COVID-19 (Coronavirus) discussion

Bear said:
Im 100% WFH these days for a firm in Edinburgh but live outside the M25 in Bucks. Ive popped into the office for a meeting once in two years. It works for me as it saves me a 435mile commute which is great for the environment and saves me a boat load of time.

If the government is genuine about the environment, not having 100s of people commuting unnecessarily, is a good place to start. Lead from the front.
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Agreed. And you're adding skills and insights that that company wouldn't ordinarily have.

However you're later in your career and probably more autonomous and self starter. For a young professional or early career person, or an apprentice or graduate you cannot beat being mentored in an office environment or at least physical interaction. There are exceptions I'm sure but for swathes of people it will apply.

Productivity is a mixed bag I'm sure as many people browse Facebook at home as they do in the office. I.e. not working 100% of the time. And that's fine, your brain is unable to focus that long for so long anyway it's just normal. That's why surgeons, pilots (for example) have such a taxing job as they need pin sharp focus for extended periods of time.

For the rest of us, we can have short sharp moments of focus - and it's perfectly healthy to do that.

I think Well being is more of a factor, if people are happier then they will likely work a bit harder/longer. If people aren't tired by commuting or desperately waiting to clock off the chances are they're doing work. I think the same amount of work is being done in a day but just spread over a longer day, and that's absolutely fine. As long as the work gets done then I have no cause to complain.

Anyway, JRM is stuck in the past. I do wonder though what will happen to all the office buildings in big cities. 50% utilisation seems a bit of a waste unless you can repurpose the rest of the space or rent it out?
 
Freefaller said:
However you're later in your career and probably more autonomous and self starter. For a young professional or early career person, or an apprentice or graduate you cannot beat being mentored in an office environment or at least physical interaction. There are exceptions I'm sure but for swathes of people it will apply.
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That is a good point, early on in your career you will no doubt feel rather isolated without close contact with your mentor and may feel like you arent getting the level of support or development you may want
 
Isn't it more about keeping people spending money on a commute and keeping rich people rich with renting office space than anything else?
 
Werewolf said:
Some who are a lot meaner than me would ask the question how could anything interrupt the ability to say "no" :)

Slightly more seriously though, given most of the input for claims seems to be electronic now I suspect it may even be more efficient to work from home where you can fit a monitor you like, and set the desk up how you feel comfortable rather than having a standard "one size fits no one" desk/chair.
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The way he describes his work does not enthuse me to switch careers...

He says productivity is no worse, and he was clear that the only work issues he had were teething troubles.

He was initially worried about the isolation of home working (no wife/kids), and has found out that is a real problem. He might not see anyone for days at a time.

He said going into the office is a bit weird, as it's only 30-40% occupied, and opened during Covid. So, you may get in and find you don't know anyone, destroying the social side of office working.
 
Uther said:
Isn't it more about keeping people spending money on a commute and keeping rich people rich with renting office space than anything else?
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Pretty much this, which reminds me I have commercial property in my SIPP portfolio. Get back to work you lazy bums!!!:p
 
Not COVID, but I've got a horrendous cold and cough right now, had it coming up two weeks.

Had COVID a few weeks prior. Fun times
 
woppy101 said:
It’s been reported that productivity has went up and time off sick has gone down during WFH, if companies are getting more out of an employee working from home, what’s the sense in changing.
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Maybe because what you’ve said isn’t true having had more time to a asses all the pros and cons.
 
Bear said:
Im 100% WFH these days for a firm in Edinburgh but live outside the M25 in Bucks. Ive popped into the office for a meeting once in two years. It works for me as it saves me a 435mile commute which is great for the environment and saves me a boat load of time.

If the government is genuine about the environment, not having 100s of people commuting unnecessarily, is a good place to start. Lead from the front.
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The government doesn't care about the environment, all they care about is London and keeping money spend within London.

Freefaller said:
Anyway, JRM is stuck in the past. I do wonder though what will happen to all the office buildings in big cities. 50% utilisation seems a bit of a waste unless you can repurpose the rest of the space or rent it out?
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Because hes a Boomer (or just above it) and many of them think this way as they are not really tech savvy. While the current generations are tell them 2 fingers about coming into the office full time because they have an mobile device to work from at home.
 
woppy101 said:
Really? Anything to back that up, or just more of your often wrong opinion
here’s what backs up what I said
https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentan...owardsthefutureofhomeworkinguk/apriltomay2021
https://thehomeofficelife.com/blog/work-from-home-statistics
https://www.finder.com/uk/working-from-home-statistics
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Businesses will do what works best for them and some would prefer their staff in the office. Businesses that support remote working do so largely because they worry staff will leave, not because it’s more productive. That threat will diminish over time.

If you ask staff who want to work from home if they are more productive working from home they will say yes.
 
Stretch said:
Businesses will do what works best for them and some would prefer their staff in the office. Businesses that support remote working do so largely because they worry staff will leave, not because it’s more productive. That threat will diminish over time.

If you ask staff who want to work from home if they are more productive working from home they will say yes.
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So your opinion then
 
Stretch said:
Yes, and the opinion of those organisations who are asking or considering asking staff to return to the office.
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I actually do work better from home, mainly because I don't get people asking me questions all day :p

I'll continue to try and push for it :)
 
malachi said:
Because hes a Boomer (or just above it) and many of them think this way as they are not really tech savvy. While the current generations are tell them 2 fingers about coming into the office full time because they have an mobile device to work from at home.
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Pretty sure its a political decision the torys have a beef with top civil servants who they regard as having very comfortable well paid jobs for life who regard work as a distraction from spending time on their Pelotons and often obfusticate or obstruct govt business the home office particularly seem to be constantly frustrated by them if you believe the telegraph
 
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Some people the symptoms linger - with Delta that was often heavy fatigue and taste/smell loss, with Omicron general fatigue and general upper respiratory symptoms. My grandad took around 2 weeks to clear a cough and fatigue with Omicron.

Apparently there are lab confirmed cases of people getting COVID twice in as little as 20 days apart including Delta then Omicron and Omicron then Omicron though fortunately so far seems the exception rather than normal.

Somehow my household and immediate family have still escaped it despite a fairly significant surge here through March and early April. IIRC we are of the blood type which seem to have the lowest susceptibility to infection with it for some reason - don't know if they've ever found the reason why.
 
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