pinkmonkey
2.4 hour party person
OMG, how did I miss that? Thanks!
The working from home thread
- Thread starter BoatieBird
- Start date
We’ve had what I believe to be the fourth official email from the top in the last two years, instructing us in no uncertain terms that we all have to be in the office at least three days a week. The only difference this time is a reproachful and slightly pleading tone as it points out that this requirement has been spectacularly missed “over the past several months”. I don’t know why they think this one will work when the last three haven’t. Mind you, I know that the poor sod who has been strong-armed into sending it doesn’t personally give a stuff whether people are in the office or not. So I find it hard to believe he will be going out of his way to make it happen.
pinkmonkey
2.4 hour party person
My ref samples arrived at 4pm yesterday, so I got the ring lights out and photographed and videoed them and edited the photos til 9pm. I had to do cooking prep this morning (I’m a part time carer for my father) so I didn’t start til 11, I’ve had to break off to do things to do with the slow cooker and bread maker but I think I’ve got just enough time left to finish my prep. I can’t leave the samples there, they’re used to put outfits together to photograph for my clients socials so I’ve got to give the last makers as much info as I can. My brother (who works for an internet bank) is wfh here tomorrow so dads not left on his own. I think those who are making demands to go back in the office are now expecting us to abandon the people (and animals) that we now care for. Fortunately my brothers employers are asian and they had a pandemic plan in place years ago, which has now been implemented. The entire business is split into two teams, they’re never in the office at the same time, that way, everyone is expected to wfh at least some of the time and infections have less chance of spreading through the whole office.
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UnderOpenSky
baseline neural therapy
I'm not sure WFH is working for me. I mean when we got more and more of it I was pretty happy, but I've not been into the office for a month and the four walls are doing my head in a bit. It's not helped that there isnt any management. So two things I know many people crave and yet I seem to be struggling with.
We are in the office tomorrow for a catch up and I'm looking forward to it. All a bit weird really.
We are in the office tomorrow for a catch up and I'm looking forward to it. All a bit weird really.
mx wcfc
Well-Known Member
I look forward to going in to the office now. I go in maybe 3 or 4 times a month.
I'd hate to have to go everyday again though, and whilst working, alone, at home ain't brilliant, it beats getting up early and commuting every day.
Those of us lucky enough to have a choice about this just need to find the right balance for us individually.
Artaxerxes
Look out, he's got a gnu!
I don’t crave management but I do like being told to get on and do specific stuff and left to my own devices as to how to do it
My last couple of jobs have been buggers for not having that
Voley
🐀
Same here.
Luckily I've got a boss who gives me a clear instruction, says 'Do you reckon you can have it done by Thursday? Give me a shout if you're getting stuck or something more important comes up.' Then I don't hear from her till Thursday. Having been micromanaged previously, it's a breath of fresh air, it really is.
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
Some of us workers need to be held accountable and wouldn’t do a stroke of work if no one was watching and there were games consoles, tv, books and fridges with wine and ham in them close to hand
UnderOpenSky
baseline neural therapy
My commute when I started was hellish, but not so bad once I moved. I guess in an ideal world once or twice a week would work, but thag would be pointless as there would be no one here. I went through a phase of that when we were told there had to be someone here, but that died thank god.
I guess that's what I mean really. That and the odd meeting so I know a bit more about the bigger picture and a space to talk about problems and just infomation sharing.
Artaxerxes
Look out, he's got a gnu!
It got really bad in one job at a MSP before this job where I joined and basically got an afternoons handover and then left to just… get on with it.
I’m not very comfortable with people so I basically just studied for three months before being let go. Not helped by them going wfh and a WeWork catchup once a week - this was pre-pandemic
UnderOpenSky
baseline neural therapy
I'm really lucky at least I get on well with my one remaining colleague so we will informal catch up fairly often. He's also very happy never to come the office, so it's not fair to push when for a day when it's only in my intrest. Think I might struggle as part of a huge company, but sometimes I wonder what it would be like to be able to bounce of a few more people. I can be a bit of recluse, but do actually enjoy speaking to people in controlled doses.
Have you worked at many MSPs? What have they been like? I read about them being hell, but on balance the one I'm at seems OK.
I’m in the office today and, to be fair, although I always resent having to come in, I actually quite like it precisely because I don’t do it that’s often. It’s mandated to be 3 times a week but I average about 2. I save up the busywork that I need to do for those 2 days.
Artaxerxes
Look out, he's got a gnu!
A couple, one did entirely remote support and wasn’t that great (that’s the one k was let go from) and another I did desktop support for. That was fine but we were on site and supporting users directly.
Both of them used some seriously outdated software. One of the clients for the desktop role was still using Citrix pre version 7 in 2017 - I wasn’t directly supporting them but I got called into help out a couple of times as that was part of my skillset
Elpenor
Dancing as fast as I can
The freebie given to everyone with no receipts / proof required was not applicable for tax year 2022-23 onwards
Puddy_Tat
naturally fluffy
bugger
(but thanks for answering)
is there still something you can claim with proof of something, though?
i got a one-off payment of £ 250 (before tax) when the contract formally changed to hybrid last year (we're now contractually expected to go to the office once a month but in practice it's a bit more flexible than that) but nothing ongoing. this was suggested for buying things like a decent desk and chair (although no proof or receipts were needed.)
i'm not clearly having to buy stuff for work (other than modest cost towards printer ink / paper, which officially i should go to the office and do but sod that) but probably running up electric / gas bills a bit (although don't know if i break even what with not buying lunches and not having commuting costs) but don't know how i'd prove what of this is due to wfh-ing.
Puddy_Tat
naturally fluffy
UnderOpenSky
baseline neural therapy
First day of the year I'd be rather glad of the HVAC in the office. I guess I can take me t shirt off which I couldnt do if I was there.
newme
Giant in Pastyland now
I got assigned training the new person, along with someone else (who has previously asked me for help with it), with absolutely no discussion and I have only been here 6 months and still have mentors (one of them being the one who asked me for help...) because they have weird internal processes. Had a session booked in and told show them how to complete form x, which has about 400 variations depending on the options you choose and is allegedly designed to alter based on input and be intuitive. It is not, I would like an unlocked version so I can go fix the damned macros and put the warnings in the right place.
For some reason errors they make only show up in my section.... so when I then start trying to do my bit, I immediately have to send it back. Also it appears people do not read, anything, if theres a large red button that says only continue when this is green as this indicates you have fully completed that section and then they continue anyway. I am not sure they need more help with the form so much as reading comprehension.
This got assigned Thursday, training is not a core skill of mine, more what I ended up doing when people failed to read. Put something together for this morning and logged in to find it was cancelled anyway. So not sure what that means but at least I got behind on other things preparing material for this. Which I will now pretend I do not have as I don't want to have to then be responsible for it. Been there done that.
For some reason errors they make only show up in my section.... so when I then start trying to do my bit, I immediately have to send it back. Also it appears people do not read, anything, if theres a large red button that says only continue when this is green as this indicates you have fully completed that section and then they continue anyway. I am not sure they need more help with the form so much as reading comprehension.
This got assigned Thursday, training is not a core skill of mine, more what I ended up doing when people failed to read. Put something together for this morning and logged in to find it was cancelled anyway. So not sure what that means but at least I got behind on other things preparing material for this. Which I will now pretend I do not have as I don't want to have to then be responsible for it. Been there done that.
newme
Giant in Pastyland now
And now it's all basically buggered off lol. Since I don't work there directly the company I actually for for got involved cos of comments we made. There's literally a Monday morning meeting where bitching about the client is fine so long as its justified.
Director is now contacting the Head of the department with a polite reminder about what they agreed to pay for and what they didn't. As well as some suggestions around training since we are a strategic partner. Plus I found the bbq in Newcastle isn't mandatory, nor is the trip to Bristol.
However they found flying is cheaper somehow and I can then have no work expectations or make much effort but also have 2 days each time with a very low actual workload, during the summer. Never been to either place except traveling through Bristol on train. Have to see what's on those nights since I now get there basically for the end of the work day the day before.
Director is now contacting the Head of the department with a polite reminder about what they agreed to pay for and what they didn't. As well as some suggestions around training since we are a strategic partner. Plus I found the bbq in Newcastle isn't mandatory, nor is the trip to Bristol.
However they found flying is cheaper somehow and I can then have no work expectations or make much effort but also have 2 days each time with a very low actual workload, during the summer. Never been to either place except traveling through Bristol on train. Have to see what's on those nights since I now get there basically for the end of the work day the day before.
UnderOpenSky
baseline neural therapy
He has decided that my padded laptop case makes an excellent bed. It's quite nice. Less so when he comes over and discovers keyboard shortcuta I didn't know existed.
Voley
🐀
We're supposed to be doing two days a week or thereabouts in the office now. I've got it down to one but I expect that'll be picked up at some point. A manager (not my immediate one but one with some influence) has started making sarky remarks about me not being there.
Fortunately my actual manager isn't arsed but I get the feeling I'll have to start showing my face a bit more often.
I usually enjoy seeing everyone when I go in but from a work/productivity pov it's really pointless. I still get more done at home.
UnderOpenSky
baseline neural therapy
We're supposed to be doing two days a week or thereabouts in the office now. I've got it down to one but I expect that'll be picked up at some point. A manager (not my immediate one but one with some influence) has started making sarky remarks about me not being there.
Fortunately my actual manager isn't arsed but I get the feeling I'll have to start showing my face a bit more often.
I usually enjoy seeing everyone when I go in but from a work/productivity pov it's really pointless. I still get more done at home.
God yes. We went for the first time in a few weeks yesterday. Very little work got done for the for the first few hours.
Puddy_Tat
naturally fluffy
newme
Giant in Pastyland now
What part of I have booked holiday is confusing? I was asked to book it, I did so, 2 minutes later they ask about a meeting next week which was booked off. How do you even reply to that? Reply directly saying I will not be in then? Wonder how on earth them giving me 3 weeks for a project is going to work when I just took half that time off and it was approved? Unless I knock it out in 2 days, I have nothing to show them in 2 weeks time. These are people who have frequently spelled their own name wrong, I get dyslexia etc exists, however it was on a tab with their name on it. After entering it first it should auto appear hitting even the first lettter correctly. Yet they managed to enter their own name wrong 8 times, thats only one of them.
The walls of my office/bedroom are getting closer, I did this for years with no issue but people no in my "office" appear to be the issue. How to fix that? lol
The walls of my office/bedroom are getting closer, I did this for years with no issue but people no in my "office" appear to be the issue. How to fix that? lol
Elpenor
Dancing as fast as I can
I find I struggle to get things done in the office as I spend at least an hour supporting other people who ask me nonstop questions. Still it’s only one day a week for now, and luckily my team still have dispensation to only do 1 day in the office, as long as we keep delivering and maintain standardsWe're supposed to be doing two days a week or thereabouts in the office now. I've got it down to one but I expect that'll be picked up at some point. A manager (not my immediate one but one with some influence) has started making sarky remarks about me not being there.
Fortunately my actual manager isn't arsed but I get the feeling I'll have to start showing my face a bit more often.
I usually enjoy seeing everyone when I go in but from a work/productivity pov it's really pointless. I still get more done at home.
UnderOpenSky
baseline neural therapy
I mean that's probably quite valuable to the organisation. I rarely go to the office now, but when I started I was there everyday and it was a much better learning environment for me and I built relationships which meant when we did transfer to WFH that calling each other for random chat on teams about how everything is going feels way more natural. Weirdly I don't want my next job to be so much WFH (but I also hate commuting which does limit my options somewhat).
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