Google rejigs remote working as it reopens offices
01/04/2021
|
news
|
business
|
309
Many big technology firms are still figuring out the best way for staff to return to offices.
1
Hello World
01/04/2021 09:49:26
25
8
bbc
I have stopped using Google search and started using Duckduckgo
delete cookies upon closing
block javascript as a default rule
block javascript as a default rule
Ecosia is my favourite. Less tracking, non profit, plants trees. Google schmoogle.
I like my search engine to return useful results. So I stick to Google (by far the best) and run ad and tracker blockers in my browser.
The google head office in America is truly amazing; it has a huge number of amenities and benefits, and is well regarded.
If I were an employee there, such an office would likely be highly attractive. Dependent on my journey to work, I may prefer to go into the office. So long as they are lenient with letting people decide, encouraging a lively office is definitely a good thing.
If I were an employee there, such an office would likely be highly attractive. Dependent on my journey to work, I may prefer to go into the office. So long as they are lenient with letting people decide, encouraging a lively office is definitely a good thing.
It's a known psycholoigcal fact that creative people perform better in an environment that is fun, it is no accident these offices are like this. Go to a production line producing their products, and it aint as much "fun". I imagine the same could be said for Amazon / AWS etc
You sound like the "I joined the army for the travel and sport, didn't know I'd be shooting people" crowd. If a company has to do all of this to attract people, ask why. Also, I'd rather choose my own amenities than be in a giant complex where they are all provided and populated with other company people. Individuality is a great thing.
Maybe but it means paying 3 or 4 times as much for your home and sitting in a traffic jam. My house has the heating and windows how I want them, the lights how I want, the food and drink I want, local sports facilities, good view and doesn't smell of other people's feet
Unsurprising.
Google is a cult. They use the 'why do you want to go home, everything is here' tactic to pay their workers less and make them stay longer.
Even officially they do not want employees but 'Googlers'. Their whole
business model relies on brainwashing and peer pressure.... and worryingly that seems to include political views too.
Google is a cult. They use the 'why do you want to go home, everything is here' tactic to pay their workers less and make them stay longer.
Even officially they do not want employees but 'Googlers'. Their whole
business model relies on brainwashing and peer pressure.... and worryingly that seems to include political views too.
Pay their workers less than what? The average salary in the UK is £100,000 plus £100,000 as a bonus paid in company shares
Sounds like Goldman Sachs when you put it that way. This is a worrying trend in American 'multinatonals'. Didn't the communists do this first? Young people need to wise up and not fall for this sinister manipulation.
Not the first and won't be the last to get their staff back to the office. In 12-18 months it'll be the norm once again.
So, basically lots of people travelling pointlessly from their homes they don't own, polluting the air while they do, to offices for work, they could have done from home.
So then, business as usual, ie human stupidity
So then, business as usual, ie human stupidity
Hybrid working here to stay for many companies; for the ones that don't they will need to pay higher salaries or be viewed as less attractive places to work.
It would be unfortunate if you are right, hours if misery in traffic jams, increased co2, family breakups and of course the inevitable loss of key workers to stress induced heart failure or commuting accidents. Not to mention the increased days off as the inevitable bugs do the rounds of offices. Look at the stats on sickness other than covid, they have all fallen
Working from home is all well and good, but it creates enormous challenges in terms of training, mentoring and culture (not to mention mental well being and our need for being sociable). WFH will be a bigger part of our lives going forward, but not to the extent many seem to be predicting. Google seem to have it right.
Training can be provided in the form of a documents, powerpoint slides, even a presentation if the target audence are dense
Mentoring can be provided via instant chat, skype, whatever, take your pick
Culture? Serisouly, when I bring my skills to a company, I couldn't really care less about their culture. I am not joining an island nation. Culture in my view is absolute nonsense
Mentoring can be provided via instant chat, skype, whatever, take your pick
Culture? Serisouly, when I bring my skills to a company, I couldn't really care less about their culture. I am not joining an island nation. Culture in my view is absolute nonsense
‘Google seem to have it right’. No just the Russians investing in troll farms then. Surprise. Oh, hello Langley! LoL
Do you have any evidence that this is the case? Training I've done virtually seems to have worked just as well and I have good social interactions on Zoom/Teams. My mental well-being is far improved by getting decent sleep as a result of nat wasting hundreds of hours a year commuting. ps....wfh 2 days per week pre-pandemic, demonstated that 3 other days in office were a waste of time and money
It doesn't. Where i am we use online meetings and mob programming achieving exactly the same with 3000 miles between the extremes
It's just naive to think that you can learn every job, and perform it all, from home.
But if going to the office is needed for training, mentoring and culture as stated (which I think it is), such travel isn't pointless at all. It isn't human stupidity, it's human nature to be social creatures. Sitting alone for weeks on end is not normal.
So, what's your point?
.
So, what's your point?
.
So, basically lots of people travelling pointlessly from their homes they don't own, polluting the air while they do, to offices for work, they could have done from home.
So then, business as usual, ie human stupidity
So then, business as usual, ie human stupidity
So, basically lots of people travelling pointlessly from their homes they don't own, polluting the air while they do, to offices for work, they could have done from home.
So then, business as usual, ie human stupidity
So then, business as usual, ie human stupidity
If people cannot work from home, they should live near their work.
Why is this so difficult for government and society to understand?
The challenges are really simple to solve, unfortunately the solutions are unpopular with the wealthy, it means them giving up their ill-gotton-hoards
Who the hell needs £469M a year?
I may be digressing here, but this BS is all connected
Why is this so difficult for government and society to understand?
The challenges are really simple to solve, unfortunately the solutions are unpopular with the wealthy, it means them giving up their ill-gotton-hoards
Who the hell needs £469M a year?
I may be digressing here, but this BS is all connected
The google head office in America is truly amazing; it has a huge number of amenities and benefits, and is well regarded.
If I were an employee there, such an office would likely be highly attractive. Dependent on my journey to work, I may prefer to go into the office. So long as they are lenient with letting people decide, encouraging a lively office is definitely a good thing.
If I were an employee there, such an office would likely be highly attractive. Dependent on my journey to work, I may prefer to go into the office. So long as they are lenient with letting people decide, encouraging a lively office is definitely a good thing.
I have stopped using Google search and started using Duckduckgo
Google, like a lot of Silicon Valley firms, has a "we're not a workplace, we're an imagination space" mindset to suggest to employees that they're world-changing fun-havers.
There's no excuse for mass back-in-the-office movements any more.
I've worked from home since March 23rd last year, and I don't miss spending 15 hours a week driving to a place to plug in a laptop that I take home anyway.
There's no excuse for mass back-in-the-office movements any more.
I've worked from home since March 23rd last year, and I don't miss spending 15 hours a week driving to a place to plug in a laptop that I take home anyway.
I think we can all agree efficiency is a good thing to aspire to
Driving around is not efficient of time, energy, or environment!!
I'm with you on this
Driving around is not efficient of time, energy, or environment!!
I'm with you on this
Google isn't what it pretends to be, Google is closer to Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan than it is a fun Silicon Valley startup; they have a history of excessive hours. They changed their rules so you can't grab their "free" food if you're on your way home because it's only there to try and bully people into working excessive hours. With Pichai putting profits above life they're pretty evil now.
in 2021 business needs to realise that only a portion of workers are suited to 9 - 5 office working
the pandemic finally dragged outdated HR policies into the 19th century.. don't let it roll back
the pandemic finally dragged outdated HR policies into the 19th century.. don't let it roll back
Well said JJ. The UK has some of the worst productivity in the developed world mostly (in my opinion) due to poor management practise and draconian working conditions. Lets not go back to this please!
Unless you are Godmanchester Sacha whose working hours are 9am to midnight 6 days per week.
But if going to the office is needed for training, mentoring and culture as stated (which I think it is), such travel isn't pointless at all. It isn't human stupidity, it's human nature to be social creatures. Sitting alone for weeks on end is not normal.
So, what's your point?
.
So, what's your point?
.
If people cannot work from home, they should live near their work.
Why is this so difficult for government and society to understand?
The challenges are really simple to solve, unfortunately the solutions are unpopular with the wealthy, it means them giving up their ill-gotton-hoards
Who the hell needs £469M a year?
I may be digressing here, but this BS is all connected
Why is this so difficult for government and society to understand?
The challenges are really simple to solve, unfortunately the solutions are unpopular with the wealthy, it means them giving up their ill-gotton-hoards
Who the hell needs £469M a year?
I may be digressing here, but this BS is all connected
Ah... the real reason for your comments reveals itself... Envy.
With you who needs a 1/2 billion/anum salary? Foolish childish commentators? You realise of course she owns an online gambling company shes one of my least enviable people, completely agree with you, and yes very connected
Working from home is all well and good, but it creates enormous challenges in terms of training, mentoring and culture (not to mention mental well being and our need for being sociable). WFH will be a bigger part of our lives going forward, but not to the extent many seem to be predicting. Google seem to have it right.
Training can be provided in the form of a documents, powerpoint slides, even a presentation if the target audence are dense
Mentoring can be provided via instant chat, skype, whatever, take your pick
Culture? Serisouly, when I bring my skills to a company, I couldn't really care less about their culture. I am not joining an island nation. Culture in my view is absolute nonsense
Mentoring can be provided via instant chat, skype, whatever, take your pick
Culture? Serisouly, when I bring my skills to a company, I couldn't really care less about their culture. I am not joining an island nation. Culture in my view is absolute nonsense
Mentoring cannot be provided via a screen. Mentoring is about behaviours, relationships, interaction, observation, body language etc etc. Really naive to think that this, and all training, can be done via a screen. 'I couldn't care less', well I think you find many people do care.
deluded
redundancy beckons
the usual wfh trying to justify how much more efficient they are
no prolem with tracking software then?
redundancy beckons
the usual wfh trying to justify how much more efficient they are
no prolem with tracking software then?
Don't agree with you. There is a sliding scale for training etc at one end 9say) medicine where you have to be 'hands on' to admin work were perhaps it could be remote. Most of us are somewhere in the middle. If all training could be provided via documents Universities would not have campuses.
Documents and Powerpoints are okay for visual learner, what about auditory learners and those like me who learn by doing/ taking stuff apart and putting it back together (kinaesthetic)?
Also who decides when a home office/ work station is appropriate to the company's needs and ticks all the H&S boxes?
If you get a bad neck/ back in your home office, who pays?
Also who decides when a home office/ work station is appropriate to the company's needs and ticks all the H&S boxes?
If you get a bad neck/ back in your home office, who pays?
Agreed the companies i a currently doing work for have employees working literally thousands of miles apart. And all companies think it is perfectly acceptable to have cheap staff in Bangalore, China, eastern Europe.
Google, like a lot of Silicon Valley firms, has a "we're not a workplace, we're an imagination space" mindset to suggest to employees that they're world-changing fun-havers.
There's no excuse for mass back-in-the-office movements any more.
I've worked from home since March 23rd last year, and I don't miss spending 15 hours a week driving to a place to plug in a laptop that I take home anyway.
There's no excuse for mass back-in-the-office movements any more.
I've worked from home since March 23rd last year, and I don't miss spending 15 hours a week driving to a place to plug in a laptop that I take home anyway.
Some companies seem afraid that unless literally kept inside a box, staff wil think outside the box.
If companies try to force employees to go back to the box, said companies may find that they need a smaller box due to employees changing employer....
The google head office in America is truly amazing; it has a huge number of amenities and benefits, and is well regarded.
If I were an employee there, such an office would likely be highly attractive. Dependent on my journey to work, I may prefer to go into the office. So long as they are lenient with letting people decide, encouraging a lively office is definitely a good thing.
If I were an employee there, such an office would likely be highly attractive. Dependent on my journey to work, I may prefer to go into the office. So long as they are lenient with letting people decide, encouraging a lively office is definitely a good thing.
You sound like the "I joined the army for the travel and sport, didn't know I'd be shooting people" crowd. If a company has to do all of this to attract people, ask why. Also, I'd rather choose my own amenities than be in a giant complex where they are all provided and populated with other company people. Individuality is a great thing.
Training can be provided in the form of a documents, powerpoint slides, even a presentation if the target audence are dense
Mentoring can be provided via instant chat, skype, whatever, take your pick
Culture? Serisouly, when I bring my skills to a company, I couldn't really care less about their culture. I am not joining an island nation. Culture in my view is absolute nonsense
Mentoring can be provided via instant chat, skype, whatever, take your pick
Culture? Serisouly, when I bring my skills to a company, I couldn't really care less about their culture. I am not joining an island nation. Culture in my view is absolute nonsense
I have stopped using Google search and started using Duckduckgo
Working from home is all well and good, but it creates enormous challenges in terms of training, mentoring and culture (not to mention mental well being and our need for being sociable). WFH will be a bigger part of our lives going forward, but not to the extent many seem to be predicting. Google seem to have it right.
BBC, this is NOT tech news, but bussiness. Anyway who cares about this tax evading malware orginisation. Google is the root of all evil after facebook. Get smart boycot these criminal orginisations. BBC this also applies to you, as we know you are a google and facebook lover and use them to their infect our computers with their maleware.
Removed
Unsurprising.
Google is a cult. They use the 'why do you want to go home, everything is here' tactic to pay their workers less and make them stay longer.
Even officially they do not want employees but 'Googlers'. Their whole
business model relies on brainwashing and peer pressure.... and worryingly that seems to include political views too.
Google is a cult. They use the 'why do you want to go home, everything is here' tactic to pay their workers less and make them stay longer.
Even officially they do not want employees but 'Googlers'. Their whole
business model relies on brainwashing and peer pressure.... and worryingly that seems to include political views too.
Unsurprising.
Google is a cult. They use the 'why do you want to go home, everything is here' tactic to pay their workers less and make them stay longer.
Even officially they do not want employees but 'Googlers'. Their whole
business model relies on brainwashing and peer pressure.... and worryingly that seems to include political views too.
Google is a cult. They use the 'why do you want to go home, everything is here' tactic to pay their workers less and make them stay longer.
Even officially they do not want employees but 'Googlers'. Their whole
business model relies on brainwashing and peer pressure.... and worryingly that seems to include political views too.
Not the full picture. Yes, the average Google salary is 100k+ according to their figures for UK and Ire.
HOWEVER, most Google 'employees' are contractors, which don't get included in those figures. Strangely, they hey make it far more difficult to get hold of the real figure including contactors - wonder why.
HOWEVER, most Google 'employees' are contractors, which don't get included in those figures. Strangely, they hey make it far more difficult to get hold of the real figure including contactors - wonder why.
If people cannot work from home, they should live near their work.
Why is this so difficult for government and society to understand?
The challenges are really simple to solve, unfortunately the solutions are unpopular with the wealthy, it means them giving up their ill-gotton-hoards
Who the hell needs £469M a year?
I may be digressing here, but this BS is all connected
Why is this so difficult for government and society to understand?
The challenges are really simple to solve, unfortunately the solutions are unpopular with the wealthy, it means them giving up their ill-gotton-hoards
Who the hell needs £469M a year?
I may be digressing here, but this BS is all connected
My workplace - a university - is introducing what they call 'dynamic working'. If you're engaged in student-facing activities, once the place reopens you need to be there at least for that time. Otherwise it's up to you if you go on-campus to work. There's also a move towards flipped classrooms, where lectures are recorded & viewed before 'class' which concentrates on applying what's been taught.
And the open university has shown you can study for first degrees, higher and doctorates from home. To be honest apart from the cheap bar and not being under parents feet this could be the norm for all students. Indeed it makes your courses accessible to those who can't move or live away like those with jobs or families.
In my situation it turned out the landlord of our Office in East London was becoming a pain in the neck, so at beginning of the lock-down we said goodbye to the landlord worked from home ever since (20+ of us) Don't miss the expensive/over-crowded/long commute, don't miss a few people in the Office (mostly managers who were pointless) and the Directors love the idea so far (££££ saved)
Lovely. But how many people met their spouses and many, if not all of their post education friends at work? This model could be catastrophic for many. It's fine for those who already have the partner and the strong social network but doesn't it increase exclusion for those who are already most excluded? Also, who is paying the daytime electricity bill?
As Graham said, I dont think the workplace is the ideal place to find a partner. Probably the last thing your boss needs tbh
Those people worth seeing you can arrange to meet, or spend more time with the neighbours and create a community
In my situation it turned out the landlord of our Office in East London was becoming a pain in the neck, so at beginning of the lock-down we said goodbye to the landlord worked from home ever since (20+ of us) Don't miss the expensive/over-crowded/long commute, don't miss a few people in the Office (mostly managers who were pointless) and the Directors love the idea so far (££££ saved)
Lovely. But how many people met their spouses and many, if not all of their post education friends at work? This model could be catastrophic for many. It's fine for those who already have the partner and the strong social network but doesn't it increase exclusion for those who are already most excluded? Also, who is paying the daytime electricity bill?
Regarding the leccy bill, I'm sure that saving £100 per week in commuting costs will easily cover the extra £5 you spend on electricity for your laptop router and work lighting.
And leave you with a very healthy surplus to pay down your insanely expensive loans and credit cards.
And leave you with a very healthy surplus to pay down your insanely expensive loans and credit cards.
Having worked from home for getting on for two decades, I can safely say I have never once given the slightest bit of thought to the extra cost of utilities. Compared to the cost of working in an office (read as travel, food, clothing) it's absolutely peanuts.
Modern workplaces really are places you don't go to to date other workers. It's a myriad of problems with HR if there are seniority differences. Simply put - go out in the evening to do personal life things.
Try your local community, sports clubs, perhaps even walk your kids to school and meet friends and partners near you. Office romances are ok but strangely so are romances nearer gome
Working from home is all well and good, but it creates enormous challenges in terms of training, mentoring and culture (not to mention mental well being and our need for being sociable). WFH will be a bigger part of our lives going forward, but not to the extent many seem to be predicting. Google seem to have it right.
Do you have any evidence that this is the case? Training I've done virtually seems to have worked just as well and I have good social interactions on Zoom/Teams. My mental well-being is far improved by getting decent sleep as a result of nat wasting hundreds of hours a year commuting. ps....wfh 2 days per week pre-pandemic, demonstated that 3 other days in office were a waste of time and money
delete cookies upon closing
block javascript as a default rule
block javascript as a default rule
The penny hasn't dropped for Google yet.
WFH is more efficient & environmentally friendly.
They should sell their offices & invest their efforts in perfecting the WFH revolution.
WFH is more efficient & environmentally friendly.
They should sell their offices & invest their efforts in perfecting the WFH revolution.
Completely agree. Worked from home full time now for the last decade and a half.
you are deluded
wfh are off the pace and distracted
Dont want to see kids and pets on zoom
Not everyone has a separate room
wfh are off the pace and distracted
Dont want to see kids and pets on zoom
Not everyone has a separate room
For a tech company I’m amazed they aren't more forward thinking than this. With all the multitude of of tech ways to work from home it seems like a very backward step.
By the way, I’ve worked at home full time VERY successfully, for the last 15 years. It poses no problems at all, but then, I’m not the Duke of Westminster who owns a thousand and one offices in London.
By the way, I’ve worked at home full time VERY successfully, for the last 15 years. It poses no problems at all, but then, I’m not the Duke of Westminster who owns a thousand and one offices in London.
Google is a backwards company, they've failed to produce anything new of merit in the last 10 years and have even gone backwards having sold off things like Boston Dynamics that are genuinely going somewhere. As the ad industry is cracked down upon ever more and as they have no innovative new products it's hard to see how they can go anywhere but down right now.
Good, lots will quit and be a good addition in other companiesas remote is the new standard. I will soon take my remote job and live in a cheap warm country.....
But Google we dont want to work from home for 12 months.... we want to work from home until retirement !
Training can be provided in the form of a documents, powerpoint slides, even a presentation if the target audence are dense
Mentoring can be provided via instant chat, skype, whatever, take your pick
Culture? Serisouly, when I bring my skills to a company, I couldn't really care less about their culture. I am not joining an island nation. Culture in my view is absolute nonsense
Mentoring can be provided via instant chat, skype, whatever, take your pick
Culture? Serisouly, when I bring my skills to a company, I couldn't really care less about their culture. I am not joining an island nation. Culture in my view is absolute nonsense
no problem at all.
although my employer might not be happy to see just how much overtime they need to start paying if time now centrally tracked !!
although my employer might not be happy to see just how much overtime they need to start paying if time now centrally tracked !!
WORKED AT HOME FOR A YEAR
1. Increased output.
2. Better quality of work.
3. Worked longer hours - as not sitting on a train for 4 hours a day.
4. Not tired at the end of the day!
5. SAVED £1,000 a month on Parking, Train fares and overpriced coffee and sarnies.
6. Do not miss people or the 'Office life-style'
1. Increased output.
2. Better quality of work.
3. Worked longer hours - as not sitting on a train for 4 hours a day.
4. Not tired at the end of the day!
5. SAVED £1,000 a month on Parking, Train fares and overpriced coffee and sarnies.
6. Do not miss people or the 'Office life-style'
took kids to school
caught up netflix
pub at lunchtime
took dog for walk
told at least 10- people you were more productive per day
you were also more isolated, maybe can be done by someone else
Only $90 to send your laptop to India
caught up netflix
pub at lunchtime
took dog for walk
told at least 10- people you were more productive per day
you were also more isolated, maybe can be done by someone else
Only $90 to send your laptop to India
7. Not having your tea bags nicked by a co-worker
8. Not having to share dirty toilets.
9. Not having to put up with malicious gossip
10. Not having to catch whichever cold or flu bug a co-worker comes in with.
8. Not having to share dirty toilets.
9. Not having to put up with malicious gossip
10. Not having to catch whichever cold or flu bug a co-worker comes in with.
Well done on having a home suitable for working from..let's hear more from the white collar workers with large rooms, fancy laptops, IT hardware in the South East..
2 out of 3 jobs cannot be done from home.
2 out of 3 jobs cannot be done from home.
I like the added flexibility but have massively missed the social side of working in an office. Looking forward to going back in 3 days a week.
Who chose the 2-hour commute? How did you measure your productivity, and was it independently verified? What will you say when someone in Asia, Africa or somewhere else takes your job?
The answer here to what is better is of course.. it depends. For AndyPCambridge who doesn't miss people and probably doesn't need to collaborate in a meaningful way.. it suits him perfectly.
For many others, we need to collaborate -- and don't tell me WebEx/ZOOM is just as good -- it's not -- being in the office is an essential ingredient to the creative process.
For many others, we need to collaborate -- and don't tell me WebEx/ZOOM is just as good -- it's not -- being in the office is an essential ingredient to the creative process.
The problem I can see is, it's all about me.
CANT WORK AT HOME WORK FOR NATIONAL GRID KEEPING ELECTRIC ON.
1. Same output, I have to work.
2. Less quality of work going into peoples houses, some with covid.
3. Worked longer hours, keeping peopes electric on.
4. Tired at the end of the day.
5. Not saved A GODDAM penny.
6. Good for you, just be thankful people like me are carrying on their job so you can live your life.
1. Same output, I have to work.
2. Less quality of work going into peoples houses, some with covid.
3. Worked longer hours, keeping peopes electric on.
4. Tired at the end of the day.
5. Not saved A GODDAM penny.
6. Good for you, just be thankful people like me are carrying on their job so you can live your life.
Why are you commuting so far - environmental disaster are commuters, live closer to work!
Trouble is, people in China are all back at the office so the bosses in Silicon Valley will be thinking: "Hmm...we must keep up with China. Get the dudes back here!"
For some that is the case, for others, not so much... aside from the fairs and such. I know a number of people who can't focus as well at home.
7. got my salary docked due to cost saving (2023)
8. lost my job to someone in Canada, as I've made myself easily dispensable (2024)
9. my wife left me cos I'm at home al the time (2025)
Ok that last one could be a bonus:P
8. lost my job to someone in Canada, as I've made myself easily dispensable (2024)
9. my wife left me cos I'm at home al the time (2025)
Ok that last one could be a bonus:P
It's 14 days limit if an employee wants to work INTERNATIONALLY only. Its been poorly written by journalists including the BBC. I'm shocked actually. Im an Google employee.
Are you here just to play devils advocate? Yay! Lets have more cars more managers and more office blocks more grey marks on our beautiful landscape so we can all get more beans. You must be really living the dream!
WORKED AT HOME FOR A YEAR
1. Increased output.
2. Better quality of work.
3. Worked longer hours - as not sitting on a train for 4 hours a day.
4. Not tired at the end of the day!
5. SAVED £1,000 a month on Parking, Train fares and overpriced coffee and sarnies.
6. Do not miss people or the 'Office life-style'
1. Increased output.
2. Better quality of work.
3. Worked longer hours - as not sitting on a train for 4 hours a day.
4. Not tired at the end of the day!
5. SAVED £1,000 a month on Parking, Train fares and overpriced coffee and sarnies.
6. Do not miss people or the 'Office life-style'
The unspoken concern is surely something most employers dread - "Staff Mobility". If my office is in my home then changing employers is as simple as receiving & switching on a new laptop. No change of travel schedule, no need to move or to find a new school for the kids. Some companies will win, some will lose - odd that Google seems to want to be a loser.
Is it really that odd? Name one new standout product from Google of the last decade.
Can't? Exactly. Google has been a trainwreck under Sundar Pichai, their profits still come almost entirely from Google Search suite (ads in search, maps, etc.), YouTube, and Android, and the latter two of those are from companies Google bought anyway rather than their own innovations.
Can't? Exactly. Google has been a trainwreck under Sundar Pichai, their profits still come almost entirely from Google Search suite (ads in search, maps, etc.), YouTube, and Android, and the latter two of those are from companies Google bought anyway rather than their own innovations.
WORKED AT HOME FOR A YEAR
1. Increased output.
2. Better quality of work.
3. Worked longer hours - as not sitting on a train for 4 hours a day.
4. Not tired at the end of the day!
5. SAVED £1,000 a month on Parking, Train fares and overpriced coffee and sarnies.
6. Do not miss people or the 'Office life-style'
1. Increased output.
2. Better quality of work.
3. Worked longer hours - as not sitting on a train for 4 hours a day.
4. Not tired at the end of the day!
5. SAVED £1,000 a month on Parking, Train fares and overpriced coffee and sarnies.
6. Do not miss people or the 'Office life-style'
WORKED AT HOME FOR A YEAR
1. Increased output.
2. Better quality of work.
3. Worked longer hours - as not sitting on a train for 4 hours a day.
4. Not tired at the end of the day!
5. SAVED £1,000 a month on Parking, Train fares and overpriced coffee and sarnies.
6. Do not miss people or the 'Office life-style'
1. Increased output.
2. Better quality of work.
3. Worked longer hours - as not sitting on a train for 4 hours a day.
4. Not tired at the end of the day!
5. SAVED £1,000 a month on Parking, Train fares and overpriced coffee and sarnies.
6. Do not miss people or the 'Office life-style'
You have got to hand it to the Google employees, they are absolutely fantastic.
It amazes me how quickly they can type the answers when you do a Google search.
It amazes me how quickly they can type the answers when you do a Google search.
And they have convinced people there is a formless "cloud" where they store all the data....genius.
Let people work from home. But let's also change the legislation that makes it the employer's responsibility to ensure a safe working environment for their staff if they choose this option.
Why should they
Use your commute savings
OK I would insist on a separate lockable office
Who pays for fire doors etc
Use your commute savings
OK I would insist on a separate lockable office
Who pays for fire doors etc
If it's not safe to work in, then it isn't safe to live in either.
People are already responsible for their own H&S at home so this is another saving to be made.
People are already responsible for their own H&S at home so this is another saving to be made.
Really?! Dont we have a big enough beaurocratic time wasting h/s sector already?
If you do that then make the employer responsible for a safe commute, safe car, germ free train and office etc. Try growing up and looking after yourself, take responsibility. If your house is safe to eat and sleep in then it is safe to work in.
Why should you not be tracked using someone elses loaned laptop? The owners of which are paying you for your pruductivity? Weirdly you seem to be at odds with your own argument?
I've worked from home for over 20 years & fail to se what all the fuss is about. However, if I used someone else's laptop to work for them then I would absolutely be OK with some kind of tracking software being installed to measure my productivity & working hours. If you're getting paid to work then you should be working, not browsing the net, online shopping or booking your next holiday.
It is not hard to know who is actually working and who is not without a tracking software. We don’t need tracking software to track productivity. You can lie about working when you are actually not for a day or two, but it is not hard to see through it if you do that everyday. And also, just because someone is in office doesn’t mean they are “actually” working!
and you think nobody keeps an eye on what you're doing while in the office???...yes even as to what you have on your laptop or office PC
Training can be provided in the form of a documents, powerpoint slides, even a presentation if the target audence are dense
Mentoring can be provided via instant chat, skype, whatever, take your pick
Culture? Serisouly, when I bring my skills to a company, I couldn't really care less about their culture. I am not joining an island nation. Culture in my view is absolute nonsense
Mentoring can be provided via instant chat, skype, whatever, take your pick
Culture? Serisouly, when I bring my skills to a company, I couldn't really care less about their culture. I am not joining an island nation. Culture in my view is absolute nonsense
Lovely. But how many people met their spouses and many, if not all of their post education friends at work? This model could be catastrophic for many. It's fine for those who already have the partner and the strong social network but doesn't it increase exclusion for those who are already most excluded? Also, who is paying the daytime electricity bill?
WFH is here to Stay, Flexible working should be the Norm,
5G broadband will help change it as well
5G broadband will help change it as well
Trust Google to come up with something that makes it look like "those who apply to their boss for this, will naturally be seen as not committed or team players".
I really do despair with some HR departments that encourage "employee bullying by stealth" culture then try to wrap it in cotton wool with fruit and dog baskets.
I really do despair with some HR departments that encourage "employee bullying by stealth" culture then try to wrap it in cotton wool with fruit and dog baskets.
Well it is simple enough, when talking about jobs i make it clear i am not going into the office except on the very rare occasions i need to pick up kit or meet customers. If there is a requirement for anything regular then the job is clearly not for me. Wfh has proven it works
Many younger people also happier to be in an office
Not everyone has the space or peace to work from home
Not everyone has the space or peace to work from home
Staff at Google will simply vote with their feet if working conditions - office or home - don't match their expectations.
The strategy going forward says more about the company culture (repressed or open) than whether WFH is effective!
The strategy going forward says more about the company culture (repressed or open) than whether WFH is effective!
As a freelance transmission engineer for ISP's I am mostly unable to work from home due to the nature of the work. I have to commute to work and my workplace could be anywhere in the country. I have worked throught the last year. Pre lockdown a 60mile journey to london would take up to 3 hours to complete (yes that is each way) . Productivity people! The office is a victorian ideal, madness!
Depends. I know of (ex)colleagues who worked from home throughout pandemic. If you are field, then you could say that sites/exchanges = office. Can do things like stagger arrival, etc.
Actually when I lived in the states we did because the internal door to the garage by local building regs had to be a firedoor. If you want them at home you can have but in honesty investing in some basic fire training and equipment is more beneficial. i did firefighting as part of offshore survival training, we should teach it at school.
Companies Not getting it. 3 days a week is grossly excessive and makes the employees no savings in train fares. Probably the intent. Trying to make home working more disruptive and unattractive. They have not needed to be in one day a month for ages. So get over your old fashioned ways and make the offices a place you might visit once a month. You will lose staff now if you expect then in 3 days.
Protest too much
Wfh is a semi holiday
OK with tracking software then
Wfh is a semi holiday
OK with tracking software then
I think going back to the office 3 days in 2021 is too much. Best to keep it lower 1-2 days max but start with 1, especially when communting on public transport as their will be min outbreaks...despite vaccination.
Your point about train fares is valid, but could be addressed by govt/train companies. For years, I commuted by coach, because the coach firm offered more flexible ticketing - basically a season ticket but in the form of vouchers for individual journeys, so not limited to a single week or month.
As more people work from home, I expect that something similar will be done with rail tickets.
As more people work from home, I expect that something similar will be done with rail tickets.
Cheer up grumpypants. Why are you so negative ? About everything ?
Or perhaps there is actually benefits to being able to walk to someone and talk about something related to a project without using emails and instant messages. Perhaps some people actually like having a separation between work and home so that they can focus better.
Companies Not getting it. 3 days a week is grossly excessive and makes the employees no savings in train fares. Probably the intent. Trying to make home working more disruptive and unattractive. They have not needed to be in one day a month for ages. So get over your old fashioned ways and make the offices a place you might visit once a month. You will lose staff now if you expect then in 3 days.
If you don't trust your staff (work output is the key outcome) either you are employing the wrong managers or the wrong staff.....or maybe both... time for a clearout
Did you know hunter gatheres spent on average 3 hours of there day serching for food? I can spend 6 hours a day travelling to find food and then 8 hours gathering food tokens to spend a futher hour purchasing food items. Hmm whats a holiday btw?
Not sure what your issue is.. if you cant trust your staff to work maybe don't employ them. we have achieved big projects team spirit and huge environmental improvements through home working, why go back to an unsustainable way of living which is bad for the environment? because some bad managers have trust issues?
Rot. If you think that maybe you are either not mature enough for it or not motivated enough to work in or out of an office. Wfh is far from a holiday, but it is more efficient, more environmental, allows better family life and care for the kids while increasing effort and results. It's a win for everyone and only mindless dinosaurs fight against it. Offices are are Victorian sweatshop inventions
Lovely. But how many people met their spouses and many, if not all of their post education friends at work? This model could be catastrophic for many. It's fine for those who already have the partner and the strong social network but doesn't it increase exclusion for those who are already most excluded? Also, who is paying the daytime electricity bill?
Companies Not getting it. 3 days a week is grossly excessive and makes the employees no savings in train fares. Probably the intent. Trying to make home working more disruptive and unattractive. They have not needed to be in one day a month for ages. So get over your old fashioned ways and make the offices a place you might visit once a month. You will lose staff now if you expect then in 3 days.
Not sure what your issue is.. if you cant trust your staff to work maybe don't employ them. we have achieved big projects team spirit and huge environmental improvements through home working, why go back to an unsustainable way of living which is bad for the environment? because some bad managers have trust issues?
Who cares what a nosey, tax avoiding, American, advertising agency does?
Just hahaha and upvoted A+
And of course your mobile phone isnt in any way tracked, or youre use of software... personally - so whats the issue if your employer wants to know where their property is and whether its used for purpose.
Not the full picture. Yes, the average Google salary is 100k+ according to their figures for UK and Ire.
HOWEVER, most Google 'employees' are contractors, which don't get included in those figures. Strangely, they hey make it far more difficult to get hold of the real figure including contactors - wonder why.
HOWEVER, most Google 'employees' are contractors, which don't get included in those figures. Strangely, they hey make it far more difficult to get hold of the real figure including contactors - wonder why.
Correct, the contract day/rate for field contractors is no more than most other providers. Also this rate has not been adjusted for inflation in over 15y. Nurses get better pay rises.
I have friends who work for google its not the best place to work unless you like a nice canteen the hours are horrible and the pressure is emmense . They do pay above average for my role though. Up to you and you work life balance i suppose but not for me i like my spare time !
Maybe but it fails.... I worked til gone midnight last night and half 10 the previous because I had things i wanted to get finished, if I had been in an office they would have waited until next week
Lovely. But how many people met their spouses and many, if not all of their post education friends at work? This model could be catastrophic for many. It's fine for those who already have the partner and the strong social network but doesn't it increase exclusion for those who are already most excluded? Also, who is paying the daytime electricity bill?
Training can be provided in the form of a documents, powerpoint slides, even a presentation if the target audence are dense
Mentoring can be provided via instant chat, skype, whatever, take your pick
Culture? Serisouly, when I bring my skills to a company, I couldn't really care less about their culture. I am not joining an island nation. Culture in my view is absolute nonsense
Mentoring can be provided via instant chat, skype, whatever, take your pick
Culture? Serisouly, when I bring my skills to a company, I couldn't really care less about their culture. I am not joining an island nation. Culture in my view is absolute nonsense
Documents and Powerpoints are okay for visual learner, what about auditory learners and those like me who learn by doing/ taking stuff apart and putting it back together (kinaesthetic)?
Also who decides when a home office/ work station is appropriate to the company's needs and ticks all the H&S boxes?
If you get a bad neck/ back in your home office, who pays?
Also who decides when a home office/ work station is appropriate to the company's needs and ticks all the H&S boxes?
If you get a bad neck/ back in your home office, who pays?
Companies Not getting it. 3 days a week is grossly excessive and makes the employees no savings in train fares. Probably the intent. Trying to make home working more disruptive and unattractive. They have not needed to be in one day a month for ages. So get over your old fashioned ways and make the offices a place you might visit once a month. You will lose staff now if you expect then in 3 days.
Your point about train fares is valid, but could be addressed by govt/train companies. For years, I commuted by coach, because the coach firm offered more flexible ticketing - basically a season ticket but in the form of vouchers for individual journeys, so not limited to a single week or month.
As more people work from home, I expect that something similar will be done with rail tickets.
As more people work from home, I expect that something similar will be done with rail tickets.
I'd love the option to work from home... my employer will be offering this but it is physically impossible, short of building an extension, or outside home office., which I can't afford. Actually getting out the house, and seeing other people during the lockdowns has been a huge boost to me. I know others in our company are really struggling without being in the office and can't wait to get back!
After covid get out in your community. Use the savings from not driving for the extension or maybe just up and move to a cheaper location and have more space. I know there are some who can't get out of old habits and some who don't realise that wfh means being able to do more clubs and local social interaction because they can't understand that isolation is not wfh but covid
In my situation it turned out the landlord of our Office in East London was becoming a pain in the neck, so at beginning of the lock-down we said goodbye to the landlord worked from home ever since (20+ of us) Don't miss the expensive/over-crowded/long commute, don't miss a few people in the Office (mostly managers who were pointless) and the Directors love the idea so far (££££ saved)
As a freelance transmission engineer for ISP's I am mostly unable to work from home due to the nature of the work. I have to commute to work and my workplace could be anywhere in the country. I have worked throught the last year. Pre lockdown a 60mile journey to london would take up to 3 hours to complete (yes that is each way) . Productivity people! The office is a victorian ideal, madness!
Yes im field so data centres are my office. Both major isp's in this country have been using home woking for all but office essential staff. The productivity of these isp's has risen as a result. On monday morning after lock down it took me an extra hour to get in to work via the m25 its deeply frustrating. The bottlenecks to productivity are obvious to everyone but middle management.
I've worked from home for over 20 years & fail to se what all the fuss is about. However, if I used someone else's laptop to work for them then I would absolutely be OK with some kind of tracking software being installed to measure my productivity & working hours. If you're getting paid to work then you should be working, not browsing the net, online shopping or booking your next holiday.
I have been working from home since March 2020 most employees at my level are in favor of continuing this and only going in when you need to. There are however, a swathe of middle managers who have twigged that their raison d'etre involves keeping an eye on people like me - if we are not in the office: they are not required. They are obviously opposed to us Working From Home.
Doing away with middle managers makes WFH even more efficient
People will be judged directly on what they produce rather than a subjective manager appraisal.
This will hopefully benefit women & ethnic minorities.
People will be judged directly on what they produce rather than a subjective manager appraisal.
This will hopefully benefit women & ethnic minorities.
It's sad that they don't realise their real job is to motivate and make it possible for you to do your job. Just watching you, interrupting with stupid questions or supplying second rate coffee and stale pizza is not the right thing for them to do.
If people cannot work from home, they should live near their work.
Why is this so difficult for government and society to understand?
The challenges are really simple to solve, unfortunately the solutions are unpopular with the wealthy, it means them giving up their ill-gotton-hoards
Who the hell needs £469M a year?
I may be digressing here, but this BS is all connected
Why is this so difficult for government and society to understand?
The challenges are really simple to solve, unfortunately the solutions are unpopular with the wealthy, it means them giving up their ill-gotton-hoards
Who the hell needs £469M a year?
I may be digressing here, but this BS is all connected
It seems that there is a split between the people who successfully work from home, either just as a result of Covid or because they've been doing it for years, the ones who've tried it but don't like it for whatever reason, & the ones who insist on seeing the negative side of any option. Surely employers can be flexible enough to allow their workers to choose whether or not to commute & how often?
Have to make it fair for both
Office based will always do better
No doubt what want to be at home mon and friday
Office based will always do better
No doubt what want to be at home mon and friday
Yes they should and will in time. I think we have to go through a learning period though as bosses, especially in large cumbersome organisations, struggle to adapt to the loss of power to micro manage and their willingness to embrace change.
Not sure what your issue is.. if you cant trust your staff to work maybe don't employ them. we have achieved big projects team spirit and huge environmental improvements through home working, why go back to an unsustainable way of living which is bad for the environment? because some bad managers have trust issues?
I have been working from home since March 2020 most employees at my level are in favor of continuing this and only going in when you need to. There are however, a swathe of middle managers who have twigged that their raison d'etre involves keeping an eye on people like me - if we are not in the office: they are not required. They are obviously opposed to us Working From Home.
UK productivity is down to low skill levels, inadequate training, poor leadership and disengaged employees. It was like that before the pandemic, and it will be the same afterwards, no matter where people work.
The UK having some of the worst productivity in the developed world isn't just your opinion mate, it's born out by the statistics, it's a flat out fact.
Even France with it's 35 hour working weeks is notably more efficient than we are, British people are just permanently burnt out with all the lack of productivity that leads to.
Even France with it's 35 hour working weeks is notably more efficient than we are, British people are just permanently burnt out with all the lack of productivity that leads to.
Google will lose talent to rivals because of this.
It seems that there is a split between the people who successfully work from home, either just as a result of Covid or because they've been doing it for years, the ones who've tried it but don't like it for whatever reason, & the ones who insist on seeing the negative side of any option. Surely employers can be flexible enough to allow their workers to choose whether or not to commute & how often?
The statement is wrong, it has been shown office is not better. More sickness, more stress, more expense with offices. If you choose to go to an office the cost should be your problem, including the cost of providing you the office space, roads etc. That is fair. Wfh is better for all concerned. If you wfh you can join local clubs, work with neighbours and form a community for social interactions
Great, hope my employer does the same. I'm sick of being stuck in the house with my wife 24/7.
Also, as the weather warms up, it's well worth going into the office to enjoy the air-conditioning :-))
Also, as the weather warms up, it's well worth going into the office to enjoy the air-conditioning :-))
Put air conditioning in your house and choose your companion better. More importantly as covid clears get out of the house for walks, bike rides, sport and clubs all of which will make you fitter than sitting in a car sniffing exhaust or going to an office to catch the bugs Fred so thoughtfully bought in from Joe's school chums. Let's have stats on sick days this last year, well down.
It seems that there is a split between the people who successfully work from home, either just as a result of Covid or because they've been doing it for years, the ones who've tried it but don't like it for whatever reason, & the ones who insist on seeing the negative side of any option. Surely employers can be flexible enough to allow their workers to choose whether or not to commute & how often?
WORKED AT HOME FOR A YEAR
1. Increased output.
2. Better quality of work.
3. Worked longer hours - as not sitting on a train for 4 hours a day.
4. Not tired at the end of the day!
5. SAVED £1,000 a month on Parking, Train fares and overpriced coffee and sarnies.
6. Do not miss people or the 'Office life-style'
1. Increased output.
2. Better quality of work.
3. Worked longer hours - as not sitting on a train for 4 hours a day.
4. Not tired at the end of the day!
5. SAVED £1,000 a month on Parking, Train fares and overpriced coffee and sarnies.
6. Do not miss people or the 'Office life-style'
Agreed. But if the other 1/3 were WFH just think how much easier it would be to get to work i dream of the m23 on a monday morning in march 2020.. ahhhh
You don't need a large room, you need a desk. Mine is in my bedroom.
Funny... I worked from home in a 2 Bed Housing Association property in the South Wales Valleys....as did and in fact are most of friends and ex-colleagues....ex because I decided it was time to retire....and no WFH didn't influence that decision
The only people who want to get back to the office are the utter weirdos who "get their social fix" from being at work. Incidentally these gossipy types are the reason we're all less productive in an office environment. I've made it clear to my employer that I won't be back in 5 days a week, and for every job I interview for in future I'll be checking the remote policy as I check the salary.
Keep kidding yourself
With your attitude only a matter of time before you have plenty of time at time on your own
With your attitude only a matter of time before you have plenty of time at time on your own
I used to work in a marketing dept. It was great being in the office, surrounded by hot babes.
I don't think that makes me a weirdo.
I don't think that makes me a weirdo.
Unfortunately we're still stuck behind a lot of pre tech working practises and people frightend of losing power over people, shame its coming soon though :)
Who cares what a nosey, tax avoiding, American, advertising agency does?