Community Chat

[chrystaltree]

I have been working from home for over 5 years so when my employer gave everyone a lap top and sent them home. Nothing changed for me.  Originally, they planned to bring everyone back to the office in June but with the Delta Variant, they put that on hold and are now working with HR to make all jobs in our department remote jobs.  They gave people upgrades to their computers, a second monitor and expensive ergonomic chairs to those who wanted them.  However, unfortunately 5 or 6 people who moved out of state during covid to be with family, must move back to MA or to RI or Southern NH or they will be terminated on 9/1.  Remote workers must live close enough to Boston that they can come in to the office if they have to.  Something that had never happened the 5 years I have been remote or the 7 years my friend has been remote.  Senior management says that the remote work was a huge success.  Production is higher, quality is higher, people use fewer sick days and there is no need for snow or storm days.  Most workers are happier.  Which is true.  Only a couple of employees I work with prefer working on the office.  My daughter works for an investment firm and prior to Covid she did 2 days in the office, 2 from her home office.  Her employer has given them the option of working 100% remotely or the 2/2 when their office reopens.  They don't know when that will be.  Her second child is due in November, she was going to quit after the baby but now she's going to work 3 days from her home office.  Covid kicked employers into the 21st century and forced them to technology and free us from our cubicles and offices.  

[TurnerGal]

I have been WFH since March 2020.  They told us at the beginning of this year we would be back in August.  They just told us we can work from home permanently if we would like. The put our building up for sale and it's already under contract.  They are going to rent a small office space for a few things that must be done in the office.  

I am almost 62 and I only plan to work 1 or 2 more years so I am happy to work from home.  I have to stay really focused and not clean on breaks or do laundry, It's too easy for me to get distracted and start doing too many things and not working.  We were given $500 to purchase office furniture.  I wear comfy clothes.  My bad thing is I snack too much and gained 15 pounds.  I am working on that. 

[CANDLEQUEEN]

I started working from home March of 2020 and came back into the office April 2021. When we started working from home of course we all thought a couple of weeks, maybe a month-who knew??

I am so glad to be back in the office-working from home is just not for me. While it definitely had its advantages of not wearing makeup, pulling hair up in a pony, not dressing up and being able to get things done around the house, it just isn't for me!

I am much more productive being in an office setting surrounded by people. I enjoy dressing up more, and wearing a bit of makeup and actually leaving my home. I did like not having to get out in the bitter winter months though!

My daughter who also does not like working from home was just told they would definitely be working from home the rest of this year and all of 2022, and possibly permanently. She works for a smaller company and they are saving a lot of money having employees work from home! She is not happy, but she realizes there are perks with it as well.  I personally wouldn't mind being able to work one day a week from home, that would be perfect! I work for a very large company, so working from home on a permanent basis with my job isn't possible! 

[TurnerGal]

I think if I were younger I would not like it.  You have to focus on the positives because there are some negatives.  My son is 26 and I think younger people like being around more people. I think they are more into the social thing. 

[songbird]

Still working at home during Summer Semester.  Scheduled to go back on campus Fall Semester by August 30.  The plan is that university is open as normal by end of Thanksgiving break.  If things go downhille (COVID wise, we'll go back to working online from home. I personally think that will happen.  We won't get past the pandemic for years and years. My husband is a Federal worker.  Many of them were working remote from home long before COVID.  He's currently back at the office 3 days a week.  It might end up that way permanently.  Sister is a state worker.  They have the option of working from home or office.  She's home everyday but Friday (she's a social worker) She still goes out in the "field" or goes to  court.  Sister in law is a law mentor.  She works whenever she wants to from home or office in VA. Other sister is a lawyer.  She back in court/office.  My brother is a Federal worker. Still works from home full time.

Once you get used to it, it's easy to work from home.  I work normal hours.  Log off for Lunch, breaks, etc.  Most of the time I eat at my desk though.  I clean the house when I log off.  Stuff like laundry is back on weekends.  Can't do it while working. My computer was given to me and belongs for work only. I still use instacart and try to use  the food delivery in the afternoon once a week after 4:00PM. Working from home  for some  might be permanent. Meetings are now done by Zoom.  I hated it in the beginning.  Still not crazy over it.  But if there's bad weather....it's ideal!

[Harpa]

We are scheduled to be back on campus this month. But I stand poised for anything that will change.

My teaching space is a huge conference room, but they are only allowing 10 students to have class on campus; the rest of the class will be following along through Zoom....?

I have all kinds of trepidation about this arrangement, especially for music history courses.

Why would they go through the expense for heating & cooling & building maintenance for such small classes? I honestly do not get it.

For me, there were some good things about not leaving home: the travel, the parking, the no papers...etc.

The bad: Since my courses are music, I'm sure my students do not have the proper equipment for listening to their assignments. (And you ought to see me demonstrate on a virtual keyboard!) And for the students, I know they miss the contact & comraderie with the class.

Oh my!!

[Lipstickdiva]

We never went to WFH and honestly I don't see how we ever could.  Maybe we could do a hybrid but not totally WFH.    I'm not sure I would like it either.  I want to get out of my house.  I think I would feel too cut off if I spent all day inside of my house with no interraction with others.

There are a few companies in my area that sent employees home in March, 2020 and realized there is no need for an office.  They sold their space or didn't resign their lease, sold off their office furniture and their employees will WFH as long as they are working for the company.

[magicmoodz]

I have mixed feelings about WFH. Already our retail stores have been shuttering--imagine what this will do to office space. 

A case in point--Target corporate headquarters is located in my city and they are not renewing their lease downtown for 1M sq ft of office space. Employees will either WFH or be relocated. This will  tremendously impact neighboring businesses/restaurants, etc., who depend on that foot traffic to stay solvent.

The bottom line is this. I thrive on being surrounded by "life" -- be it lots of residential/retail/restaurants/office space, people, and yes, even traffic. My fear is our cities will dry up and we will soon become prisoners in our own homes.

[beckyb1012]

I never left the office as well.  In fact I just went down to the bank lobby in my building to cash a check and they have removed the social distancing circles that were on the floor since they reopened.  It was so strange to not see them after all this time.

I had to call a utility company last week on a billing error for us last week and I could hear the woman's dog barking in the back ground.  

[chrystaltree]

---

@beckyb1012 wrote:

I never left the office as well.  In fact I just went down to the bank lobby in my building to cash a check and they have removed the social distancing circles that were on the floor since they reopened.  It was so strange to not see them after all this time.

I had to call a utility company last week on a billing error for us last week and I could hear the woman's dog barking in the back ground.  

---

         99% of customers service reps have been working remotely since the winter of 2020.  Actually  many of them have always worked from home.