Hey folks,
Now that we’re a bit more settled into our work-from-home arrangements, I’m curious about how your company’s remote work culture has changed over the course of the pandemic.
What I Want to Know:
Now that the genie is out of the bottle and the old guard can’t claim that remote work isn’t possible anymore, do you see your org continuing to support remote work after the pandemic?
Did your org offer remote work before the pandemic? Have their perceptions about remote work changed at all?
Is this remote work thing just a temporary fix or is it really the Future of Work™?
I get that the results are going to be a little skewed here. A great deal of IT is overwhelmingly compatible with remote work - while I’d love to hear about your specific role I’d also like to know about your org as a whole.
Do People Want to Work Remotely?
I sure do! Now that I’ve experienced remote work I can confidently say that I’m never going back to the office again. A traditional office environment with a strict 9-5 schedule simply isn’t compatible with my neurodiverse needs. I get my best work done when I can control my environment to suit my unique working style.
I get that not everyone is stoked on remote work like I am, but the demand is clearly there: 76% of employees surveyed by GWA from March - April 2020 want to continue working from home at least some of the time. Our little community is in line with this too - a Spiceworks poll from April makes it clear that Spiceheads are largely in favor of remote work for themselves.
Is Remote Work a Good Thing?
I get that remote work isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, but various studies have shown countless benefits of a remote workforce. Despite these benefits, 44% of employees in a 2018 Owl Labs survey said that their employers did not allow any sort of remote work.
This is strange to me - if a role is remote-compatible, why not offer the option to those that want it? From what I’ve found a lot of managers simply don’t trust that employees can be productive while working from home. There are also legitimate criticisms when it comes to the simplicity of collaboration when face-to-face vs working remotely.
There’s no doubt in my mind that this pandemic is going to completely change the availability of remote work accommodations in the long term. Even the most curmudgeonly of companies can understand that meeting the demands of the market is going to make them a favorable company to work for. Besides, if they've already invested in the infrastructure they might as well take advantage of it, right?
What do you think? Is this remote work thing a temporary fix or is it really the Future of Work™?
P.S. We’ve seen a whopping 130% increase in leads for our employee monitoring software from Q1 to Q2. To help everyone adjust I’ve written this guide to respecting the privacy of remote workers.
Nothing changed as far as having a remote workforce before or during the early parts of the pandemic and I don't see anything changing now.
I definitely see remote work hear to stay. Our department has already made the call everyone going forward everyone gets laptops unless a specific need requires a desktop.
What is remote work again?
It looks like our organization will be supporting remote work as much as possible going forward. We never lost production when WFH started so no reason to keep some buildings open if no one's going to occupy them.
I said "no" because even though my work actually can be done remotely (and we did it this past summer), I was told I wasn't allowed to at this point, and I think it's political rather than practical. I'm not happy about that directive.
I know some of it came from the techs in the department whining about how my team apparently gets more freedom with time-off and butt-in-seat requirement (our work doesn't involve hands-on support with teachers & students but theirs do). Other political factors are probably involving the various unions in the district (my position isn't a represented one so it's another irritation that I have to capitulate as just a show when they start complaining again).
We had remote available for the attorney's, paralegals, accounting and management since 2004. That left just the support staff that are hourly and their remote access was monitored because of potential HR issues. The firm has already announced flex is acceptable as there are some occasions that people do need to be in the office (ie will/estate planning signing, we will come out to your car with PPE and have it notarized on the spot etc).
Since we own the building, and charge the attorney's overhead for their offices there are no plans to change anything. We had already spread out assistants so no one is working closer than 12 feet to anyone else when they are on premises.
The firm has always been a bit lax in communication, it seems to have improved with people having to ensure that everyone on the matter are informed.
Being able to work remotely has always been required for many, many years for me. That is quite different from working normal business hours from home which I am currently doing. I have worked remote many years ago when I only came to the office one day a week.
Recent studies have shown that both employers and employees prefer a two or three day "in the office" work week. Employers find that employees can concentrate better when they work from home and collaborate better when they are in the office.
All that said, it almost always comes down to your direct manager. Some people just need to have you under their thumb. It's sad but true. And that is the main reason I'm hesitant to change to a different remote work job because I won't know their monitoring policies or direct manager going in. I get the feeling from several people on these forums that they do not subscribe to the idea of allowing remote work (unless it is after hours).
The pandemic isn't over until people don't have to stay home for 14 days because somebody coughed on them. In that respect anyone is still a candidate for WFH so we still need to support it.
Aside from sales no one at the companies I support really did WFH. We have some staff working remotely but that is mainly due to social distancing not being possible since office space is tight. We will continue to support as long as the Board tells us to, but I would not be shocked that after this is all said and done they tell the non-sales staff to get back into the office.
I personally don't care either way, and I am not a fan of working from home. I like going into the office each day.
What is this remote work that you speak of?
I think overall we are saving money with people working from home.
We went from absolutely no remote work allowed except sales and trainers on the road to everyone working remotely in two days. I imagine there will be massive changes ahead still, but in our most recent round of hiring we went nationwide, so I'm hopeful we'll have options when we decide the world is back to normal.
I personally love being at home to do my job, my coworkers here are lazy and sleep all day, but they're super cute so I don't mind picking up their slack.
In a manufacturing environments, WFH was fleeting. For a while ,everyone that could did. But all were ordered back to the office. I have a feeling it is a trust issue. I think the management team prefers everyone onsite. We always have a very small mount that work full time remote. So we will continue to support it.
Since I work for an MSP, we've always "worked remotely", it's just that we all met at the office to do it. However now, we may have the option to WFH permanently or do a mix although I suspect that the office may actually go away anyway. Leasing office space in this city is ridiculously expensive so the company may just ditch it in our area. We'll see.
In a manufacturing environments, WFH was fleeting. For a while ,everyone that could did. But all were ordered back to the office. I have a feeling it is a trust issue. I think the management team prefers everyone onsite. We always have a very small mount that work full time remote. So we will continue to support it.
This 100%. Even though 95% of what our office staff does can be done remotely it is hard for management to tell people working on the shop floor that the office staff's health is more important than theirs. It is obviously not true that Management values their Health over the shop floor's but that is the perception and the optics.
We have been back in our office since the start of September and WFH is still being allowed on a case by case basis but it is to be considered the method of last resort.
Even in other industries what I expect is more flexible WFH schedules but not permanent, its too hard to build teams, onboard, etc without actually meeting people. Our brains are wired that way.
Most companies we are working with cut their active office space up to 80%, moving most employees to full-remote or hot-desk working options. They do not seem to change this in the nearest time, so I assume remote work in general and work-from-anywhere (not just WFH) in particular is the new normal.
When I started my current job in May (state gov), they were already in the process of implementing partial WFH for IT staff who are able (shooting for 2-3 days per week). Since I started, I have been to the office one time--and that was to get a tour of the office and set up my jump box, that I have used precisely zero times. The IT department is currently slated for 100% WFH (for those who can) until at least the end of January 2021. We have several major projects going on right now, and the powers-that-be have noted that there has not been a drop in productivity. I'm hoping I never have to go to the office at this point.
Remote work was a great success in our company. In addition, the business we're in (risk and due diligence) actually retained a good run-rate during the pandemic, so actually grew staffing to the point where our facilities are at capacity. We see WFH to be a permanent solution to address staff space (both the office space and downtown parking costs), but also because it seems to remain productive and many of our staff prefer it.
Within the IT realm, we do need to address how to involve BYOD, because before this we were very careful about allowing non-company systems from connecting via VPN. Our clients don't want their data on systems outside our control, and to a large extent that is simply policy at this point rather than a solid firewall. We need to deploy proxy and virtual desktops in 2021 to continue on this path.
I have always been able to work from home. That usually meant late night or weekend work. But now it is all the time. I personally prefer it. Good ideas do not come out of the tap on demand. It is nice to log back in and see if you have come up with a new approach whenever it hits you. Plus my home office is much nicer than my setup at the company. I never run into anyone in the halls asking me to move them up in the queue. There are many pluses for me. However, I do not know what the company position will be when this passes.
What is remote work again?
Its the job you gave the kids after the remote went missing.
We're in distribution and where feasible, we were doing remote working before Covid. For us, nothing has changed significantly so far, and I don't anticipate it changing significantly post-Covid.
PS. Maybe terms other than "Old guard" and "curmudgeonly" would have given the question a little less of an old vs. young feel. Some of us old curmudgeons are sensitive.
Happy to hear that WFH is working so well for your org!It looks like our organization will be supporting remote work as much as possible going forward. We never lost production when WFH started so no reason to keep some buildings open if no one's going to occupy them.
I said "no" because even though my work actually can be done remotely (and we did it this past summer), I was told I wasn't allowed to at this point, and I think it's political rather than practical. I'm not happy about that directive.
I know some of it came from the techs in the department whining about how my team apparently gets more freedom with time-off and butt-in-seat requirement (our work doesn't involve hands-on support with teachers & students but theirs do). Other political factors are probably involving the various unions in the district (my position isn't a represented one so it's another irritation that I have to capitulate as just a show when they start complaining again).
Ugh, I'm sorry to hear that. I'd also very much not be happy about that. I get why the other teams would want the same WFH perks but if their role genuinely needs to be on-site that's just a part of their gig. No need to go full "crabs in a bucket" and force remote-compatible roles back in the office out of spite, y'know?
Being able to work remotely has always been required for many, many years for me. That is quite different from working normal business hours from home which I am currently doing. I have worked remote many years ago when I only came to the office one day a week.
Recent studies have shown that both employers and employees prefer a two or three day "in the office" work week. Employers find that employees can concentrate better when they work from home and collaborate better when they are in the office.
All that said, it almost always comes down to your direct manager. Some people just need to have you under their thumb. It's sad but true. And that is the main reason I'm hesitant to change to a different remote work job because I won't know their monitoring policies or direct manager going in. I get the feeling from several people on these forums that they do not subscribe to the idea of allowing remote work (unless it is after hours).
"both employers and employees prefer a two or three day "in the office" work week."
I'm curious about the part-remote strategy. While my clickbaity headline says I'm "never" going back to the office again, realistically what I actually mean is that it would take a whole lot of convincing to work from an office full time. On the other hand, I'd consider a role that's part-remote - the idea of balancing distraction-reduced periods with social interaction and collaboration sounds appealing.
"Some people just need to have you under their thumb"
Sad but true. The frustrating thing with that is that the sort of people that require micromanagement are exactly what remote-resistant managers pictured the entire process looking like but the majority of people really do want to put in an honest effort at work. A significant portion of the demand for our remote employee monitoring software has come from worries about slackers taking advantage of the situation (which definitely happens). Maybe I should thank them for my job security (:
"
I'm hesitant to change to a different remote work job because
I won't know their monitoring policies"
Could you expand on this a bit? Do you mean that you're concerned that the next org you'd transition to would be too micromanagey - obsessing over mouse/keyboard activity vs output? Or do you have privacy concerns about being monitored?
Aside from sales no one at the companies I support really did WFH. We have some staff working remotely but that is mainly due to social distancing not being possible since office space is tight. We will continue to support as long as the Board tells us to, but I would not be shocked that after this is all said and done they tell the non-sales staff to get back into the office.
I personally don't care either way, and I am not a fan of working from home. I like going into the office each day.
I'm curious about that last bit. What's your take on remote vs in-office : what do you prefer about going to the office each day? Social interaction? Collaboration? Specific perks that aren't available to you at home?
We went from absolutely no remote work allowed except sales and trainers on the road to everyone working remotely in two days. I imagine there will be massive changes ahead still, but in our most recent round of hiring we went nationwide, so I'm hopeful we'll have options when we decide the world is back to normal.
I personally love being at home to do my job, my coworkers here are lazy and sleep all day, but they're super cute so I don't mind picking up their slack.
My "coworker" insists on jumping on my lap then sprawling all over my keyboard. I gave her her own dedicated office chair that's next to mine and now she's a lot more chill
P.S. From 0-100% remote work capability in 2 days?! Kudos!
Remote work was a great success in our company. In addition, the business we're in (risk and due diligence) actually retained a good run-rate during the pandemic, so actually grew staffing to the point where our facilities are at capacity. We see WFH to be a permanent solution to address staff space (both the office space and downtown parking costs), but also because it seems to remain productive and many of our staff prefer it.
Within the IT realm, we do need to address how to involve BYOD, because before this we were very careful about allowing non-company systems from connecting via VPN. Our clients don't want their data on systems outside our control, and to a large extent that is simply policy at this point rather than a solid firewall. We need to deploy proxy and virtual desktops in 2021 to continue on this path.
Hello again! I'm delighted to hear that WFH is working well for y'all. BYOD feasibility/limitations is definitely going to be the great security debate going forward. At least deploying company-provided workstations for each employee that needs it is going to be far more cost-effective than dedicated real estate!
I have always been able to work from home. That usually meant late night or weekend work. But now it is all the time. I personally prefer it. Good ideas do not come out of the tap on demand. It is nice to log back in and see if you have come up with a new approach whenever it hits you. Plus my home office is much nicer than my setup at the company. I never run into anyone in the halls asking me to move them up in the queue. There are many pluses for me. However, I do not know what the company position will be when this passes.
"Good ideas do not come out of the tap on demand.
It is nice to log back in and see if you have come up with a new approach whenever it hits you. "
I feel this SO much. I'm a creative type with a digital media background that now works in marketing - my role definitely benefits from spontaneity and breathing room to let the creativity flow. Sometimes that's during appropriate work hours and at other times it's a fever dream at 1am!
"Plus my home office is much nicer than my setup at the company. "
Yup! I can customize everything exactly how I want/need and invest in upgrades over time. I hope that newly remote orgs are offering stipends for home office improvements, it makes a big difference.
"I never run into anyone in the halls asking me to move them up in the queue. "
Ha! I never even thought about that. Major bonus!
We're in distribution and where feasible, we were doing remote working before Covid. For us, nothing has changed significantly so far, and I don't anticipate it changing significantly post-Covid.
PS. Maybe terms other than "Old guard" and "curmudgeonly" would have given the question a little less of an old vs. young feel. Some of us old curmudgeons are sensitive.
Hahaha, duly noted! I was moreso trying to convey "old school" vs "new school" ideologies on remote work, with the assumption that the traditional approach would want butts-in-seat. My bad for the age-centric word choice (:
Do you think y'all will be going fully remote with no dedicated office space or would it be moreso a limited capacity hot desk system?
I think we'll be going fully remote for now. Our company is spread throughout the US so in office work is handled on a state by state basis. For now I think management will try to go fully remote with no dedicated office space.
Brand Representative for SmartDeploy
We had a few 100% remote employees before the pandemic hit. Being in the early epicenter of the virus, Seattle-area, we were forced to go 100% WFH literally overnight. We still don't have anyone working onsite regularly. I foresee our company going back into the office when it's safe, but remote work will absolutely be allowed for those who don't feel comfortable working in close quarters. That said, on the marketing/sales teams we've learned that collaboration is best face to face. Even with communication tools available, there's value in the team moral and relationships built when working with each other in person. For those that do return to the office, I anticipate it will look a bit different - desks further apart, less chairs in conference rooms, etc.
Your daily dose of tech news, in brief. Welcome to Friday! It has been a big week here as we launched Spiceworks News & Insights a few days ago. Do you know who else had their sights set high? Kenneth Arnold. On June 24, 1947, civilian pilot Ken...
I have a win 10 pro machine with 21H2.Running chrome 102.0.5005.115. I will open a bunch of tabs during the day (right now, 49). And including other things that are running, there's 80% of the 12GB of RAM in the box.I've noticed that when I go into ...
HI Spiceworld,I was reading some discussions around the community and I see that here it’s like we’re all part of a family, so I venture to open this discussion, hoping that you can help me/understand me or at least bring your experiences. I am a c...
Compulsion: 1: a very strong urge to do something He felt a compulsion to say something. 2: a force that makes someone do something She was acting under compulsion. 3: an act or the state of forcing an action They ...
I have a situation where one of the offices is looking to sublet for 1 day a week. They want one port to put their firewall/router on and drive their network from there. My first notion is to say no and require them to pull in their own connection. I want...
