Reply to: WFH - advantages and disadvantages?

[MrMarkyMark]

+1

This is the biggest problem, particularly if you are in an interim management role. "Facetime" is an awful word, but vital to success in the engagement. Assuming, that is, you don't make a complete arse of yourself.

Exactly, it should always be considered, by the contractor, on a case by case basis.
There have been times when I have worked on contracts, where it is just not suitable for me to be at home.

[psychocandy]

And of course if you're contracting for a consultancy/outsourcer working on THEIR customer site, the end customer likes to see what they're paying for.

They dont care whos perm or whos contact - they just want to see bodies on site.

[Tensai]

-Potentially less client loyalty. If you are offsite and invisible and not cheap, you are an easier resource to fire. Ideally WFH is an extension of an existing trust relationship.

+1

This is the biggest problem, particularly if you are in an interim management role. "Facetime" is an awful word, but vital to success in the engagement. Assuming, that is, you don't make a complete arse of yourself.

[tvr450]

If you are worried about your instant messaging showing "away 30 mins", just install this software:

Caffeine

It 'presses' F12 (or shift) once a minute to keep your status 'active'.

Just have the speakers turned right up so you can run over if a message comes in ..........

[MrMarkyMark]

quite rare. everyone i know of in london who work various types of software development have stated how u tend to command a lower rate for full time wfh

Maybe if they get all their work via rentacoder

[VectraMan]

Not so - my last contract was WFH and at the same rate as the role before that where I was staying away to work onsite. A prior role WFH was also at the same rate as the role before that so it seems WFH is not seen by the client as a way to gain a rate advantage.

Boo

I'm equalling my best rate ever on WFH. And that other time was when I went from onsite 5 days a week to 3 days on site + 2 days WFH with a rate rise.

My current client has nowhere for me after closing the office I used to work in, so obviously it's saving them money. If we're saying a WFH contractor is worth less because they can't be trusted to do any work then perhaps there are bigger issues.

[northernladuk]

quite rare. everyone i know of in london who work various types of software development have stated how u tend to command a lower rate for full time wfh

It's not rare and I don't believe for one minute everyone you know said that... unless you only know two people. We sell a service to a client. Where we are located in many cases makes no difference to that ability to deliver so should not affect the price. Some clients have preferences such as wanting to see contractors at desks, others have a bodies/per desk ratio that doesn't support an army of contractors etc. I don't believe any clients (ok very few) will see WFH as a benefit to the contractor so will differentiate the rate. As long as he get's what he wanted done he should be happy.

It could be that some contractors took gigs under market rate and can WFH so it looks like they've taken a cut just to WFH but that's incorrect. They took a lower paid gig regardless of the working arrangements.

[jonneymendoza]

Not so - my last contract was WFH and at the same rate as the role before that where I was staying away to work onsite. A prior role WFH was also at the same rate as the role before that so it seems WFH is not seen by the client as a way to gain a rate advantage.

Boo

quite rare. everyone i know of in london who work various types of software development have stated how u tend to command a lower rate for full time wfh

[Boo]

yea all those saying wfh on same rate is rare and probably lying lol because lets face it, no client will hire a contractor to work from home for same rate as a contractor working in the office.

Not so - my last contract was WFH and at the same rate as the role before that where I was staying away to work onsite. A prior role WFH was also at the same rate as the role before that so it seems WFH is not seen by the client as a way to gain a rate advantage.

Boo

[fidot]

How much of a pay cut should you be willing to take for the privilege of WFH?

The work has the same value for the client, whether it is performed in their office or at your office.

So, my advice is to not be too keen to offer a rate reduction, although have it in your back pocket as part of the negotiation process.

[LondonManc]

yea all those saying wfh on same rate is rare and probably lying lol because lets face it, no client will hire a contractor to work from home for same rate as a contractor working in the office.

I was on £10 a day more for a 98% WFH contract than I was for a 100% on site contract. Varies too much to generalise imo.

[northernladuk]

Half what?

AYSYCOTBAC?

That's for the person I quoted to work out. Should keep them busy for a couple of hours.

[MrMarkyMark]

I usually offer an onsite and offsite rate. This has political mileage, for yourself and your manager. So if anyone has a go at your WFH status, you can emphasise the blended rate (without providing details of course). I would consider a 25% reduction depending on terms and conditions, although for me WFH has always been within 10% of the onsite rate. In my current gig the difference for the last year+ has been 5% (for political purposes). Since the rate card is not common knowledge, it is all about perception.

If they want you that much, they shouldn't care where you do the work.

I think a little differently, I think we should actually be asking higher than our usual day rate to attend the office
I don't know how much "political mileage" this would carry, however.

[lecyclist]

How much of a pay cut should you be willing to take for the privilege of WFH?

I usually offer an onsite and offsite rate. This has political mileage, for yourself and your manager. So if anyone has a go at your WFH status, you can emphasise the blended rate (without providing details of course). I would consider a 25% reduction depending on terms and conditions, although for me WFH has always been within 10% of the onsite rate. In my current gig the difference for the last year+ has been 5% (for political purposes). Since the rate card is not common knowledge, it is all about perception.

[MrMarkyMark]

yea all those saying wfh on same rate is rare and probably lying lol because lets face it, no client will hire a contractor to work from home for same rate as a contractor working in the office.

Totally and utterly untrue.
I have been told "I don't care where you, or your team, work"