Rob
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Post by Rob on Nov 21, 2020 22:20:43 GMT
For more than 14 years I've not been in the office much. Project teams are often across the UK or even the EU for me. So if I went into an office I'd probably not see those I am working with - possibly a few.
What I do find is the office environment is unproductive because it can be noisy with many distractions, especially people chatting.
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EspadaIII
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Post by EspadaIII on Nov 21, 2020 22:24:36 GMT
It is evident from our office that the some of the staff do work very effectively from home. However in our work some of them and indeed all the professional fee earners need that 'across the office' discussion. Overhearing conversations about a client account payment to a contractor can jog a memory about something and a brief chat about a valuation is far easier across a desk than having to make an arrangement to call a colleague.
The conversations at the water cooler (not that we have one) are almost vital. But that is the nature of our business and I fully appreciate that some companies do not need or want that type of in-office conversation.
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Rob
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Post by Rob on Nov 21, 2020 22:57:33 GMT
But your business is different to the IT one I work in. I don't need to overhear most of the conversations as they have absolutely no relevant to what I do.
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WDB
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Post by WDB on Nov 21, 2020 23:10:39 GMT
I disagree, Rob. For each of us, there’s stuff we don’t know we need to know, and unplanned conversations are often the way we find out. There’s also the effect of having met someone in person on subsequent conversations; it’s much easier to negotiate a tricky matter with someone you’ve shared a meal with, or even just been introduced in a corridor, than with someone who’s just another voice in a Teams meeting.
And this is for us old corporate lags. Imagine you’re 23 again and trying to learn your way through it. You may be a digital native, but it’s not all about the technology. I picked up a lot in chats over lunch in my first job. We need to make sure the next generation have the same opportunity.
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Rob
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Post by Rob on Nov 22, 2020 0:35:00 GMT
I mostly work with people remote to my nearest office (i.e. their nearest) not near me. Sometimes it's been people in the USA, Poland, Phillipines, ... you get the drift. There's probably fewer than 13,000 of us in the UK now. Never had a reason yet to speak to Al at work.
But with the increased use of remote working (before Covid), so Teams/Skype/etc., I do wonder how previous grads fared. This year maybe there will be none.
Recently forced my help on some at work because the fix to their problem would take 30 seconds, But they knew best and kept trying. My knowledge that helped dates back 30 years. Stubborn people? And they are older than I am although worked here for slitghtly fewer years.
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Rob
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Post by Rob on Nov 22, 2020 0:36:37 GMT
>> unplanned conversations are often the way we find out
On my current project, which has been running for me since before March.... I know a lot of details that are so relevant. Keep trying to tell people what to take into account. Still not listened to! I have largely given in. It will hit the fan at some point and then they will realise.
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Post by dixinormus on Nov 25, 2020 6:42:57 GMT
 No problem parking - the car hasn't left the shed for 3 weeks...! |
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Post by dixinormus on Nov 25, 2020 6:44:20 GMT
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