Post covid, returning to work or staying at home?

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mustang1

Guru
Location
London, UK
After the covid pandemic is over...

It seems that many office workers don't want to go back to the office and talk of an improved work/life balance.

What does this mean? Were people not happy with the long hours they had to work? Are they not happy with the long hours they were required to work into the evening?

Have people finally come to the realisation that time for themselves was important after all or did they always know that but now feel empowered to do something about it?

The overcrowded commuting into the city, either by train, being stuck in traffic, overcrowded buses, or even cyclists rushing to their destination. Are people taking a leap of faith and toning down the rat race?

What are your predictions for the short or even long term future?

(By "city", I mean London, but this applies to any financial city, Manchester, apris, NY etc).
 

sleuthey

Legendary Member
My employer (govt agency) has said we will go back to office 50% of days ie. 2-3 days in the office each week for the long term foreseeable future.
 
I imagine that employers are looking at reducing their rents and costs for running offices - so they will want people working from home more.
I can see this working well with established businesses - but it must be tricky integrating new staff like this. I'd imagine things will return more to an office based life over the next few years - (albeit with defined WFH opportunities).
 

DCLane

Found in the Yorkshire hills ...
My university's about to ask staff what they'd like to do. Having had to be on-site 4-5 days a week they've realised we're at least as productive working form home.

It's likely I'll work 2-3 days a week each at home/work.
 

classic33

Leg End Member
Give it a year after things settle down, and there'll be more wanting to go back into work.

Will companies pay the extra for electric being used in multiple houses, at a higher rate, for those working from home? Household bills will rise.
 

fossyant

Ride It Like You Stole It!
Location
South Manchester
My university's about to ask staff what they'd like to do. Having had to be on-site 4-5 days a week they've realised we're at least as productive working form home.

It's likely I'll work 2-3 days a week each at home/work.

Uni employee, like DCLane, but I'm back office staff, but on-site usually (i.e. not based in a big admin office), and in the 'management groups' of the Faculty. I am struggling now, it's been too long off site for me. My job can be done from home, but I now need to go back, as there are other home stresses that are dragging me down, and when on campus, we usually get things done in a conversaion on a corridor. I'm feeling more isolated as this goes on. You forget how much sorting 'stuff out' get's done on a corridor conversation. I do welcome the flexible working, as 3 days in and two at home will suit both me and my wife if we both end up in Manchester but we are at the other sides of the river.

The plan, if she needs to be in 3 days, I'll drive as I have parking (out of town) but she works longer hours - but that's fine, as I'll work till she needs picking up, then that may mean one of our 'at home' days means I finish at lunch. I worked in a very vibrant office before the lockdown, one of two Finance people on site, but in a big office of marketing and student services - we got to know what was going on - nothing now... I really miss it.
 

fossyant

Ride It Like You Stole It!
Location
South Manchester
I was doing OK with WFH, but not so good now. Had to sort out my 20 y/o son all year - he's finally got a full time job, but this weekend, he's zarked his car up ( after me saying all year, don't mess with your daily driver') - bricked his ECU on his car this weekend - asked mum for insurance on her car - we went "train you idiot....." 😠

Fortunately, I'm in North Wales getting a break from this - I would have strung my son up by his bits.... The car was 'fine' after it cost me a full set of tyres for it on Thursday when I left home. His flipping 5 year old VW Group car has cost me more in repairs than my 20 year old Newcastle Nissan.

Nissans made in Newcastle are made of Iron Brew (from up the road) :tongue:
 
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midlife

Guru
I was doing OK with WFH, but not so good now. Had to sort out my 20 y/o son all year - he's finally got a full time job, but this weekend, he's zarked his car up ( after me saying all year, don't mess with your daily driver') - bricked his ECU on his car this weekend - asked mum for insurance on her car - we went "train you idiot....." 😠

Fortunately, I'm in North Wales getting a break from this - I would have strung my son up by his bits.... The car was 'fine' after it cost me a full set of tyres for it on Thursday when I left home. His flipping 5 year old VW Group car has cost me more in repairs than my 20 year old Newcastle Nissan.

Nissans made in Newcastle are made of Iron Brew (from up the road) :tongue:

How on earth did he kill his Ecu? Was he trying to remap it?
 

DCLane

Found in the Yorkshire hills ...
We're going to have more working from home, less office space due to hot-desking and remote working.

There will be more bookable desks/meeting rooms used and city centre offices turned into flats.

The usual lunch-time restaurant, coffee/sandwich shop and other services trade will suffer as a result but probably have an evening upturn.
 

fossyant

Ride It Like You Stole It!
Location
South Manchester
How on earth did he kill his Ecu? Was he trying to remap it?

YES as I told him not to do it ever..... unless in a garage and someone else did it with the kit. Farkin idiot.... blamed it on the 'internet' going off to his mum at 'midnight' - I had the garage CCTV and also said to mum, the 'data file' is always on a laptop - it's never a live change.

That's it from me - he's farked a really nice car up. He didn't pay for the car, it was 18 years of savings plan I had for him - intention, get a nice reliable car, and..... :sad:

He has a bigger turbo in the garage and thinks he can fit it - I already said don't as it might be the same fittings, but the engine maps, high pressure oil etc.... Well he broke the ECU first... Numpty. Won't listen - my dad was a mechanic, so I picked up loads of stuff, but I've said, don't touch this to him... nope....

I don't know how many times I've said 'don't mess with it'

I am glad I am miles away...
 

midlife

Guru
Blimey! Hope the Ecu can be revived. Had my Impreza mapped a few times as I changed a few bits but always by people like Roger Clark Motorsport.
 

classic33

Leg End Member
We're going to have more working from home, less office space due to hot-desking and remote working.

There will be more bookable desks/meeting rooms used and city centre offices turned into flats.

The usual lunch-time restaurant, coffee/sandwich shop and other services trade will suffer as a result but probably have an evening upturn.
Seen the "office sites" on Wellington Road, go from retail to carpark/unused (land value), to office space, to apartments and back to office use since, they started building. Most are empty now.

Done the hot desking at the Halifax, never really got used to it. Be partway through something and have to go elsewhere to finish it. Dealing with account information on multiple systems, each with their own seperate Login's.

The coffee shop/sandwich shop culture is something that went hand in hand with multiple offices opening in the same area.
 
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