Working from home – good idea, yes or no?

British Airways is just one of many considering new ways of working following covid. I wonder how many others will be doing this? Working from home could become the ’norm’ for many employees, also though furthering demise of the town centres, as we know them! Just think though of the savings on travelling time, fuel or fares! Then there’s the resulting reduction in pollution, which should please some living in high pollution areas.

If it’s possible with your type of employment, would you like to be working from home or would it just be too much time spent at home?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-56451641

Re: Working from home – good idea, yes or no?

Unfortunately working from home is not an option for me.
However if I could I would jump at the chance.
Saving the cost, time and stress of a two hour commute.
Town centres have been declining for a long time the current events have just accelerated the trend.

Re: Working from home – good idea, yes or no?

It has certainly made a big difference in Australia. House prices in regional areas have rocketed now that employees and employers have realised that they don't need to work in a CBD office in a capital city.

Employers have downsized their office space and while CBDs are no longer deserted businesses such as food and coffee houses have reported much less business and CBD rents have plummeted.

One surprising statistic with all this working from home is that the birthrate has also plummeted.

Re: Working from home – good idea, yes or no?

I'd hate it, but, when working for an organisation, when a Manager went AWOL, we were told they were "Working from Home", this was the prelude to Getting the Boot.

Re: Working from home – good idea, yes or no?

Huum looks like a step towards OCD.

Re: Working from home – good idea, yes or no?

I suppose for some it might take some getting used to. They might miss the camaraderie of working with others and feel more lonely and isolated.

Last year, in the days before the first lockdown, my daughter gave in her notice with a top office space lettings company, as she had got a better job with another company.
On the day she left her job, emails were sent out asking for staff to work for free, for three months. So she was pleased she got out in time.

She started her new job the following week and most of that has been working from home with her training done via Zoom.

The office space company had a high number of staff, now they are down to 30 people as no one wants office space.

Imagine how much companies are saving by office staff working from home.

Re: Working from home – good idea, yes or no?

Since retiring from classroom teaching, I top up my pension via private tuition. Naturally, over the last 12 months this now takes place online via a real time interactive whiteboard.

This has pros and cons in terms of finding questions/resources on the hoof which physical presence with a textbook (or two) would usually not be a problem.

However, since I can wear what I want (neither party gets to see the other) and don't get embroiled in traffic nor parking problems, I end up spending less time and money (no petrol costs) per lesson, so it works out as cost effective. What used to take 2-2.5 hours per lesson now only takes 1.5 hours.

Re: Working from home – good idea, yes or no?

Under normal circumstances - absolutely not!

My home is my home, not a work place. When I was working I never allowed it to intrude into my home - and neither did I allow personal life to intrude into work.

I appreciate things are different during this plague - but would loathe to be forced into working at home.

Re: Working from home – good idea, yes or no?

When Office based, it wasn't just the work to consider, it was the discipline, personal interaction, negotiation, all the interpersonal stuff which forms a character, were heading for a strange society at the moment.

Re: Working from home – good idea, yes or no?

I spent quite a lot of time at home, typically two or three days a week. You get used to it. Correspondence was mostly by emails usually formally. You can't be slack when you are preparing accurate bids.