etc).

This morning the boss came in brandishing letters for the staff saying that they were considered essential workers and to keep coming in during second lockdown.

Beechwoodspark · 19-10-2020 8:24pm

In my situation I was working from home for approx a month and my sales figures were better than pre covid but my manager would not leave it well enough until I was pestered, cajoled, and borderline bullied into returning to work.

The same guy expected phone calls to be answered within 2 rings otherwise he’d query what you were doing and why not a quicker answer....where do I even begin to explain what it has been like working with this guy.

I was not provided with any letter from my employer either and when I protested that I was told “just tell them you are essential as you work stocking convenience stores”. He also said if a guard stops you ring me and put me on to the guard. That was the height of support I got.

I think it’s awful that some employers have decided to act the pr1ck over this

Mrs OBumble · 19-10-2020 9:02pm

angel eyes 2012 wrote: »

How is this going to work in reality from a data protection stance. Presumably the offices will be open plan. So you have Johnny bank worker processing a mortgage application on one side with Jane HSE staff processing a medical card application on the other. Both processes may require contact by telephone and involve processing of special category or sensitive data. Seems like a high risk proposal.

Indeed, we've got one scenario where Johnny and Jane are married and WFH in the same house (in two more closely-related industries). They tell us that one uses the kitchen and the other the front room. Every so often, we wonder if the data protection commissioner would be happy with just their assurance, in the event that someone complained.

Is there really that many working from home?

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