Working From Home Thread

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#2452114 1-Apr-2020 11:18

Yeah it's bloody frustrating.

In saying that, I have wired earbuds I can use - they're just not very convenient if I am on hours and hours of back to back VC's and want to pace the room...

For all my calls I use the mic in the camera and an external speaker. So I can walk around and still hear people and rush over if I want to talk. With up to 60 people on a call most of us are not sending video.

Staying in Wellington. Check out my AirBnB in the Wellington CBD. https://www.airbnb.co.nz/h/wellycbd PM me and mention GZ to get a 15% discount and no AirBnB charges.

antonknee

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#2452180 1-Apr-2020 11:33

One week in and I am really missing the dual monitors and sit-stand desk I have at the office 😑

I am also becoming acutely aware of just how deficient the 'laptop at the kitchen table' really is. Height of the screen is all wrong and I can feel myself hunching. I really wish I'd brought my ergonomic keyboard home too.

May have to try an work something out for height and make sure I take some really frequent breaks and micropauses, as well as stretching. A long 3+ weeks ahead!

Batwing

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#2452626 1-Apr-2020 21:21

Time management remains an issue and its interesting seeing how different households resolve it. I acknowledge some previous comments about not feeling guilty about spending time with the kids, or doing a bit of work later in the evenings to. I personally don't feel guilt about spending the time with children, it's more a sense of feeling stuck between competing expectations for the same period of time.

Initially of course reassurances were that we weren't to worry and the employer would come up with a plan, naively we thought great we'll be free to work hours that work smoothly around children who are up and active 12 hours a day, the bosses are people too and they know we've lost out of 10 hours of childcare a day so surely we can't make up that slack. Now that plan is clearer it's still predicated about a standard 8 hour day.

I know some couples have one person working and one not, so while it's not great that one is now a full-time teacher / entertainer they still need some breaks so work in those households is a mix of business hours and after hours. I know of a couple of households that had an grandparent move in and this helps a lot to give everyone a bit of down time.

Two parents working from home and the closure of school day care effectively turns the daily routine into a non-routine of trying to juggle meals, snacks, conference calls, work, entertainment and hopefully some sleep. Where it gets interesting is some colleagues are not expected to work from home - so they're golden off work on paid leave for now. Those that can work from home are expected to work complete 8-hour days, and any time off to care for kids should either be made up after hours or weekends or taken as leave off an accrued balance (unlike those not expected to work, their leave is intact). Surely there's a fairer middle ground there? As some productivity is better than none, but the partially productive person loses time, leave balance and work / life balance.

Now I know some will say just working before / after the children are awake remains the only fair answer as we're still fully employed and lucky to be so. I don't know what the real answer is, but no-one really predicted a scenario that there was no such thing as school or daycare or family allowed to visit and help out so it's also a bit obtuse to think one part of the system should not have to change when the other parts of the labour system have been forced to by current events. It seems the current expectation to take leave for every hour spent with our children during the day, or to give up every hour of the day because of the closure of schools and daycare means that the burden is being placed upon the employee rather than it being shared fairly with the employers as well.

I wonder if the government will decide to give extra guidance for partially productive workers - a partial wage subsidy or an edict to employers to calm down on the pressure that pushes people to try and cover the kids for 6 hours per parent then work another 8 every day?

If you've made it this far: I'm stoked to have my ergonomic keyboard and mouse and I've moved one of the PC's to the lounge to free up desk space. We've got an array of 5 monitors to share between us so actual workspace setup is great - we just need the remote access at work's end to be more stable and actually have all the systems working either on the work provided machine or the virtual environment instead of running both at once to complete core functions, maybe even bringing the virtual environment to something newer than slightly 10 years old would be good too!

Senecio

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#2452725 2-Apr-2020 05:52

I feel fortunate today that I'll be actually going to work. I work in supply chain in an essential FMCG business so we still have a manufacturing facility to run. All of my team members are working from home but being part of the supply chain lead team we are running a roster so that one of us is available on site in the manufacturing plant each day to support our front line staff who don't have the option of working from home. I'm really looking forward to it, will be great to see everyone.

Of course there's also the responsibility of making sure our staff are complying with the safe working regulations that allow us to continue to operate as an essential business. We do take that seriously and by the sounds of the reports my colleagues have fed back in the last 3 days so do the staff which is great.

I'll be taking the opportunity to pick up my docking station and second monitor while I'm there. Looking forward to having that for productivity.

NumPy

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#2452756 2-Apr-2020 09:16

I can't remember a time in my life where I have ever looked forward to a normal Monday morning at work. Working from home sure has its advantages, but quiet frankly I would rather just be at work now. Wish everything could just return to normal.

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#2452763 2-Apr-2020 09:27

NumPy:

I can't remember a time in my life where I have ever looked forward to a normal Monday morning at work. Working from home sure has its advantages, but quiet frankly I would rather just be at work now. Wish everything could just return to normal.

Yeah I didn't realise how much a normal routine actually keeps me sane.

Incredible how many of us are actually looking forward to a return to the "old days"...

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#2452767 2-Apr-2020 09:29

I work remotely a fair bit, but to be honest, I'd also MUCH rather be at my office.

Senecio

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#2452784 2-Apr-2020 09:44

I've tried to keep some sort of routine. I've replaced my 45min morning commute with 45mins of exercise. Out of the shower and straight to the temporary office in the spare room. Has the added advantage of losing a couple of excess kilos.

Handsomedan

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#2452821 2-Apr-2020 10:52

Senecio:

I've tried to keep some sort of routine. I've replaced my 45min morning commute with 45mins of exercise. Out of the shower and straight to the temporary office in the spare room. Has the added advantage of losing a couple of excess kilos.

I'm wondering if that's what I should be doing instead of getting up 45 minutes later? (Rhetorical question)

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blackjack17

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#2452844 2-Apr-2020 11:29

I am constantly reminded by how much more I could be doing if I wasn't looking after two little kids at the same time.

Trying to run classes when you have kids screaming in the background or trying to climb over you, constantly wanting your attention.

Trying to mark when you are distracted every couple of minutes.

And doing this while helping out the less computer literate of the school, managing student welfare as well as upskilling myself

For those teachers without young kids this would be great I would be able to have the rest of the year sorted.

Not enough hours in the day

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MikeAqua

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#2452868 2-Apr-2020 12:06

I've been working at home for two weeks. As has my partner. With both have good size desks. multi-monitor set up and are sued to working from home on occasion. I do it twice a month to allow time to undertake longer term planning etc.

With two of us in one office and many Teams calls, we have had to implement a calendar system for the office.

I have to say I do not like working from home at all. I used to compartmentalise my work physically, with a 30min drive listening to something resetting the brain so. That is now gone and the fridge/pantry are far too available. I'll be back in the office as soon as it's safe to do so.

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#2452872 2-Apr-2020 12:11

MikeAqua:

I've been working at home for two weeks. As has my partner. With both have good size desks. multi-monitor set up and are sued to working from home on occasion. I do it twice a month to allow time to undertake longer term planning etc.

With two of us in one office and many Teams calls, we have had to implement a calendar system for the office.

I have to say I do not like working from home at all. I used to compartmentalise my work physically, with a 30min drive listening to something resetting the brain so. That is now gone and the fridge/pantry are far too available. I'll be back in the office as soon as it's safe to do so.

There is definitely an element of that whole not being able to switch off, and because it's SO easy to just walk 5 steps from your home space to your workspace to do ONE more email etc.

It's tough in IT as well, where we often work when no-one else is, and with everyone worrying about money and no-one wanting to spend anything, but needing things to keep businesses running.

It wears you down....

tdgeek

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#2452874 2-Apr-2020 12:13

MikeAqua:

I have to say I do not like working from home at all. I used to compartmentalise my work physically, with a 30min drive listening to something resetting the brain so. That is now gone and the fridge/pantry are far too available. I'll be back in the office as soon as it's safe to do so.

I love it actually. Peace and quiet when thats wanted/needed. No commuting. When I'm working, its work.

lchiu7

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#2452879 2-Apr-2020 12:22

networkn:

I work remotely a fair bit, but to be honest, I'd also MUCH rather be at my office.

I enjoy working at home apart from being around my wife all the time :-( She's not working so she is sometimes at a loose end.

I would like to catch up with friends and colleagues every now and then but that's clearly not possible. So I am doing virtual coffee meets over video which is the next best thing I guess.

Staying in Wellington. Check out my AirBnB in the Wellington CBD. https://www.airbnb.co.nz/h/wellycbd PM me and mention GZ to get a 15% discount and no AirBnB charges.

lchiu7

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#2452880 2-Apr-2020 12:22

networkn:

I work remotely a fair bit, but to be honest, I'd also MUCH rather be at my office.

I enjoy working at home apart from being around my wife all the time :-( She's not working so she is sometimes at a loose end.

I would like to catch up with friends and colleagues every now and then but that's clearly not possible. So I am doing virtual coffee meets over video which is the next best thing I guess.

Staying in Wellington. Check out my AirBnB in the Wellington CBD. https://www.airbnb.co.nz/h/wellycbd PM me and mention GZ to get a 15% discount and no AirBnB charges.

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