Work From Home (WFH) Thread

[Majingir]

Quote: Originally Posted by KSUowls

Well, I think that some of the 4 day work week trials were actually 32 hour, not people lengthening the days. I would generally think that this would need to be a uniform schedule, ie: everyone is 9-5 or 9-7 whatever the case. Having people come in early/late does make things difficult, though it is manageable (speaking as someone whose team is split between eastern and central time zones). Generally though, while this is certainly a different branch of the topic, imo the idea of a 40 hour work week is completely antiquated. I'm hired and paid to do a job, not occupy a chair for 40 hours a week Granted part of the job is being available when people need you, but the whole standard should be re-evaluated. Some weeks I put in 60 hours because we have deadlines, projects, or quarterly reports. Other weeks, I'm just watching the clock for half the week, and responding to emails. Now, while it is a particular pet peeve of mine when people do not respond to my e-mails and therefore I am extremely prompt in responding when I receive them, I also recognize that very few of them actually require immediate attention. It's a fair point about scheduling meetings being more difficult, but I don't think that it as hard as you may think. My company has effectively had a 4 day work week for the last 2 years, specifically pertaining to meetings not actual work week. About 2 years ago our president put out a general directive for "no meetings on Thursdays". Meetings do still occur during those times, but that's mostly out of convenience, because people would rather schedule some time on a Thursday instead of 4pm on a Friday. So, 90% of all meetings are scheduled during the other 4 days of the work week. This would take some discipline from people, so that 4pm on Thursday does not become the new "Friday", but I do think that people would find it more palatable when they have a bit more than a brief 2 day weekend to look forward to. Also, I'm sure that I'm not the only one who experiences this, but as a manager my life is consumed with meetings. Many of which should really be a 2 minute phone call instead of blocking off half an hour. And going back to timeliness, there have been few meetings throughout my career where a business decision/processes or even individual contributor's routine would be impacted by having a meeting a week later because everyone's calendar this week was full. One idea that I have heard toyed with was 4 full days and half day on friday (36 hour work week). Which to me is a happy medium. It doesn't require flexing schedules with half the people off Monday or Friday, but it still addresses the issue of there just being a lot of unnecessary time "at the office" in a standard week.

4.5 days would be a fair compromise, as long as those 36 hours pays like 40.

Let's face it, on a regular monday-friday job, how much do people want to do after lunch on a Friday? You're half checked out already just looking ahead to the evening. Same with Monday mornings. You're just spending that morning readjusting back after being off for the weekend.

Maybe to make it easier, everyone just works from home a specific day of the week. Fridays probably make the most sense since it would be stuff discussed during the week/saved up until Friday to be dealt with.

I think we've gone into this talk on OS before, but if it ever becomes 4 day work weeks (not wfh, just 4 days working, regardless if its 8 hours or 10 a day), which one would people most prefer taking off?

[KSUowls]

Quote: Originally Posted by Majingir

I think we've gone into this talk on OS before, but if it ever becomes 4 day work weeks (not wfh, just 4 days working, regardless if its 8 hours or 10 a day), which one would people most prefer taking off?

Maybe the landscape of things would change if Tuesday-Friday became the normal work week for people, but in the current environment then I would want Friday. There are a lot of events and things like movie/game releases that are done on Friday. So that would generate the greatest benefit to me.

[Majingir]

Quote: Originally Posted by KSUowls

Maybe the landscape of things would change if Tuesday-Friday became the normal work week for people, but in the current environment then I would want Friday. There are a lot of events and things like movie/game releases that are done on Friday. So that would generate the greatest benefit to me.

I don't think 3 day weekends will become a societal change, but more like certain workplaces will just have 3 day weekends for employees instead.

Not sure how far it'll go or if it's as good as it sounds (sounds to good to be true to me), but I saw something recently about a law wanting 32 hours to be considered full time, as in, anything beyond 32 hours will be considered overtime pay. Even that seems excessive, I'd settle for 36 hours being that.

So if employers do want to have employees 5 days a week, go ahead, it'll just cost more. Or does it just apply to full time salaried employees (because part time employees would just be scheduled for exactly 32 hours a week and that's it, which would just lead to getting less money).

[bigbob]

Quote: Originally Posted by Majingir

I think we've gone into this talk on OS before, but if it ever becomes 4 day work weeks (not wfh, just 4 days working, regardless if its 8 hours or 10 a day), which one would people most prefer taking off?

Wednesdays. I like the idea of breaking up the week. It makes it feel faster for me.

Sent from my SM-N986U1 using Tapatalk

[Majingir]

Quote: Originally Posted by bigbob

Wednesdays. I like the idea of breaking up the week. It makes it feel faster for me. Sent from my SM-N986U1 using Tapatalk

That's one thing I've been thinking of, just as long as your Wednesday off doesn't lead to Thursday having Wednesday AND Thursday stuff piled on you now.

It makes the week go by faster and seem less overwhelming. Instead of looking at a week as a 4 or 5 day week, you just divide it up into 2 day work periods. I know people get mixed on 4 day work weeks leading to more hours, but if I'm working let's say 9-7 for 4 days, I won't mind it as much because you really only have 2 real "work nights" with that schedule since Tuesday and Friday you're off after that.

Coming back on Thursday after having just Wednesday off won't feel the same as coming in Monday after having 2 days off.

And now Tuesdays are a day to look forward to since you're off after that, rather than 5 day weeks where Tuesday is probably the one I hate the most.

[KSUowls]

Just updating here because I found this kind of funny.

My company is slowly making more pushes to return people to office. Fortunately they are leaving it up to the individual teams (which I think is the correct approach. Every team has different needs). What I did find amusing though was the 10 or so cherry picked studies that they referenced, which all "proved" the benefits of working in an office and physically seeing your peers. It was like they really wanted to make believers out of everyone, while both ignoring other studies which show the opposite results as well as some logical thinking.

All any of this proves to me is that everyone is different, and it's why I think that individual teams should decide what is best for them.

One other amusing thing, regarding some of the related topics in this thread. Within my network I know of some companies which have off-shored some teams or just individual processes over the last year or so. These efforts of "costs savings" have resulted in some very real down steam inefficiencies that have had to be rolled back.

[SuperBowlNachos]

Finally got a motorized standing desk. I was feeling the aches and pains of sitting too much. Now I try to not sit at all until 10am. On top of trying to get more steps in outside. Got an ApexDesk from Costco on sale.