Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Working From Home Megathread

Options
12357…258

Comments

  • Options
    #122
    biko
    Registered Users Posts: 81,223 ✭✭✭✭biko


    This will show that working from home is good but working from office is better.


  • Options
    #123
    Mrs OBumble
    Registered Users Posts: 25,717 ✭✭✭✭Mrs OBumble


    It will prove that most homes in Ireland don't currently have adequate infrastructure for home-working: a sound proofed office will likely be added to many new builds.


  • Options
    #124
    screamer
    Registered Users Posts: 6,133 ✭✭✭screamer


    I think a lot of us will come to realise that we don’t have a work life balance. The most precious thing we have is time, and after this whole thing, I really think most of us will be more unwilling to waste time commuting. I think that if the kids were in school etc employers would see what us truly possible when working remotely. With the kids underfoot one certainly is not as productive.


  • Options
    #125
    Ray Palmer
    Registered Users Posts: 8,360 ✭✭✭Ray Palmer


    Mrs OBumble wrote: »
    It will prove that most homes in Ireland don't currently have adequate infrastructure for home-working: a sound proofed office will likely be added to many new builds.

    LOL.
    Seriously that is hilarious. Sound is an issue in all houses. Babies make a lot of noise and have done forever and nobody sound proofed bedrooms. Yet suddenly they will start sound proofing offices in homes!

    Home office will remain a luxury like a children's play room is. Great idea but not affordable to everyone.


  • Options
    #126
    Foweva Awone
    Registered Users Posts: 1,740 ✭✭✭Foweva Awone


    Mrs OBumble wrote: »
    It will prove that most homes in Ireland don't currently have adequate infrastructure for home-working: a sound proofed office will likely be added to many new builds.

    Hmm dunno about that, it's not like the majority of offices are sound-proofed. My own apartment isn't soundproofed and it's in a very busy area right over a LUAS stop. So it's not silent here, but it's still a hell of a lot quieter than any office I've ever worked in.

    I was actually surprised how quick and easy the transition to home working was for my colleagues and I last week. Zero IT issues, and I can't speak for the rest of them but I find I'm getting twice the work done in half the time. No infrastructure needed apart from my wifi, I'm just working on my laptop at the kitchen table and getting on grand.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #127
    Wanderer78
    Registered Users Posts: 28,843 ✭✭✭✭Wanderer78


    Foweva Awone wrote: »
    Hmm dunno about that, it's not like the majority of offices are sound-proofed. My own apartment isn't soundproofed and it's in a very busy area right over a LUAS stop. So it's not silent here, but it's still a hell of a lot quieter than any office I've ever worked in.

    I was actually surprised how quick and easy the transition to home working was for my colleagues and I last week. Zero IT issues, and I can't speak for the rest of them but I find I'm getting twice the work done in half the time. No infrastructure needed apart from my wifi, I'm just working on my laptop at the kitchen table and getting on grand.

    id imagine your employer will love this one, they d hardly change your contract, would they!


  • Options
    #128
    touts
    Registered Users Posts: 6,437 ✭✭✭touts


    Dots1982 wrote: »
    Will Home internet networks hold up?

    I suspect when all this is over then the government will find it's priorities change. Projects like the Metro, Bus-Connects or 2nd Dublin Airport Runway will be seen as vanity projects that make the problem worse not better. The focus will be on providing Nationwide super fast broadband through either fiber or 5g to allow people work from home meaning these super expensive infrastructure projects won't be needed.


  • Options
    #129
    Ray Palmer
    Registered Users Posts: 8,360 ✭✭✭Ray Palmer


    EmmetSpiceland wrote: »
    When the work gets done it’ll hopefully change the minds of the office “dinosaurs” who resisted the move due to a mistrust of younger staff members.

    The unions have more control over this than management. All civil servants that work office jobs have to have a desk and they don't allow desk sharing. So if you have a remote worker you don't free up space. Same goes for job sharing so you need 2 desks for one job when that happens.

    Then the reality is many office workers on lower grades really need to be supervised as they simply won't work. Some office are just like schools where a teacher has to make sure they do their work.

    The desk issue is not the same in all companies but many have the same union issue especially larger older companies.

    IT systems are going to go into overdrive after this to automate as much as possible.


  • Options
    #130
    c68zapdsm5i1ru
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,709 ✭✭✭c68zapdsm5i1ru


    Wanderer78 wrote: »
    id imagine your employer will love this one, they d hardly change your contract, would they!

    Why would they? You're paid for the work you do not the amount of time you spend sitting at your desk. If he's getting twice as much work done he should be paid more not less.

    So many people confuse presenteeism with productivity, including many managers.


  • Options
    #131
    Foweva Awone
    Registered Users Posts: 1,740 ✭✭✭Foweva Awone


    Wanderer78 wrote: »
    id imagine your employer will love this one, they d hardly change your contract, would they!

    They've always been extremely flexible about work arrangements, a lot of my colleagues work from home some of the time ... however I only do like 12 hours a week in that job, so I kind of prefer to work in the office to keep up with everything.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #132
    Seamai
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,250 ✭✭✭Seamai


    I've been working Fridays from home for the last two years and the occasional odd other day when I need to get my head down and a deadline to make and avoid interruptions. Though my boss initially suggested it when I was recovering from an illness, I don't think that he understands that I can do pretty much everything at home that I can do at my desk and increasingly finds reasons to drag me in on Fridays and I think ideally would like to put an end to the arrangement. In the current environment my job is ideally suited to working from home and I'm quite disciplined. The fact of the matter is having less people physically on the premises reduces down the danger of contracting the virus.

    While I'd like to keep my options open, I have mixed feelings about working from home, after a few months the novelty wore off and I'm the sort of person that likes to keep work and home life as separate as possible which is harder when you are sitting looking at your work screen at home.


  • Options
    #133
    ednwireland
    Registered Users Posts: 14,308 ✭✭✭✭ednwireland


    I have 3 people struggling because of struggling because of poor broadband connections, so might have to come into the office. Lots of people running on wireless or mobile connections will struggle when it works its fine but last night say you couldn't get anything done.

    My weather

    https://www.ecowitt.net/home/share?authorize=96CT1F



  • Options
    #134
    boring accountant
    Registered Users Posts: 335 ✭✭boring accountant


    Wanderer78 wrote: »
    Wouldn't surprise me if everything went back to normal after this, I'd imagine productivity would be slightly lower with majority working from home

    On an average basis maybe, but I think certain employees myself included will be more productive and so some managers will realise positive benefits while others do not.


  • Options
    #135
    boring accountant
    Registered Users Posts: 335 ✭✭boring accountant


    Ray Palmer wrote: »
    LOL.
    Seriously that is hilarious. Sound is an issue in all houses. Babies make a lot of noise and have done forever and nobody sound proofed bedrooms. Yet suddenly they will start sound proofing offices in homes!

    Home office will remain a luxury like a children's play room is. Great idea but not affordable to everyone.

    It’s definitely affordable if you live outside the city. Which will be more feasible when working from home.


  • Options
    #136
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Hopefully people will stop criticising the government's national broadband plan which aims to bring fibre to almost every home in the country. If working from home is to become a thing it needs to be regarded as a critical piece of infrastructure.

    I'd also be happy if the government were to cancel some of the planned road projects in development.


  • Options
    #137
    Joe_ Public
    Registered Users Posts: 13,023 ✭✭✭✭Joe_ Public


    Its the future. It simply has to be. A committed national broadband network so that people have the option of working from home (for starters) and businesses that only locate in urban centres because of the network can relocate to cheaper rural areas, thus boosting the economy in those areas and releasing the choke on the capital. If we are serious about the environment thats where the future takes us and fairly pronto imo.


  • Options
    #138
    EmmetSpiceland
    Registered Users Posts: 10,559 ✭✭✭✭EmmetSpiceland


    Ray Palmer wrote: »
    The unions have more control over this than management. All civil servants that work office jobs have to have a desk and they don't allow desk sharing. So if you have a remote worker you don't free up space. Same goes for job sharing so you need 2 desks for one job when that happens.

    Then the reality is many office workers on lower grades really need to be supervised as they simply won't work. Some office are just like schools where a teacher has to make sure they do their work.

    The desk issue is not the same in all companies but many have the same union issue especially larger older companies.

    IT systems are going to go into overdrive after this to automate as much as possible.

    Ah, civil servants are a different kettle of fish altogether. I’m talking “normal” office workers.

    The old guard, in anywhere I’ve worked, have always treated junior, or younger, staff like kids. Over “micromanaging” and telling them off like they’re bold school children whenever something doesn’t go right or over any little mistake.

    Then you get the insecure boss who sends out nonsense “decrees” to ensure everyone knows they’re in charge.

    If someone isn’t doing their job in the office they won’t last long, same will go for those working “remotely”.

    In fact, I’d say it’s the older ones who won’t be handling this enforced working from home very well. Without having 3 to 4 pointless “meetings” to breakup their day they’ll be lost.

    Going to be a pain trying to avoid all the “conference calls” over the next few weeks.

    “It is not blood that makes you Irish but a willingness to be part of the Irish nation” - Thomas Davis



  • Options
    #139
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    A little bit off topic

    But those of you who do a lot of typing now that you have the privacy of your own home I would encourage you to look at Dragon Naturally Speaking speech recognition software.

    For me it has greatly speeded up the amount of work I can get done. And although not perfect it does help with grammar as well.

    https://www.nuance.com/dragon.html

    Just to note I'm not currently using it it type this post.


  • Options
    #140
    branie2
    Registered Users Posts: 10,295 ✭✭✭✭branie2


    I'd say it will


  • Options
    #141
    Badly Drunk Boy
    Registered Users Posts: 6,465 ✭✭✭Badly Drunk Boy


    Personally, a chunk of my job can be done from home but a lot of it needs me to be physically there.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #142
    c68zapdsm5i1ru
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,709 ✭✭✭c68zapdsm5i1ru


    touts wrote: »
    I suspect when all this is over then the government will find it's priorities change. Projects like the Metro, Bus-Connects or 2nd Dublin Airport Runway will be seen as vanity projects that make the problem worse not better. The focus will be on providing Nationwide super fast broadband through either fiber or 5g to allow people work from home meaning these super expensive infrastructure projects won't be needed.

    That would make a lot of sense. It would bring new life into rural areas and give people more time for family and community. It would also get rid of the soul destroying rush hour that has taken over so many lives - people sitting in traffic for hours, crammed onto public transport like cattle, kids being dropped off to creche at 7am etc.


  • Options
    #143
    c68zapdsm5i1ru
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,709 ✭✭✭c68zapdsm5i1ru


    Badly Drunk Boy wrote: »
    Personally, a chunk of my job can be done from home but a lot of it needs me to be physically there.

    Yes There'll be some jobs that can't be done from home at all, some that will need to be split between home and office and some that can be done mainly or full time at home.

    But the more flexible managers become the better for the environment, for people's work/life balance and ultimately for society.


  • Options
    #144
    Ray Palmer
    Registered Users Posts: 8,360 ✭✭✭Ray Palmer


    EmmetSpiceland wrote: »
    Ah, civil servants are a different kettle of fish altogether. I’m talking “normal” office workers.

    The old guard, in anywhere I’ve worked, have always treated junior, or younger, staff like kids. Over “micromanaging” and telling them off like they’re bold school children whenever something doesn’t go right or over any little mistake.

    Then you get the insecure boss who sends out nonsense “decrees” to ensure everyone knows they’re in charge.

    If someone isn’t doing their job in the office they won’t last long, same will go for those working “remotely”.

    In fact, I’d say it’s the older ones who won’t be handling this enforced working from home very well. Without having 3 to 4 pointless “meetings” to breakup their day they’ll be lost.

    Going to be a pain trying to avoid all the “conference calls” over the next few weeks.

    I am an IT contractor and worked in lots of companies. The civil service is no different to other large organisations. Mostly age and size if company makes the difference.

    General "junior" staff actually need supervision. We spend so much time trying to make things idiot proof for a reason. All those pointless meetings normally actually have points and staff ignore it.


  • Options
    #145
    the purple tin
    Registered Users Posts: 10,943 ✭✭✭✭the purple tin


    Jim Root wrote: »
    What this will show is which roles are actually important and which are superfluous. Cronic pointless meeting organisers may soon find themselves dispensable.
    Also anyone whose job is more or less whip-cracking and keeping their beady eye on the underlings. With more people working from home they will become dead weight.


  • Options
    #146
    Ray Palmer
    Registered Users Posts: 8,360 ✭✭✭Ray Palmer


    the purple tin wrote: »
    Also anyone whose job is more or less whip-cracking and keeping their beady eye on the underlings. With more people working from home they will become dead weight.

    Seriously I have watched management change around and new procedures put in place in companies of all size. The biggest lag on companies is inability to implement stuff. Normally because supervisors or management fail to make sure staff follow the processes. Py €5 million for a system upgrade then don't use it causing all the problems they had originally. Have seen this happen over 20 times. Where it works is where there is a whip cracker or two. Vital to have all types in work.

    You know when somebody uses a knife instead of a screwdriver that is what happens with processes. It will work but you may damage the knife or screw maybe cut yourself. The guy letting you use the knife might feel like a great boss but the one that gives out is keeping you and the company safe.


  • Options
    #147
    Colonel Panic
    Registered Users Posts: 2,018 ✭✭✭Colonel Panic


    I find working from home kind of crap. I recently took a job where even prior to the current situation, a load of people never bothered coming into the office. Tools like Slack/Teams on top of processes like Agile are fine and the work gets done, but it doesn't feel like I'm on a team.

    It's not even about office banter, which I REALLY miss, it's about having someone to cast their eye over something, it's about body language and the nuances of an in-person conversation.

    Don't get me wrong, it's great that I can work from home and be productive, but this new normal isn't all it's cracked up to be!


  • Options
    #148
    Ray Palmer
    Registered Users Posts: 8,360 ✭✭✭Ray Palmer


    boring accountant wrote: »
    It’s definitely affordable if you live outside the city. Which will be more feasible when working from home.

    Then all the houses built out from the cities would have playooms or offices already. So not definitely affordable. It is a luxury the same as a double garage


  • Options
    #149
    c68zapdsm5i1ru
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,709 ✭✭✭c68zapdsm5i1ru


    Not sure why this thread was moved. The focus of the discussion is on wfh not coronavirus.


  • Options
    #150
    The chan chan man
    Registered Users Posts: 824 ✭✭✭The chan chan man


    I’m wondering if working from home will in the longer term open people’s eyes to how they’re been screwed every day of their lives and bring about a change in attitudes to work and lifestyle?

    At the moment I’m getting up at 8.20, getting in a workout, shower, breakfast, and have a 0.5 second commute to the boxroom. I can eat homemade healthy lunches and see my kids as much as I like while still getting everything done - without the stress of a commute or putting up with stinky hole mcgee in the office!

    I feel like a new man!


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #151
    Slippin Jimmy
    Registered Users Posts: 6,031 ✭✭✭Slippin Jimmy


    I used to WFH for about 2 years. May have to start this again. The one thing I would recommend if people are going to be doing this full time when things settle down is to get a good chair and desk. Normal chairs are okay for a few hours, but you need to look after your back/posture.


Advertisement