Remote working - the future?

gauchesnell

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118575473#Comment_118575473

I will actually disagree with you and that is a very disappointing way to view your work colleagues.

Im public sector and we have expedited many many things and will continue to do so. I think there are lots of examples on this thread regarding that - anything paper based is nearly 100% gone and we started that before covid.

Of course a job/work can be expedited - especially in the public and civil service. Not even trying is simply resistance to change.

storker

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118575473#Comment_118575473

Congratulations on completely missing the point, which is really quite a simple one. Some people can do their jobs just a well from home, or even better due to lack of distractions and more energy from not having to commute. This will also have environmental benefits in a state where the government has committed to a reduction in greenhouse emissions, this is low-hanging fruit. I don't recall anyone claiming that the work could be done in half the time (although I have managed that in a previous role simply by the boss being absent), or that one person working remotely could do the work of many. If anyone really did make such claims, please do link to or quote them. I don't recall anyone claiming that everyone can do their workload from a laptop either, but while you're at it, perhaps you can provide a link or quote for that too.

Clegg

I've nothing to add on the WFH debate as such. It would be my preference to have a blended work life.

Would like to say however that this thread, much like the other WFH thread, has again been derailed by the same few posters making bad faith arguments and utterly refusing to actually engage in points being made.

GoldFour4

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118575538#Comment_118575538

Your last paragraph is the nail on the head for me and probably the middle ground that most people are looking for in my opinion anyway.

Wanderer2010

The worst rhetoric from the "come back to work" brigade is the weak argument that being in the office strengthens relationships and that collaboration is improved by asking colleagues or trainers for help, thus improving productivity. That is simply not the case in a lot of workplaces. What happens if your colleagues dont get on with each other? Or if your workplace is toxic and everyone is out for themselves and nobody lifts a finger to help anyone?

In such workplaces, wfh can actually benefit people by being in peaceful and calming surroundings whilst getting your work done and giving you more energy from no commute to concentrate on your duties. I appreciate everyone has different needs and some people prefer to be in work but its just false for workplaces to state social reasons as a positive when so many jobs are toxic to the core!

BrianD3

RTE rolling out the "WFH is great..but we're sick of the sight of each other" ad which also has moaning about buying food and loading the dishwasher. Haven't seen that ad for months, what are they at?

I've no doubt that some office politicians will be delighted to get back to the office so they can escape their families and do fcuk all apart from chatting and consuming free biscuits, tea and toilet paper. That was what they did before the pandemic and during it in some cases - some people would not stay away from offices.

Give it a few months if not weeks and the next "crisis" may be "record breaking" congestion on Dublin commuter routes with the back to the office brigade wondering how that happened (or not giving a sh1t if they live 5 minutes' walk from work, I'm alright Jack)

Avenger2020

I’m absolutely sickened by this current return to work. Physically. Covid is still around and a family member is going through chemotherapy. Little over a month ago we couldn’t meet for Christmas- on the Government’s advice. I have now to find shared accommodation as Im too far away from train station to get into the office in time in the morning due to lack of bus services. 😭 with an unvaccinated in the family I am worried. For one day is it worth it? I think I might just not bother going in. Let them deal with me. The first week anyway. (I work more hours a home even covering for staff above my grade. And then if we all don’t bother going in it would be even better they can’t sack us all!)

PommieBast

Full-time remote working only works well (no pun intended) for those who have a dedicated work-space of sufficient size, and ideally it ought to be a dedicated room. Having now invested in this I have no desire for commuting for 1-2 hours a day even if only once a week, but back in 2020 I was regularly (ab)using essential worker status in order to go into the office because my then-flat barely had space to breathe let alone work.

One thing I have noticed though. It seems that even though people want to work remotely most or all the time, there is still something of a bias against companies that don't have a formal office. It certainly also make on-boarding a right pain.

GoldFour4

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118579269#Comment_118579269

I'm in the same position essentially. Previously I was working from the sitting room which wasn't ideal either for me or my partner so I was going to the office as much as possible. My commute was a 15min walk so I didn't care really. Now we are living a bit further out in a house where I have a dedicated room to work in etc and I don't have a real interest in going in more than a couple of days a week going forward unless absolutely necessary as my commute is ~ 45/50mins or so now.

A lot of my younger colleagues are in similar situations to what I was in though and are keen to be able to go into the office as it's a healthier environment for them at this point in time so I think that may ultimately mean the likes of me have to go in an extra day a week for meetings etc.

C3PO

Just listening to the head of a recruitment company on Bobby Kerr’s Down to Business - she estimates that only 2% of roles are fully remote! Even lower than I expected, and a lot less than the very noisy minority would have you believe!

PommieBast

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118586192#Comment_118586192

That smells very much of vested interest.

Cyrus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118586240#Comment_118586240

Why would a recruiter be concerned one way or the other ?

C3PO

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118586240#Comment_118586240

What difference would it make to her? A placement is a placement whether its in an office or remote! I genuinely think that the vast majority of fully remote roles are in IT where it works well. The bottom line is that most employers want their employees in the office for at least part of the week.

PommieBast

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118586266#Comment_118586266

The figure of 2% still sounds suspiciously low. I'd guess that a lot of the companies that have decided to do away with offices are also the sort of companies that see recruitment agencies as a waste of cash.

C3PO

I would agree that it does sound very low but I still think that the mass exodus from the office on a permanent basis is not happening the way some on here seem to “wishfully” think it is!

Cyrus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118586295#Comment_118586295

Only a waste of cash if you carry the fixed cost of your own recruitment team.

storker

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118586366#Comment_118586366

It doesn't surprise me that much if it includes all kinds of jobs, and if a job requires even one day a month in the office, that could be described as not fully remote. I don't care that much about the size of the exodus, as long as it includes me, but that doesn't even require 5 days per week remote. I'd be happy enough with 3 or 4.

It's interesting though, to see the glee with which some people appear to be viewing the prospects of others missing out on an opportunity for improved quality of life.

gauchesnell

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118587022#Comment_118587022

well said. You would need to know what their definition of remote working is really.

Also why there is so much hate from some people who arent doing remote working or have no interest in doing it I dont know.

wench

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118587132#Comment_118587132

Classic dog in a manger, don't want it but don't want anyone else to have it either.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118571811#Comment_118571811

There is a choice.

Speaking for myself, the relationships I have with my family and friends, are completely different, and on a completely different level to the relationships I have with my work colleagues. I have maintained relationships with friends and family via Zoom during the pandemic due to having no other option. The pandemic forced it upon us. I am very happy these relationships can now resume in person.

I also have friendly relationships with my work colleagues, but I would have no issue with those relationships remaining on zoom. These are people who are in my life by circumstance, they are not friends that I have chosen for myself or members of my family. There is a big difference. So while I can work alongside these people quite amicably, I would not necessarily choose them as friends if we weren't working together. I don't know their partners. I may know their partners' names, or their kids names, but I won't be invited to their family occasions, or inviting them to mine. I may talk to them every day but I don't rely on them for social interaction, or they I. I sign off work at the end of the week, and won't talk to them again, until the next working day. Notably, some of them are new hires, who I've never met in person, and we've also become friendly, but it doesn't have to be more than that, and we don't have to meet in person to do that.

In other words, it doesn't have to be either / or.

gauchesnell

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118587943#Comment_118587943

well said. Fully agree

PommieBast

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118586366#Comment_118586366

It is all about scale. I take the opposite view and would like to know how many ppl who were doing WFH go back to fully in-office. Economically there are a lot of interests who want a return to 9-5x5.

Cyrus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118587943#Comment_118587943

You appear to think I am making a point about being friends with work colleagues ? I wasn't .

My point was that human interactions are better in person. Whether they are friendly interactions, professional interactions or any other kind.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118588684#Comment_118588684

For you, maybe.

Other people may not feel they are always better in person, and may prefer for some interactions to remain less personal.

Different strokes for different folks.

Cyrus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118589207#Comment_118589207

Or maybe some people pretend remote interactions are better because it suits their desire to work remotely.

Young_gunner

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118589366#Comment_118589366

And vice versa 🤔

Cyrus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118589629#Comment_118589629

Well no not really I don't think any agenda is needed to believe in person interactions are better than remote.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118590340#Comment_118590340

What about the agenda of those managers who use "personal interactions" as an excuse to get bodies back in offices to justify their own jobs?

Bottom line - you can believe its better if you want, but others can disagree with what you believe.

Personally, I believe there is no one size fits all.

Cyrus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118590396#Comment_118590396

Ah managers justifying their jobs, are we playing #iwanttoberemote4eva bingo or something.

JoChervil

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118590603#Comment_118590603

You want a misery for others because it suits you. While others just want to be happy at no other's cost.

No, not all interactions are better in person. Especially toxic ones.