Working From Home Megathread

mohawk

uli84 wrote: »

How people are not sick of their 4 walls all the time, i feel like I’m getting mental seeing the same stuff everyday, living, working, socialising in the same place/at home, god, I’m suffocating

Exercise straight after work. Get out of the house every day for a walk/run. Buy a great quality rain coat so weather can’t be an excuse.

Edit to add is I have gone into the office a few times and it’s not the same. The banter is gone, the learning from colleagues sitting around you is gone. Company is very strict on social distancing and other Covid regulations. So I feel lucky to be at home.

italodisco

mohawk wrote: »

Exercise straight after work. Get out of the house every day for a walk/run. Buy a great quality rain coat so weather can’t be an excuse.

Even if you're not I to exercise I would recommend buying a home rowing machine, a folding one, if you don't have hip issues or a slipped disc.

I jump on and do 15 mins the minute I get out of bed, then on my 30 mins morning break I do another 15 mins. Definitely gets me going!

Then on my lunch break I go for a power walk or a cycle for 30 mins.

I'd highly recommend this rower, 600 quid but just as good as the 1200 one I had before and bear in mind that 200 quid rowers are utter crap

https://www.fitnessdigital.ie/nordictrack-rx-800-rower/p/10008692/

Also, get out and talk to neighbours, even one's you don't really know. Try and have a face to face outlet for chat outside of your home.

Working from home also let's you save more, I'm shocked at how much I wasted on rolls and snacks when I was working in the office. I'm putting away and extra 200 a week to savings now.

Since May I've saved 3.5k which would have ended up in the tills of pubs, restaurants, deli etc.

Sultan of Bling

Sultan of Bling wrote: »

Yeah I think it all depends on the job.

If you're in an office with good, decent hard working people, of course you will miss that.

Unfortunately for me while there is the above in my office, they're is also a lot of selfish, lazy twats that think the whole world revolves around them and managers who are either too lazy or too cowardly to deal with them.

The thoughts of setting eyes on them again makes my stomach turn.

It’s not even that, I work with a good hardworking bunch or people and while I wouldn’t be as friendly with them outside work as my last workplace where I made genuine life long friends we all get on.

But it’s just I prefer working in my own home office, I actually have a better desk and chair, I like being on my own working as easier to get on with things, no commute (big one), we don’t have a dress code but it’s still even less effort when WFH etc etc.

When I went to the office I was pretty much alone anyway as it was staggered for who needed access to hardware for a few days to get stuff done and then back to WFH again. I’d have no problem working from home say 70 to 80% of time going forward if it is allowed and if a role in future was compatible with WFH 100% then even better.

Sultan of Bling

Ellis Brave Upstairs wrote:

It’s not even that, I work with a good hardworking bunch or people and while I wouldn’t be as friendly with them outside work as my last workplace where I made genuine life long friends we all get on.

Ellis Brave Upstairs wrote:

But it’s just I prefer working in my own home office, I actually have a better desk and chair, I like being on my own working as easier to get on with things, no commute (big one), we don’t have a dress code but it’s still even less effort when WFH etc etc.

Ellis Brave Upstairs wrote:

When I went to the office I was pretty much alone anyway as it was staggered for who needed access to hardware for a few days to get stuff done and then back to WFH again. I’d have no problem working from home say 70 to 80% of time going forward if it is allowed and if a role in future was compatible with WFH 100% then even better.

I hear what you're saying.

In fairness even if they introduced 2 or 3 days a week wfh I'd grab it with both hands.

sterz

Anyone able to recommend a folding desk? Looking for something I can store away after work.

Daemonic

I got one of these in May - https://folddownpro.com/wall-mounted-fold-down-formica-table/

Not huge but folds flat the wall and big enough for a laptop, monitor, keyboard and mouse.

jester77

sterz wrote: »

Anyone able to recommend a folding desk? Looking for something I can store away after work.

I had a local workshop build one for me, turned out real nice. Hangs on the wall and folds down when done. Super sturdy with no flexing. Would be worth having a look around your area at the local workshops. Also has the advantage that it is built to the exact size and style you want.

sterz

Daemonic wrote: »

I got one of these in May - https://folddownpro.com/wall-mounted-fold-down-formica-table/

Not huge but folds flat the wall and big enough for a laptop, monitor, keyboard and mouse.

Thanks but in a rental so don't fancy going with this option.

ThunbergsAreGo

sterz wrote: »

Thanks but in a rental so don't fancy going with this option.

I got a very cheap one from rinkit.com.

Its grand, does a job

Blanco100

Anybody recommend a good desk set up for a laptop and 2 mid sized monitors (22" x 2)

Ideally would love to have the laptop, keyboard and mouse on a desk and 2 monitors mounted on the wall, looking to save as much space as possible as will be working out of the spare room for forseeable future.

MastiffMrs

Blanco100 wrote: »

Anybody recommend a good desk set up for a laptop and 2 mid sized monitors (22" x 2)

Ideally would love to have the laptop, keyboard and mouse on a desk and 2 monitors mounted on the wall, looking to save as much space as possible as will be working out of the spare room for forseeable future.

I bought the below during the summer, very happy with it.

https://www.ikea.com/ie/en/p/klimpen-table-grey-light-grey-s69213928/

Softshoulder

What's the story with claiming expenses? How? When?

How do I charge broadband and heating against it?

Quin_Dub

Softshoulder wrote: »

What's the story with claiming expenses? How? When?

How do I charge broadband and heating against it?

Do you mean the tax rebate for WFH?

Basically , you pull together your heating, electricity and broadband bills for the year.

Add that up and then divide that total by 10 (you can only claim 10% of the expenses) to get the amount you are allowed claim for (subject to a maximum of €3.50 per day)

Details are here

jmlad2020

Question.. How many of you are actually going to demand WFH when covid dies down? (In the circumstance that your boss wants a return to the office full time)

I think it's a reasonable demand and I can see many people quitting for better offers.

thelad95

jmlad2020 wrote: »

Question.. How many of you are actually going to demand WFH when covid dies down? (In the circumstance that your boss wants a return to the office full time)

I think it's a reasonable demand and I can see many people quitting for better offers.

I have personally absolutely detested every minute of it.

I am a young professional just building my career, currently on a training contract. The experience at the moment is awful.

Management who would be easily accessible in an office environment (stick head in the door to see if busy) are now completely inaccessible due to being stuck in time wasting Zoom and Teams meetings all day. Emails get lost in cluttered inboxes and IMs don't gain any additional attention if they have ten other IMs sitting there that they also don't have time to respond to.

In addition, the lack of separation between home space and office space I have found to be quite damaging to my mental health. I've done everything right in terms of setting up a proper space in a designated room with a proper desk and chair (all from my own pocket I may add) but it's still Impossible to wind down especially in times of stress and pressure.

Overall, I think working from home has been brilliant for people well settled into careers or who may have families at home, I can imagine it has made their lives infinitely easier. I think there's a significant volume of people who actually enjoy the office environment and the social side of it. I've never felt more isolated than I have since March and I know there's a lot more in my work circle who feel the same.

GDK_11

jmlad2020 wrote: »

Question.. How many of you are actually going to demand WFH when covid dies down? (In the circumstance that your boss wants a return to the office full time)

I think it's a reasonable demand and I can see many people quitting for better offers.

Personal opinion unless you’re a superstar you won’t be in a position to demand anything, if your company want you back you either go back or leave.

Whenever COVID is finally gone we will be left with an employers market, if you demand to WFH and they don’t want you to, there will be thousands unemployed waiting to take that role. It will be far easier for an employer to replace you then it will be for you to find a suitable role (when I say you I’m not specifically targeting you, more the general public).

That said I think most employers will take a hybrid approach!

Yoga7

GDK_11 wrote: »

Personal opinion unless you’re a superstar you won’t be in a position to demand anything, if your company want you back you either go back or leave.

Whenever COVID is finally gone we will be left with an employers market, if you demand to WFH and they don’t want you to, there will be thousands unemployed waiting to take that role. It will be far easier for an employer to replace you then it will be for you to find a suitable role (when I say you I’m not specifically targeting you, more the general public).

That said I think most employers will take a hybrid approach!

I will never understand this attitude.. the people who think when your employer says jump you reply how high.

Jobs are only one part of peoples lives and clearly some people have discovered through covid that WFH can lead to a better work life balance. Therefore, if this leads to productive and motivated employees, why would any manager or company ignore it.

The scaremongering about a future recession/high unemployment levels is ridiculous also. It again suggests a mentality of do what your employer tells you 'or else'.

I wish people would believe in their own value more and be willing to stand up for what they want in this short life we are all given.
I personally will be asking for a mix of WFH and the office and if its not considered I will look elsewhere instead of putting down my head and working for someone whose values do not align with my own.

The covid situation over the last 7 months has forced employers to consider WFH like they never have before and also proven that it can work well for both businesses and employees. Most wont be able to ignore this post covid because if they do they risk losing people, and with the loss of people goes valuable business knowledge and expertise.

(All of the above obviously being based on the assumption that it is actually possible to do the job to the same standard remotely!).

GDK_11

GDK_11 wrote: »

Whenever COVID is finally gone we will be left with an employers market, if you demand to WFH and they don’t want you to, there will be thousands unemployed waiting to take that role. !

Where will thousands of unemployed come from in jobs that are WFH and thus not being overly impacted by covid?

Just because you have people unemployed doesn’t mean they can do the job, which by its nature is obviously very different to want they have been doing.

GDK_11

Aniya Tiny Saucepan wrote: »

Where will thousands of unemployed come from in jobs that are WFH and thus not being overly impacted by covid?

Probably from all the start ups, SME’s that have been using government subsidies to pay staff since the start of the pandemic - banks making cuts and looking for redundancies, students finishing their grad programmes looking for tech type roles etc etc, there may be just a few looking for work!

GDK_11

GDK_11 wrote: »

Probably from all the start ups, SME’s that have been using government subsidies to pay staff since the start of the pandemic - banks making cuts and looking for redundancies, students finishing their grad programmes looking for tech type roles etc etc, there may be just a few looking for work!

But people who have been working from home are for the most part in sectors that are not being badly impacted even if they are start ups or SMEs. As the fact they can WFH generally means work goes on in the company. Tech is not really impacted at all by covid, in fact it’s benefitting many in this sector.

It’s service industry and tourism jobs that are being hit hard which for the most part are very different types of skill sets.

GDK_11

Aniya Tiny Saucepan wrote: »

But people who have been working from home are for the most part in sectors that are not being badly impacted even if they are start ups or SMEs. As the fact they can WFH generally means work goes on in the company. Tech is not really impacted at all by covid, in fact benefitting many in this sector.

I would be of the opinion that the large majority of sectors have been negatively impacted and businesses have seen their bottom line drop, when this becomes too much of an issue what goes first? The staff!

I work in a tech company and whilst I have not been negatively impacted personally many departments have, I’m pretty sure this is a common theme across many companies.

Again I should clarify I’m not anti WFH, I have done a mix for years and will continue to do so. I’m just not a believer that employees will be dictating the market, at least in the short term.

WhiteMemento9

thelad95 wrote: »

I have personally absolutely detested every minute of it.

I am a young professional just building my career, currently on a training contract. The experience at the moment is awful.

Management who would be easily accessible in an office environment (stick head in the door to see if busy) are now completely inaccessible due to being stuck in time wasting Zoom and Teams meetings all day. Emails get lost in cluttered inboxes and IMs don't gain any additional attention if they have ten other IMs sitting there that they also don't have time to respond to.

In addition, the lack of separation between home space and office space I have found to be quite damaging to my mental health. I've done everything right in terms of setting up a proper space in a designated room with a proper desk and chair (all from my own pocket I may add) but it's still Impossible to wind down especially in times of stress and pressure.

Overall, I think working from home has been brilliant for people well settled into careers or who may have families at home, I can imagine it has made their lives infinitely easier. I think there's a significant volume of people who actually enjoy the office environment and the social side of it. I've never felt more isolated than I have since March and I know there's a lot more in my work circle who feel the same.

I have to agree with this to a large extent. I think starting out a career in a WFH capacity is extremely difficult. I think building up some kind of rapport and sense of people from an office relationship is extremely beneficial when you move to work remotely. It isn't always necessary as I work with teams I have never met on the other side of the world day in and day out with zero issues but they are generally experienced, people. I have a junior guy on my team who started during all this and it has been hard trying to make sure to be inclusive of him and make time to give him help and training.

You just reminded me that he messaged this morning looking to schedule a call and it turned into a busy day where I completely forgot about it. I can only imagine from his point of view this is extremely stressful as he is struggling with tasks he needs someone with more experience to help him through. I'll have to more mindful of this in the future.

mayo londoner

jmlad2020 wrote: »

Question.. How many of you are actually going to demand WFH when covid dies down? (In the circumstance that your boss wants a return to the office full time)

I think it's a reasonable demand and I can see many people quitting for better offers.

I did exactly this last week, they refused and want me back in office full time once it gets to Level 2 so I handed in my notice yesterday and said good riddance, starting a new job for significantly less pay in 3 weeks but way more flexibility, nicer work environment for the days I will be in office and in the part of the country where I want to live in.

They never offered me an explanation as to why I was to be back in office full time which really annoyed me, despite being WFH since March without any complaints and numerous emails from the MD stating that productivity had been maintained across all sectors. Horrific company to work for, zero perks as it was and was going nowhere anyways so quite happy with my decision, in addition my new incoming overlord in the company is a Grade A wanker so made the decision a lot easier!

Softshoulder

Anyone got any recommendations for good value equipment like screens and keyboards and such?

GDK_11

Yoga7 wrote: »

I will never understand this attitude.. the people who think when your employer says jump you reply how high.

Jobs are only one part of peoples lives and clearly some people have discovered through covid that WFH can lead to a better work life balance. Therefore, if this leads to productive and motivated employees, why would any manager or company ignore it.

The scaremongering about a future recession/high unemployment levels is ridiculous also. It again suggests a mentality of do what your employer tells you 'or else'.

I wish people would believe in their own value more and be willing to stand up for what they want in this short life we are all given.
I personally will be asking for a mix of WFH and the office and if its not considered I will look elsewhere instead of putting down my head and working for someone whose values do not align with my own.

The covid situation over the last 7 months has forced employers to consider WFH like they never have before and also proven that it can work well for both businesses and employees. Most wont be able to ignore this post covid because if they do they risk losing people, and with the loss of people goes valuable business knowledge and expertise.

(All of the above obviously being based on the assumption that it is actually possible to do the job to the same standard remotely!).

People are welcome to do what they want, pretty sure I never suggested they couldn’t, WFH has proved to be a success for many, again I never said it wasn’t.

Scaremongering about a recession? The same recession which could potentially be the worst in living memory?

To me it’s not about valuing my worth, I’m practical and have bills to pay and a family to support, if you think we as employees will dictate how and where we work I think you’re dreaming.

GDK_11

GDK_11 wrote: »

People are welcome to do what they want, pretty sure I never suggested they couldn’t, WFH has proved to be a success for many, again I never said it wasn’t.

Scaremongering about a recession? The same recession which could potentially be the worst in living memory?

To me it’s not about valuing my worth, I’m practical and have bills to pay and a family to support, if you think we as employees will dictate how and where we work I think you’re dreaming.

Personally I think talk of this being the worst recession in history is in my opinion exaggerated and scaremongering (not directed at you you are just saying what you hear).

There are vast amounts of people who have little or no impact from covid, sectors traditionally hit hard in a recession like construction are basically booming at the minute (just try get a builder at the moment they are ran off their feet). Many of the better paying industries again which are often hit in a recession are not, IT, med device and pharma manufacturing etc are all doing fine some are benefitting. Food shops are booming etc. Household savings also hit record highs this year such is the amount of money being put away by people so again there are a lot of people doing just fine.

Certain retail, certain services and tourism are the area most hit but if them a lot will just reopen and go on as before once they can. Unfortunately there will of course be places that close though.

Unlike a normal recession the demand is still there for everything it’s just being put on hold unlike the 2008 recession where there was no demand.

GDK_11

Aniya Tiny Saucepan wrote: »

Personally I think talk of this being the worst recession in history is in my opinion exaggerated and scaremongering (not directed at you you are just saying what you hear).

There vast amounts of people who are little or no impact from covid, sectors traditionally hit hard in a recession like construction are basically booming at the minute (just try get a builder at the moment they are ran off their feet). Many of the better paying industries again which are often hit in a recession are not, IT, manufacturing etc are all doing fine some are benefitting. Food shops are booming etc.

Certain retail, certain services and tourism are the area most hit but if them a lot will just reopen and go on as before once they can. Unfortunately there will of course be places that close though.

Unlike a normal recession the demand is still there for everything it’s just being put on hold unlike the 2008 recession where there was no demand.

That’s fair enough, end of the day none of us know for sure and we can only give our opinions.

This lockdown/open strategy can not go on indefinitely as economic activity is plummeting in these periods. It is safe to assume every time we go through this borrowing increases (admittedly basically free at this stage) but we (the taxpayer) will be paying this back at some stage, likely paying some more to support all those unfortunately laid off in sectors such as retail and tourism.

average_runner

GDK_11 wrote: »

Personal opinion unless you’re a superstar you won’t be in a position to demand anything, if your company want you back you either go back or leave.

Whenever COVID is finally gone we will be left with an employers market, if you demand to WFH and they don’t want you to, there will be thousands unemployed waiting to take that role. It will be far easier for an employer to replace you then it will be for you to find a suitable role (when I say you I’m not specifically targeting you, more the general public).

That said I think most employers will take a hybrid approach!

Except in IT. You can demand what you want there right now. The amount of invites asking me to give them a shout etc is unreal.


For me I would like the work from home as 3 days at home and 2 days in the office, so it will work with the kids sport in the evenings.


Also cheaper for companies to downgrade office space

hots

Softshoulder wrote: »

Anyone got any recommendations for good value equipment like screens and keyboards and such?

Amazon for gear like that, there's dirt cheap options all the time, if you want something nicer wait for black friday maybe. I'm going from a laptop in the kitchen to a proper setup in a separate room over the next few weeks, 600 quid all in I'd say, and that's with a flash enough monitor.

afatbollix

I took all my kit from work.

It's not like they needed the monitors in the office. Same with my very good office chair. Took it home at the beginning.


I did buy some lights from Ikea as it's getting darker these days, wait until it's dark by 4 pm, and only using that main room light. I bought 3 lights with those smart bulbs, They offer a blue light more like daylight and I have them lighting up the room I am working in.


Just to add I will only work in a job that is mostly WFH from now on. I'll take that pay cut if needed.