Working From Home Megathread

Thierry12

andrew1977 wrote: »

We all done superb with our workload at home , our management have acknowledged this too . We were a critical product supply during the past 6 months and we have never been as busy ,( our business gained from covid ),all carried out superbly by all employees at their own kitchen tables .
However they want bums on seats back in the office , and the end of today’s briefing was “ please remember the office location is your place of employment “.
I did speak to a manager off the record later today and he said .. let’s see what next weeks bring .

Staggered lunch breaks , traffic light systems to use the small bathroom facilities , disposable gloves to be used in kitchen / canteen area/ one way system in and out of office . No gathering at desks/ newly laid out office with social distance/ meeting rooms closed / no using of another persons telephone/ no couriers / delivery drivers allowed direct access into office / Hand sanitizers in each area / face masks available and PPE gear available upon request/ no team meetings allowed.
I have 4 to 5 hours of calls during an 8 hour working day on a Monday , 100% I know I will conduct them better at my kitchen table than in the new office environment.
Not to mention the benefit I have had of saving around 60 euro a week on fuel costs and + 10 hours driving per week driving to office and home again .

What do you do that gained from Covid?

andrew1977

Thierry12 wrote: »

What do you do that gained from Covid?

Medical /hospital equipment /masks/ PPE gear

Thierry12

andrew1977 wrote: »

Medical /hospital equipment /masks/ PPE gear

Good for business to go back into office then ;-)

Van.Bosch

andrew1977 wrote: »

We all done superb with our workload at home , our management have acknowledged this too . We were a critical product supply during the past 6 months and we have never been as busy ,( our business gained from covid ),all carried out superbly by all employees at their own kitchen tables .
However they want bums on seats back in the office , and the end of today’s briefing was “ please remember the office location is your place of employment “.
I did speak to a manager off the record later today and he said .. let’s see what next weeks bring .

Staggered lunch breaks , traffic light systems to use the small bathroom facilities , disposable gloves to be used in kitchen / canteen area/ one way system in and out of office . No gathering at desks/ newly laid out office with social distance/ meeting rooms closed / no using of another persons telephone/ no couriers / delivery drivers allowed direct access into office / Hand sanitizers in each area / face masks available and PPE gear available upon request/ no team meetings allowed.
I have 4 to 5 hours of calls during an 8 hour working day on a Monday , 100% I know I will conduct them better at my kitchen table than in the new office environment.
Not to mention the benefit I have had of saving around 60 euro a week on fuel costs and + 10 hours driving per week driving to office and home again .

Is each desk sufficient distance from each other? I doubt it so getting all staff back seems impossible to me? Each company needs to appoint a Covid officer, ask who they are and how they are adapting to govt guidance.

andrew1977

Van.Bosch wrote: »

Is each desk sufficient distance from each other? I doubt it so getting all staff back seems impossible to me? Each company needs to appoint a Covid officer, ask who they are and how they are adapting to govt guidance.

A 2 metre distance will be marked out between each persons desk, screen guards also installed at desks , Covid officer is one of the senior managers .
In fairness to the company they would not risk any breach of law , they have put a lot of time and money it seems to make the place Covid compliant. .
Hopefully the government keep the work from home guidance in place as of next Tuesday .Its not very appealing in the slightest to work in that kind of office environment, not much we can do as employees. We do what we are told .

Route1

Our company insistent that we’re in the office, have the visors and hands sanitizer but the social distancing is just paid lip service to, people regularly within half a foot of eachother. One bathroom, one tiny canteen. Just utter lunacy at this time.

Route1

Our company insistent that we’re in the office, have the visors and hands sanitizer but the social distancing is just paid lip service to, people regularly within half a foot of eachother. One bathroom, one tiny canteen. Just utter lunacy at this time.

wes

Before covid, our team was supposed to be in the office at least 2 days week, but everyone pretty much ignored that and no one in management cared as they were doing the same thing as well.

Now the office is pretty much empty. I am one of the few people who has to go in now and again for hardware maintenance, that can't be done remotely. I have been in twice so far, and the first time, one other guy was there for about an hour, and the 2nd time I had the entire floor to myself. Both times I spent most of my time in the lab, and once I was done, I went home and worked the rest of the day from home.

There is no expectation that anyone would be required back in the office, and even if there was, people on my team ignored any such requirements before hand. My own manager is not in Ireland, so they honestly don't care where we are.

ExMachina1000

Part of the government's living with covid plan which will be released this week will be recommending that employers start to bring staff back to the office.

I imagine it is because other businesses in cities rely on office workers as customers.

J Mysterio

ExMachina1000 wrote: »

Part of the government's living with covid plan which will be released this week will be recommending that employers start to bring staff back to the office.

I imagine it is because other businesses in cities rely on office workers as customers.

How do you know this?

c68zapdsm5i1ru

antimatterx wrote: »

I think so. I don't see any reason why people who can WFH, won't still WFH. The government should really enforce it, and any company forcing employees to come in, when they don't need to should be punished.

According to news reports bringing office workers back into cities is part of the new road plan being announced this week. At the same time they're saying Dublin is going to be subject to extra restrictions because of the large increase in cases here.
Not sure of the logic there. Unless they're excluding office workers in Dublin but that's not the impression I got.

average_runner

Shawn Sparse Sunstroke wrote: »

According to news reports bringing office workers back into cities is part of the new road plan being announced this week. At the same time they're saying Dublin is going to be subject to extra restrictions because of the large increase in cases here.
Not sure of the logic there. Unless they're excluding office workers in Dublin but that's not the impression I got.

Government can say what it wants but has no power to decide where people work.

c68zapdsm5i1ru

hetuzozaho wrote: »

Ah the 21st was the end of WFH per government advice was it?

You'd imagine the 9 month guideline they speak of will advise WFH again. Although I say this as very bias for WFH so maybe more hope than facts!

Interesting with Boris and trump coming out to get people back to the office. Seems like it's not essential for the work but they need our money and for us to be doing awful commutes to keep their cities going. Sigh. Seems short sighted.

I totally agree. Forcing people into stressful commutes, many of which have now been proved unnecessary, in order to manufacture a need for coffee shops, sandwich bars etc seems a very back to front way of looking at things.
If people start spending their days out in the suburbs or moving away from cities then services and businesses will be needed there. Surely that's the way service provision is meant to work?

c68zapdsm5i1ru

average_runner wrote: »

Government can say what it wants but has no power to decide where people work.

Unfortunately in the case of public and civil servants it does. They will also be providing official support to those employers who still take a presenteeism approach to wok and will insist on dragging staff back in who can perfectly well work from home at least part of the time.

stephenjmcd

J Mysterio wrote: »

How do you know this?

Because its been in the leaks on the plan. Businesses and staff are to be encouraged to return to the office

average_runner

Shawn Sparse Sunstroke wrote: »

Unfortunately in the case of public and civil servants it does. They will also be providing official support to those employers who still take a presenteeism approach to wok and will insist on dragging staff back in who can perfectly well work from home at least part of the time.

I think the unions will step in if staff unhappy.
Bringing public service in won't save the city centres

average_runner

Shawn Sparse Sunstroke wrote: »

I totally agree. Forcing people into stressful commutes, many of which have now been proved unnecessary, in order to manufacture a need for coffee shops, sandwich bars etc seems a very back to front way of looking at things.
If people start spending their days out in the suburbs or moving away from cities then services and businesses will be needed there. Surely that's the way service provision is meant to work?

Also no commutes means less pollution

GDK_11

I understand the logic for getting people back to the office but it really makes little sense at this moment in time, at least wait until cases in Dublin are more controlled.

I think what this does show though is that office life will continue for most of us, days in the office may be reduced but as I previously mentioned I just can’t see them allowing a mass exodus from Dublin allowing everyone to live in the country whilst keeping their Dublin salary.

c68zapdsm5i1ru

GDK_11 wrote: »

I understand the logic for getting people back to the office but it really makes little sense at this moment in time, at least wait until cases in Dublin are more controlled.

I think what this does show though is that office life will continue for most of us, days in the office may be reduced but as I previously mentioned I just can’t see them allowing a mass exodus from Dublin allowing everyone to live in the country whilst keeping their Dublin salary.

If they’re doing the same job why wouldn’t they get the same salary. Dublin workers don’t get an extra allowance, like London workers do. In fact, a huge percentage of those working in Dublin are public and civil servants who are on the same pay scale as those outside of Dublin.

c68zapdsm5i1ru

average_runner wrote: »

I think the unions will step in if staff unhappy.
Bringing public service in won't save the city centres

No I don’t think it will. Tourists were a huge part of the customer base for a lot of businesses and they’re gone until this is all over.

Office workers will not be impressed at being dragged back to an unhealthy and stressful lifestyle to keep the coffee and sandwich shops going and many will vote with their feet where these outlets are concerned.

It’s shortsighted firefighting instead of taking a strategic look at how to help businesses adapt or diversify.

ChikiChiki

Big crossroads here. The target of getting people back into the office and pubs opening is clashing with a growing incidence rate in Dublin that will likely last through the winter.

Better to be at home until after the winter flu season IMHO. The air will get cooler and damper as well shortly and people will be sniffling/coughing/sneezing a lot more.

Unfortunately wfh is at odds with damage to the economy. Not easy decisions to make.

GDK_11

Shawn Sparse Sunstroke wrote: »

If they’re doing the same job why wouldn’t they get the same salary. Dublin workers don’t get an extra allowance, like London workers do. In fact, a huge percentage of those working in Dublin are public and civil servants who are on the same pay scale as those outside of Dublin.

Public servants make sense but the private sector no chance, I would be lucky to get 70% of my salary in Cavan for example (not picking in Cavan, just an example).

Any salary in Dublin, Sydney, Edinburgh, Singapore etc is inflated due to living costs, when my company relocated people from the UK a few years back we had to look at the cost of living in Dublin to offer a fair package, had we been relocating people to the middle of nowhere they would have been getting far less.

c68zapdsm5i1ru

GDK_11 wrote: »

Public servants make sense but the private sector no chance, I would be lucky to get 70% of my salary in Cavan for example (not picking in Cavan, just an example).

Any salary in Dublin, Sydney, Edinburgh, Singapore etc is inflated due to living costs, when my company relocated people from the UK a few years back we had to look at the cost of living in Dublin to offer a fair package, had we been relocating people to the middle of nowhere they would have been getting far less.

Fair enough. But I presume the extra amount was absorbed by higher rents or mortgages so in real terms workers in rural areas still have the same disposable income matched to a lifestyle they prefer.

Likewise the cost of houses and rents will begin to drop in cities if wfh becomes a new norm.

c68zapdsm5i1ru

Mr.S wrote: »

That's (most likely) going to be strongly caveated with something like "where it is safe and reasonable to do" - employers will still have to implement all the return to office safety measures.

And for the way Dublin is going I don't think they can recommend offices go back there, yet.

Hopefully not. How are they supposed to get there even? Cram onto busses and luases?

GDK_11

Shawn Sparse Sunstroke wrote: »

Fair enough. But I presume the extra amount was absorbed by higher rents or mortgages so in real terms workers in rural areas still have the same disposable income matched to a lifestyle they prefer.

Likewise the cost of houses and rents will begin to drop in cities if wfh becomes a new norm.

I would say that is largely true, obviously may be a few anomalies but in general it would balance out.

It will be interesting to see how it plays out, for me I like a couple of days at home and the rest in the office but I can see the appeal to full time WFH.

If there is a large move outside of Dublin construction will have to be ramped up outside of the county otherwise we will just end up with the same demand/supply issue we currently have here.

mohawk

GDK_11 wrote: »

Public servants make sense but the private sector no chance, I would be lucky to get 70% of my salary in Cavan for example (not picking in Cavan, just an example).

Any salary in Dublin, Sydney, Edinburgh, Singapore etc is inflated due to living costs, when my company relocated people from the UK a few years back we had to look at the cost of living in Dublin to offer a fair package, had we been relocating people to the middle of nowhere they would have been getting far less.

Depends on the industry to a large degree. I earn more now then I did when I worked in Dublin.

Kilboor

I would be worried about the broader economic and social implications of work from home becoming a permanent thing, namely:

- Dead(er) atmosphere in city centres
- Lack of unskilled employment opportunities for students/unskilled workers
- Lack of proper social interaction for young people in the workspace, especially straight from college
- General economic slow down from less spending on cars, travel, food and after work activities as well as unemployment now caused from shops/cafes/restaurants/pubs and other various industries dependent
- Upskilling of the unskilled workers above causing squeeze on current IT jobs i.e. more competition for your job
- Easier outsourcing of jobs abroad i.e. more competition for your job
- Overall greater strain on government treasury with unemployment
- Squeeze on rents/house prices outside of Dublin

s1ippy

MM and FF cronies all have a stake in the big glass boxes in the cities. If they become worthless (ie Google pulling out) the whole property market is in jeopardy. God forbid there be adequate, affordable residential space for those who want to live in urban centres. Dublin should have a regeneration program that seeks to restore its cultural and historic value. But it won't happen, instead they'll just blatantly overlook all the benefits of the new approach and try and insist the status quo is resumed.

Suffice to say this is not democratic, representative of what people want or of actual benefit. It reeks of slave-driving mentality, "for people who get up early in the morning" etc. Personally I don't care if Johnny Ronan becomes insolvent.

average_runner

Kilboor wrote: »

I would be worried about the broader economic and social implications of work from home becoming a permanent thing, namely:

- Dead(er) atmosphere in city centres
- Lack of unskilled employment opportunities for students/unskilled workers
- Lack of proper social interaction for young people in the workspace, especially straight from college
- General economic slow down from less spending on cars, travel, food and after work activities as well as unemployment now caused from shops/cafes/restaurants/pubs and other various industries dependent
- Upskilling of the unskilled workers above causing squeeze on current IT jobs i.e. more competition for your job
- Easier outsourcing of jobs abroad i.e. more competition for your job
- Overall greater strain on government treasury with unemployment
- Squeeze on rents/house prices outside of Dublin

Dont think many of those are real concerns. I go through them:


City centres will still be busy on a Friday and weekend nights, alot will go to office for one day a week, younger group will go in on Friday


Unskilled jobs will still be there, just outside the city in other areas.


People straight from college will be in the office more and companies provide social activites for them.


Shops and coffee shops will grow outside the city, might decrease inside the city, no harm as alot are of a poor standard. Prefer the ones with the personal touch that you get close to home as people from home working in them.


Up skilling for jobs works grand through zoom etc. I spend half my day up skilling new younger team members.
Out sourcing doesn't work. most IT companies will tell you that, what they do out source is the minor work or old products, which happens already

SusanC10

Posted this on the Main thread too.

Confused on what the message is likely to be on "work from home".

Read this during the week :-

"Under the heading ‘Work’ Level 1 and 2 advise, ‘Work from home where possible’; Level 3 will advise staying at home, it says,‘Work from home unless absolutely necessary to attend in person.’

Level 4 and 5 will send a chill through city centre business across Ireland. Level 4 says ‘Only essential or other designated workers should go to work’.

Level 5 says, ‘Work from home unless essential for work which is an essential health, social care or other essential service and cannot be done from home.’"


https://extra.ie/2020/...-with-covid-plan/amp


But friends saying that people will be encouraged back to the office including long commutes etc

Selfishly, I would love the work from home to continue for my Husband.
It has made such a positive difference to our family life and for us one of the very few positives of this pandemic.
Pre-Covid, he spent 3 hours every day Mon-Fri commuting to Dublin. He travelled a lot for work too so the Kids barely saw him. They love having him here now. It is great that if he finishes work at 6.30pm then he just has to switch off the computer and he is done.