Remote working

[Unix]

Agent contacted me the other day about a role. I said as long as it's fully remote/outside IR35 tell me more.

Then he called me and some of the choice things he said

• You only live 50 miles from the office
• You would need to do 5 days in office
• What about 1 day a week from home
• Everyone is back in the office now Covid is over
• What about 2 days remote?

I of course told him to piss off.

What is it with these companies thinking people will work in an office when they have multiple other offers working remote?. The pandoras box has been open.

[d000hg]

Not everybody prefers to work remotely. I know people who were gagging to come into the office to escape their family, or because they crave human interaction with colleagues to work effectively.

[Unix]

Not everybody prefers to work remotely. I know people who were gagging to come into the office to escape their family, or because they crave human interaction with colleagues to work effectively.

You're missing the point, I'm taking about people who do want to work remotely and being coerced into commuting 2 hours a day to an office and be forced to sit next to people you didn't choose.

The right option would be come in if you want, when you want or never.

[d000hg]

You're missing the point, I'm taking about people who do want to work remotely and being coerced into commuting 2 hours a day to an office and be forced to sit next to people you didn't choose.

My bad. Well it's the agent's job to try and sell their role and if the client wants bums on seats, the agent has to spin that. Hands tied really. Tell the agent to tell the client your feedback

[mattster]

You're missing the point, I'm taking about people who do want to work remotely and being coerced into commuting 2 hours a day to an office and be forced to sit next to people you didn't choose.

The right option would be come in if you want, when you want or never.

Agree, I would much prefer to at least a WFH option. Not every company is fully onboard with that, as you have discovered. The best thing going forwards is for people like your good self to push back, and refuse - and for this information to make its way back to the hiring company. Attitudes will shift when they realise they aren't getting the pick of potential recruits due to an issue that it would cost them very little to resolve - especially when the market is strong and hirigin is difficult. It will be interesting to see if things change when the market gets weaker and the companies hold a stronger hand.

[TheDude]

What is it with these companies thinking people will work in an office when they have multiple other offers working remote?. The pandoras box has been open.

The lid is open at the moment but people will soon tire of remote work when employers start offering lower salaries and day rates.

[SueEllen]

The lid is open at the moment but people will soon tire of remote work when employers start offering lower salaries and day rates.

Remote working existed before the pandemic.

It saves companies money on office space.

[mattster]

The lid is open at the moment but people will soon tire of remote work when employers start offering lower salaries and day rates.

Even though they shouldn't, because it saves them money, I suspect they will. Doesn't bother me though, since I live a 2 hour commute from London now. I have worked out in the past that between commuting (train, parking etc) and incidental costs (lunch, after work drinks) I'm a good £10k post tax better off by WFH, maybe £15k pre-tax. And that's before accounting for the misery of 4 hours a day on pubic transport.

[vetran]

WFH saves 8-12k after tax. Plus a few hours commuting.

Its technically possible to WFH quite a lot and produce higher productivity.

[d000hg]

Remote working existed before the pandemic.

It saves companies money on office space.

This is a big factor for my client. They were reaching the limits of their office through steady growth but now can avoid having to move for the foreseeable.


As things mature post-pandemic, we should hopefully see it permeate even agents' heads that advertising WFH and non-WFH accurately will make them do a better job for their clients.