Changes to Working Patterns as a Result of Covid

[Konrad von Carstein]

Before C19, lockdowns etc I was contacted to 37 hrs, 4 x 8 Mon to Thurs and 5 hrs Fri.

Our management have begun a process "committed" to making the work, life balance better...

My Mrs (same company) works 37 hours over Mon to Thurs...
So I'll be pushing for the flexibility to do the same.

Our business has been almost, unaffected by lockdown and having 80% or so of the workforce suddenly working from home for the past 14 months.

What changes are afoot with the rest of you now that things are,  hopefully, returning to some form of normality?

[Unknown user]

I start a new job working from home on Tuesday. I'm really looking forward to the change, I like my house much better than any office, and I can have a wee joint and great coffee through the day. Superb.

[maroondevo52]

I drive for Royal Mail so nothing in my working routine has changed during the pandemic.

We are now busier than ever with all the new Covid sites opening up and have taken on more drivers to cover this.

I know now when I didn't before I can ask for overtime and get it no problem.

[Konrad von Carstein]

Have to say I really got into the WFH...no joints but the occassional beer/wine in the afternoon....Nice.

[Konrad von Carstein]

14 minutes ago, jonesy said:

Rather than flying off to Andalucia, the Canary Islands, the foothills of the Alps, rural Galicia, Madrid, the Amalfi coast, Hong Kong, India or Central and South America to test the language capabilities of the locals while sampling the local cuisine and bevvy, I now get to sit in my living room and conduct exams remotely in centres around the UK.

 

Yeah. It's er... Yeah  

 

Can we have 2019 back, please 🙏

[A Boy Named Crow]

It's interesting here.  Most folk in Sydney started working from home last March, with varying degrees of success, but mostly it's been a favourable experience. People find their work/life balance has improved, people are more productive, the coffee is better and you don't have to pretend  to be interested in what folk got up to at the weekend.

My employer has now settled on a "hybrid working environment " where we are expected to front up to the office every now and then, but it's really up to us.

The government,  on the other hand,  wants people to get back to the office as soon as. It'll be interesting to see where it lands, but I think people will demand this kind of flexibility in future. It's been proven to work, and companies can start thinking about reducing floorspace etc.

 

The other benefit has been flexibility.  You do the work, but when it suits you (within reason).  It means folk can get more time with their kids etc.

 

I would LOVE a four day week!

Edited June 7, 2021 by A Boy Named Crow

[A Boy Named Crow]

6 hours ago, Konrad von Carstein said:

Have to say I really got into the WFH...no joints but the occassional beer/wine in the afternoon....Nice.

The consequence free beer in the afternoon has been a revelation too...

[Les Izemore]

11 hours ago, Konrad von Carstein said:

Before C19, lockdowns etc I was contacted to 37 hrs, 4 x 8 Mon to Thurs and 5 hrs Fri.

Our management have begun a process "committed" to making the work, life balance better...

My Mrs (same company) works 37 hours over Mon to Thurs...
So I'll be pushing for the flexibility to do the same.

Our business has been almost, unaffected by lockdown and having 80% or so of the workforce suddenly working from home for the past 14 months.

What changes are afoot with the rest of you now that things are,  hopefully, returning to some form of normality?

Leonardo?

[mutley]

54 minutes ago, Les Izemore said:

Leonardo?

Don’t think the ninja turtles have contracted hours bud 

[Carl Fredrickson]

I have been working condensed hours for years, Monday being my day off. I love it as I dont get the Sunday evening blues. 

 

Since lockdown I have worked from home which has been a revelation as I am a sandwich carer (nowt to do with eating).

 

WFH has saved me a lot of commuting time and travel costs. More time in the house for family. Nice summer days = lunch in the garden and not at an office desk or a noisy street. 

 

My work are also looking at hybrid working and some of us will have the opportunity to become home workers. This will mean changes to our contracts which I will need to investigate the pros and cons of. 

 

 

[i8hibsh]

I have an entire office and building to myself most days because all the other chancing torags are too precious to venture out in to the big bad dangerous world and come in to it.

 

Bliss.

[Mysterion]

 

6 hours ago, A Boy Named Crow said:

I would LOVE a four day week!

All depends on the job though - i had a lot of leave to take so did a 4 day week for a couple of months earlier in the year. I was more stressed playing catchup with my various projects.

 

Monday's off though.  

 

 

[Mysterion]

13 hours ago, Konrad von Carstein said:

What changes are afoot with the rest of you now that things are,  hopefully, returning to some form of normality?

 

No major changes - had a lot of flexibility before lockdown. I'd hope to get back to the office 2-3 days a week just to get out of the house and to interact with different people (nb. I don't have any other members of my team in Scotland but some other people around in similar areas so good to interact). 

 

The main change for other people in my team is that they want people to meet for a specific reason - so 2-3 of them maybe book a conf room for working together for a day or two. 

[Konrad von Carstein]

53 minutes ago, i8hibsh said:

I have an entire office and building to myself most days because all the other chancing torags are too precious to venture out in to the big bad dangerous world and come in to it.

 

Bliss.

Why are they "chancing torags" are productivity targets not being met?

 

There are some chancers in my place but the work is being done.

 

And to note that, unless it has changed recently,  tje government advice was to work from home if you can.

[PortyJambo]

99% of my work is sitting in front of a screen and/or having conference calls with individuals/teams all over the world, so there's been no change to what I do with WFH, just don't have to commute....or dress from the waist down!

 

Our office is going to be 20% capacity for the foreseeable future, but they're perfectly happy for us to WFH and leave the office to people who want/have to be in for whatever reason. 

[i8hibsh]

2 minutes ago, Konrad von Carstein said:

Why are they "chancing torags" are productivity targets not being met?

 

There are some chancers in my place but the work is being done.

 

And to note that, unless it has changed recently,  tje government advice was to work from home if you can.

 

 

Senior management are desperately trying to get bodies in the office and some of the excuses are nothing short of piss taking.  It is actually embarrassing to hear them.

[Konrad von Carstein]

1 minute ago, i8hibsh said:

 

 

Senior management are desperately trying to get bodies in the office and some of the excuses are nothing short of piss taking.  It is actually embarrassing to hear them.

 Government advice has changed then?

[i8hibsh]

Just now, Konrad von Carstein said:

 Government advice has changed then?

 

 

Lost track of the conveyor belt of shite coming out of government buildings.  Going on the last all staff call it was a staggered approach where we want in a handful of bods in one week then another handful the week after and so on.

 

Struggling to even ger one man and a dog right now.

 

A little gem from last week was a woman is too scared to leave her dogs with a minder and walkers.

 

 

[i8hibsh]

People have gotten so used to falling out their bed at 5 to 9 then going through to the living room and logging on in their boxers, moving the mouse every 10 minutes for a few hours whilst they have the odd ham shank and watch cash in the attic.

[Konrad von Carstein]

9 minutes ago, i8hibsh said:

 

 

Lost track of the conveyor belt of shite coming out of government buildings.  Going on the last all staff call it was a staggered approach where we want in a handful of bods in one week then another handful the week after and so on.

 

Struggling to even ger one man and a dog right now.

 

A little gem from last week was a woman is too scared to leave her dogs with a minder and walkers.

 

 

All joking aside the staggered attendance seems like a measured approach, our place is doing something similar but it's softly softly for now.

 

WTF did she do with her dogs preCovid? She's one of them that take things too far and fvkc it up for everyone!

[i8hibsh]

4 minutes ago, Konrad von Carstein said:

All joking aside the staggered attendance seems like a measured approach, our place is doing something similar but it's softly softly for now.

 

WTF did she do with her dogs preCovid? She's one of them that take things too far and fvkc it up for everyone!

 

 

A very reassonable question, one which I asked myself previously.

 

This will be milked for some time.  Sickness and long term absence are at an all time high right now at my work.

[been here before]

1 hour ago, Konrad von Carstein said:

 Government advice has changed then?

 

Imagine working in the same office as him though and not being all that keen on going into work.

 

Incredible to believe.

[Harry Potter]

15 hours ago, Smithee said:

I start a new job working from home on Tuesday. I'm really looking forward to the change, I like my house much better than any office, and I can have a wee joint and great coffee through the day. Superb.

And a dump in your own toilet, a win win.

[sandyk]

Got to say, I am more than happy with how things have gone with regards to working arrangements.  I previously commuted 1 hr there 1 hr back, 5 days a week.  When COVID came, we went onto staggered office arrangements with just 2 in each room instead of 6 at a time.  I now work 3 days at home and 2 in the office.  We have proved that we are more productive with this arrangement and Senior Management have agreed to go with this full time.  It suits them, as we were originally looking for new premises due to expansion, however, this allows the site to continue as is, due to desk sharing and reduced parking.  My staff know not to take the piss, as do I .

[Unknown user]

24 minutes ago, Harry Potter said:

And a dump in your own toilet, a win win.

Never even thought of that, bliss!

[JWL]

1 hour ago, i8hibsh said:

 

 

A very reassonable question, one which I asked myself previously.

 

This will be milked for some time.  Sickness and long term absence are at an all time high right now at my work.

 

That does surprise me. Why would you take a sicky if you're in the house and WFH anyway? Doesn't make sense. I've been WFH since day 1 and hasn't bothered me a bit and it's Diagnosis Murder in the morning for me with a break for Popmaster on R2 at half 10. Constant teams calls after that.

[Governor Tarkin]

43 minutes ago, Smithee said:

1 hour ago, Harry Potter said:

And a dump in your own toilet, a win win.

Never even thought of that, bliss!

 

Taking your dumping on tour is one of life's pleasures imo.

[Ray Gin]

3 hours ago, i8hibsh said:

I have an entire office and building to myself most days because all the other chancing torags are too precious to venture out in to the big bad dangerous world and come in to it.

 

Bliss.

 

You ever thought they just don't want to be stuck in the office with you?

 

[i8hibsh]

Just now, Ray Gin said:

 

You ever thought they just don't want to be stuck in the office with you?

 

 

 

Yes

 

 

 

 

[Unknown user]

1 minute ago, JWL said:

 

That does surprise me. Why would you take a sicky if you're in the house and WFH anyway? Doesn't make sense. I've been WFH since day 1 and hasn't bothered me a bit and it's Diagnosis Murder in the morning for me with a break for Popmaster on R2 at half 10. Constant teams calls after that.

 

I was listening to a thing about this on the radio, the trend is very much the exact opposite of what i8's saying - how are you going to call in sick if you wake up at work?

 

Just now, Governor Tarkin said:

 

Taking your dumping on tour is one of life's pleasures imo.

 

I suppose I could try the sink for a change

[i8hibsh]

5 minutes ago, JWL said:

 

That does surprise me. Why would you take a sicky if you're in the house and WFH anyway? Doesn't make sense. I've been WFH since day 1 and hasn't bothered me a bit and it's Diagnosis Murder in the morning for me with a break for Popmaster on R2 at half 10. Constant teams calls after that.

 

 

 

A guy is just back today after one and a half weeks off sick following a positive test.  He had no symptoms but done a drop in test for the track n test thing.  Was positive and even though he has worked from home since last March he has been off sick.  Work can't say **** all. 

 

I'm all for work smarter not harder and '**** your work' but this is piss taking on a quite grand scale.

[A Boy Named Crow]

2 hours ago, i8hibsh said:

 

 

Senior management are desperately trying to get bodies in the office and some of the excuses are nothing short of piss taking.  It is actually embarrassing to hear them.

I think the question has to be,  why can't your colleagues be trusted to work without the gaffer looking over their shoulder all the time?

 

These folk should be "managed" out the door and be replaced with people who will appreciate having a job at all...

[westbow]

2 hours ago, i8hibsh said:

People have gotten so used to falling out their bed at 5 to 9 then going through to the living room and logging on in their boxers, moving the mouse every 10 minutes for a few hours whilst they have the odd ham shank and watch cash in the attic.

Eyeew. Now that's lazy. Maybe some kind of work nappy required.

[westbow]

Calling customer services is a laugh now. Can just tell you are interrupting duvet time.

[i8hibsh]

1 minute ago, westbow said:

Eyeew. Now that's lazy. Maybe some kind of work nappy required.

 

 

After a day of numerous ham shanks I can't even imagine how rotten the boxers are too by end of day.

 

 

 

 

[i8hibsh]

Just now, westbow said:

Calling customer services is a laugh now. Can just tell you are interrupting duvet time.

 

You can evern hear dogs barking and lawnmowers in the background.

[i8hibsh]

And I know this is not the subject matter of this thread but another thing that is being milked is the old broadband or 'system issues'.

 

Someone wants to **** off for an hour just says that they are having connection issues or some pish and no one can question it.

 

 

[westbow]

In a few months time WFH staff will need a forklift to get them out the house for their carpal tunnel syndrome surgery.

[JWL]

3 minutes ago, i8hibsh said:

And I know this is not the subject matter of this thread but another thing that is being milked is the old broadband or 'system issues'.

 

Someone wants to **** off for an hour just says that they are having connection issues or some pish and no one can question it.

 

 

 

Don't forget the Covid jab. Amazing how shitty people feel in the afternoon after getting the jab in the morning.

[JudyJudyJudy]

6 minutes ago, i8hibsh said:

And I know this is not the subject matter of this thread but another thing that is being milked is the old broadband or 'system issues'.

 

Someone wants to **** off for an hour just says that they are having connection issues or some pish and no one can question it.

 

 

Does it really matter if people are not working fully at home and skiving at times ? As long as they get the allocated work done then what’s the issue ? Employees are saving a fortune or will in renting office space , internet etc . This is the way forward for many workers I feel . I can now do about 70% of my work from home . The rest I have no choice in. Plus the added bonus of the absence of the snarky arseholes  and office politics in my working environment . ( well to be Fair just a couple of workers ! Most of my colleagues are fine ) .  I think there is talk we will only meet up for staff meetings and if necessary training 

[i8hibsh]

Just now, JamesM48 said:

Does it really matter if people are not working fully at home and skiving at times ? As long as they get the allocated work done then what’s the issue ? Employees are saving a fortune or will in renting office space , internet etc . This is the way forward for many workers I feel . I can now do about 70% of my work from home . The rest I have no choice in. Plus the added bonus of the absence of the snarky arseholes  and office politics in my working environment . ( well to be Fair just a couple of workers ! Most of my colleagues are fine ) .  I think there is talk we will only meet up for staff meetings and if necessary training 

 

 

Employees are not really saving cash.  They will still have all the fixed costs - they still have ot pay rent.  Nothing is being mothballed - all pc's are still even switched on in my office (all 200) even though no one is in it bar me and a few odd folk now and again.  Heating was on all thorugh winter etc.

 

Landlords don't just take the hit because of covid, companies still pay rent.

 

I don't care what anyone says - no one is as productive wfh than they would be in an office.

[JudyJudyJudy]

2 minutes ago, i8hibsh said:

 

 

Employees are not really saving cash.  They will still have all the fixed costs - they still have ot pay rent.  Nothing is being mothballed - all pc's are still even switched on in my office (all 200) even though no one is in it bar me and a few odd folk now and again.  Heating was on all thorugh winter etc.

 

Landlords don't just take the hit because of covid, companies still pay rent.

 

I don't care what anyone says - no one is as productive wfh than they would be in an office.

Yes I agree with some of the above . I meant in due course they may rent smaller office spaces , use less internet as only have a few employees in the office etc . I think they have found that people are more productive at home as sickness levels in the last year have plummeted 

[i8hibsh]

1 minute ago, JamesM48 said:

Yes I agree with some of the above . I meant in due course they may rent smaller office spaces , use less internet as only have a few employees in the office etc . I think they have found that people are more productive at home as sickness levels in the last year have plummeted 

 

 

 

You would think that but my work is the opposite.  So many people have been on long term sick and people are off sick constantly.

[JudyJudyJudy]

3 minutes ago, i8hibsh said:

 

 

 

You would think that but my work is the opposite.  So many people have been on long term sick and people are off sick constantly.

Well I read somewhere that sickness levels have plummeted . Mind you in my work there are a couple off but they have always been chancers anyway 

[Harry Potter]

45 minutes ago, Governor Tarkin said:

 

Taking your dumping on tour is one of life's pleasures imo.

prefer my own gaff everytime Governor.

Too many places with no window, nightmare, all bogs should have a window,

for max ventilation.

[Unknown user]

15 minutes ago, i8hibsh said:

 

 

Employees are not really saving cash.  They will still have all the fixed costs - they still have ot pay rent.  Nothing is being mothballed - all pc's are still even switched on in my office (all 200) even though no one is in it bar me and a few odd folk now and again.  Heating was on all thorugh winter etc.

 

Landlords don't just take the hit because of covid, companies still pay rent.

 

I don't care what anyone says - no one is as productive wfh than they would be in an office.

 

Their rent hasn't gone up though, they're paying the same rent working from home or not, so you can't count it as an expense.

I'll be saving a fair bit from the commute to my last job, not to mention my vending machine habits and petrol station splurges. My PC's on during the day anyway so even my excess leccy use will be minimal.

[westbow]

2 minutes ago, i8hibsh said:

 

 

Employees are not really saving cash.  They will still have all the fixed costs - they still have ot pay rent.  Nothing is being mothballed - all pc's are still even switched on in my office (all 200) even though no one is in it bar me and a few odd folk now and again.  Heating was on all thorugh winter etc.

 

Landlords don't just take the hit because of covid, companies still pay rent.

 

I don't care what anyone says - no one is as productive wfh than they would be in an office.

This has been simmering away in the background as some companies have stopped paying rent but cannot be evicted. It will need paid at some point though. This will be either done through some kind of negotiated debt repayment over a set amount of time or, unfortunately for some, administration. Together with furlough ending fairly soon, things are going to get messy.

 

[Unknown user]

Just now, Harry Potter said:

prefer my own gaff everytime Governor.

Too many places with no window, nightmare, all bogs should have a window,

for max ventilation.

 

Exactly, plus you can get the tunes on, leave the door open, there's decent toilet roll and you don't even have to get dressed. Superb.

[westbow]

1 minute ago, Smithee said:

 

Their rent hasn't gone up though, they're paying the same rent working from home or not, so you can't count it as an expense.

I'll be saving a fair bit from the commute to my last job, not to mention my vending machine habits and petrol station splurges. My PC's on during the day anyway so even my excess leccy use will be minimal.

You can claim for home expenses. It is on HMRC website.https://www.tax.service.gov.uk/claim-tax-relief-expenses/claim-online

[Unknown user]

1 minute ago, westbow said:

This has been simmering away in the background as some companies have stopped paying rent but cannot be evicted. It will need paid at some point though. This will be either done through some kind of negotiated debt repayment over a set amount of time or, unfortunately for some, administration. Together with furlough ending fairly soon, things are going to get messy.

 

 

Absolutely, there's going to be a crash in the value of city property. Again, I was listening to a thing on the radio about this the other day. They reckon about 45% of jobs in the UK can be done from home and that of those about half would want to have some sort of WFH arrangement, normally a 2/3 split either way. That's an awful lot of companies looking to downsize or renegotiate and that will force the market down