Working from home - Good or Bad
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Even in recent times, we hit people who behave as if internet was never invented. They continue to use heavy and stupid corporate policies like working hours, NO work from home and Dress Code. Just wanted views, about do these things actually apply to the process of software development? or its just an HR/Management ego that they want to boost but enforcing such historical mode of office going?
If all works out well I should soon be working from home. ie getting up about 10.00am, wandering semi-naked around the house, drinking tea and watching daytime telly as I make the odd phone call or juggle some emails. Maybe have a short siesta after lunch and then prepare for an evening relaxing in front of the telly with my wife (Who will have struggled home from a stressful day via some heavy traffic and rain and who will be able to see what a calm helpful person I am as I order a takeaway and neck the last of the Pinot Noir).
--------------------------------- Obscurum per obscurius. Ad astra per alas porci. Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum videtur.
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Even in recent times, we hit people who behave as if internet was never invented. They continue to use heavy and stupid corporate policies like working hours, NO work from home and Dress Code. Just wanted views, about do these things actually apply to the process of software development? or its just an HR/Management ego that they want to boost but enforcing such historical mode of office going?
I've suggested working from home but hasn't happened yet. Personally, I like coming to the office as I get to see friends that way. It also forces me to part from distcractions and put my mind into work mode properly. But there are times when I think the option to work from home from time to time would be useful. Say, the workman fixing the roof isn't sure when he's arriving, then rather than taking a paid day's leave, I can choose to work at home and save the holiday for something more exciting. As for dress code, we have extreme dress code called a uniform! It's not as bad as it sounds. It's made of durable material so you can crawl all over the lab to put down cables and never worry about wearing out the knees. The kit is formally "on loan" from the company so you can trade it in for new ones if the current one gets too worn out. And because we use uniforms at work, we are free to travel to and from work in whatever gear we want.
Almost, but not quite, entirely unlike... me...
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It's difficult - you never know what past experiences they have had, or heard of. There are always people who will take advantage - heck you know who they are in your office, goofing off, leave early, arrive late - and it's very difficult to monitor that if you let them work from home. Despite it (generally) improving productivity, it's hard to manage and monitor, so many people just go for the "no way Jose" approach and ban it. There are also difficulties in terms of billing for electricty usage, ensuring the security of company data, and so forth. Plus, there was this guy[^] :omg:
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OriginalGriff wrote:
Sorry, but this is pure genius. :rolleyes:
~RaGE();
I think words like 'destiny' are a way of trying to find order where none exists. - Christian Graus Do not feed the troll ! - Common proverb
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I've suggested working from home but hasn't happened yet. Personally, I like coming to the office as I get to see friends that way. It also forces me to part from distcractions and put my mind into work mode properly. But there are times when I think the option to work from home from time to time would be useful. Say, the workman fixing the roof isn't sure when he's arriving, then rather than taking a paid day's leave, I can choose to work at home and save the holiday for something more exciting. As for dress code, we have extreme dress code called a uniform! It's not as bad as it sounds. It's made of durable material so you can crawl all over the lab to put down cables and never worry about wearing out the knees. The kit is formally "on loan" from the company so you can trade it in for new ones if the current one gets too worn out. And because we use uniforms at work, we are free to travel to and from work in whatever gear we want.
Almost, but not quite, entirely unlike... me...
I wear smart cas. Often in Trainers, usually cords, often jeans, occasionally my golf trousers (for a smart getaway after work), always a shirt (except in extreme heat when it is a T). NEVER a tie. I am paid for my brain not my modelling ability.
--------------------------------- Obscurum per obscurius. Ad astra per alas porci. Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum videtur.
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It would have been genius - if he hadn't been caught...now the company knows that he and his other employees can be outsourced to China. :doh:
This message is manufactured from fully recyclable noughts and ones. To recycle this message, please separate into two tidy piles, and take them to your nearest local recycling centre. Please note that in some areas noughts are always replaced with zeros by law, and many facilities cannot recycle zeroes - in this case, please bury them in your back garden and water frequently.
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I wear smart cas. Often in Trainers, usually cords, often jeans, occasionally my golf trousers (for a smart getaway after work), always a shirt (except in extreme heat when it is a T). NEVER a tie. I am paid for my brain not my modelling ability.
--------------------------------- Obscurum per obscurius. Ad astra per alas porci. Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum videtur.
Dalek Dave wrote:
I am paid for my brain not my modelling ability.
If it was the other way, you'd be destitute. :laugh:
Reality is an illusion caused by a lack of alcohol "Nagy, you have won the internets." - Keith Barrow
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Even in recent times, we hit people who behave as if internet was never invented. They continue to use heavy and stupid corporate policies like working hours, NO work from home and Dress Code. Just wanted views, about do these things actually apply to the process of software development? or its just an HR/Management ego that they want to boost but enforcing such historical mode of office going?
My company supports working from home. However I try to balance the work such that I spend some time in the office and some at home. I'm most functional with both in my life. In general, a company gets what they measure. If they want someone who works 8-5 then they don't care about results, they care about attendance. I move on when a company gets that way around me; based on the theory that anyone could therefore be doing my job. If they think it is important then they have lost their way. And its a pretty good indicator that they don't actually have any idea what people are or are not producing if they push a rule about presence in the office or attendance in general. It seems to mean that as long as you are present your level of work could be any kind of garbage and they won't mind. That's my take. I have seen bosses freak out over the cost of running an office that no one happens to be using because people are working from home a lot. I think they get very narrow vision sometimes and this is one of the ways it expresses itself.
_____________________________ A logician deducts the truth. A detective inducts the truth. A journalist abducts the truth. Give a man a mug, he drinks for a day. Teach a man to mug...
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Even in recent times, we hit people who behave as if internet was never invented. They continue to use heavy and stupid corporate policies like working hours, NO work from home and Dress Code. Just wanted views, about do these things actually apply to the process of software development? or its just an HR/Management ego that they want to boost but enforcing such historical mode of office going?
In an ideal world, people could be trusted to put in the same or more productive hours at home as they do at work. The reality, of course, is that we don't live in an ideal world, so people take advantage and abuse the system (take a look at why Yahoo recently removed this privilege for almost all it's teleworkers). As for dress code - it really depends. If you may have clients coming into your area, or you work among people in other departments that have to follow a corporate dress code, then the dress code probably should apply to you.
Chill _Maxxx_
CodeStash - Online Snippet Management | My blog | MoXAML PowerToys | Mole 2010 - debugging made easier -
Even in recent times, we hit people who behave as if internet was never invented. They continue to use heavy and stupid corporate policies like working hours, NO work from home and Dress Code. Just wanted views, about do these things actually apply to the process of software development? or its just an HR/Management ego that they want to boost but enforcing such historical mode of office going?
I have been working at home full time for my company now since late 2008. It has worked out really well for both of us. My office is about 1 hour and 15 minutes from my house, and so, my boss gets more time out of me each day than he would otherwise. In addition, if I need to work extra, it is very easy for me to do so, rather than making my wife upset about the hours spent at the office. It has worked out so well, that a contractor we had working for us is now a full-time employee of ours even though he moved over 6 hours away. How is it good for me? I spend about 1/2 the winter at my home in Florida working remotely instead of being stuck in the nasty Ohio winters for the whole time.
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I have been working at home full time for my company now since late 2008. It has worked out really well for both of us. My office is about 1 hour and 15 minutes from my house, and so, my boss gets more time out of me each day than he would otherwise. In addition, if I need to work extra, it is very easy for me to do so, rather than making my wife upset about the hours spent at the office. It has worked out so well, that a contractor we had working for us is now a full-time employee of ours even though he moved over 6 hours away. How is it good for me? I spend about 1/2 the winter at my home in Florida working remotely instead of being stuck in the nasty Ohio winters for the whole time.
Really appreciate your comments ... And also envy :)
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Even in recent times, we hit people who behave as if internet was never invented. They continue to use heavy and stupid corporate policies like working hours, NO work from home and Dress Code. Just wanted views, about do these things actually apply to the process of software development? or its just an HR/Management ego that they want to boost but enforcing such historical mode of office going?
My experience is that in engineering specifically, working at home makes a very select group of employees more productive, but is generally detrimental to the organization. Having done both, I am continually astonished at how much information is gained and passed in casual interactions with colleagues. For example, many times I've overheard a conversation and realized that the problem they were discussing impacted me in some way or another. Having worked from home as a contractor and a business owner, it takes significant discipline to both put in the hours required AND to avoid putting in crazy hours. Convincing family, friends and so forth to not bug you can be even more difficult. All too often they assume that you will always be there for them. Having a spouse or daughter assuming you can babysit for "a few minutes" is the worse. I recently worked with a guy who worked remotely. Due to much of the above, he finally rented a small office several minutes from his home and worked there. As for dress codes; I think they can often get a bit crazy. On the other hand, without something defined, some employees will dress inappropriately, making it uncomfortable to other employees, clients, potential clients and vendors. Working hours: I prefer core hours (generally 10-12 and 1-3) where I can depend on others and they can depend on me being available. Simply being available from the racquetball court via cell sometimes is sufficient, but sometimes not.
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In an ideal world, people could be trusted to put in the same or more productive hours at home as they do at work. The reality, of course, is that we don't live in an ideal world, so people take advantage and abuse the system (take a look at why Yahoo recently removed this privilege for almost all it's teleworkers). As for dress code - it really depends. If you may have clients coming into your area, or you work among people in other departments that have to follow a corporate dress code, then the dress code probably should apply to you.
Chill _Maxxx_
CodeStash - Online Snippet Management | My blog | MoXAML PowerToys | Mole 2010 - debugging made easierPete O'Hanlon wrote:
In an ideal world, people could be trusted to put in the same or more productive hours at home as they do at work. The reality, of course, is that we don't live in an ideal world, so people take advantage and abuse the system...
To be fair though in a ideal world corporations wouldn't treat people like nothing but cogs in a machine and do things like lay off 5% of the work force and the very next week announce a 7% net income growth from the previous year.
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Pete O'Hanlon wrote:
In an ideal world, people could be trusted to put in the same or more productive hours at home as they do at work. The reality, of course, is that we don't live in an ideal world, so people take advantage and abuse the system...
To be fair though in a ideal world corporations wouldn't treat people like nothing but cogs in a machine and do things like lay off 5% of the work force and the very next week announce a 7% net income growth from the previous year.
This is true - completely off topic of course, but true.
Chill _Maxxx_
CodeStash - Online Snippet Management | My blog | MoXAML PowerToys | Mole 2010 - debugging made easier
