Working From Home Proactively Due to Weather

[Gorm]

My work moved almost my entire team to remote workers...permanently.

I will say I do miss the "daily routine" of driving in and back everyday.

 

[BryceC]

I'm already disappointed in my coworkers at home setup. When you're supposed to be leading a meeting, maybe don't have your spouse sitting right next to you leading another meeting via speaker phone? If this WFH thing is here to stay, we're going to need a shift in accomodations for it. Dedicated space will be an important feature in real estate going forward. Or at least headsets that are designed to eliminate background noise.

Yeah that's pretty trash. I'm surprised nobody has said anything about it to be honest. I mean I'm working on a card table, you don't need a full home office (my wife is in our office) but we're at least in different rooms.

 

[Gorm]

Do they give you any extra compensation for working at home? Phone, internet, etc.

With my teams switch to remote working, my company did offer to pay half of the Internet bill for each worker, each month. They also now cover the entirety of our monthy cellular bills as well.

 

[Tre4ISU]

Obviously we need some time but I'm wondering, as we move towards more WFH, if it'll actually be good for society. I don't really think it will be. Sure, it may be good for business, productivity, and even home life but, man, I can't help but think removing social interaction isn't good especially considering how we can look at kids being more removed from social interaction and they don't seem to be doing better than previous generations. I certainly see the appeal of working from home and I'd consider myself to be someone who can be in their own company for a long time and function but I noticed a pretty big difference in how I felt when I have to stay home fore 5 days when I had covid.

 

[CRCy17]

My work moved almost my entire team to remote workers...permanently.

I will say I do miss the "daily routine" of driving in and back everyday.

That is one thing I noticed, the daily commute was an opportunity for me to prepare myself for the workday/shut off work and now working from home, work can be done at any point. I do struggle a bit to get into the flow in the mornings some times, and tend to still be working on things much later into the evening, even if it is after a break to make/eat dinner/watch tv.

 

[Tre4ISU]

Yeah that's pretty trash. I'm surprised nobody has said anything about it to be honest. I mean I'm working on a card table, you don't need a full home office (my wife is in our office) but we're at least in different rooms.

I would say if WFH became permanent you will just have employers setting you with whatever works for your home.

 

[Cyclones_R_GR8]

Prior to March 2020, I did not think I would enjoy working from home. Then I was forced to, and I saw the benefits. There are still advantages (for me) to being in the office, but I'm glad we at least have a hybrid work option (two days home, three days in the office). My husband and I are both working from home today due to the weather. The kiddo is here too, which isn't ideal, but for one day, it'll work.

While I have gotten used to it WFH is like never leaving the office. I don't have a separate office space so I see my workstation all the time. I kind of like being out of the house instead of never leaving.

 

[ISU22CY]

Wife's company has given her some home office stipends which have been nice for an extra monitor, laptop stand, office chair. To be honest her productivity is a heck of a lot higher at home then it is at the office. Like she says she doesn't have people dropping into her office every 20 minutes to gab about some issue that she has no control over. When I get home from the farm and she is in the office I setup my laptop in the living room or on the dining room table and we both put our headphones in to do calls.

I do some PM for a couple smaller startups and the teams are spread out across the globe. One rule is find a dedicated space away from everyone if at all possible. Obviously some have their kids and I mean they are kids you have to laugh about it and they are sorry and embarrassed. Then you have others who have their spouses maybe on the other side of the table and you can hear them plain as day. That doesn't fly.

 

[BCClone]

One pain I ran into with flexible scheduling is something I could see with WFH. There were times that I would be working on something and needed to get info or ask a question of someone who wasn’t there for another 2-3 hours. It would slam the brakes on it right then. You just hoped it didn’t snowball behind you. It wasn’t a really common issue but maybe once a week type thing where it threw a wrench into things.

 

[Hoggins]

Obviously we need some time but I'm wondering, as we move towards more WFH, if it'll actually be good for society. I don't really think it will be. Sure, it may be good for business, productivity, and even home life but, man, I can't help but think removing social interaction isn't good especially considering how we can look at kids being more removed from social interaction and they don't seem to be doing better than previous generations. I certainly see the appeal of working from home and I'd consider myself to be someone who can be in their own company for a long time and function but I noticed a pretty big difference in how I felt when I have to stay home fore 5 days when I had covid.

You extroverted folk can go into the office. Us introverted folk never wanna see you again lol

 

[Clonehomer]

Obviously we need some time but I'm wondering, as we move towards more WFH, if it'll actually be good for society. I don't really think it will be. Sure, it may be good for business, productivity, and even home life but, man, I can't help but think removing social interaction isn't good especially considering how we can look at kids being more removed from social interaction and they don't seem to be doing better than previous generations. I certainly see the appeal of working from home and I'd consider myself to be someone who can be in their own company for a long time and function but I noticed a pretty big difference in how I felt when I have to stay home fore 5 days when I had covid.

I think it'll require a change to society, but maybe that's not bad. Before, many of your adult friends were often coworkers. Now, I don't think those relationships will be nearly as strong. So you're going to need to find new avenues for those adult relationships. Maybe that's a stronger drive to get involved in church communities or be more friendly with neighbors. That could very well be good for our society to increase diversity in our daily interactions.

What worries me is that you're going to see more issues with mental health. If people do not actively pursue those relationships, they are going to be alone more and things like depression are going to be more prevalent. We as a society need to develop ways to combat that and not just say "well that's their problem".

 

[Tre4ISU]

You extroverted folk can go into the office. Us introverted folk never wanna see you again lol

I would consider myself pretty introverted. I've always felt like I could be alone and happy for a long time. Something about it being mandatory, as it would be in a WFH scenario made it different and I don't think there's an option for most places in the future. I don't think employers are going to have a WFH option and still have office buildings.

 

[madguy30]

IM pretty convinced a lot of companies will make some come back to justify having a huge office building. Companies don't like having that huge building and paying for it and having nobody in it. Even if everyone is still getting the job done. Plus, Management loves to be the center of attention and in a power position. That is a lot harder to do when you don't get to walk around the office being the big dog. I barely talk to my manager these days. I just do my job well and he has no reason to talk to me about anything. He is a good one though.

That really is a sign of a good manager.

I've worked for/with people that are likely struggling with not having their fingers on everything and will create issues to make it seem like they're important.

 

[Tre4ISU]

I think it'll require a change to society, but maybe that's not bad. Before, many of your adult friends were often coworkers. Now, I don't think those relationships will be nearly as strong. So you're going to need to find new avenues for those adult relationships. Maybe that's a stronger drive to get involved in church communities or be more friendly with neighbors. That could very well be good for our society to increase diversity in our daily interactions.

What worries me is that you're going to see more issues with mental health. If people do not actively pursue those relationships, they are going to be alone more and things like depression are going to be more prevalent. We as a society need to develop ways to combat that and not just say "well that's their problem".

I agree with all of that but I'm not sure how society can force or really even foster individuals creating new relationships. I think one easy way is through kids but more and more people aren't having kids and, boy, if you're in your 40s and up with no kids, it may be tough to find those relationships.

I was just reading something about the tech world where they've been working from home and this person was talking about just how mentally unhealthy people had become and where that's leading. I think it'd be smart for employers to pay attention to what happens in that sector to see if that's the proper way to move forward. I just don't see how it's good to have human interaction removed and whether we like it or not, work is roughly 40 hours a week and that's a lot of potential human interaction to remove.

 

[JP4CY]

i had wrist surgeery yesterday so its up to the wife.

 

[throwittoblythe]

Been working remotely for over 5 years. Went to the home office in December. First time I had been there since December of 2019.Sure you don’t get the everyday water cooler talk like you would in an office setting, but like @throwittoblythe said, the freedom and flexibility one has is immeasurable. Even with a 15 employee company, only 3-4 actually go to the office to work.

On my downhill side to retirement, but in the situation, I almost feel like I am as I work from home. It just seems to have so many more perks. My vacation is not tracked even. I'll go upstairs for lunch watch the noon news, maybe run a couple errands, etc. This kinda makes up for the other jobs that I had that going to work at 5-6 am and getting home at 11 at night during spring and fall in the ag industry. Plus the stress of not having to deal with with ownership on a daily basis. I mean I report to the owner every Monday and we talk for about an hour, but that's about it.

Are you my coworker? LOL

This is almost exactly what my job is like. I'm nowhere close to retirement, but my current job is 100% results based. No vacation time. No time sheets. I work remotely and only see my coworkers about once a quarter. My wife has never physically seen another person from my company.

I'm still having to adjust to this environment though. Like today: I did some work from 7:30-8:30am. Then I went to the gym from 8:30-10am. No one is watching over me and it's totally fine, but part of me still feels guilty doing that and I always have this sense I should be at my desk. Then I also have to remind myself I'll have days where I leave the house at 6am, don't get to the hotel until 10pm, work until midnight, and then will be gone from home for a couple of nights. So it all evens out.

 

[qwerty]

But then how many of the work at home people are going to go out to a bar or restaurant later tonight?

I will be at work until 3:00pm so that makes me better than everyone else . . . . . (my car is being worked on at a place two blocks from here and won't be done until then). Talking to the co-workers who are here now, most are leaving before 2:00.

 

[cycloner29]

Obviously we need some time but I'm wondering, as we move towards more WFH, if it'll actually be good for society. I don't really think it will be. Sure, it may be good for business, productivity, and even home life but, man, I can't help but think removing social interaction isn't good especially considering how we can look at kids being more removed from social interaction and they don't seem to be doing better than previous generations. I certainly see the appeal of working from home and I'd consider myself to be someone who can be in their own company for a long time and function but I noticed a pretty big difference in how I felt when I have to stay home fore 5 days when I had covid.

I removed myself from social interaction with my former company owner's. Got really tired of hearing at company meetings how the economy has turned downward, times are tough, may have to lay some people off. Yet everyone knew though that one owner was building a new mansion, the other buying a new RV, and one buying a farm, but hey times are tough and we are one big family. Talk about a crock of BS!! Social interaction is one thing, pure arrogance is another.

 

[Cyclones_R_GR8]

But then how many of the work at home people are going to go out to a bar

Definitely, Even if it is for a short time period. You have to have some sort of interaction with other people.

 

[Drew0311]

Obviously we need some time but I'm wondering, as we move towards more WFH, if it'll actually be good for society. I don't really think it will be. Sure, it may be good for business, productivity, and even home life but, man, I can't help but think removing social interaction isn't good especially considering how we can look at kids being more removed from social interaction and they don't seem to be doing better than previous generations. I certainly see the appeal of working from home and I'd consider myself to be someone who can be in their own company for a long time and function but I noticed a pretty big difference in how I felt when I have to stay home fore 5 days when I had covid.

To be honest. I have noticed since my 5 years of working from home that I go out to the bars more. Im not proud of it but I need to get social with people face to face. Otherwise I spend entirely to much time talking to my dog, whom speaks little English. So I would say WFH is good for bars and resturants.