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Have you enjoyed working from home?

13

Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 4,065 ✭✭✭otnomart


    no

    but it would be bearable with better broadband, and if i wasnt expected to make international calls on my own phone. despite that been part of my job.


    I put credit on Skype to call international phones (for my personal calls).
    When I have to make an international call for work, I first suggest Teams or Skype to Skype, and if that does not suit (happens very rarely), I use my Skype call credit and it costs very little.


  • Registered Users Posts: 13,132 ✭✭✭✭sammyjo90


    Like most took a while to adjust to it.
    At the start of lockdown My boyfriends shift got changed so I would literally see no one all day during the week as he came home when i went to bed. I missed the work guys a wee bit then
    Thats changed now and i can see friends again so not seeing work colleagues isnt really a problem for me anymore.

    I personally have pros and cons for it.
    Pros
    My company wont want us back until at least next year so im looking forward to not having to travel on shyte country roads during icy weather.

    Saving hundreds a month on diesel

    Because I am no longer on site in the back arse of nowhere i get to have lunch from cafes etc!

    Cons.
    Takes too long to get stuff approved online and people love to pretend they haven't seen IMs or emails. I spend my days sending follow up email after email
    Manager doesnt get that there is a "home time" anymore no matter howany times we say it


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 21,637 Mod ✭✭✭✭helimachoptor


    Good and bad.
    Up until recently I was in the bedroom, wife in living room.
    We got a cabin built in the garden, it's been life changing.

    My wife is in it 5 days a week, will likely be back to the office 1 day a week from September.
    I'll probably be in the office 1-2 days per week.
    More time for achools runs etc, won't ever go back to an office full time.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,065 ✭✭✭otnomart


    I only miss having a bit more space to fit a screen and an office chair.
    Apart from that, working from home has only pluses for me.


  • Registered Users Posts: 533 ✭✭✭Young_gunner


    Just wondered if anyone has any updated views on this?



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  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 9,639 Mod ✭✭✭✭Manach


    To answer OP. Yes, I found it preferable to working in the office. No commute and I could focus on the work required. Now, would not mind coming in once a week to socialise with collegues, working from home is still my prefered option for the other 4 days.



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,800 ✭✭✭Lillyfae


    Completely agree with this. On a personal level my diet is far better, I can prioritise getting out for some fresh air in a park as opposed to an industrial estate and I have more quality time with my family.



  • Registered Users Posts: 533 ✭✭✭Young_gunner


    Same here - more productive and better quality of life. Can't imagine commuting for no real reason again.



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,341 ✭✭✭miezekatze


    I haven't been back to the office since March 2020, love working from home! I used to have a long commute and worked in a large open plan office with poor ventilation and lots of background noise, so I was more than happy to not have to go there anymore. I actually changed jobs about a year ago to a company that's a lot more flexible and will continue to let me work from home so I'm happy with that. My old colleagues were forced to go back to the office at the end of 2021. I wouldn't mind going in once a month or so as I've never met any of my colleagues in person, but I don't want to go back to working in an office every day again. I think if you work from home you need a proper desk at home though, I wouldn't be too happy about working from the kitchen table every day.



  • Registered Users Posts: 2,602 ✭✭✭antimatterx


    I love it. It's been an amazing two years. I'm more productive than ever, in more comfortable than ever and my company is flying.

    We don't have to go back ever, our company has changed to a remote first company with zero tolerance for managers putting pressure on people to go to the office.

    I sleep more, I excercise more and I eat better. I've truly never been happier.



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  • Registered Users Posts: 837 ✭✭✭erlichbachman


    Fairly polarized, sometimes its awesome, and sometimes I think I'm losing my banana



  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 6,890 Mod ✭✭✭✭shesty


    Completely agree. We are being asked back for 2 days of the week for now - flexible as to what 2 days - and their full policy will kick in in April, where it will be max 3 days from home. I work a 4 day week, so that will turn into 1 day in the office, 3 days at home for me. 2 days back in the office is turning out to be a big ask. 1 day was plenty, which we had been doing for a bit before Christmas. Found myself in there yesterday fed up and just there for the sake of occupying a seat. Still zooming and conferencing calling my colleagues - nearly only highlights the waste of time that is HAVING to be there 2 days. General consensus of most staff I have spoken to is that they are happy to be at home more often than in the office.



  • Registered Users Posts: 888 ✭✭✭FlubberJones


    Nope, it wore off about two months into the lockdown. working in the same place I live and relax is not something I enjoy. Separating them was important to me and as soon as the office opened I was back in and working every day here (here now)

    I use a home work day as and when I need to be at the home or have some important errands to do.. That is it.

    Give me a comfy office chair, two large screens and a canteen that does decent coffee and makes ok'ish food... and I'm good.

    I can also walk to work with no commute it is easier for me but even if I had to drive I would.



  • Registered Users Posts: 28,576 ✭✭✭✭_Kaiser_


    I've worked from home (part-time) for years now. Before Covid I did a day or two anyway, but since 2020 I've been full time at home. I will never go back to a role that doesn't at least offer a favourable split.

    I love it, but it depends on numerous factors...

    • Space: I have a spare room that has a proper 6ft office desk, proper chair, and 2 big monitors, docking station, peripherals etc
    • Job role: Most of my job involves calls, emails and IM. I can do it pretty much anywhere on the planet really. In my last company I dealt mostly with the UK so there was no real value to me being onsite
    • Colleagues: I manage a department so you need a good team that can work away without being stood over, and a manager that will support. Thankfully I have both
    • Personality: Some people just aren't suited for/don't want to WFH. As many here have said they miss/need the social aspect of work. Again because of my role (and probably my middle age) I don't rely on work for that. I did in my 20s absolutely and loved the work nights out and atmosphere, but these days my social life is outside the workplace and I am happier working away at home

    I do go in occasionally though if I want/need to catch up with the team or just for a change of scenery, but I do not miss the daily 60-90 minute (each way) commute to do a job that I can do just as well (better even!) at home the majority of the time.



  • Registered Users Posts: 7,778 ✭✭✭Benimar


    Love it. Was fully WFH for 18 months and now have a 3 day home/2 day in the office split.

    I think thats a nice balance and I'd never want to go back to the 'everyone in the office 5 days a week' model we had pre-Covid.

    I'm probably more productive at home and have a walk (or some form of exercise) done in the time it would take me to drive into the office.



  • Registered Users Posts: 5,368 ✭✭✭JimmyVik


    I didnt like it at first. But it grew on me. Now I would never work for a company ever again that made me work from their office more than 1 day a week.



  • Registered Users Posts: 857 ✭✭✭one armed dwarf


    I like it and have found myself much more productive, and can actually manage my chronic pain condition without it impacting on my productivity in a way that was impossible at previous office based roles.

    There are also meetups every couple months with the team which goes some way to reminding us that the people we work with aren't aliens behind a computer screen, I find this a happy medium.

    One thing I definitely don't understand at all is companies opting for return to office but keeping mask mandates, because surely this is the worst of both worlds. Completely stultified 'interaction' in the office cause you're socially distanced as well as a mandatory commute. I wear a mask while shopping, but having that much friction in the office would not improve my output at all



  • Registered Users Posts: 3,088 ✭✭✭andrew1977


    Loved every minute of working from home,still working at home but looks like hybrid from May onwards, exact details to be confirmed.


    After commuting almost 20 years of a 110km round trip each day with varying levels of traffic, the transformation in my life has been superb. Log on earlier instead of driving , get more work done during the day, take my breaks to suit me rather than the standard office time break, log off and time to myself to do admin/household chores/exercise, and the company has certainly gained more time out of me versus leaving the office bang on home time every evening to avoid /reduce traffic jam home.

    100% a better happier person in myself, well being and work balance, if i never seen the office again would not cost me a thought.



  • Registered Users Posts: 455 ✭✭KieferFan69


    Ina word - yes I have very much. Every day I feel like the sound track to my life is hey oh captain jack by captain jack, I’m in much better form



  • Registered Users Posts: 533 ✭✭✭Young_gunner


    I have to echo the above. It's been amazing - you actually feel like you have your life back, not stuck on some hamster wheel feeling stressed.

    Absolutely love it and hopefully can keep working 100% from home til retirement.



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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,325 ✭✭✭cuttingtimber22


    During Covid I was mixed about it. Mainly because there was really nowhere to go - gyms and pools closed, travel discouraged and so forth. I got into bad habits and actually was keen to go into the empty office for a certain amount of structure.

    Now I think it can bring lots of work life balance benefits (if organised properly). Any job I go for just now have a healthy work from home/flexibility arrangement and it may influence moves. At the same time many employers are having a cautious approach to the return to the office (at least so far).

    Post edited by cuttingtimber22 on


  • Posts: 4,727 ✭✭✭[Deleted User]


    I wish companies would just let people work from home so we don't have people wishing for terrible weather and pandemics so they are allowed to.



  • Registered Users Posts: 429 ✭✭HazeDoll


    I'm a second level teacher. If it looks like we'll be teaching online for more than a day or two at a time ever again I'll quit. I'll just quit and maybe beg for my job back when things go back to normal. Or just get a nice job in a shop or something.



  • Registered Users Posts: 11,701 ✭✭✭✭Goldengirl


    I'd love to be able to work from home. Not an option, unfortunately ( healthcare).

    But have noticed and love the difference in our family life especially after the first year.

    All have their own desks and laptops and space so we are lucky in that regard . I am the only one who doesn't and I find myself creeping around on my days off or longing to sing opera out loud!😉

    My OH does not have to commute to a job 1.5 hours away , much less tired and stressed . Most of his work is online anyway . He has time to have a cup of coffee and go for a walk and still get his work done and more .

    No1 Son who has finished college is working away up in his room and would love to see him actually going in some days so he can experience a work environment and get to know his work colleagues . I think he is missing out on so much as it is better for learning on the job. He is happy though as he doesn't really know anything else.

    No2 son goes into college 50% and is all over the place with college work the rest !

    Nos 3 and 4 still in school . They love being able to chat and ask their dad things andI find the 'parenting' and 'taxi service 'much better divided now.

    We are all healthier sleeping and eating better, less stressed and rushed and getting a lot more excercise than before .

    Hybrid seems to be the best of both worlds .



  • Registered Users Posts: 13,175 ✭✭✭✭fits


    Life changing for me. I actually got to use my expertise in an interesting job in the last year that I never would have applied for before due to the long commute. I’m a carer too and can fit in my sons appointments around everything else. Both of us working full time is still a stretch though.



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,780 ✭✭✭mohawk


    I missed the social side of work, but when I started going in once a week that looked after that need. I honestly didn’t miss the commute. For parents who are both working full time the commute can really take away valuable family time away. My OH can’t wfh but loved it when everyone else was wfh because of the reduction in traffic. It halved his commute time.

    Ideally I would love a mixture of both wfh and office in future roles.

    Before kids the commute wasn’t a big deal as I had plenty of time for work, hobbies and friends so I can definitely see that many younger people wouldn’t mind working in office full time depending on their individual circumstances.



  • Registered Users Posts: 3,216 ✭✭✭Tork


    I don't live far from work so commuting was never an issue from a time or financial point of view. Now that heating bills have gone through the roof, working from home this time of year is turning into a costly business. We live in a house that doesn't have the best insulation in the world, so it can get quite chilly if the heating doesn't come on during the day. I'm WFH 3 days a week and that looks like that's the way it will continue in this job. These recent hikes by the energy providers are alarming and heaven knows where they're going to end. We can afford the heating bills but if they continue to increase at the rate of knots, there will be a hefty financial price to pay for working at home.

    Post edited by Tork on


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,317 ✭✭✭mojesius


    I love wfh. My company mostly operates a hybrid model but my role got approved for fully remote last year as I work with different regions.

    I grew tired of commuting before covid. Years of rushing to get out the door and catch the train, traffic en route, cancelled trains. I used to be wrecked by Friday!

    Now it's a leisurely wake up at home and can get straight into work, see family, do errands etc so weekends aren't always spent playing catch-up.

    Only thing I plan to change is getting a garden Room for an office. I'm working in the spare room in the attic and need more light, esp in winter.

    I don't miss the social aspect at all as I'm a bit of an introvert and didn't like the networking stuff/ small talk in office.

    Saving a fortune with commuting and not needing a second car anymore!



  • Registered Users Posts: 5,364 ✭✭✭CalamariFritti


    Its been a mixed bag for me.

    I miss the guys, the banter, normal interactions, the canteen, social club stuff. I'm a social person generally.

    But working from home is not all bad. I have a nice setup, the radio on, take breaks when I want, I'm more flexible with my work day. Despite taking some flexibilities I have been more productive on my own. I also don't have a problem separating work from not work. Once I turn my computer off its off and thats that.

    The future will hopefully have the best of both worlds. Meet in the office once or twice a week but continue wfh for the remainder. Its looks like it might turn out that way.

    Another thing with its own challenges is to hang out with your OH 24/7 for two years. Not saying its been bad, no, but having a separate social space that is 'your own' in a way is a good thing too.



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  • Registered Users Posts: 11,701 ✭✭✭✭Goldengirl


    Agree with that last statement 100%!

    Really found the lack of " just me "time hard when on days off ..have adjusted now but it was hard in the beginning having someone there all the time 👀



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