The end of I.T. jobs in the U.K.

[LondonManc]

I can imagine it is around 50%. Look at other sectors, where most staff simply have to be onsite - construction, retail, hospitality, healthcare, science/pharma, etc; many need access to kit that they simply don't have at home. Then look at tech where most people can work at home easily - I'd imagine some are closer to 100% and tech is closer to 10%.

I know of companies seeing this as an opportunity in the north west. Some looking at downsizing floor space in the city centre (moving to 1 or 2 days in the office rotating by team, for example). Office rentals in Manchester city centre are plummeting. Spinningfields is like a ghost town where it was usually full of queues at Pret, etc. There's a big WeWork office and XYZ social, both of whom rent office spaces in that area; they'll be virtually empty as I know of three businesses who all not extended their leases and two of those have said partly it's because they simply wouldn't be able to socially distance in the office space they'd rented, regardless of what other measures were put in place throughout the rest of the building.

We're in a bit of a unique situation to other sectors; IT bods like working from home, contractors generally have a space in their home already kitted out as an office (if you don't, you're an idiot imo) and we were born to be anti-social people because we can have our working day finished by 2:30pm if people left us alone! On the flip side, we are still human and need some level of interaction. I've done a fully remote gig years ago and cabin fever bites hard after about four months.

[mjcp]

Related recent research...

el Reg survey into remote working / return to normal. Linky -> the Reg

M

[jamesbrown]

Yes okay then go on thinking 50% of office workers are back to the office full time, good luck with that.

Good luck with your waffling anecdotes. The numbers are increasing and they will increase further when schools are back. Everyone is always so eager to predict a revolution, but the reality is that things will probably revert to the way they were (with a speed depending on the virus).

[rogerfederer]

You're making a waffly claim based on a personal anecdote. I'll go with the ONS, even if it's for workers in general.

You're picking and choosing what you like.

People who were furloughed are indeed now back in workplaces. Those in well paid jobs, on the other hand, aren't. It's those that are most similar to the work we do, even for different industries. I am personally not fussed if factory workers are back at work now having been furloughed before. Those people don't work in canary wharf or expensive city office locations.

The focus here is cities changing shape. It's definitely going to happen. I and others I know won't be going back to random offices just because a client may think they want us to. Driving for two hours in traffic jams or other waste of time and life is stupid and not conducive to a better working future.

If you fancy changing careers to a low paid "do as my employer says" job then you can join the 50% you mention. Ultimately I know of not a single person in a professional job who is currently back in the office. Government leads too: The Scottish Government offices are still closed up here and so professional companies are taking that lead as an indicator of safety.

[jamesbrown]

You're picking and choosing what you like.

People who were furloughed are indeed now back in workplaces. Those in well paid jobs, on the other hand, aren't. It's those that are most similar to the work we do, even for different industries. I am personally not fussed if factory workers are back at work now having been furloughed before. Those people don't work in canary wharf or expensive city office locations.

The focus here is cities changing shape. It's definitely going to happen. I and others I know won't be going back to random offices just because a client may think they want us to. Driving for two hours in traffic jams or other waste of time and life is stupid and not conducive to a better working future.

If you fancy changing careers to a low paid "do as my employer says" job then you can join the 50% you mention. Ultimately I know of not a single person in a professional job who is currently back in the office. Government leads too: The Scottish Government offices are still closed up here and so professional companies are taking that lead as an indicator of safety.

Again, waffle and anecdote. You can dream all you like about a future without commuting, but the vast majority of office workers will be back in their offices when Covid is over. Many office workers are low-paid, semi-skilled, workers. Above them, plenty of “professionals” languish in “do as my employer says“, dead end jobs. Contracting for financial services companies in the square mile is not representative of office work (or, indeed, IT contracting), as I said at the outset. If you want to WFH permanently, you’ll need a niche skillset (not an average IT skillset) or an evening class in bohemian finger painting and IPSE membership.

[GhostofTarbera]

Again, waffle and anecdote. You can dream all you like about a future without commuting, but the vast majority of office workers will be back in their offices when Covid is over. Many office workers are low-paid, semi-skilled, workers. Above them, plenty of “professionals” languish in “do as my employer says“, dead end jobs. Contracting for financial services companies in the square mile is not representative of office work (or, indeed, IT contracting), as I said at the outset. If you want to WFH permanently, you’ll need a niche skillset (not an average IT skillset) or an evening class in bohemian finger painting and IPSE membership.

The company I’m working from has announced working from home forever - lease on HQ runs out in June, some people 10% can go in until then if they want

Saves approx £15K per person per year for the company (yes it’s in the city , so not up north plucking chicken feathers)

Saves each employee on average nearly £8K in commuting and associated costs (a few chaps were £18K)

Saves 14 hours again on average in commuting time (company insist laptop lids close at 5pm exactly)

What’s not to like for majority in London




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[jamesbrown]

The company I’m working from has announced working from home forever - lease on HQ runs out in June, some people 10% can go in until then if they want

Saves approx £15K per person per year for the company (yes it’s in the city , so not up north plucking chicken feathers)

Saves each employee on average nearly £8K in commuting and associated costs (a few chaps were £18K)

Saves 14 hours again on average in commuting time (company insist laptop lids close at 5pm exactly)

What’s not to like for majority in London

Laptop lids closed at 5pm? Sounds like one of those "do as my employer says" dead end jobs that roger was banging on about. The London banking scene is hardly mainstream London or mainstream London office work. Chuckle. I recall that crowd from uni - massive old boys network, full of tremendous tossers. It's probably better that they're off the streets of a weekday

[elsergiovolador]

Laptop lids closed at 5pm? Sounds like one of those "do as my employer says" dead end jobs that roger was banging on about. The London banking scene is hardly mainstream London or mainstream London office work. Chuckle. I recall that crowd from uni - massive old boys network, full of tremendous tossers. It's probably better that they're off the streets of a weekday

Isn't that still the case that mainstream banks would get workers posted from the EU or other countries where labour is cheap, put them in hostels and then bus them to office every morning and offload to a hostel in the evening for a few months and then replace with a new set?
Workers are paid by their home country company plus get some pocket money to buy food and go out once a week.

[Paralytic]

Isn't that still the case that mainstream banks would get workers posted from the EU or other countries where labour is cheap, put them in hostels and then bus them to office every morning and offload to a hostel in the evening for a few months and then replace with a new set?
Workers are paid by their home country company plus get some pocket money to buy food and go out once a week.

"Still the case"? References to where it was the case please. Or have they managed to hide this from everyone except you?

[jainnode]

"Still the case"? References to where it was the case please. Or have they managed to hide this from everyone except you?

The sky is a different colour on Elsie the Gladiator's planet.