[Misc] Working from home

ozzygull · Mar 30, 2024

I been working from home for 7 years as they closed the office I worked in and made me a virtual worker. Luckily for me we had a spare room that I could turn into an office and that was essential for me to have a dedicated place to work.

I am very disciplined, always get up, showered and dressed before starting the day and sit at my desk for the hours I am supposed to. The company I work for create collaboration tools, so I use our own products. I look after the corporate network for all our Europe and Middle East offices. Most of this is done through remote access so it makes no difference if I do it at a desk in my home or one in a corporate office.

I don’t go in that room when I am not working so it keeps work and home life separate.

I really like working from home as I can concentrate more. I don’t miss going into an office at all and I am happy in my own company.

Having the radio on in the background can help if you feel lonely.

Cotton Socks · Mar 30, 2024

Exilegull said:
We dont even tell our families what we work on. We spend £100m on our AAA titles and leaking isnt taken lightly. But I can tell you no its not Football Manager. The game we just finished (or so we thought but our other team couldnt get their part done) is an FPS for mobile

Slightly OT but I can't understand why Aspyr haven't beta tested Starwars Battlefront properly on Xbox series whatever. I'm sure there are parents all over the world who have been subjected to run downs of the glitches that are present on the remastered collection. Whoever you work for, whatever game you're doing, think about the parents who will have to listen about 'glitches' if it's not beta tested properly. Tbf I'm getting run downs of Fifa glitches (or whatever it's called) as well. :facepalm:

I'd say set times as if you were in the office, have lunch breaks etc & do something away from the house if possible (walk) or at least step away from the screen for a while.

StonehamPark · Mar 30, 2024

Pondicherry said:
I have yet to hear or read anyone say they are less productive at home. So either the concept of the workplace was fundamentally flawed (which is possible) or not all people are honest (which is possible).

I’d say this thread’s sample size if too small to make general conclusions on productivity at home vs in an office.

There are deffo those who take advantage whilst wfh - I certainly do to some extent, but I am lucky enough to have the freedom and flexibility to make up time for the odd bit of slacking every now and then.

I do have a couple of ex-colleagues from my previous workplace who did suffer with a lack of self-discipline whilst wfh and preferred being in the office to keep up with work. But my general experience so far is that most of my close colleagues and friends here prefer wfh and do well.

Weststander · Mar 30, 2024

essbee1 said:
I'm the same. I used to have a 2 hour commute to work and then 2 hours back again. I much prefer to WFH and am so
much more productive. What really winds me up is people interfering and saying that they go in three days a week because
they want to and say to me: "we never see you any more". Well you have the choice too so either put up or shut the f*** up.

I wonder if staff who prefer to go in every day, who office politic and brown-nose, will gain a career advantage over time in manipulating bosses? We’ve all seen the type in our careers, they’re not good at their supposed core skill, but are held in high esteem because they stay late when the boss does …. presenteeism!

Weststander · Mar 30, 2024

StonehamPark said:
I’d say this thread’s sample size if too small to make general conclusions on productivity at home vs in an office.

There are deffo those who take advantage whilst wfh - I certainly do to some extent, but I am lucky enough to have the freedom and flexibility to make up time for the odd bit of slacking every now and then.

I do have a couple of ex-colleagues from my previous workplace who did suffer with a lack of self-discipline whilst wfh and preferred being in the office to keep up with work. But my general experience so far is that most of my close colleagues and friends here prefer wfh and do well.

I know what you mean.

But in the office days did folk work a quality solid 7 or 8 hour day, every day, with no personal stuff or hours spent nattering about stuff?

The Optimist · Mar 30, 2024

I typically work from home three days a week. But plenty of Teams calls and meetings so I’m still interacting with people. Also on two of those days my children (pre-school) are at home with my wife, so see them up until 9am, at lunchtime and again at 5.30pm.

Affy · Mar 30, 2024

ozzygull said:
I been working from home for 7 years as they closed the office I worked in and made me a virtual worker. Luckily for me we had a spare room that I could turn into an office and that was essential for me to have a dedicated place to work.

I am very disciplined, always get up, showered and dressed before starting the day and sit at my desk for the hours I am supposed to. The company I work for create collaboration tools, so I use our own products. I look after the corporate network for all our Europe and Middle East offices. Most of this is done through remote access so it makes no difference if I do it at a desk in my home or one in a corporate office.

I don’t go in that room when I am not working so it keeps work and home life separate.

I really like working from home as I can concentrate more. I don’t miss going into an office at all and I am happy in my own company.

Having the radio on in the background can help if you feel lonely.

Yes I have the same set up which significantly helps. We have a brick built shed around 7ft square which is attached to the back of the house. I converted this in lockdown. It’s not perfect (gets cold in winter and very hot in summer as it’s south facing and only single brick walls).

But it is my office. I work from home in there. I do have a small TV and my old PS4 but I never use it so, bar working, I very rarely go there. Having a dedicated space and the correct set up makes all the difference.

Affy · Mar 30, 2024

StonehamPark said:
I’d say this thread’s sample size if too small to make general conclusions on productivity at home vs in an office.

There are deffo those who take advantage whilst wfh - I certainly do to some extent, but I am lucky enough to have the freedom and flexibility to make up time for the odd bit of slacking every now and then.

I do have a couple of ex-colleagues from my previous workplace who did suffer with a lack of self-discipline whilst wfh and preferred being in the office to keep up with work. But my general experience so far is that most of my close colleagues and friends here prefer wfh and do well.

I am Sure you are correct in that some people do not work to their full capacity from home. But is that taking advantage or poor motivation/discipline?

Perhaps, because I am left to my own devices I don’t see it as such. But I have a portfolio of work to do and I a. Expected to get it done. If I can’t then I need to explain why. If I repeatedly can’t/don’t, then I would be expected back in the office. For me, WFH is a perk not a right. Because I want to do it, I make sure I get the work done.
We have had a couple of people in our sister office who have been told they’re not allowed to work from home any longer.

A very roundabout way of saying, I totally agree with what you said…

dazzer6666 · Mar 30, 2024

Weststander said:
Number 1 rule …. avoid NSC until your working day’s done. It sucks you in.

Great when you’re on boring zoom calls though :laugh:

Would also make sure you get as close as you can to a good ‘office’ set up. I was lucky in that we had a dedicated room where I could shut the door and I had a full desktop/two screen setup with handsfree phone and Bluetooth headset etc plus a large corner desk. We had staff who were in very small flats with family buzzing around trying to work with just a laptop perched on their laps on the sofa and suchlike which didn’t really work for them.

Would echo the comments about having a proper break - without other people around and no commute it’s very easy to get up, start work immediately and stay cocooned in front of your screen without a break all day. I used to go for a run in the middle of the day sometime and try to have a ‘forced stop’ at a reasonable time in the evening.

Nobby Cybergoat · Mar 30, 2024

I do f*** all at home. I go on here mostly.

I need to be with people for my sanity and to prevent me from wanking myself into oblivion.

Work is also about the random unexpected interactions which only happen in the office, the cross pollination of ideas and about the ease of just turning to the person next to you to ask how something is done. None of this happens just hiding away in a back bedroom

One Teddy Maybank · Mar 30, 2024

dazzer6666 said:
I did far more work at home and for longer hours than I ever did in the office. Most office time seemed to be spent chatting, sitting in pointless meetings or going for coffee (and I worked for most of the 3 hours I would have been commuting too)

All of this.

I consider myself extremely lucky to have been able to have worked from home for some 20 years. Of course i need to go into the office, but it has given me the chance to take my son to school etc….

HeaviestTed · Mar 30, 2024

Pondicherry said:
I have yet to hear or read anyone say they are less productive at home. So either the concept of the workplace was fundamentally flawed (which is possible) or not all people are honest (which is possible).

Ive worked from home for a long time and have had periods where I have done very little - think more just tired of it than lazy. I have to force myself to focus now or I can do very little. I never found that in an office because there were people around who would see me doing nothing.

My tips for WFH:

- have an area that is for work, desk computer, if you can put it in a room that is away great, if not pack it away and hide it when you are finished

- get up and go for a walk every morning and after work, even if for 5 mins - break up the work time from home time

- don’t put work email/chat on your phone - keep it totally separate

- use a timer to break the day into chunks (I use 20 mins) work the chunk then take some time to look out of the window, check nsc etc then back to work - I’ll change the chunk size depending on what I’m doing but 20 mins helps my eyes

heathgate · Mar 30, 2024

As others have said, you take out the commute and the need to get into work standard clothing.... I did it for the last 3 years of my full-time working life 2014-2017.... I did find it too easy to make another coffee, to browse on internet, to ring a mate, to listen to a radio phone in or similar...... takes a bit of self discipline in my experience.

essbee1 · Mar 30, 2024

Weststander said:
I wonder if staff who prefer to go in every day, who office politic and brown-nose, will gain a career advantage over time in manipulating bosses? We’ve all seen the type in our careers, they’re not good at their supposed core skill, but are held in high esteem because they stay late when the boss does …. presenteeism!

I'd like to think it wouldn't make a difference, but then I'm reminded of the dick heads you get in management
who have zero skills apart from being wa****s.

worthingweird · Mar 30, 2024

I've a relative who has worked from home since Covid... it's turned them into a social inadequate.

LamieRobertson · Mar 30, 2024

WFH ….LOL

dazzer6666 · Mar 30, 2024

Pondicherry said:
I have yet to hear or read anyone say they are less productive at home. So either the concept of the workplace was fundamentally flawed (which is possible) or not all people are honest (which is possible).

I had several staff that were happy to admit they didn’t get on with it at all……mostly those with young families or lacking the space to have a decent setup but not exclusively - there were a handful that admitted to getting too distracted or just unable to concentrate, or missing human contact. I’m also 100% certain there were those that took the piss - but they are the same ones that would never be at their desk in the office, or when they were they would be on their phones or chatting, hence I always judged people on their output and quality of output, not working hours or ‘time logged on’.

ozzygull · Mar 30, 2024

Affy said:
Affy said:

Yes I have the same set up which significantly helps. We have a brick built shed around 7ft square which is attached to the back of the house. I converted this in lockdown. It’s not perfect (gets cold in winter and very hot in summer as it’s south facing and only single brick walls).

But it is my office. I work from home in there. I do have a small TV and my old PS4 but I never use it so, bar working, I very rarely go there. Having a dedicated space and the correct set up makes all the finis

Click to expand...

I don’t have a TV in my office, but I do have a turntable, I sometimes use it when I am doing firmware updates, as there can be a lot of waiting for things to finish.

robinsonsgrin · Mar 30, 2024

Tips.. always get dressed... dont have the tv on - tend to have rado 2 on when not speaking with clients...get up and move regualrly (house jobs are good to get done over the days and keeps the weekend free!!)...pack your day away if not working from a home office..
i love it... but do have internal skype / teams to access colleagues and do so few times a day... I can concentrate on clients.. after any 'heavy ones' mght mooch at social media to reset..
not everyone's cuppa tea, but mor productuve and the commute is great.

pasty · Mar 30, 2024

As others have alluded to, I think it’s very important to create a dedicated work space somewhere. Before we moved 18 months ago, I just had an ikea desk in the lounge and I found I was too easily distracted from working.

When we moved home, I invested in a garden office pod which is exclusively used for my wfh days. Although it’s only 25 feet or so from the house at the bottom of the garden, it creates a “going to work” illusion. I get dressed, kiss Mrs P goodbye and “go to work” I’m also far more productive in there than in the office after a 2 hour commute.

I can also take a dedicated lunch break going back into the house for something to eat, and at the end of the day, lock up my office and “go home”

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