Working From Home

[galwayman]

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.

[tintin25]

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.

[macdanger2]

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.

[trailer]

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...

[maddog]

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 ?

[ThroughTheLaces]

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.

[screenexile]

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.

[johnnycool]

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.

[Taylor]

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

[galwayman]

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.

[GetOverTheBar]

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.

[WeeDonns]

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?

[screenexile]

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!!

[WT4E]

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.

[Taylor]

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