The Future of Knowledge Work

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The Future of Knowledge Work

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J.T. Shyman SSCrazy Points: 2582 More actions · Answer 1

Another great conversation starter, Steve.

I think the guy who wrote that article may need to see someone about his ADD.

Truthfully, I've had days like that. I work from home 4 days a week now and it took a good 3-4 months before I fell into the routine. I get as much done at home as I did in the office usually. Some days just don't go well and I get less done but I feel that is made up for by the days I start work at 7 AM and am getting calls to work on something until 7 PM. it is all a matter of balance.

Now, I wish I has a separate office. I don't. I have a shared room that is my office, my wife's office, and my kid's playroom (one is 5, the other is 1). So, there are days when everyone is at home and in the room and I get nothing done. Like right now. My daughter is screaming at the top of her lungs and only wants to crawl under daddy's desk.

Typical day, though, I start work at 8 AM, take my son to school at 8:30, am back home by 9. I work from 9 until wife and daughter get up (around 11) then I help wife get daughter dressed and they leave the house (most days) and I work until 1, eat lunch at my desk while answering email or something, then work until 5, pick up my son, and work from 5:30-6:30 when I make dinner.

That happens about twice a week. The other two days are a crapshoot.

-- J.T.

"I may not always know what I'm talking about, and you may not either."

Greg Milner SSCrazy Points: 2425 More actions · Answer 2

Hi, Steve.

I am a DBA and I only telecommute about once a month. This is all I am allowed by my employer. This used to bug me but I realized a truth which helped me not to be so bothered:

*** The extent to which you can telecommute is the extent to which you can be outsourced. ***

In my opinion, you are better off showing up for work as much as possible so people will realize on a personal, face-to-face basis just how invaluable you are. Not to mention the fact that interpersonal communication, face-to-face, is vastly more efficient with users or clients that phone, email, IM, or even WebEx will ever be. Pair programmers know this in their bones (or should).

Thanks for a thought provoking article.

Cheers.

G. Milner

J.T. Shyman SSCrazy Points: 2582 More actions · Answer 3

Er, what if you are already outsourced? i.e. a contractor?

-- J.T.

"I may not always know what I'm talking about, and you may not either."

Loner SSC-Insane Points: 21279 More actions · Answer 4

gdmilner

I can agree with you more! If people works at home, pager, phone and email are the only way to communicate. In my old company the DBA worked at home, one time I had a production problem, I tried paging, emailed, called him and no one responded. Talked about production !

Besides interpersonal communication is very important. I actually took a course in college about this. Of course my old DBA would not agreed !!!!!

johnsonj SSCrazy Points: 2159 More actions · Answer 5

Currently, my job is at a remote site and our entire team is distributed, so 80% of my work is done telecommuting. Quite honestly, I believe I would be more productive if I worked from home simply because we are in an open office environment and the noise is sometimes so loud it is difficult to think, let alone participate in a conference call.

The part that I think would be difficult is the relationships that are made at the water cooler, in passing in the hallway, etc. These relationships only take a few minutes of time to blossom and grow over time, but they can not happen when you work from home. These relationships are many times essential to doing your job as they can help "grease the wheels" of progress.

Regards,

Joe

Joe Johnson
NETDIO,LLC.

J.T. Shyman SSCrazy Points: 2582 More actions · Answer 6

While I mostly agree with you, Joe, I must say that I have managed to develop some good relationships with my coworkers even though I only see most of them once a week. It all depends on personalities and environment. Where I work, for a major telco, I am constantly dealing with people who aren't located in the same building or maybe even the same city I am. The corporate culture leans heavily toward teleworking because it really isn't all that different than being in the office sometimes.

-- J.T.

"I may not always know what I'm talking about, and you may not either."

Greg Charles SSC-Forever Points: 45403 More actions · Answer 7

I don't have the motivation to telecommute. I live in a smallish city and my commute is easy. Why should I provide space at home to do my work when the office is a 15 minute drive/30 minute bike ride away and has everything I need?

Greg