Talk of The Villages Florida - Working from Home

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When I was hired at my last company, the outgoing finance director told people when they could leave for the evening each day and measured desk time.

He had a hard time with remote Friday’s prior to the pandemic, admitted he didn’t understand it, but always missed his forecast by more than 10% and CFO finally had enough, replaced him with my boss and I from another division

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Originally Posted by Bonanza (Post 2252680)

I'm not sure I understand your message. "Not really" what?
Are you saying that what I conveyed regarding Amazon's new "return to work policy" is incorrect?

I was not asking for anyone's "position," because most of the comments do that, including yours. But if what I said about Amazon's policy is correct, my opinion is that I don't blame anyone for not wanting to move, probably a pretty good distance from where they currently live, considering there are only four locations in the country where this will be a "back to work" office.

Amazon has over hired during the past few years. The policy may also be an attempt to reduce head count.

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Originally Posted by Caymus (Post 2252746)

Amazon has over hired during the past few years. The policy may also be an attempt to reduce head count.

Would not be surprised

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Originally Posted by Caymus (Post 2252746)

Amazon has over hired during the past few years. The policy may also be an attempt to reduce head count.

That makes sense!

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Originally Posted by Bonanza (Post 2252680)

To clarify, you implied that the Amazon situation had something do with "starting this thread". I started the thread, but I didn't even know about the Amazon situation.

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Originally Posted by retiredguy123 (Post 2252791)

To clarify, you implied that the Amazon situation had something do with "starting this thread". I started the thread, but I didn't even know about the Amazon situation.

Sorry, but I assumed the thread was started because of what is currently happening with Amazon and their wanting employees to return to the workplace.

It sounded (to me) as though that was the impetus for the thread.
I was wrong once! :1rotfl:

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrChip72 (Post 2252139)

My team went fully remote early on in COVID (March 2021). I work on a small team supporting a particular line of business for the bank. 99% of the time we're all doing work on the computer or communicating with other people on other teams that don't even work in the same building. Even during COVID we maintained the same workload and deadlines as we did while working in the office. The tools available now to get the job done while not in the office are incredible now versus what was available even 10 years ago. A co-worker can share a document online and we can both live edit it at the same time with ease. Apps like Zoom often make meetings run more smoother than in person to the extent that even at in person meetings half the people are logged into Zoom to see the screen sharing more clearly.

About a year ago they asked us to return to the office 2 days a week with around 6 weeks notice. That was fine, but some people rightfully questioned "what's the point?". I now go into the office and half the time I'm at a desk doing Zoom meetings and most days have no real interaction with people on my time unless I bump into them in the coffee line downstairs.

I can understand the resentment on both sides. Sure the employer can threaten to fire people but skilled people in certain roles often aren't easy to replace, and replacing people has a huge cost of time and money. My job which is in high demand worldwide didn't even exist 20 years ago. Besides, firing people over wanting to make their half empty office look full isn't very smart for business when the bottom line ($$$) might suffer.

Short answer is that times have changed.

Employers like to see employees on the job visually (not sipping booze watching tv until the phone rings), maybe don’t want the lost opportunity for the employees to sporadically assume some additional duty at the office, etc. The other side of the coin for the employer is a pretty big cost saving in office space should they continue “work from home”. Benefits to the employee are immense. Frankly I like it when my calls are answered right away from the employee’s home. I don’t even mind the occasional baby crying, dog barking, etc. Unfortunately I have often waited as long as 10 minutes for a person to come on the line only to find they were working from home (customer service line for some window treatments).

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Originally Posted by Boomer (Post 2252346)

Well. . .working from home is beginning to wreak havoc on office buildings where I come from. All the “space available” signs are a bit unnerving. A few are beginning to convert to condos and apartments, but probably not fast enough. Soon the maintenance will go…….

I remember the days when if you owned office or retail commercial property, you were well set.

Now, here we are. . .never more connected, yet never more disconnected.

Boomer

Commercial real estate is the number one “No, no” in investing right now. Several banks have foreclosures on commercial real estate. The market will have pieces laying around for years to come. Closing and closed shopping malls aren’t going to help the situation either. The ugliness of the buildings or dead skeletons will be around for some time.

In a large meeting, a VP praised a certain employee (by name) for putting in extra effort, often staying past 5:00, and carrying more than their share.
That employee was awful, and VP comment destroyed moral because most knew how bad that guy was.
I was good friends with the VP, and mentioned the praised employee rarely arrives before 10am, took 2 hour lunches, and their work was lousy. Calling him out because he was seen hanging around late was flat out wrong. Most others people arrived before 7am, worked while eating lunch, and their 9+ hour day ended after 4pm; and they were now starting to take a real lunch, changing to a 10-5 schedule too, and taking long breaks to chit chat with friends.

Some managers are clueless. Some never understand how the workplace has changed in recent years. Some fail to understand that a lot of jobs involve 100% remote activity, and there is zero difference where that person sits. Some never realize people work longer hours, and have better productivity without all those mini-meetings, office chats, etc.

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Originally Posted by Maker (Post 2252978)

Have worked with people who loved to have meetings. Mostly a huge waste of time.

One in particular would talk almost the entire time telling stories we have heard enough that we could tell the story. Basically he was in love with the sound of his voice.

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Originally Posted by Stu from NYC (Post 2252431)

Daughter goes in once a week, sil never, son and dil never go in.

The world has changed, not sure if this stay at home thing is good or bad but for me would rather work around others

I’m with you on I’d rather work in the office with others.

I get sick of being home & not seeing others.

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Originally Posted by patfla06 (Post 2253071)

I’m with you on I’d rather work in the office with others.

I get sick of being home & not seeing others.

Get rather lonely sitting on computer all day with nobody around

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Originally Posted by patfla06 (Post 2253071)

I’m with you on I’d rather work in the office with others.

I get sick of being home & not seeing others.

Extrovert desires. .

myself, strong introvert, could care less about seeing others. .

didn't help with my job, and if I needed questions, i would call them using a phone, . . . not everyone is in the same office building, nor in the same state. .

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boomer (Post 2252346)

Now, here we are. . .never more connected, yet never more disconnected.

Boomer

Well said...