Working From Home Megathread

beauf

This is why people won't all rush home. They want to be where they are, in a city or whereever it is. The social life and mixing with peers.

c68zapdsm5i1ru

recyclops wrote: »

I really miss my commute, miss that hour and a half alone listening to a podcast.

As for the spending money locally aspect, nope its all spent online or saving for a holiday out of the country as the coffee is reasonably cheap when you don't leave your kitchen ( I go for a run at lunch)

I hate finishing at 5 and having time to kill as I've no real news or daily experiences to discuss with the wife, we have already made dinner and if its raining then it's probably another movie or sitting in front of TV for longer than I should, we've been reading, playing boardgames etc.

I also firmly believe its having a negative effect on people's mental health and cabin fever, loneliness and isolation will only get worse when winter creeps in.

Get us back in the office for 3 days. Il easily take two but this full time no thanks.

But as has already been said, most people aren’t advocating for full time wfh, just more flexibility and common sense around it. Herding everyone out to Kildare and Meath to live and then herding them back up the same roads into Dublin at the same time every morning is crazy.

A mix of wfh, hot desking and localhubs would take into account people’s different needs without eating into everyone’s personal time. Work should be part of your life, not all of it.

Also don’t forget that when all this is over various activities, community groups , clubs etc will reopen. Getting involved in stuff like that gives you a huge connection to the community and puts work in perspective.

AdamD

Shawn Sparse Sunstroke wrote: »

But as has already been said, most people aren’t advocating for full time wfh, just more flexibility and common sense around it. Herding everyone out to Kildare and Meath to live and then herding them back up the same roads into Dublin at the same time every morning is crazy.

A mix of wfh, hot desking and localhubs would take into account people’s different needs without eating into everyone’s personal time. Work should be part of your life, not all of it.

Also don’t forget that when all this is over various activities, community groups , clubs etc will reopen. Getting involved in stuff like that gives you a huge connection to the community and puts work in perspective.

Everyone doesn't live in Meath or Kildare. You are looking at this from a very specific point of view - people who lived very far away and had awful commutes. More people live in Dublin than both of those counties combined, so their commutes were the exception.

Not that I disagree with the flexibility

hetuzozaho

AdamD wrote: »

Everyone doesn't live in Meath or Kildare. You are looking at this from a very specific point of view - people who lived very far away and had awful commutes. More people live in Dublin than both of those counties combined, so their commutes were the exception.

Not that I disagree with the flexibility

Even people within Dublin have rubbish commutes. Watching buses and Luas go by them packed, as everyone is trying to get to same part of town at the same time every morning. Or worse people trying to get from one side of town to the other while others do the opposite. Day in day out. I've always thought it was stupid

Oymyakon

For me it's escaping rush hour that's the big advantage with WFH. I'm currently 3 days in office in Grand Canal Dock/2 days WFH. I cycle about 15km in which is generally one of the highlights of my day, but trying to get out of the city during peak traffic times certainly dampens the experience. Would love to be able to have the flexibility to go in for a meeting or two, spend a few hours in the office and the cycle home again before rush hour and actually enjoy the spin.

hetuzozaho

Oymyakon wrote: »

For me it's escaping rush hour that's the big advantage with WFH. I'm currently 3 days in office in Grand Canal Dock/2 days WFH. I cycle about 15km in which is generally one of the highlights of my day, but trying to get out of the city during peak traffic times certainly dampens the experience. Would love to be able to have the flexibility to go in for a meeting or two, spend a few hours in the office and the cycle home again before rush hour and actually enjoy the spin.

That's what our company has suggested post covid. On days you are coming in plan it that you don't commute in rush hour.

c68zapdsm5i1ru

AdamD wrote: »

Everyone doesn't live in Meath or Kildare. You are looking at this from a very specific point of view - people who lived very far away and had awful commutes. More people live in Dublin than both of those counties combined, so their commutes were the exception.

Not that I disagree with the flexibility

Meath and Kildare were just examples. I live in Dublin and can be queueing for 15 mins just to get through the roundabout at the edge of my estate.

Naos

recyclops wrote: »

I am doin all these things. Except the bus.

But as I've said above they are not the problem just things I miss. The problem is being in my house too much and having way more time to kill than I previously had.

I am filling it and it was easy with the good summer we had. It won't be as easy in a couple of weeks time.

I'm struggling to see the issue here to be honest with regards missing your commute.

If it took you and hour and a half and you loved listening to your podcast then, just go walk for an hour and a half. That would do you much better mentally & physically than sitting on a train/bus for 90 minutes.

If you have 'time to kill' outside of this, then you'll always have had time to kill.

Downlinz

recyclops wrote: »

I really miss my commute, miss that hour and a half alone listening to a podcast.

As for the spending money locally aspect, nope its all spent online or saving for a holiday out of the country as the coffee is reasonably cheap when you don't leave your kitchen ( I go for a run at lunch)

I hate finishing at 5 and having time to kill as I've no real news or daily experiences to discuss with the wife, we have already made dinner and if its raining then it's probably another movie or sitting in front of TV for longer than I should, we've been reading, playing boardgames etc.

I also firmly believe its having a negative effect on people's mental health and cabin fever, loneliness and isolation will only get worse when winter creeps in.

Get us back in the office for 3 days. Il easily take two but this full time no thanks.

I think we could not be more different.

Of all the aspects to miss from office life I'm amazed that some people are pining for a long commute and less free time.

andrew1977

110km round trip per day with torture traffic
10-12 hours per week driving eliminated.
60 euro a week on diesel
x 19 years

Miss the commute in the past 6 months, not a hope in hell.
If I never seen the office again I would be delighted.

recyclops

Naos wrote: »

I'm struggling to see the issue here to be honest with regards missing your commute.

If it took you and hour and a half and you loved listening to your podcast then, just go walk for an hour and a half. That would do you much better mentally & physically than sitting on a train/bus for 90 minutes.

If you have 'time to kill' outside of this, then you'll always have had time to kill.

I did and do but now i have so much more and i am sick of spending hours a day in my kitchen , I go out running daily ( with a podcast) and walk most days so mentally and physically I am fine.

I dont know why people are reluctant to just say WFH is not a bed of roses, it has its perks yep, I have agreed I save money, I have agreed i could do it probably two days a week, I actually used to do it when necessary before COVID, but i just dont love it why is that a bad thing.


what I dont agree with is that its the greatest thing ever to happen to work, i think it actually hinders creativity and productivity ( this may just be me but there are things you miss in short walks to am from meetings IMO).

Plus when the weather changes and the mornings/nights are darker, colder and wetter do we all just go on these 2 hour walks then.

for those want to know my commute is 28km each way so obviously less than most

Kilboor

It's clear to see the differences in people in this thread, people with families and living far away from their jobs loving work from home. The problem in the first place seems to be why people were commuting so long for their jobs?

That should never had been the case. Even where I work one or two people were travelling an hour to work every day. What I see is people who own houses out from cities and are now relishing in the wfh as its saving em a fortune on time and money.

The opposite for people like myself, live in the suburbs renting a room, no family home to move back to, commute to work was 8 mins in a car or a 40-50 minute walk. Never any traffic. Anywhere I have worked I have always chosen to live close to the place of work so the cost and time worry of commuting was never an issue. Working and sleeping in the same room is ****ing horrible especially when the house is now full all day, taking a look at Daft.ie every day for rents/buys even out the country in more rural areas and towns is ****ing depressing.

Cina

Kilboor wrote: »

It's clear to see the differences in people in this thread, people with families and living far away from their jobs loving work from home. The problem in the first place seems to be why people were commuting so long for their jobs?

That should never had been the case. Even where I work one or two people were travelling an hour to work every day. What I see is people who own houses out from cities and are now relishing in the wfh as its saving em a fortune on time and money.

The opposite for people like myself, live in the suburbs renting a room, no family home to move back to, commute to work was 8 mins in a car or a 40-50 minute walk. Never any traffic. Anywhere I have worked I have always chosen to live close to the place of work so the cost and time worry of commuting was never an issue. Working and sleeping in the same room is ****ing horrible especially when the house is now full all day, taking a look at Daft.ie every day for rents/buys even out the country in more rural areas and towns is ****ing depressing.

Probably because a lot of those people don't have the financial choice to live close to their jobs.

Kilboor

Cina wrote: »

Probably because a lot of those people don't have the financial choice to live close to their jobs.

I'm well aware of the personal reasons.

hetuzozaho

Kilboor wrote: »

It's clear to see the differences in people in this thread, people with families and living far away from their jobs loving work from home.
.

I don't have a family and lived beside office. Still very pro WFH. Currently living in a bigger cheaper place now. And can move to other places in Ireland to experience them.

Would love hubs etc and some foreign travel in the post covid world.

Tenzor07

Interesting to read some of the comments on here...

One fact is, one persons working from home is anothers P45... All the support services and related businesses in the city losing out from office workers not being in the building, or not buying coffee's and sandwiches, not hailing a Taxi, buying a new shirt for going out later, not going out later to pubs/restaurants...City council then losing out on rates from businesses that have had to close...
We're not London, Paris or New York here, the only city we have in Ireland really is Dublin... When that starts to decline then there's just not the size of population and numbers of businesses to support a strong bounceback when workers start returning to offices, in Irish cities it will be a very slow gradual thing which will take many years to get back to what was there pre-Covid.

You may think "uh who cares, I'm saving a lot of time and money".... Fine, so two things can happen here.. Most jobs in Finance, Tech, Pharma that can be done from home can easily be moved to a lower cost EU country unless your skills require an intimate knowledge of Irish law/politics or whatever... Many EU countries have a high level of young very well educated people so don't think you're special..
Also if you're working at home and not expected to go into the office and incur the extra time and expenses, then you won't mind taking a paycut either? So you can continue to work from home even when Govt. say you can return, then you can take a 10% paycut.... That will soon soften the cough of many who are happy sat at home in their Pj's watching the laptop on one side and TV on the other..

Alf Veedersane

I'm back in the office by choice.

I live a relatively short distance from the office (I walk in) and I like having the physical and mental buffer between work and home.

If I had a commute, I would likely view it differently but I don't. Some of my colleagues would happily WFH full time and some want to come back in. To each his own and flexibility will be welcomed with open arms down the line.

Kilboor

hetuzozaho wrote: »

I don't have a family and lived beside office. Still very pro WFH. Currently living in a bigger cheaper place now. And can move to other places in Ireland to experience them.

Would love hubs etc and some foreign travel in the post covid world.

That's great so what's your solution for graduates or those on lower wages living in a house with 8 others working and sleeping in the same room? The only escape these people have is to go to the office. Other people here saying that young people should travel abroad and work from different places. THat's fantastic and will definitely be beneficial to OUR economy :rolleyes:

hetuzozaho

Kilboor wrote: »

That's great so what's your solution for graduates or those on lower wages living in a house with 8 others working and sleeping in the same room? The only escape these people have is to go to the office. Other people here saying that young people should travel abroad and work from different places. THat's fantastic and will definitely be beneficial to OUR economy :rolleyes:

No need for the rolls eyes. I'll leave you to it.

Alf Veedersane

Tenzor07 wrote: »

Also if you're working at home and not expected to go into the office and incur the extra time and expenses, then you won't mind taking a paycut either? So you can continue to work from home even when Govt. say you can return, then you can take a 10% paycut.... That will soon soften the cough of many who are happy sat at home in their Pj's watching the laptop on one side and TV on the other..

I'm not sure the logic stacks up there.

The employer doesn't supplement your wages to account for travel and expenses to get to and from work.

Being in the office increases your cost to the employer.

JeffKenna

Kilboor wrote: »

The opposite for people like myself, live in the suburbs renting a room, no family home to move back to, commute to work was 8 mins in a car or a 40-50 minute walk. Never any traffic. Anywhere I have worked I have always chosen to live close to the place of work so the cost and time worry of commuting was never an issue. Working and sleeping in the same room is ****ing horrible especially when the house is now full all day, taking a look at Daft.ie every day for rents/buys even out the country in more rural areas and towns is ****ing depressing.

So you're anti WFH because it doesn't suit you?

Kilboor

JeffKenna wrote: »

So you're anti WFH because it doesn't suit you?

Did you read any of my earlier posts? If you check you can see all the economic and social concerns I have laid out too. I have absolutely no problem with Work from Home as a choice. What I'm trying to do is show that there are many challenges that will arise from it that people aren't thinking of and the knock on effects of such won't be beneficial to anyone.

I also dislike my current setup but I cannot find a solution until the office opens back up, that's fine, covid is here and I understand that but long term I would personally hate it if WFH was to continue from the same room as I sleep in. This is a concern for many many other people and I feel there's a lot of ignorance in this thread about it.

The solution clearly is the choice/flexibility as many people have mentioned here and that's fine but there are so many mental, social and economic factors that simply aren't being seen and it's extremely dangerous for the government to ignore these now and I truly believe that our jobs will be in danger if it is not acted upon.

Lillyfae

Kilboor wrote: »

Did you read any of my earlier posts? If you check you can see all the economic and social concerns I have laid out too. I have absolutely no problem with Work from Home as a choice. What I'm trying to do is show that there are many challenges that will arise from it that people aren't thinking of and the knock on effects of such won't be beneficial to anyone.

I also dislike my current setup but I cannot find a solution until the office opens back up, that's fine, covid is here and I understand that but long term I would personally hate it if WFH was to continue from the same room as I sleep in. This is a concern for many many other people and I feel there's a lot of ignorance in this thread about it.

I get it and you're right, if I was 10 years younger, in a house share or living alone it would be very difficult to cope, especially if I was in a bigger city with higher living costs and away from friends and family.

JeffKenna

Kilboor wrote: »

Did you read any of my earlier posts? If you check you can see all the economic and social concerns I have laid out too. I have absolutely no problem with Work from Home as a choice. What I'm trying to do is show that there are many challenges that will arise from it that people aren't thinking of and the knock on effects of such won't be beneficial to anyone.

I also dislike my current setup but I cannot find a solution until the office opens back up, that's fine, covid is here and I understand that but long term I would personally hate it if WFH was to continue from the same room as I sleep in. This is a concern for many many other people and I feel there's a lot of ignorance in this thread about it.

The solution clearly is the choice/flexibility as many people have mentioned here and that's fine but there are so many mental, social and economic factors that simply aren't being seen and it's extremely dangerous for the government to ignore these now and I truly believe that our jobs will be in danger if it is not acted upon now.

If you're unhappy with your current setup there's only one person who can change that.

Kilboor

JeffKenna wrote: »

If you're unhappy with your current setup there's only one person who can change that.

Grand, I'll move out and pay 60%+ of my salary on rent (I'm lucky I don't live in Dublin!) or else I'll emigrate and take my money elsewhere. Long term this is beneficial to no one.

But you're right in a way, I am looking at moving away from I.T. now

JeffKenna

Kilboor wrote: »

Grand, I'll move out and pay 60%+ of my salary on rent (I'm lucky I don't live in Dublin!) or else I'll emigrate and take my money elsewhere. Long term this is beneficial to no one.

That's quite a statement to say it would be beneficial to no one...

Tenzor07

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

I'm not sure the logic stacks up there.
The employer doesn't supplement your wages to account for travel and expenses to get to and from work.
Being in the office increases your cost to the employer.

You have to think like an employer, they open these offices in places like for example; Ballsbridge, Grand Canal Dock or Stephens Green areas to attract the best people to come and work in prestige offices... They are paying this premium to ensure staff are happy and motivated to come into the office everyday.

So a 10% pay cut would be in line with you working from home say in Carlow, or Drogheda, wages are generally lower in these areas..
As a home worker you're also competing globally with other workers so a pay cut will mean you have a greater chance of keeping your job..
Can many employees say that they are spending a full number of hours they used to at their desk? Or are they off cleaning the car or going out to Tesco between meetings? Not everyone is super productive working from home...

Lillyfae

JeffKenna wrote: »

If you're unhappy with your current setup there's only one person who can change that.

Everyone is experiencing difficulties in some way. If you had chosen to move to a bigger city to experience all the benefits that come with it, nightlife, amenities etc and all of that is severely limited for the foreseeable future then that's difficult and nothing can be done about it. People are allowed to like and dislike different things.

Kilboor

JeffKenna wrote: »

That's quite a statement to say it would be beneficial to no one...

I mean for anyone in Ireland.

Why isn't it? I rent and pay 60%+ of my salary and suddenly I've no money left to spend, the only person who benefits is the landlord.

I emigrate, who in Ireland benefits from that? Now I'm taking my money elsewhere.

JeffKenna

Lillyfae wrote: »

Everyone is experiencing difficulties in some way. If you had chosen to move to a bigger city to experience all the benefits that come with it, nightlife, amenities etc and all of that is severely limited for the foreseeable future then that's difficult and nothing can be done about it. People are allowed to like and dislike different things.

Of course, if it were 10 years ago and I was still living the city life I'd probably be exactly the same.