Things that make you go What the F**k?

[Milltown Row2]

35

I'm a civil servant in the 6 counties. Since wfh began we were 2 days a week. Tbh the job i was doing, that suited as we were sending out a pile of letters so you went in, printed everything off and posted on your office days.

Our job changed last year to using the UC system so all communication switched to online anyway. Around September we were asked to work from home full time for a period (due to the building I'm in needing renovations) but tbh I've been able to do the job in exactly the same way. To be honest my mentality when wfh is I feel I almost need to work a bit harder to justify what I'm doing. 

I think the building work is almost done so it looks like we'll be back in the office sometime in February and we'll just have to suck that up.

However, if I got moved to Belfast at some stage I'd genuinely have to think about a job change. I did that for 20 years and I'd sooner go back to my office now 5 days a week than do 2 days in Belfast.

How far are you from Belfast?

35 miles.

Its crazy, myself included, complain about how far we have to work when we actually in comparison to other parts of the world live really close to work..

I'm about 28 miles and going away from traffic so its slightly easier than heading in to Belfast

You are using distance as the measure here. Factor in the time sat in traffic in Belfast which has only got worse since the new grand central station opened. Distance isn't the issue.

I would guess SS would be looking at an hour there and an hour back plus whatever battles to get parking

Yeah I get that, that is why I said I'm heading away from the traffic so easier than heading to Belfast..

Doesn't change what my point though, that we complain about our distance/time to work, we are a relatively small part of the world in terms of commute, the biggest problem is the infrastructure makes it ten times worse.

Fix that and we'll be in a better place.

[Tony Baloney]

35

I'm a civil servant in the 6 counties. Since wfh began we were 2 days a week. Tbh the job i was doing, that suited as we were sending out a pile of letters so you went in, printed everything off and posted on your office days.

Our job changed last year to using the UC system so all communication switched to online anyway. Around September we were asked to work from home full time for a period (due to the building I'm in needing renovations) but tbh I've been able to do the job in exactly the same way. To be honest my mentality when wfh is I feel I almost need to work a bit harder to justify what I'm doing. 

I think the building work is almost done so it looks like we'll be back in the office sometime in February and we'll just have to suck that up.

However, if I got moved to Belfast at some stage I'd genuinely have to think about a job change. I did that for 20 years and I'd sooner go back to my office now 5 days a week than do 2 days in Belfast.

How far are you from Belfast?

35 miles.

Its crazy, myself included, complain about how far we have to work when we actually in comparison to other parts of the world live really close to work..

I'm about 28 miles and going away from traffic so its slightly easier than heading in to Belfast

You are using distance as the measure here. Factor in the time sat in traffic in Belfast which has only got worse since the new grand central station opened. Distance isn't the issue.

I would guess SS would be looking at an hour there and an hour back plus whatever battles to get parking

I could easily take as long over the last 5 miles of that journey as the first 30 and then still a good 15+ min walk to the office as well from wherever you get parked. Belfast was a complete shit show to work in.

My job now is probably 15-20 miles but there's minimal traffic and we have a car park so it's totally different in terms of stress levels. Even better 3 days a week I've only the stairs to navigate into the office. Last year when the youngest was still at primary I could even arrange breaks etc to be in a position to collect him from school too.

Can you request locations or refuse a posting in the Silly Service or do you pretty much have to go where you are told?

[Harold Disgracey]

I'm working from home more or less full-time. I can't say I miss the 3 hour daily round trip to Belfast.

[imtommygunn]

I know several the same and they don't miss paying the money they would have been paying in fuel or the wear and tear on their cars. Probably saves some huge money plus ones with young kids get to do a lot more parenting.

[SaffronSports]

35

I'm a civil servant in the 6 counties. Since wfh began we were 2 days a week. Tbh the job i was doing, that suited as we were sending out a pile of letters so you went in, printed everything off and posted on your office days.

Our job changed last year to using the UC system so all communication switched to online anyway. Around September we were asked to work from home full time for a period (due to the building I'm in needing renovations) but tbh I've been able to do the job in exactly the same way. To be honest my mentality when wfh is I feel I almost need to work a bit harder to justify what I'm doing. 

I think the building work is almost done so it looks like we'll be back in the office sometime in February and we'll just have to suck that up.

However, if I got moved to Belfast at some stage I'd genuinely have to think about a job change. I did that for 20 years and I'd sooner go back to my office now 5 days a week than do 2 days in Belfast.

How far are you from Belfast?

35 miles.

Its crazy, myself included, complain about how far we have to work when we actually in comparison to other parts of the world live really close to work..

I'm about 28 miles and going away from traffic so its slightly easier than heading in to Belfast

You are using distance as the measure here. Factor in the time sat in traffic in Belfast which has only got worse since the new grand central station opened. Distance isn't the issue.

I would guess SS would be looking at an hour there and an hour back plus whatever battles to get parking

I could easily take as long over the last 5 miles of that journey as the first 30 and then still a good 15+ min walk to the office as well from wherever you get parked. Belfast was a complete shit show to work in.

My job now is probably 15-20 miles but there's minimal traffic and we have a car park so it's totally different in terms of stress levels. Even better 3 days a week I've only the stairs to navigate into the office. Last year when the youngest was still at primary I could even arrange breaks etc to be in a position to collect him from school too.

Can you request locations or refuse a posting in the Silly Service or do you pretty much have to go where you are told?

Pretty much told where you're going. I was in Belfast for about 20 years then got a transfer to Ballymena a few years back. Much better for my life. Half an hour from home and the traffic is never a patch on how it is in the city.

[Eamonnca1]

35

I'm a civil servant in the 6 counties. Since wfh began we were 2 days a week. Tbh the job i was doing, that suited as we were sending out a pile of letters so you went in, printed everything off and posted on your office days.

Our job changed last year to using the UC system so all communication switched to online anyway. Around September we were asked to work from home full time for a period (due to the building I'm in needing renovations) but tbh I've been able to do the job in exactly the same way. To be honest my mentality when wfh is I feel I almost need to work a bit harder to justify what I'm doing. 

I think the building work is almost done so it looks like we'll be back in the office sometime in February and we'll just have to suck that up.

However, if I got moved to Belfast at some stage I'd genuinely have to think about a job change. I did that for 20 years and I'd sooner go back to my office now 5 days a week than do 2 days in Belfast.

How far are you from Belfast?

35 miles.

Is the train an option for you?

[SaffronSports]

35

I'm a civil servant in the 6 counties. Since wfh began we were 2 days a week. Tbh the job i was doing, that suited as we were sending out a pile of letters so you went in, printed everything off and posted on your office days.

Our job changed last year to using the UC system so all communication switched to online anyway. Around September we were asked to work from home full time for a period (due to the building I'm in needing renovations) but tbh I've been able to do the job in exactly the same way. To be honest my mentality when wfh is I feel I almost need to work a bit harder to justify what I'm doing. 

I think the building work is almost done so it looks like we'll be back in the office sometime in February and we'll just have to suck that up.

However, if I got moved to Belfast at some stage I'd genuinely have to think about a job change. I did that for 20 years and I'd sooner go back to my office now 5 days a week than do 2 days in Belfast.

How far are you from Belfast?

35 miles.

Is the train an option for you?

Done the train for a while, done the bus for a while and drove for a while. I live in the Glens of Antrim so its go to Larne or Ballymena and then it's an hour from there on the train anyway. Getting to the age it would just completely do my head in now.

[BigGreenField]

My anecdata take on this is the hybrid working (which I take to mean flexibility to spread your hours about as well as location) does a lot for employees however for most paye workers there is a drop off in service/ efficiency/productivity, I think companies management not in tight labour positions see this hence the increase in requiring minimum office attendance.

I would say it should see more office  should see higher wage increases though as employers have used hybrid working as a reasons to keep a lid on pay despite the costs of travel.

Folk who don't like this (including me) can of course move to another job or move  house if they don't like this requirement to go in more.

Hard to judge this drop in service/efficiency for the NI public sector which has delivered poor standards of service before WFH was a thing (hence the union message of "we are getting through our work same as before")

I also strongly agree our public transport infrastructure is a disgrace, I don't think though it takes much for the average Joe to declare they must drive to work because it's too hard on public transport, (getting two buses with a change is not ideal but perfectly normal)

[Smokin Joe]

I know several the same and they don't miss paying the money they would have been paying in fuel or the wear and tear on their cars. Probably saves some huge money plus ones with young kids get to do a lot more parenting.

But all of this addtional "flexibility" results in your employer / our companies becoming less competitive.  I guarantee pre-Covid there was a lot less parenting able to be done during working hours.  This has to all result in / continue with higher costs for everything as we gradually get less productive combined with increased employer national insurance costs.

[Milltown Row2]

I live a 10 minute walk to my station. And a 7/8 drive to the mossely line that goes to Antrim Ballymena. So a lot better than some

Problem was not frequent enough in the morning and expensive but the upside when I worked Belfast it was stress free and involved a 15 walk which is grand.

Working in Ballymena now but it takes nearly 20mins to walk to my work, can't be bothered with that as it's actually longer and hassle wise more to do.

[imtommygunn]

I know several the same and they don't miss paying the money they would have been paying in fuel or the wear and tear on their cars. Probably saves some huge money plus ones with young kids get to do a lot more parenting.

But all of this addtional "flexibility" results in your employer / our companies becoming less competitive.  I guarantee pre-Covid there was a lot less parenting able to be done during working hours.  This has to all result in / continue with higher costs for everything as we gradually get less productive combined with increased employer national insurance costs.

I find myself a lot more productive at home tbh. No commute time means people will do more work too. I find that with most people.

[johnnycool]

I know several the same and they don't miss paying the money they would have been paying in fuel or the wear and tear on their cars. Probably saves some huge money plus ones with young kids get to do a lot more parenting.

But all of this addtional "flexibility" results in your employer / our companies becoming less competitive.  I guarantee pre-Covid there was a lot less parenting able to be done during working hours.  This has to all result in / continue with higher costs for everything as we gradually get less productive combined with increased employer national insurance costs.

I find myself a lot more productive at home tbh. No commute time means people will do more work too. I find that with most people.

Same here.

I've worked from home since Covid and whilst the benefits for me is one less car commuting 60 miles a day, I've more time to actually do work.

My office in Belfast went hybrid about two years ago and I told my boss at the time that all those meetings at 5pm with colleagues in North America will be hit on the head as they are outside our core hours if we were forced to go back to the office.  He saw sense and agreed.

Child care is another issue regularly brought up in relation to productivity.
If one of the kids were sick or you get a call from the school you just go and pick them up, buck some calpol into them and back to work, otherwise it's a day off work and things slip...

[gallsman]

There is almost zero evidence of companies becoming less competitive or workers being less productive since working from home became a thing. It's actually gone the other way. Shorter breaks, people struggling to turn off in the evening, an expectation that you're always available etc.

Obviously some people will take the piss.

[clarshack]

Wtf is this
https://x.com/SkyNews/status/1886186575433752862?t=y6B1AsIGq0Nyn_X2HZs_KQ&s=19

[AustinPowers]

Wtf is this
https://x.com/SkyNews/status/1886186575433752862?t=y6B1AsIGq0Nyn_X2HZs_KQ&s=19

A family full  of bell ends, me thinks