Remote working - the future?

noraos · 02-02-2022 01:37PM

I voted for a hybrid model.

WFH for me in my company is currently this, we have a desk assigned and we can go onsite when we wish to do so.

My commute with traffic can be 45 mins, without traffic its 15 mins.. so I log on in the morning from home, and I drive over to the office around 10 am- I am there in 15 mins, I have spent longer talking to people in the canteen, so I don't see this as a 'doss' - similar in the afternoon, I leave around 3.30- to avoid schools/rush hour in the evening.

I have changed departments since wfh, and I can say as a 'new hire' there is most definitely alot more negative to the full time remote working, I havent met my team, I have no relationship with my colleagues, I definitely feel like a nuisance, having to ping them with questions and such, at least if I was in the office, I could grab a coffee and ask the 'silly' non specific questions. Every office has politics/ or a culture, its good to know who is who, and how certain people appreciate being approached, how to interact with them ... office politics doesnt need to mean gossip or drama, most people avoid that.

My manager and team are great at reaching out, but its definitely easier in person. I would imagine, if there are no relationships/friendships within the team, turnover would be very high, I know at times if pressure at work, my colleagues got me through it and we helped eachother. If I never made a friend at work , I don't think Id have stayed in many jobs, I stayed loyal to my colleagues and not just the company. Id feel like 'just a number'.

02-02-2022 01:39PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118569185#Comment_118569185

Careful what we wish for. With advanced A1 looking after data & technology some of these tech jobs will be just as redundant as past jobs.

02-02-2022 01:49PM

I am of the generation that had one public service job for life, and have my modest but ever-present pension now. My work happened to be very diverse from creative, to organisational & sometimes tech focussed, and involved a lot of moving about at times. As regards wanting to be locked on a small room staring at a screen all day long, sometimes it would have been a blessing to be relieved of some of the multitasking workload, but I’m not sure I would have liked the social isolation. I made good friends over the years of socialising with the nicer of my colleagues, and it was lovely at times that we would emotionally & practically support each other at times of difficulty. I met some very interesting people, some of whom are to various degrees in the public spotlight.

Of course I realise some people just don’t like being out and about, it’s not in everyone’s nature. But in a societal level I don’t think it is very positive for too many people to be stuck in their abodes most of the time.

lapua20grain · 02-02-2022 02:04PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118569831#Comment_118569831

Nah don't think so, you flatter yourself

Mrs OBumble · 02-02-2022 02:06PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118570005#Comment_118570005

So you're saying that at 15, they want to go out interacting, but by the end of a college education they won't want in-person interaction any more?

02-02-2022 02:26PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118570162#Comment_118570162

I’ll be retiring when that happens. Things already leaving me behind, especially on the robotics and data analytics side of things

02-02-2022 02:34PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118569789#Comment_118569789

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118569840#Comment_118569840

Im not saying people will not interact with each other at all, and we’ll all be at home. It will just be very different. I see it in my industry already. Pods of skilled people in a hub somewhere, coming and going as they please while getting their job done. Flexible with respect to location and hours

the idea that there will be a single location to which everyone has to go every week, and fixed hours and fixed holidays etc will not be with us in a decade. My company is not the most progressive out there in my space, but we already have no set holidays, work as we want focussed on delivery, meetings banned on Fridays making effectively a 4 day week for those that want to work in that way, and flexible location. The company is renting hub space (WeWork etc) in towns and cities across Europe and the US while closing fixed offices. It’s a company of 25,000 people….not some start up

so people will still have the ability to meet and communicate. Just in a very different way, with a much greater emphasis on technology

ILikeBoats · 02-02-2022 02:42PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118570162#Comment_118570162

There'll be new jobs to replace those jobs, it's always evolving.

Cyrus · 02-02-2022 02:59PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118570150#Comment_118570150

which is most normal peoples experience of work, the human connection is important, a few here would have you believe you need no interaction with anyone and they can happily sit at home remote from everything and be happy to never see a work colleague again. My guess is that these people arent just anti social at work but anti social generally and also probably have a very defined role that suits that kind of outlook but i struggle to see someone like that progressing to any sort of seniority in an organisation.

Hotblack Desiato · 02-02-2022 03:04PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118566964#Comment_118566964

Even before Covid that was a quick way to a no tea, no biscuits meeting with HR.

gauchesnell · 02-02-2022 03:11PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118570225#Comment_118570225

why are you confusing remote working and being stuck in an abode and social isolation. An odd take if Im honest and probably misunderstanding how remote working and working from home works.

02-02-2022 03:48PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118570633#Comment_118570633

That’s not logical at all. And to call me anti social is a little insulting. Surely if you’ve a busy social life at home, then you’ve not the time nor, in my case, the inclination to socialise with people at work. It’s if you’ve no social life at home that you have to rely on work to provide that.

It doesn’t mean I’m not friendly with people in the office when I am there. I just socialise elsewhere.

I know which of those scenarios sounds the healthier tbh

Cyrus · 02-02-2022 03:53PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118571082#Comment_118571082

i didnt call you anything.

i never said you had to socialise with people from work either, i said its important to have a human connection and social interaction with them, you dont need to be going out with them after work to have that.

02-02-2022 03:55PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118571117#Comment_118571117

Well, you actually did:

“My guess is that these people arent just anti social at work but anti social generally”

you think it’s important to have a human connection. I think it’s important to have a professional connection

Cyrus · 02-02-2022 03:55PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118571123#Comment_118571123

ill leave it to you to point out where that was a direct reference to you.

Young_gunner · 02-02-2022 04:11PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118570761#Comment_118570761

Exactly right, remote work allows for more meaningful social relationships with people that really matter to you. Not contrived alliances in an office.

gauchesnell · 02-02-2022 04:40PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118571231#Comment_118571231

I know its a weird take. You can maintain or even increase your social interaction with your work colleagues if you want to. You can also see your colleagues every day when working remotely if you want to. Odd

Cyrus · 02-02-2022 04:47PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118571397#Comment_118571397

so you'd be happy to maintain relationships with family via teams or zoom, or your friends? or would you rather meet them in person?

If its all the same why bother meeting anyone in person?

Young_gunner · 02-02-2022 05:01PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118571439#Comment_118571439

Ah get a grip, we're here to have an adult conversation. jeepers tonight.

Shuffl_in · 02-02-2022 05:10PM

Up to now many of us have been seeing our work colleagues more than our family and friends. Whether we like those work colleagues or not!

We've spent far too long commuting. Sitting in traffic jams, on trains and buses. All trying to get to a place to sit at our desk. Habits formed long before the internet, the cloud and the opportunities they offer.

It's unhealthy, mentally and physically. In one way it's surprising that it's taken this long to question our daily work habits.

The positive mental health benefits many have experienced are too great to ignore. There needs to be flexibility going forwards. A workspace available for those who need it, a flexible hybrid option for those who need and will benefit from it.

Cyrus · 02-02-2022 05:18PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118571504#Comment_118571504

well thats the general thrust of your and other posters posts. Human interactions are unimportant. Now if they are only unimportant for work why is that?

Young_gunner · 02-02-2022 05:21PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118571600#Comment_118571600

Grow up mate.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118571549#Comment_118571549

Yes this is exactly it.

RGARDINR · 02-02-2022 05:30PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118569995#Comment_118569995

CSO so preparing for the census. Section I am in are back full time until end of the year some parts only in 1 day but not my unit sadly.

Cyrus · 02-02-2022 05:33PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118571614#Comment_118571614

Grow up 'mate'

is that what you are reduced to, either have the courage of your convictions or don't.

Young_gunner · 02-02-2022 05:38PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118571674#Comment_118571674

"Be wise not to waste your time arguing with a fool, for they only know how to end with meaningless words"

noraos · 02-02-2022 05:42PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118570761#Comment_118570761

Ill be honest, I think mine and maybe alot of other peoples views/ experiences of remote working , are purely from the last 2 years of lockdowns and covid, when we generally didnt have so many other means of being social with friends and family either.

I think in 6 months time, alot of us will have gained more of an insight as to how to decide on a more full time basis. Which is why I think flexibility within reason is really required. This poll will probably look very different then.

Cyrus · 02-02-2022 05:49PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118571699#Comment_118571699

thanks for the advice, you are right, ill stop engaging with you.

Hotblack Desiato · 02-02-2022 05:52PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118571439#Comment_118571439

Plenty of people doing exactly that, usually but not exclusively if they live a long way away or in another country. Nothing unusual about it at all. I'm quite sure some people had similar objections to the invention of the letter, or the telephone 🙄

Cyrus · 02-02-2022 05:54PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118571791#Comment_118571791

yes, not quite what i asked though, i asked the poster would they be happy to maintain those relationships in that way. Thus far they have declined to respond and resorted to insults, which is illuminating.

02-02-2022 06:05PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118566598#Comment_118566598

Yesterday I held an hour long info session for half a dozen grads. If we had been in the office we'd all be crowded into an room where they'd have to watch a presentation or worse crowded around a desk in the open office disturbing everyone else within ear shot. Instead on Teams they could follow what I was doing and repeat it themselves, anyone having issues could share their screen and get sorted, everyone got hands on practical experience instead of listening to waffle from an old fart like me. The future is now.

Remote working - the future?

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