September 2, 2020 at 12:00 am
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Long Term WFH
September 2, 2020 at 12:35 pm
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September 2, 2020 at 12:44 pm
I totally love this time of being able to WFH. Primarily because my commute to work on a good day is a minimum of 90 minutes in the morning to two hours coming home at night. My normal work is more time consuming that the WFH I do now.
But I admit that if I didn't have such a long commute, then I might be more interested in returning to the office.
Early in the pandemic, my colleagues and I were very worried about being furloughed. However, due to strict regulations imposed by work, we couldn't just work long hours unless it was COVID related. So, for us it didn't matter if we worked every hour of the week, it didn't improve our chances of not getting furloughed.
I have worked long hours in a week, but they were, until recently, due to COVID related activities. We must get the work done as it affects the health of people throughout the state.
Recently I've had an unexpected change. My boss has encouraged us to work overtime, whether its COVID related or not. That's a substantial change to policy, believe me. Because I work in the public sector, therefore I earn significantly less than those who work in the private sector, so I welcome the opportunity to earn more. (I am an hourly employee, as all my colleagues are.)
Will we continue to work long term WFH? I really don't know. I suspect not, because WFH was never something any employer in my state, allowed before COVID-19. My guess is they'll jump at the chance to get people back into the office as fast as possible. For me, that is my biggest concern, that it will threaten my health in their rush to get people's butts in seats where management can see them. We've seen how a desire to get "back to normal" as quickly as possible has only brought about higher incidents of COVID (e.g.: Texas and Arizona).
Rod
September 2, 2020 at 1:45 pm
Before COVID-19 became an issue for me, being required to come to the office was always more about the managers wanting to keep control.
I've worked in the military as a soldier, I've worked in corrections as a corrections officer, I've worked in government contracting and the private sector. If I'm doing work that requires me to be hands-on, I can understand wanting me in the office. My arms aren't long enough to reach the office from my home. However, as a programmer and DBA, I have never worked in the server room. Everything I do is remote, so why do I need to be in the office?
As a team lead, I talk with my team multiple times a day and we do voice and video chat as needed. I am a professional and I work with professionals that don't need me looking over their shoulders all the time. I don't expect that WFH will become the norm for the company I work for or for most businesses, but I can hope that it will become more common and applied with a common-sense approach. Since COVID-19 became an issue for the world, I have moved several states away from the home office and so will continue to work remotely from my home. I'm thankful that I did not have to look for another company to work for. I do miss the camaraderie of the office but I've always been sort of a head down, nose to the grindstone sort of worker.
All that said, if you want the people who work for you to act like adults you have to treat them like adults. If you don't trust them to do the work when they aren't in the office, why did you hire them in the first place?
As a final note, I am glad that remote working is expected right now. I'm typing this from Daytona Beach FL, rather than from my home office 800 miles from here. It's a regular work week for me but I don't have to be in the office either at home or at the office. It's a tough job, but someone has to do it. 🙂
Richard
September 2, 2020 at 2:46 pm
I seem to always comment on your WFH posts. Which is fine.
I've been doing it for 16 months now and I'm starting to like the idea of getting back into an office routine. In some ways I'd even welcome a modest commute! But I also hope that the necessity and practically of WFH in current circumstances make "management" more open to flexibility when it isn't required. In other words, I like the idea of half of my time WFH and half of my time at the office.
I assume we've proven the viability of WFH for even the most skeptical boss. We shall see.
Trying to figure out the world of SQL as marketing consultant for SQL Solutions Group https://sqlsolutionsgroup.com/
September 2, 2020 at 2:48 pm
As a final note, I am glad that remote working is expected right now. I'm typing this from Daytona Beach FL, rather than from my home office 800 miles from here. It's a regular work week for me but I don't have to be in the office either at home or at the office. It's a tough job, but someone has to do it. 🙂
Richard
You're just "down" (north) the road. Hope the humidity isn't too oppressive for you this week.
Trying to figure out the world of SQL as marketing consultant for SQL Solutions Group https://sqlsolutionsgroup.com/
September 2, 2020 at 4:00 pm
Will we continue to work long term WFH? I really don't know. I suspect not, because WFH was never something any employer in my state, allowed before COVID-19. My guess is they'll jump at the chance to get people back into the office as fast as possible. For me, that is my biggest concern, that it will threaten my health in their rush to get people's butts in seats where management can see them. We've seen how a desire to get "back to normal" as quickly as possible has only brought about higher incidents of COVID (e.g.: Texas and Arizona).
I bet some of this is driven by office space leases. Usually people have just renewed them, but many are rethinking and letting them go, or even looking to shrink their lease space.
September 2, 2020 at 4:01 pm
I also wonder how this works with staff turnover. Right now, most of us have met others in our offices and worked with them. What happens over time as we work with less people we don't know?
September 3, 2020 at 2:43 pm
Doctor Who 2 wrote:Will we continue to work long term WFH? I really don't know. I suspect not, because WFH was never something any employer in my state, allowed before COVID-19. My guess is they'll jump at the chance to get people back into the office as fast as possible. For me, that is my biggest concern, that it will threaten my health in their rush to get people's butts in seats where management can see them. We've seen how a desire to get "back to normal" as quickly as possible has only brought about higher incidents of COVID (e.g.: Texas and Arizona).
I bet some of this is driven by office space leases. Usually people have just renewed them, but many are rethinking and letting them go, or even looking to shrink their lease space.
I would agree with you, in most cases. My situation is different because the agency I work for owns the building - no lease involved. But in this case that's the exception, not the rule.
Kindest Regards, Rod Connect with me on LinkedIn.
September 3, 2020 at 2:46 pm
I also wonder how this works with staff turnover. Right now, most of us have met others in our offices and worked with them. What happens over time as we work with less people we don't know?
That is an interesting question. Even you meet the new people RedGate hires, eventually when you make trips to the UK for the meetings you have. I've heard of people working together on remote teams, scattered around the globe, who never meet their colleagues IRL. So, I know it happens, but you've mentioned a good point I don't know how it would affect staff retention. Hopefully, someone's researching this as I'd like to know.
Kindest Regards, Rod Connect with me on LinkedIn.
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