99% fully remote roles

[northernladuk]

In my field, 100% remote contracts don't seem to be a thing. Just out of curiosity I've checked jobserve and the vast majority say "remote for now but X days a week in the office at some point".

Permie roles, on the other hand, there's plenty of them advertised as 100% remote.

My current company recently made the announcement of wanting people back at least 3 days a week so I've started to look for another permie role since I don't want to set foot in an office ever again. So far in 3 days of me looking I have managed to line up 4 interviews for 100% remote roles.

Not sure why there is this difference of fully remote offers between permanent and contract work

I'd imagine they really want people in to some degree but it's a perk for the permies and gonna cause some mumblings if they impose it where as contractors they don't care if they complain, take it or leave it.

[d000hg]

In my field, 100% remote contracts don't seem to be a thing. Just out of curiosity I've checked jobserve and the vast majority say "remote for now but X days a week in the office at some point".

Permie roles, on the other hand, there's plenty of them advertised as 100% remote.

My current company recently made the announcement of wanting people back at least 3 days a week so I've started to look for another permie role since I don't want to set foot in an office ever again. So far in 3 days of me looking I have managed to line up 4 interviews for 100% remote roles.

Not sure why there is this difference of fully remote offers between permanent and contract work

There is always scope to negotiate of course, depending how much they want you. If I were you I would be applying and seeing if this really is a blocker... if it's a sector/company who just doesn't do remote then fine, but in your case they clearly do/can. If you can remote interview then not too much lost by getting to an offer first. Or bringing it up in the interview "is this really a deal-breaker?"

[SussexSeagull]

Apart from two days in an office in May I have been working remote since March 2020. My current contract involves dealing with people from several different sites so it wouldn't be a case of everyone working face to face anyway.

My current contract isn't commutable but in all honesty i would love to spend a day or two a week in the office. I can perfectly well do the job and have been renewed a couple of times while the guy who started with me lasted a week so I am fairly confident they quite like me but I imagine the fact most of the people who make the decision about me staying or not have never met me won't help the next renewal if it is borderline.

Pre lockdown I was commuting four hours a day five days a week with no opportunity to WFH up to the point Covid appeared and everyone was allowed to do it. I don't miss the 12 hours days 5 days a week but would love the adventure once or twice a week before doing the actually work at home where no one disturbs you.

There is a balance to be had.

[PCTNN]

Apart from two days in an office in May I have been working remote since March 2020. My current contract involves dealing with people from several different sites so it wouldn't be a case of everyone working face to face anyway.

Yes, that's one of the main points I've made to my line manager. The people in my team are based in various parts of the UK and Europe, so what different does it make if I'm in the office or not? I'd still be on zoom calls most of the day.

But the thing that bothers me the most is how the company keeps repeating over and over again that "the office still plays an important role"....but does it? Does it really? We've all been without an office for 18 months and yet here we are, still in business, still delivering.

Anyways, I've got some more interviews lined up so I may not be dealing with that crap for much longer.

[northernladuk]

But the thing that bothers me the most is how the company keeps repeating over and over again that "the office still plays an important role"....but does it? Does it really? We've all been without an office for 18 months and yet here we are, still in business, still delivering..

Are you talking specifically about highly skilled professional contractors working in a global environment or about everyone? Surely you see the flaw in your questions if you think about more than just yourself. I strongly believe the office does still play a part for many reasons. We still delivered in the days before email so that's not much of a yardstick. It's whether it's delivering efficiently, keeping a work life balance and people's need to interact and get more from just delivering from a job. There is also the fact there is an army of drones out there that just work to live, hate their job, are no good at it so will need to be in the office to be managed. Yes we don't need to manage highly skilled professionals but many people do still need it.

Loads of reasons why the office still plays a part in peoples lives.

[PCTNN]

Are you talking specifically about highly skilled professional contractors working in a global environment or about everyone? Surely you see the flaw in your questions if you think about more than just yourself.

I'm talking about everyone. My current company has very few contractors, it's mainly permanent staff and resources from consultancies, and judging from the communications since I joined about how great the company was doing and how covid didn't slow us down, we were all thinking that the way forward was going to be remote working with some occasional travel to the office, definitely not a forced 3 days a week at least for everyone.

I strongly believe the office does still play a part for many reasons. We still delivered in the days before email so that's not much of a yardstick. It's whether it's delivering efficiently, keeping a work life balance and people's need to interact and get more from just delivering from a job.

Yes, I partly agree. There are a few activities that could be done better in an office environment. Or even, some departments would benefit from working in the office more than others. I guess what I didn't like about my company's decision is to go forward with that one rule that applies to all, without understanding the different needs and ways of working of individual departments.

Fortunately, as I said, permie jobs offering fully remote work are out there in abundance. I just need to bag one

[oliverson]

I'm into month 3 of a 100% remote contract on a London rate. This is an overseas client with some team members here in the UK but no physical presence, so the IR35 determination is down to me and guess what, it's outside! This team were working 100% remote before the pandemic and will do the same after it. There's talk of a multi-year programme of work so fingers crossed I can be part of that and this will be the final contract I ever take. That lost decade commuting and flat sharing in London, 5 days on site mostly are thankfully a thing of the past. A great experience on the whole but a new chapter has begun.

[rocktronAMP]

I'm into month 3 of a 100% remote contract on a London rate. This is an overseas client with some team members here in the UK but no physical presence, so the IR35 determination is down to me and guess what, it's outside! This team were working 100% remote before the pandemic and will do the same after it. There's talk of a multi-year programme of work so fingers crossed I can be part of that and this will be the final contract I ever take. That lost decade commuting and flat sharing in London, 5 days on site mostly are thankfully a thing of the past. A great experience on the whole but a new chapter has begun.

Lucky b*****do!

[CheeseSlice]

Every role I’ve applied / interviewed for over the last 2 weeks has either been 100% remote or minimal/occasional onsite. I’ve received 2 offers for 100% remote gigs and have just started one of them. Happy days.

[PCTNN]

Applied for a permie role at a digital consultancy. Decent salary and "remote/flexible working" advertised left and right. After emails with me saying I'm leaving my company because they want me to work from the office 3 days a week, HR confirm it's mainly remote with occasional visit to client site for project kick off, we set up an introductory call with the hiring manager.

10 minutes in and she triumphantly says how well they're promoting flexible working. It's ONLY 1 day a week at client site and 2 days a week in the office...then you can work from home 2 days a week!

I had to stop her there and cut the call short. Useless HR...