Society/Culture Working from home vs forced back to the office

[peetoo]

In other words ‘office attendance does not fix fake work’

https://www.news.com.au/finance/work/at-work/sneaky-theory-behind-return-to-office-mandate-emerges/news-story/a19dd42767891085021e1456ab0bcf12

 

[Rotayjay]

At our office, experienced staff have now been asked to work from home more to make way for new recruits because we reckon the newies should be in office full time, and we don't have the room for everyone in the building.

 

[Cap]

In other words ‘office attendance does not fix fake work’

https://www.news.com.au/finance/work/at-work/sneaky-theory-behind-return-to-office-mandate-emerges/news-story/a19dd42767891085021e1456ab0bcf12

Im heading into the office this week.

I've already done 2 or 3 hours of extra work in preparation of getting less done in the office.

 

[HirdsTheWord]

Being involved in recruitment, it's clear over the last 12 months there's been a swing back to it being an employers market, where a year back employers were falling over themselves to offer incentives for talent.

Exactly.

Has been an employee market for 3-4 years where you can demand what you want and due to shortage of labour employers bend to it.

We are now entering the employers market where you do what the employer wants, or they find someone else who will.

 

[the_interloper]

Im heading into the office this week.

I've already done 2 or 3 hours of extra work in preparation of getting less done in the office.

I got into the office before 7 to actually get some shit done before everyone gets in and has social hour. Back when we were always in the office it was less of an event to see a workmate, some only come in once a week now so we need to "catch up".

 

[burge13]

I got into the office before 7 to actually get some shit done before everyone gets in and has social hour. Back when we were always in the office it was less of an event to see a workmate, some only come in once a week now so we need to "catch up".

I see a couple of workmates 1 day each per week so would easily kill 30-45 mins talking shit on the day we're in office.

I dont think this kind of thing should be looked at negatively though, much better people get along. You're more likely to help a mate than just a colleague, higher morale etc.

There's a balance between productivity and 'productively' socialising.

If management are going to 'force' people back into the office then get upset at people socialising then we've reached peak stupidity. Why go in and not talk, can do that from home ffs

 

[the_interloper]

I see a couple of workmates 1 day each per week so would easily kill 30-45 mins talking shit on the day we're in office.

I dont think this kind of thing should be looked at negatively though, much better people get along. You're more likely to help a mate than just a colleague, higher morale etc.

There's a balance between productivity and 'productively' socialising.

If management are going to 'force' people back into the office then get upset at people socialising then we've reached peak stupidity. Why go in and not talk, can do that from home ffs

i agree with this, i guess it really condenses the catch up time in the office when it's so limited, so as Cap said you tend not to get much actual work done. But yeah, building internal relationships can be as important as external that's for sure.

 

[Cap]

i agree with this, i guess it really condenses the catch up time in the office when it's so limited, so as Cap said you tend not to get much actual work done. But yeah, building internal relationships can be as important as external that's for sure.

Agree with burge13 that the office banter need not be loooked on negatively.

But I'm not going to lie though, the productivity decrease isn't something I am looking for, but so far balancing being polite and telling people I really don't care about their cat has alluded me.

 

[burge13]

Agree with burge13 that the office banter need not be loooked on negatively.

But I'm not going to lie though, the productivity decrease isn't something I am looking for, but so far balancing being polite and telling people I really don't care about their cat has alluded me.

I guess it's weighed up vs how much you get along with colleagues. Can't say I'm top fazed about one ladies latest audiobook or where she hiked but that's quickly over. Talking about the important stuff like punting, boxing, the weekend with the other blokes does take a little longer

 

[swingdog]

We're a small consulting company (so, not representative of the whole but anyway...).

We have 1 day a week (Friday) in a co-working office and that is only for business development. That seems a good balance for us.

 

[Cap]

I guess it's weighed up vs how much you get along with colleagues. Can't say I'm top fazed about one ladies latest audiobook or where she hiked but that's quickly over. Talking about the important stuff like punting, boxing, the weekend with the other blokes does take a little longer

I honestly go to work, to work. I've 8 hours there and I don't want it bleeding into the rest of my life as I don't have the time.

That's just the period of time I am in my life though, it wasn't like that in the past and may change in the future. So there is no judgement on others who want stronger relationships with their colleagues, I get it.

Edit - I don't mean to imply others aren't going to work not to work. I am aware that lots of people also enjoy the social aspect (even business owners and bosses etc) as well.

 

[HirdsTheWord]

We're a small consulting company (so, not representative of the whole but anyway...).

We have 1 day a week (Friday) in a co-working office and that is only for business development. That seems a good balance for us.

our team tends to do 1 x day WFH (Wednesdays) and it's seems everyone's pretty happy about it.

I wouldn't want to do more than that, i generally like being in the office.

 

[swingdog]

our team tends to do 1 x day WFH (Wednesdays) and it's seems everyone's pretty happy about it.

I wouldn't want to do more than that, i generally like being in the office.

This is the good thing about where we are at now - flexibility allows for different circumstances for different organisations. Not sure why we would want to give that up.

 

[HirdsTheWord]

This is the good thing about where we are at now - flexibility allows for different circumstances for different organisations. Not sure why we would want to give that up.

i think flexibility is the way forward.

I def think 100% WFH is dead in the water for most businesses though.

 

[burge13]

i think flexibility is the way forward.

I def think 100% WFH is dead in the water for most businesses though.

For now

As soon as companies realise leasing office space in expensive CBD's is a pretty unnecessary cost people will be home whether they like it or not. I'm not exactly wanting this (2 days per week home is fantastic, more would get a little boring!) but writing is on the wall. Companies want more and more profits, if they can't grow income they cut costs.

We'll see a company eventually do studies to find x amount of loss in productivity but save on leases is better than x amount of productivity in office IMO. Once it's realised, only government will stay in CBD to keep their commercial REO mates happy

 

[HirdsTheWord]

For now

As soon as companies realise leasing office space in expensive CBD's is a pretty unnecessary cost people will be home whether they like it or not. I'm not exactly wanting this (2 days per week home is fantastic, more would get a little boring!) but writing is on the wall. Companies want more and more profits, if they can't grow income they cut costs.

We'll see a company eventually do studies to find x amount of loss in productivity but save on leases is better than x amount of productivity in office IMO. Once it's realised, only government will stay in CBD to keep their commercial REO mates happy

I dont think so, your presumption is that people are more profitable working from home. Thats not the case. Multiple companies have said their operations work better and more efficiently when people are in the same location.

So, whilst offices cost money, if businesses are making more money than it doesn't matter.

Flexibility is the beast way forward. 100% in the office and 100% at home is gone IMO.

 

[burge13]

I dont think so, your presumption is that people are more profitable working from home. Thats not the case. Multiple companies have said their operations work better and more efficiently when people are in the same location.

So, whilst offices cost money, if businesses are making more money than it doesn't matter.

Flexibility is the beast way forward. 100% in the office and 100% at home is gone IMO.

I dont believe this for a second for all industry and every business. You don't think big picture enough if you can't see some businesses would profit more cutting office space, it's pretty obvious in actual fact...

You also get quite defensive on this topic lol. I don't even want full remote work but you're kidding yourself if you don't think it'll become the norm a decade (or less) from now in some industries that are office based

I work in a team of analysts/systems consultants atm. Literally no use having an office lease, as nice as it is coming in a few days a week for social interactions

And it may not be entire companies home, but entire departments within. There'd be a shitload of banking staff in the back office who needn't be there for example