Are you ever returning to the office?

Yep! May or June. BTW - you don't want it to go in too long or they will start laying off/furloughing white collars because clients are impacted.

But don't you need structure and feel isolated?

I miss the office environment but not my commute.

R2 nope, my job doesn’t involve selling anything or being in meetings, just technical online stuff. I’m an extreme introvert, I don’t need people getting in my way.

I am probably projecting my own laziness but think people like working at home because they get to do so much less. Not there is anything wrong with that.

I’m in New Jersey and we’re supposed to be returning to the office after April 10th. I highly doubt that will happen.

But until June or July

Not until

Yes, I need structure. I dialed into my 9 am conference call today before I realized it was Sunday.

I like working from home because I can sleep later and avoid the morning commute! I can roll out of bed at 9am, make some coffee, breakfast and jump on Zoom for my daily 9:30 meeting. After that, I sit on the couch with my laptop (and slack notifications on) while I work and watch MSNBC all day. No concerns about coworkers or boss watching my every move. Bliss, but I know it can't last forever.

I hate my subway commute and dislike the majority of people in my department, but I am looking forward to getting back to my office routine.

Still not sure when we'll be going back (working at a university) We were even told that spring courses (May/June), in all likelihood, will be taught online.

So far, I'm OK, I don't mind working from home, even find it more productive without all that time at work spent in pointless jibber jabber and unneeded distractions, but I wonder how long that will last.

"I am probably projecting my own laziness but think people like working at home because they get to do so much less."

I think studies have shown that people who work from home or without constant supervision actually work more and not less. Because they're probably afraid they're not doing enough so the try to over-achieve. Same with giving people unlimited vacation days. If they get unlimited vacation, they end up taking less vacation days than they would normally do.

I have been home-working since 1999, still am. There is an office to go to, but I'm just hardly ever there; four times a year perhaps.

[quote]I am probably projecting my own laziness but think people like working at home because they get to do so much less. Not there is anything wrong with that.

If that’s the case, you never had much work to do in the first place when you were in the office.

Being at home has not changed the amount of meetings and assignments that I have to complete. In fact, I can get more done because of the quiet.

Isn’t it ironic that after all the threads over the years of people complaining about their annoying coworkers that people are now crying about feeling isolated and needing human interaction?🙄

I for one am LOVING being away from all annoying coworkers and their boring chitchat.

Amen r16. I don’t have to overhear Frau shit anymore.

I don't believe that most people are most productive from home.

About five years ago, I worked in an office that was starting to allow some work from home privileges. It quickly spiraled out of control. A lot of new hires wanted to work from home right away. They'd be given one day a week, and it wasn't enough.

One submitted a formal written proposal to work from home 100 percent of the time. We gave her two days a week working at home. Funnily, the monthly invoice from our database provider revealed that she logged into the database just 6 times a month...and 80 percent of her job responsibilities required access to the database. She sometimes talked about her other job, remotely teaching two college courses. So, when she was home, she was working...but for someone else.

Another team member worked from home two days a week.. She was attending college full-time, and she had a second job as a cashier at a department store. On her work-from home days, she never answered phone calls. It took her hours to reply to a simple email, and when she did finally reply, the email message always had this line at the bottom: "Sent from my iPhone."

Another worker worked from home two days a week. She and her sister took turns watching each other's kids during the week. And the employee's turn to watch the kids was on her two work-from-home days. She managed to work from home with four kids under 7 in her house? I don't know...

Another worker moved across the state. Her supervisor thought she was a good worker and wanted to keep her with the company. So she was permitted to work from home 100% of the time. It took a long time for her to respond to emails from coworkers. Her productivity dropped. After a while, her team checked her database records, which showed she logged in only between 9 p.m. and 12 a.m. at night. A little web sleuthing showed that she had another full-time job during the day.

The office tightened it's work from home policy, but then people were constantly sending emails like "I have some perishables being delivered today; I'll need to work from home." and then this email on Monday morning: "I feel sick today. I think I'm gonna feel bad all week. I'm going to work from home all week long." (Her family went on vacation that week. Since she logged in a couple of times to reply to emails, she didn't have to burn any of her PTO days.)

Then another person had some health issues and wanted to work from home. This person didn't do shit when she was in the office, so I was wary. During the first week, she didn't reply to emails or any phone messages. When I finally did get her on the phone, she told me that the best time to contact her by phone was between 7 and 9 p.m. The phone number was her husband's cell phone, and he didn't like to answer it, and he deleted any voicemails without sharing them with her. WTF. Also, she was having trouble getting online, because her computer was on another story of the house, and she didn't have access to that part of the house. I asked her if she could get her computer moved to the story of the house she inhabited. She acted as if the idea had never crossed her mind.

Then I moved to another company with a tiny staff. One employee was allowed to work from home 100 percent of the time from home because he had credentials that looked good on paper with the company's sole contracting client. He was slow to return phone calls. Turns out he had a full-time job at a school.

Right now, I live in an area with a lot of government workers and contractors. I work on a popular jogging trail. Lately on weekdays, it's jam-packed with people jogging and biking between 9 and 5. The grocery stores are jam-packed with working-age people, too, all day long.

Here's what's going to happen after the crisis is over. People are going to DEMAND that their employers allow them to work from home because "I did it just fine during the crisis." They'll expect it as a right instead of a privilege. For many of these people, eight hour days will turn into six-hour days, and then four-hour days. The people with kids will be the worst offenders. They'll expect more work-from-home time than child-free workers. And then, while they're home, they'll cut their daycare service to save some money. And they'll have kids running and shrieking in the background while they "work from home".

I find working from home every bit as stressful as working from the office. I'm supposed to stop work at 5:30 and there have been several nights that I didn't stop until 7 or 7:30 because I still have so much to do. Not complaining, just saying it's not that laidback for everybody.

R20 walk away at 5:30.

No commuting is a boon.

In my last job, I worked from home 100 percent of the time. The office was in another state. The first two months were great. After that, I began to feel disconnected from the team. And, my computer is in my living room. At 9 p.m. I'd be watching TV on my couch, and I'd hear the work e-mail ding from my computer. I know I should have stayed away, but my curiosity got the best of me.

Sometimes you have bad days. A customer is nasty on the phone. Or your coworker or boss. And you're dealing with it in your living room. Home is supposed to be your safe haven, where you can retreat after a bad day and forget about work. It's hard to leave behind work drama when you work from home.

I wish it was that easy, R21. But when your boss needs something done and there are deadlines that must be met, you tend to go over sometimes. I try not to but it happens. But again, I have a job, so it's all good.

things I like: I get to sleep in later since there's no commute to deal with. I'm exercising more regularly. I'm eating healthier. There is always so much food at my office and I have no self control. At home, I just don't buy any junk food.

Things I miss: the structure and the companionship. I'm single and I live alone and video calls just don't cut it.

I like working from home, but I have days where I’m in five or six Skype meetings. Between bad phone connections and kids screaming/crying in the background, it’s giving me a headache. I love the days where I don’t have any meetings scheduled.

No, because I retired 10 years ago. I don't think they'd remember me if I showed up.

If you work from home you need to be clear with managers that you are working regular hours only. Otherwise it’s a mess.

I'm curious if this changes how companies think about offices. If my company is continuing to make money with everyone working from home why are we spending a million dollars to rent space in Manhattan?

R29 is on to something. SF here, our floors rent for 100,000/mo. and that's a bargain because we locked in our lease in 2010 in the middle of the last recession.

This crisis will actually lead more employees to successfully push for telework. I'm an employment attorney and honestly many of management's arguments against telework are bunk. They just don't trust their employees and/or need the semblance of control. Or are have bad managers or employees or both.

Save for some adjustments and clear boundaries, many (not all) office jobs can be performed with partial to nearly full telework.

It's 2020. The face time all the time requirement just doesn't cut it anymore.

As for me, don't see us returning to the office until May or even June even though SF's shelter in place ends on Apr 7. Cases here are on the rise and entitled millennials and SF urban sophisticates think they are immune from COVID-19. Don't need to be around them. Most companies here will likely follow suit. Tech went full telework at the beginning of March.

I telework two days a week now and have been for a few years. The switch to full-time required some modest adjustments at the beginning (like creating a big picture priority list, daily to do list that gets revisited every morning and end of the day), and clearing the cupboard of most unhealthy snacks.

I've learned to turn off the computer at the end of the day (sorry, drama queens, few emails need an immediate response after 5) and not screw around during the work day so that I'm not finding myself logged on until 8. Same as the office.

At 4:30 I get dressed for my daily run and at 5 I'm out the door. Same as the office (we have a gym next door).

I keep in touch with the colleagues I want to online or via phone (same as the office) and completely ignore the ones I don't (same as the office).

Yes, the office has its purposes and time but honestly my group is full of responsible adults with their own workloads and we have demonstrated we can meet them.

With adjustments and clear oversight, many companies will find the same.

I began working from home about 20 years ago when literally the office I worked in ran out of space. I managed an overseas team and my own manager lived in another city, so the company asked me to work remotely. Since I was the first person in my firm to do this, I didn't want to be seen as taking advantage of the situation and I actually ended up working more hours as a result.

But working in peaceful solitude all this time has made it impossible for me to work in an "open office" environment on the rare occasions when I do go into the office. I can't concentrate with all the noise and distractions. If companies don't see a dropoff in productivity after the pandemic, I think many organizations are going to reevaluate the need of maintaining costly office space.

My building of 2,000 people is almost empty. I'm thinking 'if you can do your shit from home- why do drive 40 mi. back and forth every day?'.

But I worry about people being hacked on their home internet service. The theft of personal information.

r29, I said weeks ago that this crisis should be a wake up call to businesses and corporations that they waste untold amounts of money on fancy offices for workers that can easily perform their jobs remotely with new technology. It is also hugely beneficial to the environment with fewer people commuting.

People who cannot be disciplined enough to set up their own workday with out their boss physically watching them are not who you want working for you anyway.

It’s a matter of space too. I’m lucky to live in bumfuck MA in a large house so I have a dedicated “office”. I can shut it down at 5:30 and just walk away. I feel bad for people working in tiny apartments.

R33 Don't forget bosses who think managing = micromanaging.

In fairness, many Americans are bad employees. R30 here. You think all those employees keeping their seats warm in the office are being productive/staying out of trouble???? LOL.

You should see some of the employment matters that have come to my desk.

I hate open plan so I have enjoyed working from home because it is more peaceful and easier to concentrate. I definitely have been working longer and harder than I did at the office. At work you can get up and mingle, get coffee, go to lunch etc so there is more flow and interactions in the day. I miss my office crush too. Haha

Sounds like a lot of people miss office chit chat and gossip

Another point for telework.

You all know you can't Skype that stuff!

It’s actually been going better than expected. Yes, the first week was a fuck’n shit show of IT issues and getting used to a whole boat load of new ways of working. But now we are starting to settle into a routine/new normal and it’s not too bad. And as a result, we voted and decided, that with schools cancelled for the rest of the school year and summer just around the corner, we aren’t going to be coming back to the office until after Labor Day. We’re going to be 100% work from home for the next 5 months. Yeah, to working more in my pjs, shaving now just once a week, and checking DL all the time.

My company fired its staff who worked from home full-time and allowed only one-day per week from home. At a time when the company was being shipped to investors, the firings targeted a relatively small group of more accomplished and experienced workers who, coincidentally, were typically older and had higher salaries. It was a way of lightening the books for 15 minutes, securing investors, then rehiring at the level of inexperienced starting salaries.

Flash forward not too far and they are patting themselves on the back for their swift and successful transition to a full work force of staff who work full time from home. And to speculating about the great savings of eliminating offer ce leases.

*shopped to investors (I've never used that other word which I know only from DL; but maybe auto-correct knows more than I think it does)

R38 I highly recommend grooming and showering regularly.

It goes a long way towards a productive telework mindset.

I also avoid DL during the workday.

These "perks" get old quickly and you can't get back the lost time.

Just my two cents

[quote]I miss my office crush too. Haha

I don’t miss you. I’m fact, I’m happy to be away from your desperate ass.

I've been working from home for several years. I liked the location, when I was first hired (5 miles away). But then my company asked for volunteers to move to new offices in a sterile exurb (25 miles away). Then they ordered everyone to report to said exurb. I was at the point where I was about to quit, when my supervisor grabbed me and marched me into our director's office. I was immediately approved to work from home.

That's not the only factor, though. I was recently scolded for how long I had signed out for lunch (I had received no notice of the change in policy). My management team works several states away, and I've never met any of them, other than our director. I've noticed that Kroger is hiring, and I've figured I'll apply there if I encounter problems when I return from disability.

R42 Aren’t we all

I am enjoying being a recluse.

My work has gone to shit. Not cleaning myself and being on this site... fu Muriel

I have been working from home 2-4 days per week for over a year. It's nice being able to wake up later and not having to commute. But I am looking forward to going back at some point. Even for a few days per week.

While I do have some snacks, it's not like what we have in the office. I would never buy the Snickers/Musketeers/etc. 5 lb pack of candy. I do have a 32 oz bag of assorted Hershey Kisses but they were sent by our Management team.

My office building has full a cafeteria. I do miss having my choice of breakfasts and yes, the salad bar. I miss shooting the shit with my co-workers. My manager is super-flexible and doesn't micro-manage. She knows if we're getting our work done by whether or not there are client complaints.

I do wonder how this will affect our office move. We were supposed to move in July for more office space. Same complex just a different building.

I am enjoying getting regular exercise too. At work I would take a 30 minute walk around the complex at 3 PM. Now that I'm home, I can go on a more scenic walk. Today, I'll be walking to the food and pet store for some necessities.

[quote]But I am looking forward to going back at some point. Even for a few days per week.

You can go back to work by yourself while the majority of us enjoy rolling out of bed 10 minutes before work starts.

A company has certain expectations and metrics for each hire.

If you can submit all your deliverables in working 20 hours a week from home, why should you have to sit in an office and do nothing for 20 more hours to earn your paycheck?

A company's bottom line experiences no difference.

I miss driving! Yes, I had a 40 minute commute but I love my car.

I actually work longer hours and get more accomplished at home. No commute. I start earlier and finish later because I'm not having to worry about traffic, gas and all of that.

R50 Then go drive around aimlessly after work or on the weekend if you love it so much. Nobody is stopping you.

My boss is really quiet and hands off...This is very unusual for her. I am feeling this is my last week (before furlough) since my projects are wrapping-up (and other projects are on-hold). Glad I can live comfortably on unemployment and annuity without touching savings. I will just be extra-bored when not WFH.