Why can't I just stay home and work?

VizionVR

I have a desk job (graphic design), yet my employer insists I drive to the office to work.

The computer and software at my office are inferior to anything I have at home. We have zero walk in clients, all our clients are contracted through negotiations handled via phone or email. Each job time is logged electronically and scrutinized twice, so really no chance of my fudging hours, besides I get salary, so fudging hours does nothing for me personally. Even when I wish to speak with someone inter-office it's done through the phone. Driving to work is the reason I was seriously injured last year. Now my employee health insurance is helping pay for a long list of specialist checkups and physical therapy.

So here I sit wondering why I'm here and not working from home. Can someone offer me a logical reason?
Is it just because that's they way it's been done, and now we're just mimicking our own outdated conveyances to keep alive that old psychological comfort level?

saviornt

Internet upload speeds.

Skelator

VizionVR

saviornt wrote:

Internet upload speeds.

Not an issue, and before it's mentioned, neither are data limits. All large transfers are handled through an FTP client.

dilbert wrote:

"On my fourth day of telecommuting I realize that clothes are totally unnecessary.

This, my friend, is definitely NOT a liability of working at home!

MrMonkeybat

Perhaps they fear that without someone looking over your shoulder you might be tempted to procrastinate more and more by visiting forums like this one.

EarlGrey

There's always a risk of falling out of your chair

No, seriously, this is actually a company like MureVR is working on, the Breakroom, the virtual desktop productivity environment customizable to you:
http://www.murevr.com/

But we're probably a decade away from this being practical.

VizionVR

MrMonkeybat wrote:

Perhaps they fear that without someone looking over your shoulder you might be tempted to procrastinate more and more by visiting forums like this one.

We have in place a detailed, pre-job, time estimation system, his name is Neil.
If my completed job hours exceed the estimated time for that job, I have some explaining to do.

Even at the office if I want to take an extended break I can, as long as that job is accomplished in the allotted time. Home would be no different.

VizionVR

EarlGrey wrote:

There's always a risk of falling out of your chair

Funny you should mention that. "provable liability for on the job injury" is the one reason I was given when I asked my employer. They were afraid if I injured myself while "off the clock" God forbid I might be covered by my employer's insurance. Falling out of my chair, accidentally stapling my eyeball, you know, normal office injuries that could also happen off the clock.

MrsVR

Your boss has a crush on you, obviously. Everyone else in IT is sitting in their PJs at home.

VizionVR

MrsVR wrote:

Your boss has a crush on you, obviously.

Well, duh! Who doesn't! 8-)

MrsVR wrote:

Everyone else in IT is sitting in their PJs at home.

PJs are for pansies. Commando or GTFO!

VizionVR

*sigh* Time to pack up my pencil and call it a day.
If I was working at home, I'd be home already.

zork2001

I don’t see why you cannot talk with your boss about working from home a few days a week.

brantlew

I telecommuted between my home city and work city for about 5 years - only went to office about 3 days a month. It definitely has its advantages, but at the same time there is no substitute yet for fluid and casual interpersonal interaction. I ended up getting a telepresence robot just to maintain that sense of presence in the office both for my sake and especially for others (just to remind everyone you are "there"). That helps but the few days actually in the office were invaluable for really communicating designs, strategies, plans, etc. I was glad to return to the office for my current job. But I think there is a happy medium - maybe half-in and half-remote that would be best.

VizionVR

brantlew wrote:

I telecommuted between my home city and work city for about 5 years - only went to office about 3 days a month. It definitely has its advantages, but at the same time there is no substitute yet for fluid and casual interpersonal interaction. I ended up getting a telepresence robot just to maintain that sense of presence in the office both for my sake and especially for others (just to remind everyone you are "there"). That helps but the few days actually in the office were invaluable for really communicating designs, strategies, plans, etc. I was glad to return to the office for my current job. But I think there is a happy medium - maybe half-in and half-remote that would be best.

I'd be fine with going into the office occasionally for personal interaction...and pizza days.
A telepresence robot. Now THERE'S an idea! If only it could eat pizza and fart up the office it'd be just like I never left!
Unfortunately, I don't see my boss changing his mind anytime soon.

brantlew

VizionVR wrote:

A telepresence robot. Now THERE'S an idea!

Those things are getting "almost" in reach cost-wise for a consumer these days. Purchasing a real one would offer the best experience. But if anyone is interesting in building their own on the cheap (relatively speaking) - I posted all the build plans a few years ago (likely out of date nowadays)

http://teledev.blogspot.com/2011/07/diy-telepresence-robot-part-1.html.

Skelator

Propose a Trial Basis

If your boss is unwilling to let you work at home, ask to do it on a trial basis. You can say, “Let’s try this option for one month and see how it goes.” During that month, keep your work performance at an all-time high to illustrate that working from home is no different than you working in the office.

M1L0

We probably need an anthropologist and a psychologist to fully explain this one, but I'd say that your boss and/or the organizational structure of the company in question are stuck in the last century.

VizionVR wrote:

Is it just because that's the way it's always been done?

I modified your phrase a little
It's interesting to point out that humanity worked at home for most of it's existence, the majority of humans worked at home 99% of the time, actually. And maybe in a few decades, thanks to technologies like VR, most of us will go back to our roots.

What's more, I think our grand-childen will be amazed at the fact that we had to grab a wheel and "press buttons" for vehicles to work, not only that we were socially compulsed to use them every day to get to work.
And don't let me get started on the benefits of advanced public transport.

Calanar

I do work from home. It took over 10 years to be trusted enough to work from home. I am easily more productive here than I am there. It also means I am available for 3 more hours in a day if needed because commutes to the city were 1.5 hours each way. Right now for instance I have 2 compiles going and a pre-compile merge. The sad thing is my employer has removed this program for anyone else. I and the others who are in the program are grandfathered in. There have been rumors for years they would pull a yahoo and remove it altogether, which is their right. But so far they haven't. I think one day the entire concept of commuting to a job will seem quaint and frankly stupid.

Hiro_Protag0nist

Better working atmosphere in the office - collaboration, team spirit.

A thousand ideas come in to my head each day (seriously - i'm amazing ) - at work i just spin my chair around and share them.

At home i often slide across the room to play with my home PC/Gear VR/anything else not so boring.

That's why.

VizionVR

andyring wrote:

Better working atmosphere in the office - collaboration, team spirit.

A thousand ideas come in to my head each day (seriously - i'm amazing ) - at work i just spin my chair around and share them.

At home i often slide across the room to play with my home PC/Gear VR/anything else not so boring.

That's why.

Maybe for you, but for me it's not an issue really. My home office is far more conducive to output than the stuffy, dead silent office environment I'm forced to work in right now. The most common way of corporate thinking is that most office environments cannot suit everyone, so they must appeal to no one. And so here I sit, stressed out. Thinking of the traffic I need to face on my trek home, wishing I could take a minute to pet my dog, wondering if I left the oven on or if my home will be burgled due to my easily trackable 9 hour absence every day.

Besides, as I said above, my work is reliant on output that's monitored, controlled and diligently logged to the minute. Deviation of that output would place me in a dire situation. In other words: If I don't work, I get canned!

I really believe that, given our modern conveniences, working in an office is no more beneficial than working at home. And that the ONLY reason I work in an office is because of an antiquated work ethic based on our ancestors instinctual need of pack survival.

Working in an office - Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Live group interaction

Cons:
- Traffic jams
- Pollution
- Accidents
- Parking
- Adverse weather conditions
- Stress with no stress management
- Company overhead costs (office space rental, electricity, etc.)
- Higher consumer prices / lower employee wages due to company overhead costs
- Home break-ins, burglary, fire
- You can't raise your kids from an office

The list, I'm sure goes on and on, but I can't continue. I need to get back to work.

Hiro_Protag0nist

lol yeah true, i suppose every office is different.

I'm still after that dream job at Google where they have modelled it on the Playboy mansion

VizionVR

andyring wrote:

lol yeah true, i suppose every office is different.

I'm still after that dream job at Google where they have modelled it on the Playboy mansion

Yeah, that wouldn't be distracting at ALL! I'd do tons of work in the Playboy mansion!

A friend of mine works at ArenaNet (makers of Guild Wars). She took me on a personal tour of the Seattle office. I was impressed with the layout and semi-relaxed environment. The fully stocked breakfast bar was a bit too much, but whatever, that's Seattle.

This was definitely a work situation where collective ideas are key to success, and I could see how working from home could be a hassle in a case like that. But at least A-Net made a conscious effort to think of the employee as an individual and gave them the opportunity to expand beyond their desk once in a while.

I'm in a conservative office, in a conservative town, in a conservative state with no inclination to change, ever. It's only a tad ironic that I feel I need to move in order to work from home.

kevingulling

Working from home sounds great until you do it for years. I'm thinking about renting an office just to get out of the house :?

MrMonkeybat

When I try to get work done at home, I endlessly procrastinate on the internet, like I am right now.

brantlew

kevingulling wrote:

Working from home sounds great until you do it for years. I'm thinking about renting an office just to get out of the house :?

+1 I did it for 5 years and was very ready to get back into an office.

cybereality

Yeah, I've worked from home before. It sounds like it would be really cool, but it ends up being hard.

Though I am home right now, on a Saturday night, on the Oculus forums. Not sure this is work, though.

genetransfer

my mum suggested i get one of those robes this morning and "hugh hefner" it. but I said not till it's warranted (the difference between crazy and eccentric is money). I remember all those years in the factories when I was younger looking out at the blue sky wishing I could do this at home, but now I'm at home I want my own office. it also means I'll contain my work hours to a reasonable amount - at home I roll out of bed and work then roll back to bed....... plus some comradery would be good - i hate laughing at my own jokes or not being made to laugh.

slev1111n

Hey, what if you think of something like a grommer? They often need helpers who like to spend time with animals and are ready to communicate with the owners (sometimes it is quite difficult). I know groomers make enough money to make a good college gig.