Election 2024: The Fate of Democracy

Millsy works from home in bootcuts Rich.

alistair an awful lot of jobs can be done at home, some jobs are better in the workplace. Start dictating and watch talent move away.

You can tell which media organisations are heavily invested in commercial property, that’s for sure.

Flexibility is key for me, I prefer being in work for the bantz but have the choice to wfh if I want/need to

alistair I am talking about what’s best for those fairly new to the work place not middle aged. Out of sight, out of mind. In a client facing role, where enthusiasm and new ideas are embraced, I am not promoting someone I never see.

I think there is some truth in this for people in their first few years of a job, but on the whole the argument against working from home is just rich landlords trying to stop rent losses. You can see them sweating and panicking.

I’ve worked at two in house design / marketing departments, totalling about 12 years, both very corporate, both in office: one place was verging on toxic and at both I would say I spent at least a quarter of my working day in meetings I didn’t need to be in, or listening to people in senior positions just talk at me because they wanted to talk and feel important. I reckon I could have added more value to both jobs if I did all or some of my work from home. Both were an hours commute either way, and both included regular unpaid overtime.

Amps but on the whole the argument against working from home is just rich landlords trying to stop rent losses

There are two other important (and slightly related) factors that don’t get enough coverage IMO:

1) Most managers don’t trust their workforce to work unless they have eyeballs on them, and
2) Most managers have no idea how to set realistic objectives and goals that they want their teams to deliver. As a result, those mnagers feel more comfortable when they can ‘see’ what their teams are working on, in person.

As soon as the shift towards wfh happened, the right wing media were straight in with the bollocks about, not getting the benefits of being noticed in the office. That argument was predicated on the same principle of presenteeism where your value is judged by how long you are in the office, disregarding how effective you are — and the diminishing returns the longer you are at work. If success in your job is contingent on being “noticed” that says more about the workplace — and that it doesn’t matter what impact your work has — or your performance. If you are wfh and doing work that isn’t being noticed, that is an issue with the structure of the workplace — not whether you are wfh / in the office.

Many companies noted increases in productivity, morale and motivation from wfh and still companies persisted with the shite about not being able to communicate etc.

Sure enough, it transpired that the main factor for them all along was a decrease in property value and the preoccupation with control over the workforce.

The RTO mandates are now being used as a tool to push people to resign, rather than restructure alienating employees, losing talent and holding on to those who are too desperate to stay that they will put up with anything.

It quite clearly had nothing to do with any metric of performance or productivity.

Yup. Agree with the last two posts. My area of the business has grown 15-20% per year with the vast majority of people WFH. If it ain’t broke.

What about the fact that humans are social by nature and that interacting in person rather than over technology adds a lot more value. I get so much more value speaking to people face to face rather than over Teams calls, it’s more personal and can create better outcomes. The amount of meetings on Teams where most the people are doing other stuff doesn’t help a successful meeting.

However it’s about balance, not being in the office 5 days a week, but I think 50/50 split works well. Everyone gets the best of both worlds.

Work was also great during my 20s and 30s where it was a much more social environment and there was a lot of working hard during the day but then going out on the piss in the evening, it was great. Built up strong relationships with people. However I know those days are gone and also recognise there were plenty of downfalls with that working environment, but personally I preferred it and would do it all over again compared to the work culture today.

RichM and that interacting in person rather than over technology adds a lot more value.

Not universally true. Great if this works for you, but a sweeping statement that it’s demonstrably and obhectively better is wide of the mark.

Smallman1 3 days a week in the office for me too.

It’s a wonder they permit you to work from the office. The top level bantz must be very distracting for your colleagues, having to constantly roll around on the floor in fits of laughter.

vinnyt77 the whole office v wfh debate will go on for years. We are all different and have different preferences, it’s def not one size fits all. Too many people stick to their preference and not prepared to accept other people have different preferences. The best companies can do is try and cater for everyone. At the end of the day we are all adults!

RichM 100% agree. Was tough during lockdown listening to folks in houseshares joining calls (in some cases) from their toilets, because it was the only free/quiet space.

I’ve been a 95% home based worker for upwards of 10 years. I’d find a proper 2-3 day hybrid model tough to get back to, but would consider it if I thought it made sense. 5 days a week in an office can get in the fucking bin.

alistair you either already do, or will work in a talent vacuum. It’s already happening at Amazon - they enforced a 5 day working week from the office and thousands have left - I’ll bet it isn’t the shit ones.

I refuse to work in the office until they relax their public masturbation policy

Old-Dutch they want an inch and you take a foot?

I feel offended that I’m asked to go to the toilet “if I want to do that”

It hurts my feelings

Along_the_Wire they want an inch and you take a foot?

Got it the wrong way round. Isn’t he the one taking an inch?