One year on

[Kendhni]

Just came across the email from our company issued Sunday 8th March 2020 21:42.

Following last weeks announcement the management team have continued to take guidance from health officials, over the weekend, and have decided to shut down all offices with immediate effect. All employees should expect to work from home for the next two weeks, at least. Please collect any equipment you need to support this. There will be no admittance to the offices from COB 09/03/2020 without agreement from the office manager, until further notice.

So much for the 'two weeks' - who would have thought that one year on we would still be working from home. If you had have said to me at the start of 2020 that we would all be working from home I would not have liked the idea, however I have found that it seems to give me so much more time and now I am not looking forward to returning to an office environment (although that is not a certainty).

I think the governments of the world should look at this as an opportunity to resolve several social issues and encourage people to work from home when they can. This would help drive down pollution and road congestion, assist with childcare (freeing up spaces), free up much needed office/residential space, plus would ease the strain on a train/bus system that has been struggling to cope. I know there are downsides, but we have to consider that we will be moving into a 'new normal'.

[Stephen]

I’m already doing my bit. I don’t work any more

[Meg 50]

not sure permanent home -working would work, but certainly only going in a couple of times a week/month would

[Meg 50]

my daughter and 's.i.l' have been working from home for 13 months now!

[towny44]

Lots of family members have been working from home, and most seem to think they will continue to do so for the majority of their time. Many firms are already reducing office space, at quite a cost saving, and staff will work from the office on a rota system to avoid any possibility of overcrowding.

[Esprit]

Thankfully I've been going into my office two miles away from home this last year. Working from home would be dire for me.

[CaroleF]

Trouble is there are people for whom working from home is awful - in a small flat with maybe a small baby. My neice was renting a room in London and it was in that room that she lived, ate, worked etc. All the rooms in the house were occupied, no separate sitting room or anything. Eventually just before the last lockdown she decided to move back with her parents as she could still work from there. It meant that she could work somewhere other than her bedroom. It's worked out well and has enabled her to save some money so hopefully she'll be able to buy a place of her own eventually. She's heard from the bosses of her firm that they are going to rent office space and the workers - not many of them it's a small firm - will be expected to go in for two consecutive days a week and the rest of the time work from home. My neice will be able to commute for those two days. Some people will be going stir crazy working on their own all this time.

Carole

[screwy]

I would liked to have worked from home, but the Cons would have been locked up 24/7.
Not necessarily a bad thing..

[Stephen]

I would liked to have worked from home, but the Cons would have been locked up 24/7.
Not necessarily a bad thing..

Couldn’t you take them home with you and give them some jobs to do

[Kendhni]

Trouble is there are people for whom working from home is awful - in a small flat with maybe a small baby. My neice was renting a room in London and it was in that room that she lived, ate, worked etc. All the rooms in the house were occupied, no separate sitting room or anything. Eventually just before the last lockdown she decided to move back with her parents as she could still work from there. It meant that she could work somewhere other than her bedroom. It's worked out well and has enabled her to save some money so hopefully she'll be able to buy a place of her own eventually. She's heard from the bosses of her firm that they are going to rent office space and the workers - not many of them it's a small firm - will be expected to go in for two consecutive days a week and the rest of the time work from home. My neice will be able to commute for those two days. Some people will be going stir crazy working on their own all this time.

Carole

I think it is interesting in that, from my own experience, there is no one size fits all. I would have thought the younger ones would be happier to work from home, while those closer to the knackers yard (like me) would be wanting back in the office (because that is what they are used to) - but that isn't the case and age does not seem to play a major role.

One of my colleagues spent the first 3 months of lockdown working on her bed (keep it clean) because she had no desk in her little single room bedsit. She hated it and was desperate to get back into the office. Since then she has moved to a shared apartment with work space and now hates the thought of going back into the office.

So I think Carole is spot on that it really depends on individual circumstances. I am also aware, as others have mentioned that several companies are cutting back on office space and thinking of 1-3 days in the office with the rest working from home (which is the likely the model the company I work for will use.


I notice a story on one of my newsfeeds this morning that a think tank is asking the government to promote more working from home - so it will be interesting to watch that

[screwy]

I would liked to have worked from home, but the Cons would have been locked up 24/7.
Not necessarily a bad thing..

Couldn’t you take them home with you and give them some jobs to do

In a word...

[Ray B]

I’m already doing my bit. I don’t work any more

Been doing my bit more than ten years Stephen.
Down side is more people skipping away when the computer isn't looking, when before it was more peaceful during the day.

[Kendhni]

Happy anniversary to official lockdown

[Stephen]

Not sure ‘Happy’ is the correct phrase.

[Bensham33]

There will be a minute's silence at 12 noon today to remember the 126k people who have lost there lives to covid 19.
Rather a sad day I would say.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/uk-56491532

[Esprit]

I lost five friends and family in the last year. The most ever in a year but not one of them due to Covid!

[Manoverboard]

I lost one of my best mates to Covid but none of the family, thankfully.

[Mervyn and Trish]

I nearly lost me, but not to Covid. Just saying.....

[Manoverboard]

... nearlys don't count

[Jan Rosser]

On the 16 March 2020 I started a "lockdown" journal and apart from a few weeks in August when quite honestly I optimistically thought this is over and also the last time I saw my youngest son and family I am still writing it up every night. My mother passed away in November but not covid related and some old friends and acquaintances died from covid - what an up and down time it has been and although I am normally a glass half full person I admit at times I've struggled particularly living on my own. The forum has helped although at times I've despaired at some of the "fighting" over issues that people could not agree on - I just learnt to ignore them in the end. I have now had my 2nd jab and hope to feel safe enough to go out when it is allowed although it will be warily I'm sure.

[Whynd1]

I totally agree with Jan re the forum. It has helped to log on and see what todays topics are. I lost it with with the disagreements on the Brexit thread and left it to others.

Am hoping that soon Jan and I can meet each other and have a girls lunch.
Am off for my haircut now, perhaps that should be a new thread,instead of who has had the vaccine its who has had a haircut.

Lindsey

[Mervyn and Trish]

I agree it must be a lot different living alone. We've had each other for company which has kept us going. Though we still long for the freedom to pop out for a coffee or a hug with our family. A holiday would be good too!

[barney]

I agree it must be a lot different living alone. We've had each other for company which has kept us going. Though we still long for the freedom to pop out for a coffee or a hug with our family. A holiday would be good too!

Hopefully a holiday in the U.K. Merv.
I think that anyone taking a holiday abroad this summer should be treated as a smoker in a hospital or a drink driver.
We’ve collectively worked so hard and sacrificed so much to get infection rates down that it beggars belief that some would potentially risk that for a week or two in the sun.
International travel was the original driver and it could potentially be the next.

[Quizzical Bob]

I agree it must be a lot different living alone. We've had each other for company which has kept us going. Though we still long for the freedom to pop out for a coffee or a hug with our family. A holiday would be good too!

Hopefully a holiday in the U.K. Merv.
I think that anyone taking a holiday abroad this summer should be treated as a smoker in a hospital or a drink driver.
We’ve collectively worked so hard and sacrificed so much to get infection rates down that it beggars belief that some would potentially risk that for a week or two in the sun.
International travel was the original driver and it could potentially be the next.

Not the driver. That was the behaviour of our indigenous population. It may have been the original source but even that is not certain. It could have originated anywhere. There is eveidence that it was around before the Chinese reported it.

We cannot stay hiding behind our curtains for ever.

[oldbluefox]

Once I get out of shielding and we come out of lockdown we are planning a few weeks staycation. Already we have Rosedale Abbey, The Trossachs and Anglesey booked (organised pre Covid) and I will be looking to book others, Covid permitting.
I just hope and pray that the selfish ones don't go and ruin it all.