State of the Market

[oliverson]

I worked in London in my mid 20s and had a ball. Funnily enough as I got older I coped with the commute a lot better (quite possibly linked with reduction in alcohol intake).

Once had a Top Gear Special style race with a contractor friend to Gordons Wine Bar at Embankment after work. I was working next to the Tower of London and he was down Canary Wharf. My mode of transport was the tube system and his was the Clipper boat up the Thames. Loser buys the drinks.

Guess who won? Him, kind of.

When I arrived he was there waiting for his drink but green around the gills. Turns out the Thames was pretty rough that day. Lol.

[gables]

I worked in London in my mid 20s and had a ball. Funnily enough as I got older I coped with the commute a lot better (quite possibly linked with reduction in alcohol intake).

Yep back in the day (89-97) when I worked and lived in London it was fantastic going into the office. Worked and drank (lunchtime included, not every lunchtime I might add) with a tight team, we attended each other's weddings, actually enjoyed the commute on the tube. This was my first employment after graduating and tbh learnt a lot by being in the office, I doubt it's the best start for the youngsters wfh all the time. That's if they do, I know my lad and fiance go into the office a couple of times a week.

[SchumiStars]

I remember interviewing during 2000. And I was literally walking around central London in a suit and brief case, getting offers from everywhere I went.

It was such an introduction to London that I never left 25yrs later.

The buzz you get walking through Waterloo, with everyone else, it makes you feel like something else.

And that is a key part, the enthusiasm, the motivation to want to work for your company and to help them and yourselves.

All of this has been lost post COVID and there is little wonder why companies are holding back on recruitment as everyone wants to get paid large for sitting at home doing nothing.

I have always stressed that working in a office is key to productivity.for the company and for the individual.

Why would you want to sit at home when we could working in one of the best cities in the world?!

[GJABS]

I have always stressed that working in a office is key to productivity.for the company and for the individual.

Why would you want to sit at home when we could working in one of the best cities in the world?!

It depends on the individual.
I'm autistic, and find trying to do coding in an open-plan office is nigh-on impossible because I can't think when other people are talking.
In my last contract I spent half my time desk-hopping when I was in the office to try to get away from people talking.

[willendure]

It depends on the individual.
I'm autistic, and find trying to do coding in an open-plan office is nigh-on impossible because I can't think when other people are talking.
In my last contract I spent half my time desk-hopping when I was in the office to try to get away from people talking.

Yup. I like a balance. Go to the office for meetings and figuring out what needs to be done and not going insane being on your own all the time. WFH to have some peace and quiet to get things done.

[Bluenose]

Why would you want to sit at home when we could working in one of the best cities in the world?!

because they moved the jobs out of London and they want 52% of your earnings.

things change, the jobs have changed and so has what you take home plus what it costs.

2004 you could work in the city and afford a small flat on the river side plus two big holidays a year and everything in between .

Companies pay you less, you get taxed more and you can't really afford to live there anymore unless you are a lawyer being worked to an early death.

the best days have gone for now, remote working is a good way to protect your family against poverty whilst providing companies with skills and experience they can't obtain or afford from the usual suspects.

[SchumiStars]

because they moved the jobs out of London and they want 52% of your earnings.

things change, the jobs have changed and so has what you take home plus what it costs.

2004 you could work in the city and afford a small flat on the river side plus two big holidays a year and everything in between .

Companies pay you less, you get taxed more and you can't really afford to live there anymore unless you are a lawyer being worked to an early death.

the best days have gone for now, remote working is a good way to protect your family against poverty whilst providing companies with skills and experience they can't obtain or afford from the usual suspects.

I am a programmer from year 2000. I have a house in harrow on the hill which is worth £x.

Admittly, I don't have a pension, as all the money has gone into the 2 kids and house. But I have done reasonably ok out of working in London.

I didn't waste any of my talent nor opportunities to improve or do well. Hence why I am having such a nightmare now as I am not moving forwards and it's really frustrating.

[Snooky]

All of this has been lost post COVID and there is little wonder why companies are holding back on recruitment as everyone wants to get paid large for sitting at home doing nothing.

I agree people shouldn't get paid for sitting at home doing nothing. Your basic error is assuming that's actually happening. Most people I've worked with who work remotely work just as hard as they would or did in the office.

Why would you want to sit at home when we could working in one of the best cities in the world?!

I spent over 30 years commuting into the City, sitting in an office at a desk when - at least for the last 15 of those - most or all of my users were in different countries so it made no difference whether I was sat in at home or in central London.

I've never really worked harder than since I started working almost entirely remotely, partly I guess as a subconscious effort to rebuff any impression of the kind you're trying to portray about remote work=slacking. But it allows me huge flexibility for my own personal life and for my work; most of my colleagues are in North & South American timezones so I can attend 6pm meetings or later because I don't then have to spend 90 minutes schlepping home afterwards.

Like you, I've always loved the vibrancy and architecture of the City, and I like seeing colleagues in person now and then. But I definitely don't miss wasting many thousands of pounds and many hundreds of hours a year pointlessly travelling on trains and tubes so I can sit at a desk doing exactly what I can do from home. I only wish I'd been able to do this when my kids were young.

[dsc]

[...]
I have always stressed that working in a office is key to productivity.for the company and for the individual.

Why would you want to sit at home when we could working in one of the best cities in the world?!

Well some might say that if you need an office to be productive then there's something wrong with you, it all depends.

Last time I had to go in I've spent probably around 3hrs (and I'm not that far from London) on the train / tube / walking in tulip weather, crowded transport and I was absolutely fecked when I got back home and I only went in to login due to some account issues. If I had to do full 8hrs with 3hrs on top, I'd top myself fairly quickly.

And btw I've known plenty of people who went in 5 days a week and done feck all, so location doesn't really play a key role in how much people do, it's down to the individual.

[gables]

Well some might say that if you need an office to be productive then there's something wrong with you, it all depends.

Last time I had to go in I've spent probably around 3hrs (and I'm not that far from London) on the train / tube / walking in tulip weather, crowded transport and I was absolutely fecked when I got back home and I only went in to login due to some account issues. If I had to do full 8hrs with 3hrs on top, I'd top myself fairly quickly.

And btw I've known plenty of people who went in 5 days a week and done feck all, so location doesn't really play a key role in how much people do, it's down to the individual.

There's plenty people earning a lot less than us doing 8hrs with 3hrs travel on top 5 days a week. Whilst I prefer wfh full time if a role required some on site presence then so be it, better to be working than not.