Like many posters I am currently working from home until it is safe to return to the office.
While the home schooling is a pain in the bollix but I am actually missing going into the office.
Anyone else similar?
Reason I ask is that I have been reading some companies are planning on keeping their staff homeworking.
If that happens to me I would consider looking for a new job.
Dont get me wrong, the commute is shit but I would still prefer to be in an office than sitting at home all day every day
I'd have to agree.
I was use to working from home couple of days a week as my job has a long commute and they let me do it and use to love it as it was a good combination but I have to say I am dying to get back to the office as feel like i'm going mad in the house.
I was thinking that after covid that companies would start doing this and only today I was talking to a colleague in Scotland who is leaving the company and he has been offered a work from home contract.
New Norms! :-\
I'm loving working from home and definitely more productive. It was a pain at the start as we had no child care and working with a 6 month old isn't easy but since childcare kicked in it has gotten so much better. I still take runs into the office as needed but if I never have to go back full time I won't miss it! Maybe it's my age and having been stuck in an office for nearly 20 odd years I'm happy to have freedom, I clock on at 8 finish most days by 4.30 and rarely need to work late. Nothing wrong with that
Working from home certainly requires a discipline that was not expected.
I've heard of a few working from who dress as if going to the office and actually get in the car and drive around for a few minutes before returning home and are thereby better prepared mentally for the day's work!!! I haven't found that necessary yet, but sometimes it is hard to get into the "work" frame of mind immediately after leaving the kitchen.
All in all though, I'd take home over office, but there are pitfalls...including spending too much time on work projects in a day.
Been WFH since just after St. Patrick's Day last year, with 1-2 days in the office per week. To be honest there were some few people in the office and with social distancing there was no real craic, so could easily work from home full time. At present I'm up to 5 days per week at home and there are definitely some technological shortcomings from being at home if need to scan a big document for example but with increased electronic documentation systems and even using Adobe Scan etc on the phone things are improving. Work was manic last year so there was a lot of working in the evenings but planning to reduce it this year.
The lad opposite me in the job slurpped his tea really loudly and drove me mad. I miss the f**ker now!
I changed roles at the end of august and can't do my new job form home. In my old role I was WFH from March to august and while it was ok at the start it got tiresome very quickly. You miss actual real life human interaction
Quote from: Ball Hopper on January 13, 2021, 07:38:40 PM
Working from home certainly requires a discipline that was not expected.
I've heard of a few working from who dress as if going to the office and actually get in the car and drive around for a few minutes before returning home and are thereby better prepared mentally for the day's work!!! I haven't found that necessary yet, but sometimes it is hard to get into the "work" frame of mind immediately after leaving the kitchen.
All in all though, I'd take home over office, but there are pitfalls...including spending too much time on work projects in a day.
Twats. I can picture the LinkedIn posts now.
Working from home requires discipline and routine is important, but sort of shite is absolute nonsense.
It's not a real job if you're able to work from home.
Quote from: ONeill on January 13, 2021, 10:32:37 PM
It's not a real job if you're able to work from home.
I go out and chop wood on my lunch break and rub soil onto my skin. I like watching Cheers or Frasier at my morning tea so no rush back to the office.
I've been working from home from last March and I can't see me being back in the office until autumn at the earliest. I don't miss the 3 hour round trip to Belfast and have probably saved at least £100/week on commuting/coffee etc. Like BC I usually work from 8-4.30 and probably for the first time in my life my flexi is well up.
I am not sure I'll even be back in the office this year.
We'd a table tennis table so I miss that but it's so much handier working from home for nursery pick ups etc.
When busy I've no problem working from home and get far more done. If quiet it does my nut in.
I just miss nice sandwiches and our work table tennis table.
The lack of social interaction is hard to get used to.
No amount of zoom meetings can make up for that.
I'm in the same boat as a lot of people on here in that I've been working exclusively from
home since last March.
There are positives and negatives to it.
I lived in Galway city for a long time but now live about 20 miles from the city where my office is but the morning commuter traffic is an absolute nightmare so that's one aspect I certainly don't miss.
Also I have young kids and I do get to see more of them during the week. When I was in the office they would often be in bed by the time I got home as I rarely left on time due to our workload.
I do definitely miss the social interaction of the office though and the buzz of the city (our office is slap bang in the city centre).
When things return to some form of normality I would say it will be a split week for me - probably 3 days in the office and 2 at home or vice versa.
The split week would be ideal, unfortunately it isnt something we can do due to equipment needing to be stationery.
Quote from: Taylor on January 14, 2021, 08:18:25 AM
The split week would be ideal, unfortunately it isnt something we can do due to equipment needing to be stationery.
I'm lucky in that I work in IT so theoretically could work from anywhere that has internet access.
Been WFH since the end of March last year. In the main I have to say the pros outweigh the cons, no M1 traffic in the morning, saving money, gives me back 2 hours from my day and can generally get more work done. Then there is the obvious benefit of not having someone over in your ear every 5 mins and the fact I can have a wee lie down on the sofa at anytime during the day lol. Also have been doing assignments to obtain chartered status with my work, not a chance I'd have the same motivation doing same if I was only getting home at 6 every evening. Have to say though the last few months I have missed the office interactions and you definitely do get up off your seat more in the office than you'd think - other than the odd walk/run after work, I don't think I'm moving as much as I did in the office and get definitely feel it with the extra ache or pain. Think going forward a flexible approach for e.g. 3 days office and 2 days at home would be fine, or vice versa.
I've been wfh for the past two and a half years - it allowed us to to move out of Dublin and go back west. I like WFH but you definitely miss chatting to people in the office. In an ideal world, I'd probably go for a flexible 2/3 split.
In the first lockdown I worked from home with young kids. Impossible. You got nothing done. Trying to run a business, mind staff, mind children , I honestly thought I'd end up in the mental. Thankfully we now have childcare sorted and I can go into the office, although the staff are all WFH. It has challenges but I love the office environment and certainly get more done that if I was at home minding children.
One of my employees is begging me to come back in. I'm not sure what to do about that just yet given were we are in terms of the pandemic and obviously then I'd be back at home...
Been WFH since mid March and no sign of going back. We have a big office in Birmingham city centre (landlords all over will be doing serious sweating) and talking to colleagues bar one or two noone wants to go back into the office. In terms of the work itself we had a massive email culture (ass covering usually) where lads sitting beside each other would put stuff in writing so in terms of communication it hasn't made much difference. In some ways the numerous zoom call meetings has created a more disciplined structure that previously wasn't there. Have only had one day where broadband was up the left and EE provided some temporary hotspot or something to get round it so all ok that way.
Which brings me on to a question. It is quite likely in the future i will be able to do the job from anywhere so why stay here would be my thinking. The only condition is that wherever i go would need to have A1 broadband to do the job. So for example if i was to buy somewhere at home how good are the broadband connections say if you were buying a house in the sticks or is broadband in the north a work in progress ?
Quote from: gallsman on January 13, 2021, 10:28:57 PM
Quote from: Ball Hopper on January 13, 2021, 07:38:40 PM
Working from home certainly requires a discipline that was not expected.
I've heard of a few working from who dress as if going to the office and actually get in the car and drive around for a few minutes before returning home and are thereby better prepared mentally for the day's work!!! I haven't found that necessary yet, but sometimes it is hard to get into the "work" frame of mind immediately after leaving the kitchen.
All in all though, I'd take home over office, but there are pitfalls...including spending too much time on work projects in a day.
Twats. I can picture the LinkedIn posts now.
Working from home requires discipline and routine is important, but sort of shite is absolute nonsense.
This is certainly taking it to another level. However I would agree with the 'dressing for work' part. It definitely affects your approach to the day.
During the first lockdown I tried WFH for 2 days but with the kids there it was a nightmare so just went back to the office. It's only me and another lad in one office so it wasn't that bad.
My company has 2 offices one a mile from my house and the other in Dublin. Everything I do is for the Dublin site though so I could easily work remotely and we have 2 staff doing similar positions from the UK and Spain but like everyone else I'd miss the craic.
I find I'm definitely not as motivated when I'm at home I much prefer the office environment and the craic of an odd Friday when a few would head to the pub and the odd work night out to the races we used to have. When the kids go back to childcare I might switch it up with a day WFH a week maybe but it's good to have the option there.
Been WFH since March last year like a lot of people and even with the kids, all five of them I'd say I'm more productive as you're not getting called about the place for stupid stuff like I'd normally be. I do go in once in a while for things that just can't be done remotely and the office is nothing like it used to be with social distancing, whatever people in are wearing masks and sitting miles apart, so very little interaction there anyway.
Longer term you do need to get out of the house once in a while and when things do return to some form of normal I'd be pushing to WFH for at least two days in the week.
The savings on fuel and childcare have been unreal.
Quote from: johnnycool on January 14, 2021, 09:51:03 AM
Been WFH since March last year like a lot of people and even with the kids, all five of them I'd say I'm more productive as you're not getting called about the place for stupid stuff like I'd normally be. I do go in once in a while for things that just can't be done remotely and the office is nothing like it used to be with social distancing, whatever people in are wearing masks and sitting miles apart, so very little interaction there anyway.
Longer term you do need to get out of the house once in a while and when things do return to some form of normal I'd be pushing to WFH for at least two days in the week.
The savings on fuel and childcare have been unreal.
You have certainly been productive johnny
I think there's a big difference between WFH with kids in the house and not.
For the first number of months the creche my 2 kids attend was closed and it was very hard to do a proper days work. I would mind them in the morning and my wife would take over in the afternoon.
We would then both try and do a bit when they went to bed.
My youngest is at an age where you can't really even attempt to work while minding her.
When the crèches reopened it became much much easier.
They are closed again now obviously but don't think they will stay shut for as long.
We are paying over €1k per month for the creche for our two kids so one benefit was we were able to put that money aside and use it to put in a bit of a play area in the back garden for them.
If the crèches stayed closed for a longer extended period of time (say for 6 months+) I don't know what we would do though as neither of us are getting much done at the moment so realistically we'd probably both have to take some unpaid time off.
Find myself hating you lads who work from home....although I suppose you always want what you don't have.
I've been in work ever since it all kicked off. from 7 odd to 5 each day I notice no difference in my life....it's the other, fun part that grates.
Back in March/April we tried WFH 3 days per week. I found it good & was really productive as I was making a point of getting stuff done & showing that WFH could work for the company after COVID. It only lasted for 4 weeks as it became clear that others were doing absolutely feck all. Our team were keeping in touch via Whatsapp & MS teams, (both apps you can install on your phone), and lads weren't responding to questions from the Dept. manager for hours or not at all. Pissed me off, they could have responded on their phones even if they were lying outside in the sun
Wife was on maternity & the weather was good so the kids didn't bother me much, but we've a new-born in the house now & couldn't see WFH working for me atm – we haven't done it this time anyway, we've 85 people at their desks spread out around the building.
Question: has anyone moved job during the pandemic straight to a WFH role?
Quote from: WeeDonns on January 14, 2021, 10:59:10 AM
Back in March/April we tried WFH 3 days per week. I found it good & was really productive as I was making a point of getting stuff done & showing that WFH could work for the company after COVID. It only lasted for 4 weeks as it became clear that others were doing absolutely feck all. Our team were keeping in touch via Whatsapp & MS teams, (both apps you can install on your phone), and lads weren't responding to questions from the Dept. manager for hours or not at all. Pissed me off, they could have responded on their phones even if they were lying outside in the sun
Wife was on maternity & the weather was good so the kids didn't bother me much, but we've a new-born in the house now & couldn't see WFH working for me atm – we haven't done it this time anyway, we've 85 people at their desks spread out around the building.
Question: has anyone moved job during the pandemic straight to a WFH role?
That's a killer if the work isn't getting done it can ruin it for everyone! They'd soon pull the WFH in our place if that was happening but then we've all got monthly targets and a monthly zoom with the Directors so if someone isn't pulling their weight it wouldn't be long getting noticed!!
Quote from: WeeDonns on January 14, 2021, 10:59:10 AM
Back in March/April we tried WFH 3 days per week. I found it good & was really productive as I was making a point of getting stuff done & showing that WFH could work for the company after COVID. It only lasted for 4 weeks as it became clear that others were doing absolutely feck all. Our team were keeping in touch via Whatsapp & MS teams, (both apps you can install on your phone), and lads weren't responding to questions from the Dept. manager for hours or not at all. Pissed me off, they could have responded on their phones even if they were lying outside in the sun
Wife was on maternity & the weather was good so the kids didn't bother me much, but we've a new-born in the house now & couldn't see WFH working for me atm – we haven't done it this time anyway, we've 85 people at their desks spread out around the building.
Question: has anyone moved job during the pandemic straight to a WFH role?
I have a colleague who has just accepted WFH role regardless of how covid pans out. He's delighted - he will have to go to production sites so one of the benefits he says is if he has to go anywhere for work its 45p a mile when the car leaves the house.
He has one kid and they are school age so i'd say hes at a good stage in his life for it.
I had 2/3 day split WFH north - Dublin Office for a year or so before the pandemic and really loved it.
Quote from: WeeDonns on January 14, 2021, 10:59:10 AM
Back in March/April we tried WFH 3 days per week. I found it good & was really productive as I was making a point of getting stuff done & showing that WFH could work for the company after COVID. It only lasted for 4 weeks as it became clear that others were doing absolutely feck all. Our team were keeping in touch via Whatsapp & MS teams, (both apps you can install on your phone), and lads weren't responding to questions from the Dept. manager for hours or not at all. Pissed me off, they could have responded on their phones even if they were lying outside in the sun
Wife was on maternity & the weather was good so the kids didn't bother me much, but we've a new-born in the house now & couldn't see WFH working for me atm – we haven't done it this time anyway, we've 85 people at their desks spread out around the building.
Question: has anyone moved job during the pandemic straight to a WFH role?
I will be doing the opposite if I have to work from home.
I think its the mental health side of things as well that pisses me off working from home
If kids are in school or looked after etc then working from home is doable but if you have young children just forget about it. I lost count of the amount of Zoom calls I did with children on my knee.
I find that the key to it working for me is making sure I keep getting exercise and I keep a structure to the day. I go for a 20 minute walk nearly every lunchtime and that breaks the day and gets me fresh air and then get out for a run 2-3 times a week. I have had meetings with the baby on the knee but that doesn't happen anymore. I'm lucky as there are 4 of us in the team with young kids and we only have a small enough team.
We had been doing team 'chats' 2-3 mornings a week at the start just to keep us sane. We don't do it as much but we have a weekly meeting and ad hoc chats 4-5 times a week and that helps. I certainly would be happy to keep this going when we go back to normal as I'll be in hearings most weeks so I would be out of the house or office anyway
Hope you all continue to work from home - makes my newry to dublin return journey an absolute breeze in the mornings ;D
like some - i cant work from home.
I can't work from home and I have no wish to either, I know the type of person I am, I need structure and the discipline that structure gives. The wife is WFH and 3 teenagers are at home - it would be a punishment sending me home to work.
Quote from: general on January 14, 2021, 03:59:44 PM
Hope you all continue to work from home - makes my newry to dublin return journey an absolute breeze in the mornings ;D
like some - i cant work from home.
Getting out of Newry can't be a bad thing.
I'd love to get a London job in the current environment and live in NI. I don't think anyone in my industry will ever be back in the office full time so I think in theory it should be possible and good for NI wages. My company has got rid of its belfast city centre office completely, we now have an office outside Belfast with only 25% capacity.
https://www.rte.ie/news/2021/0115/1189819-remote-work-strategy/
Them FG/FF feckers at it again, making changes and running countries and all that
Quote from: Mario on January 14, 2021, 11:10:24 PM
I'd love to get a London job in the current environment and live in NI. I don't think anyone in my industry will ever be back in the office full time so I think in theory it should be possible and good for NI wages. My company has got rid of its belfast city centre office completely, we now have an office outside Belfast with only 25% capacity.
In theory Mario - but in reality it will be companies offering a lower salary because they know they can get away with it (in many cases it will still be better than what companies pay here now)
In the IT space it's very possible to do that. A good mate of mine does it and I know other ones who have done it before too.
It depends on the area you work in I guess. It's definitely very possible in programming anyway.
Quote from: Mario on January 14, 2021, 11:10:24 PM
I'd love to get a London job in the current environment and live in NI. I don't think anyone in my industry will ever be back in the office full time so I think in theory it should be possible and good for NI wages. My company has got rid of its belfast city centre office completely, we now have an office outside Belfast with only 25% capacity.
Have a friend based in London who works in IT in the City. Management already having discussions about different pay scales for those "living outside the commuter belt".
He's lucky enough to be in a position where he can tell them to get fucked and is going to move to Edinburgh and commute 2/3 days every fortnight on his own dime as required, but that'll not be the standard for sure
Quote from: Mario on January 14, 2021, 11:10:24 PM
I'd love to get a London job in the current environment and live in NI. I don't think anyone in my industry will ever be back in the office full time so I think in theory it should be possible and good for NI wages. My company has got rid of its belfast city centre office completely, we now have an office outside Belfast with only 25% capacity.
This is what prompted my question
I previously worked in a software developers in Belfast - good enough money, hours, perks etc
I moved home to west Tyrone & did the ~2.5-3 hour commute daily for a year - they talked about allowing WFH a few days but it never materialised, so I got fed up & moved to a local firm - 7 years ago now.
It wouldn't have all the perks of the previous job, or the salary I'd be on now if I'd stayed putt - but it was the right decision at the time to cut out that commute
Can't help but think it'd be great to be getting the Belfast equivalent to my salary, but WFH with none of the financial or time costs of the commute now
Quote from: gallsman on January 15, 2021, 09:24:24 AM
Have a friend based in London who works in IT in the City. Management already having discussions about different pay scales for those "living outside the commuter belt".
Can understand this. The high Salaries are necessary because of the high costs of living in the city, but if those costs are massively reduced you either have employees with a lot more disposable income, or more profit for employers if they reduce salaries based on location..
If companies in the city realise they can hire skilled software developers in the sticks for a reasonable salary for that location, then they might start doing that - but what's to stop them hiring developers from countries where that costs are even lower :-\
Where you getting the better salary and perks because it was a Belfast base job?
And what are you doing in an office that you can't do at home?
Business will see huge benefits from not renting office space, going forward this can only mean better business for them financially?
Quote from: gallsman on January 15, 2021, 09:24:24 AM
Quote from: Mario on January 14, 2021, 11:10:24 PM
I'd love to get a London job in the current environment and live in NI. I don't think anyone in my industry will ever be back in the office full time so I think in theory it should be possible and good for NI wages. My company has got rid of its belfast city centre office completely, we now have an office outside Belfast with only 25% capacity.
Have a friend based in London who works in IT in the City. Management already having discussions about different pay scales for those "living outside the commuter belt".
He's lucky enough to be in a position where he can tell them to get fucked and is going to move to Edinburgh and commute 2/3 days every fortnight on his own dime as required, but that'll not be the standard for sure
Yes, salary realignment they call it. Some accountant will be getting a gold star
Not every iIT company does that and on a global scale with IT companies it is currently a hot topic as lots of people now realise they can move out of "the bay" in San Francisco to affordable housing and still maintain a job in some of the bigger players. These people would generally be on a fortune too and are determined to stay on it.
https://m.independent.ie/irish-news/home-workers-to-receive-new-package-of-tax-incentives-in-the-next-budget-says-tanaiste-39974515.html
Quote from: Rossfan on January 16, 2021, 02:21:37 PM
https://m.independent.ie/irish-news/home-workers-to-receive-new-package-of-tax-incentives-in-the-next-budget-says-tanaiste-39974515.html
Has Leo ever followed up on the WFH legislation?
Anyone getting fed up with this by now.
Quote from: Average Score on March 08, 2022, 12:59:16 PM
Anyone getting fed up with this by now.
I was then I saw the price of Diesel
Quote from: WT4E on March 08, 2022, 01:29:16 PM
Quote from: Average Score on March 08, 2022, 12:59:16 PM
Anyone getting fed up with this by now.
I was then I saw the price of Diesel
Fair point but feck its boring.
Quote from: Average Score on March 08, 2022, 12:59:16 PM
Anyone getting fed up with this by now.
Is the advise not that you're free to head back in if you like??
Quote from: screenexile on March 08, 2022, 03:02:18 PM
Quote from: Average Score on March 08, 2022, 12:59:16 PM
Anyone getting fed up with this by now.
Is the advise not that you're free to head back in if you like??
We have nowhere to head back too!
Think youre lookin for the "Lost yer job" thread tbh 😊
Quote from: quit yo jibbajabba on March 08, 2022, 03:37:58 PM
Think youre lookin for the "Lost yer job" thread tbh 😊
Our support staff all worked in the head office in Dublin. since the working from home has been in place I can get more support quicker than I ever did, I've certainly seen a benefit from it and ones with young children must be seeing huge benefits from it also.
Has made my work run more smoothly tbf
Our place has taken decision that as we only need to attend 1 day per week the office will be moved to a cheap site out by the m42 motorway near Tamworth. Means lots of people cannot get there as it isnt served by public transport. Could be interesting times ahead. Was very surprised to hear how many of the lads dont actually drive and never have.
Quote from: Milltown Row2 on March 08, 2022, 03:46:36 PM
Quote from: quit yo jibbajabba on March 08, 2022, 03:37:58 PM
Think youre lookin for the "Lost yer job" thread tbh 😊
Our support staff all worked in the head office in Dublin. since the working from home has been in place I can get more support quicker than I ever did, I've certainly seen a benefit from it and ones with young children must be seeing huge benefits from it also.
Has made my work run more smoothly tbf
We've a young child and the working from home has made life so much easier. We can get him by 5 and it's a 10 minute jaunt in the morning way after 8.
I also get way way more work done at home than I would in the office and have much better places to run at lunchtime etc. Tbh I can't be bothered going in again - I've not been in this year :D I will have to make an effort to not be so anti-social though.
certainly shown who the spongers are anyway
wantng dublin wages to work 2 hours a day from home ::)
frontliners didn't have this option, working every day as normal for minimal pay
leo and martin not helping either :(
Quote from: Mikhail Prokhorov on March 08, 2022, 04:35:08 PM
certainly shown who the spongers are anyway
wantng dublin wages to work 2 hours a day from home ::)
frontliners didn't have this option, working every day as normal for minimal pay
leo and martin not helping either :(
There are other jobs
Quote from: Mikhail Prokhorov on March 08, 2022, 04:35:08 PM
certainly shown who the spongers are anyway
wantng dublin wages to work 2 hours a day from home ::)
frontliners didn't have this option, working every day as normal for minimal pay
leo and martin not helping either :(
Does everyone wfh work 2 hours a day or just some ???
Is this still a thing?!?!
Quote from: imtommygunn on March 08, 2022, 05:33:52 PM
Quote from: Mikhail Prokhorov on March 08, 2022, 04:35:08 PM
certainly shown who the spongers are anyway
wantng dublin wages to work 2 hours a day from home ::)
frontliners didn't have this option, working every day as normal for minimal pay
leo and martin not helping either :(
Does everyone wfh work 2 hours a day or just some ???
Jesus I wish I worked 2 hours a day from home! Seen me clicked on from 7am to 5 with no break! Nearly all my work is online now for hearings etc so there's no need to be in an office.
Quote from: Mikhail Prokhorov on March 08, 2022, 04:35:08 PM
certainly shown who the spongers are anyway
wantng dublin wages to work 2 hours a day from home ::)
frontliners didn't have this option, working every day as normal for minimal pay
leo and martin not helping either :(
As much of a gobshite/WUM here as in the golf thread then.
I thought I'd hate going back into the office but it has been far better than WFH. I do one full day WFH, 2 full days in work and 2 days where I leave early afternoon to get home for the school bus run. Driving into work is a pain in the arse but I have a decent mix and being in work is far better craic than at home.
Quote from: OgraAnDun on March 08, 2022, 06:03:09 PM
Quote from: Mikhail Prokhorov on March 08, 2022, 04:35:08 PM
certainly shown who the spongers are anyway
wantng dublin wages to work 2 hours a day from home ::)
frontliners didn't have this option, working every day as normal for minimal pay
leo and martin not helping either :(
As much of a gobshite/WUM here as in the golf thread then.
Consistent in any "nordie" threads too. ::)
we look like we are staying by and large WFH. Far prefer it myself.
Do miss the craic a little bit but trying a few different things so that don't lose team spirit:
i) meetings start with 5 minute chit chat
ii) 30 mins set aside in everyone's agenda once every two weeks to have 3x10 minute random conversations
iii) using this app https://www.gather.town/ (https://www.gather.town/) which if you're a smallish team (we're 20) is pretty good. the messaging side is sh*t but in terms of facilitating face to face with team members is pretty good.
Quote from: CiKe on March 08, 2022, 08:57:06 PM
we look like we are staying by and large WFH. Far prefer it myself.
Do miss the craic a little bit but trying a few different things so that don't lose team spirit:
i) meetings start with 5 minute chit chat
ii) 30 mins set aside in everyone's agenda once every two weeks to have 3x10 minute random conversations
iii) using this app https://www.gather.town/ (https://www.gather.town/) which if you're a smallish team (we're 20) is pretty good. the messaging side is sh*t but in terms of facilitating face to face with team members is pretty good.
Hard to flirt though ;)
Quote from: CiKe on March 08, 2022, 08:57:06 PM
we look like we are staying by and large WFH. Far prefer it myself.
Do miss the craic a little bit but trying a few different things so that don't lose team spirit:
i) meetings start with 5 minute chit chat
ii) 30 mins set aside in everyone's agenda once every two weeks to have 3x10 minute random conversations
iii) using this app https://www.gather.town/ (https://www.gather.town/) which if you're a smallish team (we're 20) is pretty good. the messaging side is sh*t but in terms of facilitating face to face with team members is pretty good.
Whether I'm in an office or wfh, this is an absolute no. Come prepared, start on time, stick to agenda and aim to finish early.
Starting with a casual chat has already switched the context which is completely unproductive.
Quote from: thebigfella on March 08, 2022, 10:08:11 PM
Quote from: CiKe on March 08, 2022, 08:57:06 PM
we look like we are staying by and large WFH. Far prefer it myself.
Do miss the craic a little bit but trying a few different things so that don't lose team spirit:
i) meetings start with 5 minute chit chat
ii) 30 mins set aside in everyone's agenda once every two weeks to have 3x10 minute random conversations
iii) using this app https://www.gather.town/ (https://www.gather.town/) which if you're a smallish team (we're 20) is pretty good. the messaging side is sh*t but in terms of facilitating face to face with team members is pretty good.
Whether I'm in an office or wfh, this is an absolute no. Come prepared, start on time, stick to agenda and aim to finish early.
Starting with a casual chat has already switched the context which is completely unproductive.
You must be a joy to work with.
Quote from: thebigfella on March 08, 2022, 10:08:11 PM
Quote from: CiKe on March 08, 2022, 08:57:06 PM
we look like we are staying by and large WFH. Far prefer it myself.
Do miss the craic a little bit but trying a few different things so that don't lose team spirit:
i) meetings start with 5 minute chit chat
ii) 30 mins set aside in everyone's agenda once every two weeks to have 3x10 minute random conversations
iii) using this app https://www.gather.town/ (https://www.gather.town/) which if you're a smallish team (we're 20) is pretty good. the messaging side is sh*t but in terms of facilitating face to face with team members is pretty good.
Whether I'm in an office or wfh, this is an absolute no. Come prepared, start on time, stick to agenda and aim to finish early.
Starting with a casual chat has already switched the context which is completely unproductive.
I suppose it depends on what you are doing. That approach will work in small companies/teams who are doing repetitive tasks and/or tasks that require little to no thought, where you can gather a small crew of like minded drones.
If you are in a large company / team you will find that people are, well, different and what is productive for some won't be productive for others.
If you are doing work that isn't repetitive, and requires some level of thought to keep it all together, then collaboration within the team is imperative.
Getting the balance between task-specific time, and catch-up time will make or break a busy day
Quote from: Never beat the deeler on March 09, 2022, 12:48:52 AM
Quote from: thebigfella on March 08, 2022, 10:08:11 PM
Quote from: CiKe on March 08, 2022, 08:57:06 PM
we look like we are staying by and large WFH. Far prefer it myself.
Do miss the craic a little bit but trying a few different things so that don't lose team spirit:
i) meetings start with 5 minute chit chat
ii) 30 mins set aside in everyone's agenda once every two weeks to have 3x10 minute random conversations
iii) using this app https://www.gather.town/ (https://www.gather.town/) which if you're a smallish team (we're 20) is pretty good. the messaging side is sh*t but in terms of facilitating face to face with team members is pretty good.
Whether I'm in an office or wfh, this is an absolute no. Come prepared, start on time, stick to agenda and aim to finish early.
Starting with a casual chat has already switched the context which is completely unproductive.
I suppose it depends on what you are doing. That approach will work in small companies/teamswho are doing repetitive tasks and/or tasks that require little to no thought, where you can gather a small crew of like minded drones.
If you are in a large company / team you will find that people are, well, different and what is productive for some won't be productive for others.
If you are doing work that isn't repetitive, and requires some level of thought to keep it all together, then collaboration within the team is imperative.
Getting the balance between task-specific time, and catch-up time will make or break a busy day
Sorry bullsh1t, it's actually the opposite way round too in large companies.
It's a meeting and timeboxed to get through an agenda. The amount of meetings I go to that could be done in half the time just because people can't stick to the agenda and focus is ridiculous. The agenda is there to put boundaries on the conversation and collaboration not stop it, otherwise everyone just ends up bikeshedding.
By all means waffle on after the meeting but never in the world of productivity has anyone recommended that meeting starts off topic or devotes a disproportionate amount of time to trivial matters. Just because the meeting is online the same principles apply. Similarly workshops should have a clear vision of what the tangible output is i.e. a design, decision, next steps etc.... otherwise people just fcuk around.
There is lack of skills in most workplaces at the moment on how to have more efficient meetings which ultimately results in far too many meetings. When you have to coach professional people on how to provide an agenda and why it's important, you have to question why these people are in the role.
Quote from: Average Score on March 08, 2022, 10:34:33 PM
Quote from: thebigfella on March 08, 2022, 10:08:11 PM
Quote from: CiKe on March 08, 2022, 08:57:06 PM
we look like we are staying by and large WFH. Far prefer it myself.
Do miss the craic a little bit but trying a few different things so that don't lose team spirit:
i) meetings start with 5 minute chit chat
ii) 30 mins set aside in everyone's agenda once every two weeks to have 3x10 minute random conversations
iii) using this app https://www.gather.town/ (https://www.gather.town/) which if you're a smallish team (we're 20) is pretty good. the messaging side is sh*t but in terms of facilitating face to face with team members is pretty good.
Whether I'm in an office or wfh, this is an absolute no. Come prepared, start on time, stick to agenda and aim to finish early.
Starting with a casual chat has already switched the context which is completely unproductive.
You must be a joy to work with.
I would say I am because I'm an advocate of less meetings and in order to do that, meetings need to be productive. Also fewer meetings means more actual time to get on with tasks, which in turn leads to less need to do overtime or work under pressure to meet deadlines.
There is a time and place for casual chats when working from home long term but starting a meeting off topic is completely counter intuitive to how to run a meeting.
Quote from: thebigfella on March 09, 2022, 01:24:14 AM
Quote from: Never beat the deeler on March 09, 2022, 12:48:52 AM
Quote from: thebigfella on March 08, 2022, 10:08:11 PM
Quote from: CiKe on March 08, 2022, 08:57:06 PM
we look like we are staying by and large WFH. Far prefer it myself.
Do miss the craic a little bit but trying a few different things so that don't lose team spirit:
i) meetings start with 5 minute chit chat
ii) 30 mins set aside in everyone's agenda once every two weeks to have 3x10 minute random conversations
iii) using this app https://www.gather.town/ (https://www.gather.town/) which if you're a smallish team (we're 20) is pretty good. the messaging side is sh*t but in terms of facilitating face to face with team members is pretty good.
Whether I'm in an office or wfh, this is an absolute no. Come prepared, start on time, stick to agenda and aim to finish early.
Starting with a casual chat has already switched the context which is completely unproductive.
I suppose it depends on what you are doing. That approach will work in small companies/teamswho are doing repetitive tasks and/or tasks that require little to no thought, where you can gather a small crew of like minded drones.
If you are in a large company / team you will find that people are, well, different and what is productive for some won't be productive for others.
If you are doing work that isn't repetitive, and requires some level of thought to keep it all together, then collaboration within the team is imperative.
Getting the balance between task-specific time, and catch-up time will make or break a busy day
Sorry bullsh1t, it's actually the opposite way round too in large companies.
It's a meeting and timeboxed to get through an agenda. The amount of meetings I go to that could be done in half the time just because people can't stick to the agenda and focus is ridiculous. The agenda is there to put boundaries on the conversation and collaboration not stop it, otherwise everyone just ends up bikeshedding.
By all means waffle on after the meeting but never in the world of productivity has anyone recommended that meeting starts off topic or devotes a disproportionate amount of time to trivial matters. Just because the meeting is online the same principles apply. Similarly workshops should have a clear vision of what the tangible output is i.e. a design, decision, next steps etc.... otherwise people just fcuk around.
There is lack of skills in most workplaces at the moment on how to have more efficient meetings which ultimately results in far too many meetings. When you have to coach professional people on how to provide an agenda and why it's important, you have to question why these people are in the role.
I totally mis-read that - understood it to mean the day starts with a 5 min chit chat. As you were
Quote from: thebigfella on March 09, 2022, 01:36:12 AM
Quote from: Average Score on March 08, 2022, 10:34:33 PM
Quote from: thebigfella on March 08, 2022, 10:08:11 PM
Quote from: CiKe on March 08, 2022, 08:57:06 PM
we look like we are staying by and large WFH. Far prefer it myself.
Do miss the craic a little bit but trying a few different things so that don't lose team spirit:
i) meetings start with 5 minute chit chat
ii) 30 mins set aside in everyone's agenda once every two weeks to have 3x10 minute random conversations
iii) using this app https://www.gather.town/ (https://www.gather.town/) which if you're a smallish team (we're 20) is pretty good. the messaging side is sh*t but in terms of facilitating face to face with team members is pretty good.
Whether I'm in an office or wfh, this is an absolute no. Come prepared, start on time, stick to agenda and aim to finish early.
Starting with a casual chat has already switched the context which is completely unproductive.
You must be a joy to work with.
I would say I am because I'm an advocate of less meetings and in order to do that, meetings need to be productive. Also fewer meetings means more actual time to get on with tasks, which in turn leads to less need to do overtime or work under pressure to meet deadlines.
There is a time and place for casual chats when working from home long term but starting a meeting off topic is completely counter intuitive to how to run a meeting.
So in an era of folk increasingly isolated, being mandated to work from home for 2 years or now choosing to do so due to expensive fuel costs, you would prohibit folk from saying hello how's it going, you well etc. prior to a meeting starting. Surely this would help moral especially chatting to folk you once sat with for years but now never see, in fact I am now thinking you are on the windup as I just noticed you also would prohibit this from an office meeting, what happens here 12 people wander in say absolutely nothing to one another and then the "leader" says item 1........, you are taking the piss.
As for the bit in bold to help your productivity can Mick ring Bob for 40 minutes and chat about Liverpool match last night - that ok!
Quote from: thebigfella on March 09, 2022, 01:36:12 AM
Quote from: Average Score on March 08, 2022, 10:34:33 PM
Quote from: thebigfella on March 08, 2022, 10:08:11 PM
Quote from: CiKe on March 08, 2022, 08:57:06 PM
we look like we are staying by and large WFH. Far prefer it myself.
Do miss the craic a little bit but trying a few different things so that don't lose team spirit:
i) meetings start with 5 minute chit chat
ii) 30 mins set aside in everyone's agenda once every two weeks to have 3x10 minute random conversations
iii) using this app https://www.gather.town/ (https://www.gather.town/) which if you're a smallish team (we're 20) is pretty good. the messaging side is sh*t but in terms of facilitating face to face with team members is pretty good.
Whether I'm in an office or wfh, this is an absolute no. Come prepared, start on time, stick to agenda and aim to finish early.
Starting with a casual chat has already switched the context which is completely unproductive.
You must be a joy to work with.
I would say I am because I'm an advocate of less meetings and in order to do that, meetings need to be productive. Also fewer meetings means more actual time to get on with tasks, which in turn leads to less need to do overtime or work under pressure to meet deadlines.
There is a time and place for casual chats when working from home long term but starting a meeting off topic is completely counter intuitive to how to run a meeting.
This was my initial take as well, our meetings used drive me crazy, people arriving late, then chit chat, often no agenda etc. However we have seen that employees are screaming out for better communication and a bit more social interaction, but definitively do not want to go back to the office.
In a remote first environment I think it is hard for there to be too much communication and it's important to have an idea of how people are actually feeling. I've actually noticed that our meetings are now better run, if you arrive late you miss the chit-chat and we start on schedule. Requires slight mental adjustment to say ok, that 12:00 meeting, the real stuff is at 12:05 but the adaptation is surprisingly quick.
We really work hard to keep our meetings to a minimum, if you are in one of these places where there are constant meetings, hard to see how it could work. If that isn't the case, my advice would be to try it before you completely shut the door.
I am glad I don't work with you two! Work to live FFS not the other way around.
Lets deal with these one by one.
Quote from: Average Score on March 09, 2022, 07:57:12 AM
So in an era of folk increasingly isolated, being mandated to work from home for 2 years or now choosing to do so due to expensive fuel costs, you would prohibit folk from saying hello how's it going, you well etc. prior to a meeting starting.
Where did I say that. Starting with 5 mins non related chat is mandating context switching and impairs focus.
Quote from: Average Score on March 09, 2022, 07:57:12 AM
Surely this would help moral especially chatting to folk you once sat with for years but now never see,
Conversely if "social moral building" session were mandated, would people accept that they start with 5 mins of actual work?
Quote from: Average Score on March 09, 2022, 07:57:12 AM
in fact I am now thinking you are on the windup as I just noticed you also would prohibit this from an office meeting, what happens here 12 people wander in say absolutely nothing to one another and then the "leader" says item 1........, you are taking the piss.
Again where have I said 12 people say nothing to each other. Mandating 12 people start talking among themselves for 5 mins is a complete no.
Quote from: Average Score on March 09, 2022, 07:57:12 AM
As for the bit in bold to help your productivity can Mick ring Bob for 40 minutes and chat about Liverpool match last night - that ok!
Mick can go round to Bob's and suck him off while watching videos of Kenny Daliglish to help productivity for all I care. As long as the work is done to agreed deadlines and to an acceptable quality.
As a professional they would be expected to be self organised, plus have the ability to manage their own workloads. If they want to spend 40 mins extra every day at work because they were discussing Liverpool, then that is their prerogative.
Meetings via Teams has certainly helped the start time for our meetings as physical meetings always started late as you were waiting for people coming from different buildings and if they were coming from another meeting they'd never leave early. Re. idle chit-chat there is definitely less of that as mix of WFH and onsite means you can catch up in person when onsite.
Quote from: Average Score on March 09, 2022, 08:25:12 AM
I am glad I don't work with you two! Work to live FFS not the other way around.
Exactly. I've 8 meetings between 30mins and an hour today which 5 minutes chat per meeting would result in 40 mins extra onto my work day.
Quote from: thebigfella on March 09, 2022, 11:33:12 AM
Lets deal with these one by one.
Quote from: Average Score on March 09, 2022, 07:57:12 AM
So in an era of folk increasingly isolated, being mandated to work from home for 2 years or now choosing to do so due to expensive fuel costs, you would prohibit folk from saying hello how's it going, you well etc. prior to a meeting starting.
Where did I say that. Starting with 5 mins non related chat is mandating context switching and impairs focus.
Unless you are performing open heart surgery or trying to control the fallout of a nuclear reactor, chatting for a few minutes prior to any meeting will not impair anyone's focus, if it does management need to redeploy them, I suspect you might be suffering from delusions of grandeur associated with your role.
Quote from: thebigfella on March 09, 2022, 11:46:31 AM
Quote from: Average Score on March 09, 2022, 08:25:12 AM
I am glad I don't work with you two! Work to live FFS not the other way around.
Exactly. I've 8 meetings between 30mins and an hour today which 5 minutes chat per meeting would result in 40 mins extra onto my work day.
Yet you have time to read and post here. :) I suspect you are a manager, I always found if folk are having to do overtime or struggling to meet deadlines, it was the result of those further up the hierarchy not doing their job correctly.
Quote from: Average Score on March 09, 2022, 11:56:39 AM
Quote from: thebigfella on March 09, 2022, 11:46:31 AM
Quote from: Average Score on March 09, 2022, 08:25:12 AM
I am glad I don't work with you two! Work to live FFS not the other way around.
Exactly. I've 8 meetings between 30mins and an hour today which 5 minutes chat per meeting would result in 40 mins extra onto my work day.
Yet you have time to read and post here. :) I suspect you are a manager, I always found if folk are having to do overtime or struggling to meet deadlines, it was the result of those further up the hierarchy not doing their job correctly.
;D ;D ;D ;D
Nobody in office job should be doing overtime , bad time management nearly always
Quote from: Fear Bun Na Sceilpe on March 09, 2022, 05:40:34 PM
Nobody in office job should be doing overtime , bad time management nearly always
That's pants too... i work to suit the customers, and if that means staying behind the odd time then hey ho!
Quote from: Fear Bun Na Sceilpe on March 09, 2022, 05:40:34 PM
Nobody in office job should be doing overtime , bad time management nearly always
Yer hole. In a service industry overtime is an inevitability.
Quote from: Fear Bun Na Sceilpe on March 09, 2022, 05:40:34 PM
Nobody in office job should be doing overtime , bad time management nearly always
Aye you, by chance, a civil servant?
Quote from: Fear Bun Na Sceilpe on March 09, 2022, 05:40:34 PM
Nobody in office job should be doing overtime , bad time management nearly always
Civil servants usually slow work down in their section so they can work up extra time off in lieu when there's a deadline
Quote from: thewobbler on March 09, 2022, 07:28:54 PM
Quote from: Fear Bun Na Sceilpe on March 09, 2022, 05:40:34 PM
Nobody in office job should be doing overtime , bad time management nearly always
Aye you, by chance, a civil servant?
Derry City thing
Owed a living
;)
Quote from: thewobbler on March 09, 2022, 07:28:54 PM
Quote from: Fear Bun Na Sceilpe on March 09, 2022, 05:40:34 PM
Nobody in office job should be doing overtime , bad time management nearly always
Aye you, by chance, a civil servant?
Sure civil servants love the OT. It's the work during standard time that they're not so keen on ;)
Quote from: Average Score on March 09, 2022, 11:56:39 AM
Quote from: thebigfella on March 09, 2022, 11:46:31 AM
Quote from: Average Score on March 09, 2022, 08:25:12 AM
I am glad I don't work with you two! Work to live FFS not the other way around.
Exactly. I've 8 meetings between 30mins and an hour today which 5 minutes chat per meeting would result in 40 mins extra onto my work day.
Yet you have time to read and post here. :) I suspect you are a manager, I always found if folk are having to do overtime or struggling to meet deadlines, it was the result of those further up the hierarchy not doing their job correctly.
Good one Angelo.
No I'm not a manager and sometimes imposed deadlines from further up the hierarchy does lead to overtime and deadlines being missed; but I'd say the vast majority is down to the wrong people being in the wrong roles in large organisations. Remote working has started to expose this a bit more.
Quote from: Average Score on March 09, 2022, 11:53:12 AM
Quote from: thebigfella on March 09, 2022, 11:33:12 AM
Lets deal with these one by one.
Quote from: Average Score on March 09, 2022, 07:57:12 AM
So in an era of folk increasingly isolated, being mandated to work from home for 2 years or now choosing to do so due to expensive fuel costs, you would prohibit folk from saying hello how's it going, you well etc. prior to a meeting starting.
Where did I say that. Starting with 5 mins non related chat is mandating context switching and impairs focus.
Unless you are performing open heart surgery or trying to control the fallout of a nuclear reactor, chatting for a few minutes prior to any meeting will not impair anyone's focus, if it does management need to redeploy them, I suspect you might be suffering from delusions of grandeur associated with your role.
Contrary to all the research and accepted behavioural science.
Did you read how to be a manager 2.0. The majority of office meetings aren't that important some manager looking to hear themselves talk, and trying to sound important.
Quote from: Average Score on March 10, 2022, 06:49:49 PM
Did you read how to be a manager 2.0. The majority of office meetings aren't that important some manager looking to hear themselves talk, and trying to sound important.
What the f**k you on about