Who’s working?

[Wolf]

Is working from home a long term option for some..? Short term or a day or two a week - doable almost anywhere.
Full time at home..?
I guess it depends on how much space you've had to give over to it.
Ok if you have a spare room but not every one has.
Although, as said, I can see a lot of big office blocks virtually empty as companies downsize their office space.

For me it's absolutely not a long term option, I've got barely enough work to drag out 2 full days alone a full working week for the next 3-5months. If it remains as it is depsite me being new in my role, I can see my job being removed completely as just not enough work and I won't qualify for furlough do to when I started.

I'd love to be back at work but under guidelines physically not possible and we will be the last to return.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

I'm in IT and have worked 1 day a week from home for the last 2 years so no issues for me. In fact I'm hoping that I can extend it to 2 or even 3 days a week at home when things start returning to normal. I have a 3hr round trip commute every day so my quality of life (and finances) would improve a lot.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Is working from home a long term option for some..? Short term or a day or two a week - doable almost anywhere.
Full time at home..?
I guess it depends on how much space you've had to give over to it.
Ok if you have a spare room but not every one has.
Although, as said, I can see a lot of big office blocks virtually empty as companies downsize their office space.

The former head of Twitter in the UK was discussing this last week. He pointed out the great difficuties younger people in particular have with this option. Due to difficulties in buying houses they do not have spare rooms, they are likely living in rented accomodation, perhaps shared, 1 room etc. Trying to work from home, sat on your bed, is not the idea people have of working from home.

In effect, it works for some but not all.

 

[ScienceBoy]

I’m working in a corner of my bedroom as I don’t have a spare room. It’s far from ideal, a separate work space would be far better.

Even with that I can see myself going into the office less but time will tell.

I’ve literally had my busiest year ever so far so it’s hard to tell which is better. Mostly concentrated around the last 3 months.

I really miss my cycle commute however, I was doing two days a week on the bike and it was making a huge difference.

 

[Matty6]

You really need a dedicated space for working from home, long term. Decent size desk, comfy chair, quality monitors, good lighting, etc.. Hard to fit that in if you don’t have a spare room to dedicate as an office.

As mentioned before, WFH isn’t for everyone. On the other side of the full lockdown businesses should give their employees the option to WFH if they want to. Reading on Twitter and LinkedIn that some companies will be forcing people to WFH post lockdown. Not something I agree with, but cost savings will be significant so can see why they are doing it.

 

[garyinderry]

Never stopped during lock down.

Started part time hours last week to spilt our time to look after the wee woman after my missus went back to work. Being in work is less work tbh.

 

[Deleted member 1740]

I'm only responding to emergencies, i cant Guarantee my safety or my customers by going into peoples homes.

I'd love to be at work 5 days a week. Its catching up with me being off.

 

[Neilds]

Is working from home a long term option for some..? Short term or a day or two a week - doable almost anywhere.
Full time at home..?
I guess it depends on how much space you've had to give over to it.
Ok if you have a spare room but not every one has.
Although, as said, I can see a lot of big office blocks virtually empty as companies downsize their office space.

Started off working on dining room table but last week decided to bite the bullet and got a desk and proper chair (sacrificed dressing table in spare room/dressing room). Also got a monitor so can double screen. Cost about £300 all in but much easier to work and will be the ’new normal’ going forward

 

[PJ87]

I have been working since the start of lock down. More than normal due to 1/3 of the work force shielding due to underlying health so been building a fund for the twins.

I know we are going to ramp up the service from Monday morning. Well try to. Timetables notices were sent out this afternoon. I'll read ours when I get in.

Hopefully they have the numbers to run what they need or the gaps will be so big that crowds will build up..

We been issued 3 face coverings per shift if we choose to wear them. Think the customer facing people will get more and rightfully so

Hopefully London can move a bit easier

 

[Jamesbrown]

Is working from home a long term option for some..? Short term or a day or two a week - doable almost anywhere.
Full time at home..?
I guess it depends on how much space you've had to give over to it.
Ok if you have a spare room but not every one has.
Although, as said, I can see a lot of big office blocks virtually empty as companies downsize their office space.

Our lass began working from home a week before the lockdown.
Her directors launched a survey and several phone calls in regards to doing it permanently as no need to be in the office to manage payroll. She gained a bad back on the dining room chairs so had to steal an office chair from a furloughed worker.

Pros

Dogs looked after.
Parcels delivered to home.

Cons

Spare room needs emptying.
Need to buy a big tv that doubles as a monitor.
Her telephone voice is cringe and loud.
Somehow steal a desk from work unnoticed.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Been working throughout, often more than my standard hours and to be honest I've been very grateful to have done so as it's given me a chance to see different people each day and not stuck inside every day

 

[richart]

i cant Guarantee my safety or my customers by going into peoples homes.

Isn’t that always the case when you go on a job Stu ? ?

 

[Deleted member 1740]

Isn’t that always the case when you go on a job Stu ? ?

It certainly is rich ????

 

[Jimaroid]

I can work from home but it’s complete madness and I’m busier than ever. Today was 8 hours straight of Zoom calls across the team, during which time i get none of my own work done and at the same time I’m trying to be a father and teacher to my seven y/o daughter while the wife is at work (nhs but not “frontline”). It’s really difficult to stay positive when, in order to work, i have to be a terrible father by effectively abandoning the daughter to the tv, games and iPad most of the day.

I know I’m pretty lucky on the whole and we have a great company of people all doing the best they can considering we’re mentally prepared and capable of working many more months from home. But I’m starting to unravel, I don’t mind the isolation but the way its affecting my daughter is heart breaking. At least she and we are healthy and I’m glad of that.

I want to murder the neighbour who’s walking the streets banging pots and pans every week. Or at least put those pots somewhere uncomfortable. Just infraction the infraction off you infractioning infraction-muppet. But I won’t do anything, we’ll just sit in the bedroom with the lights off and pretend we’re sleeping because that’s the only way to deal with it.

The wife is up late sewing face masks for her colleagues every night because the government are clowns. At least i only have to stay up late catching up on all the emails i’m getting further behind with. Nobody’s going to die because i didn’t reply, I might be able to sleep with that in mind unlike her.

Don’t know why I’m posting any of this. Things are worse for many others I know. As much as it’d please me to return to normal i think its far too soon.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Working from home as normal and very busy. Daughter WFH but Mrs and son both furloughed.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

I'm only responding to emergencies, i cant Guarantee my safety or my customers by going into peoples homes.

I'd love to be at work 5 days a week. Its catching up with me being off.

I'm not attending to anything right now. Keeping the required 2m distance from those who think they are royalty and it doesnt apply to them does not appeal.

That and the distinct possibility no-one is going to let you use a toilet and it's a no from me

 

[Fish]

You really need a dedicated space for working from home, long term. Decent size desk, comfy chair, quality monitors, good lighting, etc.. Hard to fit that in if you don’t have a spare room to dedicate as an office.

As mentioned before, WFH isn’t for everyone. On the other side of the full lockdown businesses should give their employees the option to WFH if they want to. Reading on Twitter and LinkedIn that some companies will be forcing people to WFH post lockdown. Not something I agree with, but cost savings will be significant so can see why they are doing it.

and what are the legal implications of this, it’s easy if your self employed, you just claim a percentage of your household bills etc, but companies can’t just look at cost savings when an individual as a paye employee is expected to work from home on a more permanent (regular) basis consuming extra energy costs at home, plus, using their home (domestic dwelling) as a regular place of business, surely that has implications that require declaring to various bodies, insurance, council tax etc?

Does the employer pick up the costs of all this with an extra allowance or does the individual have to claim and declare themselves? Either way, I’d imagine anyone who’s paye and ends up working from home on a regular basis following this, would still need to look at declaring they are doing so, wouldn’t they?

 

[Del_Boy]

Been wfh full time since mid March (before probably did a couple of days a week). Probably won’t go back to the office until September and even then will try and cut down going in to 1 or 2 days a week max.

 

[BubbaP]

I can work from home but it’s complete madness and I’m busier than ever. Today was 8 hours straight of Zoom calls across the team, during which time i get none of my own work done and at the same time I’m trying to be a father and teacher to my seven y/o daughter while the wife is at work (nhs but not “frontline”). It’s really difficult to stay positive when, in order to work, i have to be a terrible father by effectively abandoning the daughter to the tv, games and iPad most of the day.

I know I’m pretty lucky on the whole and we have a great company of people all doing the best they can considering we’re mentally prepared and capable of working many more months from home. But I’m starting to unravel, I don’t mind the isolation but the way its affecting my daughter is heart breaking. At least she and we are healthy and I’m glad of that.

I want to murder the neighbour who’s walking the streets banging pots and pans every week. Or at least put those pots somewhere uncomfortable. Just infraction the infraction off you infractioning infraction-muppet. But I won’t do anything, we’ll just sit in the bedroom with the lights off and pretend we’re sleeping because that’s the only way to deal with it.

The wife is up late sewing face masks for her colleagues every night because the government are clowns. At least i only have to stay up late catching up on all the emails i’m getting further behind with. Nobody’s going to die because i didn’t reply, I might be able to sleep with that in mind unlike her.

Don’t know why I’m posting any of this. Things are worse for many others I know. As much as it’d please me to return to normal i think its far too soon.

Some tough reading in there. Whilst you have likely been over these, it is a forum so some rambles.
In a normal year, how many days off work would you have taken by now, compared to this year? (thinking of daughter).
As a long time homeworker myself, consider by default not booking meetings for full hours or half hours, human nature is to fill the time. Be clear on meeting objectives and roles. Consider if all meetings are totally necessary and alternatives. Also do the team have "chat tools" for example.
Anyway, best wishes. I know I am fortunate that my youngest are at uni so not around the house, but impacted differently, paying for things they aren't receiving ?

 

[Slab]

I'm going to the office today, It hasn't been open for two months
I've not been out in that time either other than 3 short trips to the local shop
We start phased reopening on Friday & with no cleaning staff with permits it falls to me to go and clean the place top to bottom before I can expect my staff to go in, also need to prepare signage, PPE, seating plans etc and generally make the place safe for them

I expect to see many dead beasties and lots of dust