Working From Home Now With Us Forever?

[youngmafbog]

I currently have a job that is 100% WFH. It was never unusual in my line of work I was doing it back in late 90's.

But yesterday I got a call about a transformation job, contract but long term, in New York! It's again 100% WFH, I have never seen that before.

Looks like the World is opening up now, will it be a good thing or bad in the long run?

[Ellipsis]

> 100% WFH ... will it be a good thing or bad in the long run?

Short answer: Bad.

Long answer: it depends on the job, but I think there's a lot of tacit knowledge that can be passed more effectively by people being together. I think that hybrid is better in most instances than 100% WFH.

[Untitled]

"will it be a good thing or bad in the long run?"

both... it will be quite destructive in the short term as it will make commuter routes and the businesses that rely on them less busy... it will also weaken the community of the office but frankly people overstate that anyway

on the other hand people who are lucky enough to have WFH jobs are as productive or in some cases more productive and also have more time and money to themselves that isn't eaten by the commute... people spending more time and money in places where they actually live is a good way of making those places more prosperous and better to live in long-term... it allows some people to have a life outside of their job and that should not be dismissed.

the drawbacks in short or medium term are significant but in the long term i think WFH is a force for good

[KristalBee]

It totally depends on the way an individual works. A gregarious person living in a busy household might find it more challenging and less productive than someone home alone all day who prefers to work on their own. From my point of view yes, less cars on the road, less crowding on public transport and the ability to stay in your community instead of having to move away to find appropriate work.

[ToraToraTora]

Well it should please the Eco warrior types anyway!

[Old_Geezer]

I hated the idea of it. No real human contact with colleagues, having to provide the resources for the company who obviously didn't value staff enough to provide office, desk, etc.. If the individual likes it then let them bunk off at home. But as a customer it seems it chucks service out of the window. But there again that seems to be the aim of most companies these days.

[jno]

my employers (long before Covid) could have had half the staff working from home, but preferred to have them together in the office and keep an eye on them. Only long-serving and well trusted employees were allowed to stay in the far corners of the country with their computers. I wasn't one and didn't want to be; having people physically nearby to bounce ideas off was always useful.

Personally, if I was going to "work in New York" I'd prefer to be there, for the experience; but if you can remain at home with your family, and still do the job, well why not.

[steg]

Things change.. for some anyways.
My mate works at a printing firm in Edinburgh..he had to leave Perth about 6am got home about 7pm, now he works from home.. needs to go in about once a week.. he loves it

I’m a forester.. I couldn’t have worked from home.. but then that was the best part of the job

It will be good for some.. probs not so good for others

[jackthehat]

Mrs JtH is a civil servant.
In the early days of lockdown she was WFH full-time; she quite enjoyed the novelty of it.
Later on, the powers-that-be decided that they preferred their employees to undertake 'blended-work'; this meant that she travels to the office 2 days a week and stays at home for the remainder.
She prefers this as she likes to interact with her work colleagues where possible, but doubts that she will ever return to a full 5 days in the office.

[retrocop]

What hacks me off are people who 100% WFH now and relocate there accommodation to green pastures but still get paid London Allowance. I suppose that's the employers fault.

[rockyracoon]

My son worked from home 100% of the time. He's only 23 and it made me worry about the isolation side of it all. He lives on his computer all day for work then in the evening doing whatever computer geekers do. Rarely goes out. The company he works for are now insisting that everyone goes one day a week, so on a Monday, he commutes into central London. Last week, they went for drinks afterwards which he enjoyed.

I think hybrid is the way to go getting the best of both worlds.

Personally, I hated working from home during the pandemic and offered myself up to go in at every opportunity. Now, because of the sector I work in, I have to be in the office.

[Milo2]

A relative of mine worked at home during the pandemic. She didn’t like it initially as she missed the social interaction of being in the office but after a few months she got used to it, particularly as it saved money on commuting. She now works 3 weeks at home and 1 week in the office and likes this as she can interact with colleagues. It looks as if this pattern of working is here to stay.

[douglas9401]

Just as easy to walk about the house with a clipboard doing little or nothing as it is in an office I suppose.

Give others a go at what the skivers have done for years.

[10ClarionSt]

I couldn't WFH. Driving one of these wouldn't quite fit in our house.
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=VNA+Truck+photos&atb=v92-1&iax=images&iai=https%3A%2F%2Fi2.wp.com%2Faskhitec.co.uk%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2019%2F07%2F5-38.jpg%3Ffit%3D1030%252C686%26ssl%3D1&ia=images

[mushroom25]

https://twitter.com/tammybjelland/status/1238578041183522817?lang=zh-Hant

[elliemay1]

Hybrid is the way to go but probably not For New York!

[construct1245]

Depends on the sector to be fair. If you are in a job that requires more conversation with co-workers then WFH could be seen as negative. However if you are in a job that requires little to no communication then it could be a positive.