Working remotely

[zamzummim]

I have been snowed in sine Wednesday, had a treacherous and dangerous drive Tuesday night from the train station to home, roads have been completely blocked and snowed in since then, I work in Central London but live out of London. I have remote access and can work from home, but am worried because the place I work at are not happy about working from home, but I really don’t want to risk my life and drive to the train station (dangerous country drive). I know other colleagues live in London and the tube is working, I know they wonder why aren't I going in!!

Anyone else in this position?

[Diver]

I have been snowed in sine Wednesday, had a treacherous and dangerous drive Tuesday night from the train station to home, roads have been completely blocked and snowed in since then, I work in Central London but live out of London. I have remote access and can work from home, but am worried because the place I work at are not happy about working from home, but I really don’t want to risk my life and drive to the train station (dangerous country drive). I know other colleagues live in London and the tube is working, I know they wonder why aren't I going in!!

Anyone else in this position?

Tell them that you are willing to work in the office, if they are willing to foot the hotel bill as the roads are too dangerous for commuting.

Put the ball in their court.

I've spent one day at the office since the snowy weather started. they told me to work from home

[norrahe]

I have been snowed in sine Wednesday, had a treacherous and dangerous drive Tuesday night from the train station to home, roads have been completely blocked and snowed in since then, I work in Central London but live out of London. I have remote access and can work from home, but am worried because the place I work at are not happy about working from home, but I really don’t want to risk my life and drive to the train station (dangerous country drive). I know other colleagues live in London and the tube is working, I know they wonder why aren't I going in!!

Anyone else in this position?

My last clientco were the same about working from home, if the roads are bad and you have the remote access then work from home. (my old boss also stated he didn't like people working from home as he didn't trust them to do so, made for a great working relationship!)

There's nothing you can do.

Would they prefer that you came in increasingly late every morning and then had to leave early in the evenings beacuse some of the rail companies are finishing trains early, or would they prefer you to stay at home and actually get some work done?

[Tarquin Farquhar]

My last clientco were the same about working from home, if the roads are bad and you have the remote access then work from home. (my old boss also stated he didn't like people working from home as he didn't trust them to do so, made for a great working relationship!)

There's nothing you can do.

Would they prefer that you came in increasingly late every morning and then had to leave early in the evenings beacuse some of the rail companies are finishing trains early, or would they prefer you to stay at home and actually get some work done?

Bosses like that would usually prefer that you come in and be seen, even if it does mean you do less work.

[SuperZ]

I haven't been in the office since Monday. Tuesday was ill/doctors appointment but also didn't want to get caught up in the expected snow so stayed at home. Luckily I got my remote access setup just in time, but I need to go into the office to start some new work. I'm sure they understand, if not I would try to make them understand. For me my client is out in the sticks and they have poor ground maintenance. I've fallen over once there already, no grit, no cleared parking areas - just sheet ice.. If they can't provide safe access to the site and parking where I won't get stuck then I'm not going there. I'm sure I could make it in today but have chosen not to (for reasons above)and will explain why if asked, but i'm sure they're okay with it.

Stay safe, if it means staying home then so be it.

[TykeMerc]

Bosses like that would usually prefer that you come in and be seen, even if it does mean you do less work.

True enough I'm afraid, but there are many managers that only see a bum on seat as someone actually working. Sadly it's an all too common situation.

[AtW]

Get a taxi, and use seat belt.

Or walk, or use hotel.

Above all consider carefully whether loss of earnings in case you lose your contract would outweight extra temporary costs that you may have to bear in order to get to job.

There is a lot of snow out there, but this recession will last much longer.

[Sysman]

True enough I'm afraid, but there are many managers that only see a bum on seat as someone actually working. Sadly it's an all too common situation.

cojak summed it up here.

When permies work from home they generally forget about the 'work' bit..

[Not So Wise]

cWhen permies work from home they generally forget about the 'work' bit..

Place where i am atm has been running a pretty liberal policy for working from home dueing the cold...but heard from network boys others day that when they monitor remote log in's less than 5% of people with remote access are actually logging in. Work from home basicly seems to translate into "Day off"

[SuperZ]

Place where i am atm has been running a pretty liberal policy for working from home dueing the cold...but heard from network boys others day that when they monitor remote log in's less than 5% of people with remote access are actually logging in. Work from home basicly seems to translate into "Day off"

Monitoring log in's might not mean much. Can they still do work without logging into the network? I do, I only log in to get email or when moving files about etc.

But yeah for most permies it's a day off