Working remotely and working from home thoughts

May 3, 2020
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Wanted to get everyone’s thoughts on remote and wfh.

1. what’s your company doing? Flexible, options, certain days in office, or full time in the office
2. what do you prefer? Certain days in the office, flexible option or going into the office
3. whats your commute like?
4. Where in your career are you? Junior, mid-way or senior
5. has the pandemic changed your view or work? What you look for?

my answers
1. choice, you can go in or wfh
2. going into the office, I like interacting with people, the work social,
3.1 hour and it’s expensive
4. I’m fairly junior
5. shown me that I now have the upper hand, don’t need to put up with anything
 
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Interesting answers to your own questions @Minimalist_Chic

1. what’s your company doing? Flexible, options, certain days in office, or full time in the office
2. what do you prefer? Certain days in the office, flexible option or going into the office
3. whats your commute like?
4. Where in your career are you? Junior, mid-way or senior
5. has the pandemic changed your view or work? What you look for?

1. We're supposed to go in for some meetings, recruitment etc
2. I'm OK to go in one day or two days a week or maybe more, but I am upset fellow public transport passengers don't follow regulations and trains still have a skeleton service so there's actually more crowding.
3. Wake at 5am, 2 hours outward and 2 return (4 hours total and it's expensive, but I like where I work and I like where I live).
4. Senior
5. Yes. I was at breaking point before the pandemic. I think I was working to live 2 years ago, now I really enjoy my job but it's more about working effectively, accountability, managing staff kindly and getting the work done.
 
Interesting!


1. We’re expected in 3-5 days a week, I’m currently doing the minimum of 3
2. I prefer working from home as I’m much more productive, but I won’t lie it’s been nice being back in the office and around everyone! I also find it easier when training others to be face to face, and catch-ups.
3. 1 hour each way on a good day. After working from home it’s been exhausting.
4. Mid-way I guess! Have a team I manage but there’s people above me.
5. Completely. I feel like the commute is wasted time and money (if I was doing 5 days a week it’s about £3500 a year, about $4600 USD). The workplace still doesn’t have a lot of trust in our productivity working from home despite now proving we can do it, which has made me feel quite negatively towards the company and feel like I might want to change to a smaller company. Before this my workplace was really anti-WFH so we had to change things really quickly and it feels like they want to go back to ‘normal’ whereas the staff are like ‘no I like flexible working thanks’.
 
1. what’s your company doing? Flexible, options, certain days in office, or full time in the office
Currently full-time in the office (we are essential workers). However, there have been discussions about working 1 day from home per week, not confirmed yet.
2. what do you prefer? Certain days in the office, flexible option or going into the office
I'd prefer 2 days working from home, doesn't matter which 2 weekdays.
3. whats your commute like?
Public transit and my husband dropping me off sometimes :smile:.
4. Where in your career are you? Junior, mid-way or senior
I'd say mid-way/self-employed. I have a full time job and a side business.
5. has the pandemic changed your view or work? What you look for?
It definitely changed how we work in the office. Many Zoom meetings from the office instead of in-person meetings, staring at the computer screens for way too long everyday. Lol.
 
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Wanted to get everyone’s thoughts on remote and wfh.

1. what’s your company doing? Flexible, options, certain days in office, or full time in the office
Due to covid, we are all working remotely. Company (very well known US based tech giant) offered permanent remote work options but think it's mostly applicable to the US offices.

2. what do you prefer? Certain days in the office, flexible option or going into the office
When possible, I will be going for full remote. We bought a land in a lake district in Eastern European country and going to build a dream house there to live permanently so all (future/present) work options for me will be geared towards it. Years of suffering from severe depression taught me to go for my private life happiness - house of my design was a dream that wasn't really possible to fulfil in the UK where I lived before covid.

3. whats your commute like?
Currently if wanted to go to the office only 15-30 mins on public transport/car. I live in a major European city.

4. Where in your career are you? Junior, mid-way or senior
Used to be mid-way, now a (very narrow area) specialist - not sure how this counts as salary is an equivalent of senior level in my country so it's a deal of a lifetime.

5. has the pandemic changed your view or work? What you look for?
Since starting work, I wanted remote work/part-remote options but it wasn't possible in the culture of my country (Poland). Culture in the UK where I studied and worked was more relaxed and covid opened it even more. As mentioned above, I'm no longer interested in career as such but focusing more on living a good, healthy and family lifestyle. Trying to get somewhere in the ladder cost me many years of sever depression, breakdowns and health issues. For me covid paradoxically is opening new door (I could teach at the uni remotely or work as a contractor/consultant part time etc. m- something in my country wasn't before possible).
 
I work in finance.

1) Going to the office is optional on specific days.
2) I prefer being at home. I've become spoiled.
3)20 mins to get there/ An hour or longer to get back! The office is in between Dallas & Ft. Worth.
4)Senior is in the title but it's an intermediary position for my firm.
5)Yes! It's taught me the huge amount of volumes that can get done away from micromanagement & distractions. I also learned just how much discipline and money could be saved while at home. No pizza parties, snack trays, cafeteria at your finger tips. I can workout on my breaks and have been forced to cook more. You can lose a lot of weight working remotely. You can also save tons of money on gas/dining.
 
1. what’s your company doing? Flexible, options, certain days in office, or full time in the office
Anyone who wants or needs to go to office can, but most people are working from home.

2. what do you prefer? Certain days in the office, flexible option or going into the office
I don't ever want to go back to any office, Lol. The fluorescent lighting, cubicles, and distracting office noise are something I will never miss.

3. whats your commute like?
It used to be 20-25 minutes.

4. Where in your career are you? Junior, mid-way or senior
Junior

5. has the pandemic changed your view or work? What you look for?
I work with software so there is almost zero reason for me to go to office, ever. If they ever revert the WFH policy to mandate office work even as part-time, I would start looking for a new job. I don't like when companies try to make the office a "second home" with ping pong tables and pizza parties and force employees to come in when they can work at the same capacity at home. My home is much more comfortable and productive to work in, and I save a lot of money on gas and lunches. I can get more sleep since I don't have to commute or look presentable for voice calls. Best of all I can do stuff around the house when work isn't busy :biggrin:
 
Wanted to get everyone’s thoughts on remote and wfh.

1. what’s your company doing? Flexible, options, certain days in office, or full time in the office
2. what do you prefer? Certain days in the office, flexible option or going into the office
3. whats your commute like?
4. Where in your career are you? Junior, mid-way or senior
5. has the pandemic changed your view or work? What you look for?
1. Full time in the office with flexible options. Eg we have a guy who hasn’t been back in the office since March 2020. I think** he came in once but that’s about it.

2. I like how it is now, I go in regularly but on days I have things like doc office appt or furniture being delivered etc, I can work from home.

3. Too long. I went from 10 minute train ride to 1 hour.

4. junior imho. Probably mid to some. I gots a way to go but definitely not entry level anymore… a couple levels above.

5. it has. If it wasnt for the pandemic I would never have agreed to this job or the one previous on location alone.
 
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1. what’s your company doing? Flexible, options, certain days in office, or full time in the office
Prior to the pandemic we were wfh three days and in-office two days. During the pandemic we were wfh full-time. Now we’re wfh four days and in-office one day (flexible on which day).

2. what do you prefer? Certain days in the office, flexible option or going into the office
I love the flexibility of wfh and would choose that any day. My work can be performed remotely and we have team members across the US and around the world, so there’s not much benefit to being in the office. It’s actually more of a detriment imo.

3. whats your commute like?
About 25 minutes if I drive locally

4. Where in your career are you? Junior, mid-way or senior
More junior

5. has the pandemic changed your view or work? What you look for?
Definitely. It’s solidified my opinion of workplace flexibility. If you hire people, you should trust them and provide them with the most flexibility, within reason, to effectively perform their job duties. Happy employees who are not micromanaged make the best employees.
 
1. what’s your company doing? Flexible, options, certain days in office, or full time in the office
I transitioned into a fully remote role during the pandemic (and had a baby, so the timing was perfect!).
2. what do you prefer? Certain days in the office, flexible option or going into the office
I somewhat miss the office.. mostly for the camaraderie and generally leaving the house. I find myself getting a little cabin crazy and refusing to stay home on the weekends now. :lol: Also, I miss really getting dressed vs. my new uniform of jeans and a semi-casual top.
3. whats your commute like?
I used to commute 50 miles/1 hour each way! I can’t imagine going back to that now..
4. Where in your career are you? Junior, mid-way or senior
I would say in the late stages of junior.
5. has the pandemic changed your view or work? What you look for?
YES. I won’t return to the “live to work” mentality. Life is short. I’m a quick worked and really prefer the new approach that is less hours-based and more focused on productivity.
 
1. what’s your company doing? My company is allowing us to work from home now. They told us that eventually we will be back in the office.
2. what do you prefer? I like working from home.
3. whats your commute like? It would be from the north San Antonio to the South of San Antonio. Too much traffic and too long of a distance.
4. Where in your career are you? I would say I am midway.
5. has the pandemic changed your view or work? What you look for? Yes, since the pandemic I have come down with an autoimmune disorder. I work in a field where I work with the community and those types of clients might put themselves in situations where they could carry illnesses. I have to look out for myself first. So if I am unable to continue to work from home I am going to have to quit. Plus, I am considering going back to school so I can make a career change.
 
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1. what’s your company doing? Flexible, options, certain days in office, or full time in the office
My current company has been flexible pre-Covid. My boss has worked remote since 2003. We have a lot of remote workers all over the country, myself included.

At my previous company, they allowed remote work for a year during the height of Covid but my boss allowed me to telework for about 1.5 years, after which I was hybrid (three days in the office).

2. what do you prefer? Certain days in the office, flexible option or going into the office
Remote work has way more benefits. For example, I am "vacationing" in Hawaii for six weeks (working from my parents' house) while visiting family, and I don't have to use PTO. I also save a ton of money on gas and work related expenses (such as office wardrobe, makeup, etc). I get way more sleep, don't have to worry about driving in bad weather or getting stuck in traffic. I feel like I've reclaimed my life.

I do enjoy a flexible hybrid schedule though, as long as the commute is reasonable and I can stay home more than I have to go in. It's fun chatting and lunching with coworkers and I do think that socialization can really benefit one's career.

3. whats your commute like?
At my previous company, it went from 25 minutes to just shy of an hour. State bought the land the old building was on during Covid so they had to relocate... which, unfortunately, was to the other side of the city. Had my commute remained 25 minutes, I may have stuck around. (I do not regret leaving though.)

4. Where in your career are you? Junior, mid-way or senior
Mid.

5. has the pandemic changed your view or work? What you look for?
100%. I now refuse to work for employers who treat their workers like crap and prioritize profits over human lives. I watched so many of my friends get laid off or worked like dogs during the pandemic, and we all saw how they treated essential workers. "No one wants to work anymore" is such a load of crap.