Yet another example....

[Brigadier]

Brexit or Covid normally the excuse for anything remotely negative happening though,......

Even Covid has had plusses: the realisation that hours of commuting to sit on conference calls, or in unproductive meetings, could be better spent doing actual work, for one......



However, if Brexit could be connected with anything even remotely positive, we'd have already heard about it. Loudly and repeatedly.

 

[cwhaley]

Even Covid has had plusses: the realisation that hours of commuting to sit on conference calls, or in unproductive meetings, could be better spent doing actual work, for one......



However, if Brexit could be connected with anything even remotely positive, we'd have already heard about it. Loudly and repeatedly.

Totally agree with the first point. Sadly I work for somebody with the view that we must be in every day, so I spend 5-6 hours commuting and miss spending time with my family, instead sitting in a queue of other people caught in the same cycle.

 

[Brigadier]

Sadly I work for somebody with the view that we must be in every day

Another reason why GB continually props up the productivity metrics for so-called developed economies.

 

[diy_fun_uk]

Totally agree with the first point. Sadly I work for somebody with the view that we must be in every day, so I spend 5-6 hours commuting and miss spending time with my family, instead sitting in a queue of other people caught in the same cycle.

Roughly what time do you walk out your front door and what time are you walking into your workplace? Judging by your post you have a LONG commute. I don't envy you.

I think when we were in the midst of covid, many companies/oganisations were saying 'this is the way it'll be even when covid is over' referring to WFH. At that time we were all 'in it together', clapping on the doorstep etc. However, now covid is over (well it isn't but you know what I mean) much of that rhetoric is being forgotten and there's an increasing pressure in some quarters to physically return to the workplace. For some roles it's obviously essential and I suppose the 'be careful what you wish for' can also be true for some roles i.e. the risk of the role being outsourced abroad to someone who'll work for less.

 

[cwhaley]

Roughly what time do you walk out your front door and what time are you walking into your workplace? Judging by your post you have a LONG commute. I don't envy you.

I think when we were in the midst of covid, many companies/oganisations were saying 'this is the way it'll be even when covid is over' referring to WFH. At that time we were all 'in it together', clapping on the doorstep etc. However, now covid is over (well it isn't but you know what I mean) much of that rhetoric is being forgotten and there's an increasing pressure in some quarters to physically return to the workplace. For some roles it's obviously essential and I suppose the 'be careful what you wish for' can also be true for some roles i.e. the risk of the role being outsourced abroad to someone who'll work for less.

It's not the distance (it's only 9 miles by road each way), it's the traffic which is the problem. I have actually started another thread on here somewhere, asking for advice on biking in!

I'm contracted to start at 08:30, but I get in for 07:30 -- one because it means I can at least beat the morning traffic and two because I'm a morning person. I'm not 'allowed' to leave before 17:00, though so have no choice but getting stuck in the home traffic. I hate it.

You've made a very important point at the end there. In a role I was made redundant from (large HQ with 5k+ people working there), they did a survey after I left asking people if they'd like to work from home. Most said YES we love it, but people I'm still in contact with knew what this could lead to.... Nine months later they were making further restructuring and reductions in staff.

I don't mind going in at all, but it's the fact our road networks aren't designed for the traffic. The networks I used haven't really changed since the mid-1970s, bar the extra lane on the M1 added about ten years ago.

 

[ReganAndCarter]

Whether it's through design,

Definitely this. There's an agenda. Even more blatant in other countries - remember the massive 'swarms' admitted by Mad Frau Merkel. Remember how that one worked out for local females - esp on New Years Eve in Cologne, etc. Poss done to destabilise countries to divide and rule, as well as getting the cheap labour demanded by global economy. Certainly not for our benefit, we just have to cope with all the problems it brings. As long as they get the constant growth they demand (this is more expansion of economy than proper growth, however) then our overlords are happy. For now.

See how many Amazon drivers, etc look like they just got off the boat from deepest, darkest Congo. Huge multinationials like this are the ones partly responsible for the big influx as they hold a lot of power. Whoever is lending Western economies ever increasing vast sums of money in an attempt to prop up their ponzi-style economies will be another one holding sway. In a way, our 'leaders' are just along for the ride themselves. They have to bow to greater powers, or these powers will pull the plug and play the regime change game until they get what they want.

 

[Brigadier]

so I spend 5-6 hours commuting

That must be per week, surely, given

............ (it's only 9 miles by road each way),

 

[cwhaley]

That must be per week, surely

Yes per week -- might not be a lot to many, but I'm the only one who has to travel so long just to get to my place of work. Roadworks are due to start on a major bridge next week (a bridge which offers one of only three routes into my village) and I expect this to have a huge knock-on to overall commuting times. I don't need to be the office five days a week, but my manager insists.

 

[Brigadier]

but my manager insists.

All other things being equal, doesn't sound like much of a manager, if they value presenteeism over productivity.


My commute to my (nominal) office was 2-3 hrs per day; the 2 hrs only being the case if I went in / out in the dead of night AND the highways peeps hadn't decided to close the motorways for overnight roadworks / no-one had decided to stuff their vehicle through a barrier.............

None of which made much sense seeing as I spend much of my time talking with our staff either over the phone or face-to-face, and they are based all over the UK and work nationwide...............

I am measured by what I do, not how many hours I spend polishing my 'arris on a boss-specified chair.

 

[SirGalahad]

Totally agree with the first point. Sadly I work for somebody with the view that we must be in every day, so I spend 5-6 hours commuting and miss spending time with my family, instead sitting in a queue of other people caught in the same cycle.

It comes from the top down, the fear that if you are at home you are not working - essentially a lack of trust.

 

[SirGalahad]

Yes per week -- might not be a lot to many, but I'm the only one who has to travel so long just to get to my place of work. Roadworks are due to start on a major bridge next week (a bridge which offers one of only three routes into my village) and I expect this to have a huge knock-on to overall commuting times. I don't need to be the office five days a week, but my manager insists.

Ask them do they trust the software they use? If they say yes then I suspect many software companies have flexible worker policies - point being there is no logic or consistency in the view you must be in if it's not required.

 

[cwhaley]

It's all about perception -- they want us to be "seen" present and around. Two years ago I couldn't drive my car in as I was waiting for a new coolant hose, and despite have a laptop and remote working software I was really pressured to be in, so had to ask my wife to drop me off on her way to work, which was a logistical nightmare. They are also incredibly an*l about time keeping. I come in an hour early every single day, but left at 16:58 once. The next morning there was a "message to all" about needing to be at our desks ready to work until 17:00... Bear in mind I am in a senior position.

In a former job (the longest of which I spent my career in), I had a great relationship with my manager and really respected him. I actually preferred to be in the office but if ever I needed to be at home for whatever reason he'd allow me to be, because he knew I'd be working and could contact me at any time.

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

If you don't like your boss then become your own.

Self-employment suits me perfectly. It took a career-switch to do it, but I couldn't imagine being under someone else's control now.

 

[JohnD]

Ah yes, but Covid was caused by Brexit.

You might as well blame it for Covid, plenty around here blame Brexit for everything else that's not to their liking in the world.

"Plenty," you say?

 

[cwhaley]

If you don't like your boss then become your own.

Self-employment suits me perfectly. It took a career-switch to do it, but I couldn't imagine being under someone else's control now.

I would absolutely love that, but I can't afford the gamble of the switch. I wouldn't know what to do either! Several people have said I should become a "handy man" but it seems a bit risky, and recently I've been looking for welding courses as I own a few old cars and it seems to be a rare skill these days, but again a real gamble.

During Covid I did start making coat racks and benches which I sold for money we put toward our wedding, and I loved doing it as I had my own schedule and structure. We looked at it though, and couldn't work out how to make it financially viable.