Office face time

[Wilmslow]

Very lucky with the current gig - Home working all the time, which has its advantages.

Gig I am going to has around a day or two a week in the office which I personally feel is a good thing provided social distancing really is taken seriously.

How many of us are partially in offices just now, and what are your thoughts about a partial return as opposed to 100% remote?

Its strange looking into booking some hotel rooms again.....

[Old Greg]

I've been going to the office between one a fortnight and twice a week throughout the pandemic, and it's been sufficiently quite that I can get my own office when I'm there and just attend the meeting I've come in for.

It's nice to get a change of scene but overall I'm happier working at home. The only real value in going in is if I need a >2 hour workshop with the client, which isn't easy online.

Am starting new gig in a couple of weeks which will be from home full time.

[ladymuck]

Still 100% WFH at the moment with no push from the client to go in.

One or two on the project have gone in to meet the client for a workshop but it's a rare event.

[Hobosapien]

I have a cheap serviced office a few miles from home (for a plan B) but only been using it when it's too bedlam at home, but then find it too quiet in the office without the usual background noise from other occupants as many of them are also mostly WFH where possible.

So at the moment it's more just a safe haven for some peace and quiet and somewhere to store all the kit that would otherwise be piled up in the garage.

Receptionist thinks it will get busier when the schools go back. They've started re-opening the onsite coffee/sandwich shop and there has been no gossip (accurate or otherwise) of anyone having or known anyone with the virus anyway so just take normal precautions in case it happens to be lurking like the bogeyman.

If the government weren't so inept they'd be pumping money into a working self-test the produced reliable results in under 30 mins (maybe they are) so we could all test at home before going on the school run or to work. Even if it cost a billion or more to fast track the developement the impact of everyone having to behave as if everyone has the virus is going to cost the economy more and the reality of job losses, food bank queues, homelessness, and all the other fall out will be more harmful than a few extra billion on the national debt.

[woohoo]

Im 100 percent home based but like Greg mentioned work shops are a bit more difficult and reading the room is quite hard on teams. So yep miss that a bit but dont miss the airport and travel to do a workshop.

Wife is being encouraged to visit clients, so far has resisted it. I think this whole lockdown has changed her views on visiting clients and travel. She likes working from home. Going to be interesting to see what happens.

[Hobosapien]

Wife is being encouraged to visit clients, so far has resisted it. I think this whole lockdown has changed her views on visiting clients and travel. She likes working from home. Going to be interesting to see what happens.

Aye, they'll need to bring in a WFH tax to get people back to the old habits the longer the new ways become familiar and acceptable.

[darmstadt]

I was about to start part 2 of a small contract covering for someone on paternity leave (I had worked for the customer before) when lockdown came in. The customer had never allowed WFH previous to this but said they had a laptop all ready for me and to come up and work everything out. I had hotels booked for the whole of March and April but ended up with staying just one night as the hotel called me and said they had to cancel all the rest of my bookings. So basically 2 months was spent with WFH and just a one day on site at the end to handover.

For my main contract, which is primarily WFH and has been for 5 years now, its been a bit more more difficult to get to the office. The office is designated as a key area and does require people to go in. I only tend to go in about 4-6 times a year but this year has been difficult. Although I have been told I have dispensation to go in, I'm still waiting for the paperwork from the DHS so I can get my pre-clearance with TSA sorted, my office is in Washington DC. I was meant to go 2 weeks ago and then on to a customer in New Jersey but without the paperwork it was a no go, luckily I was able to do everything remote. Once the official paperwork comes through, I'll be packing my bags. In the meantime I have the added joy of a customer visit to Bromsgrove coming up, not too sure which is the more dangerous...

I forgot, the US company sent me one of these this week for the home office as I was moaning it was too hot and humid to work: Marshall Fridge- Official Website for the Marshall Mini Fridges

[PCTNN]

100% remote working from early March. Client originally targeted a return to the office for end of October, now has already said we won't be going back at all this year. Maybe we'll be back at some point in 2021 and only for necessary activities, such as workshops.

Not going to change much for me as current project (and previous one) had teams are spread around the UK so meeting face to face was always out of the question.

I am getting a bit tired of being in my home all day everyday. It's alright when the weather is nice and can go for walks/coffees. This week is going to be utter crap.

[woohoo]

I am getting a bit tired of being in my home all day everyday. It's alright when the weather is nice and can go for walks/coffees. This week is going to be utter crap.

When i first started working from home i found it a bit tedious, started running before work and it really helped.

[Old Greg]

When i first started working from home i found it a bit tedious, started running before work and it really helped.

I take a 1 hour walk on the beach every morning. Lovely. Not sure what I'm going to do when winter hits.