Remote workers, is there anything you've had to pay the price for in order to have remote flexibility?

16 Comments

1. Kristina MartinAugust 10,2022 at 7:11PM UTC

   I am responsible for my internet, desk and office chair. The office chair part has been a pain. They are truly expensive to get a high quality and durable chair. Im on my second chair from Amazon .

   working from home makes it too easy to stay in all the time. Effort needs to be made to get out for socializing. Work life balance

2. Sarah KebeaAugust 11,2022 at 2:00PM UTC

   Figuring out an ergonomic setup has been difficult for me as well. After two years working remotely, I now feel that I have the correct setup.

3. Kristina MartinAugust 12,2022 at 12:56PM UTC

   I feel like we could have a separate conversation on ergonomic set up. I have a desk that rises to standing. Love it. My problem is the chair.

4. Robin LampertAugust 10,2022 at 7:49PM UTC

   I've worked in remote positions and on projects with participants in multiple countries and time zones. There are different types of "costs".

   1) As Kristina mentioned, there are some costs to setting up a office or workspace at home - including some less obvious costs like additional electricity, heating, cooling, etc.

   2) Remote workers normally need to put more conscious effort into building relationships with co-workers, keeping up on the office news, etc. (However, this effort is more under your control than when co-workers have loud, non-work conversations right next to your cube.)

   3) If you're too remote to get together in person, it's harder to "be there" for the best and worst things. When a colleague was in a car accident, I couldn't visit him in the hospital or help with the kids. You can't go out for a celebration of a big success. (There are ways to celebrate remotely, but it's not quite the same thing.) Some companies exist to provide employee assistance for the bad things (especially for traveling employees). And some organizations have periodic physical get-togethers for remote employees to celebrate.

   On balance, i like remote work, but ideally can physically get together occasionally with colleagues.

   I'm curious to hear what others think.

5. Jessica MinterAugust 10,2022 at 8:35PM UTC

   I am three months into my first fully remote role, but I do have the ability to access a local office or travel to others when needed. I like having the option to be able to connect with people in-person because it matters (as alluded to previously).

   Biggest cost for me is the blurred lines of work vs. personal time. Fighting the urge to hop back on for a few minutes - which always takes longer than I think - at the expense of spending quality time with my children and husband. Overtime, I have become skilled at rationalizing with myself that whatever it is can wait until the next business day or week. I also have to be intentional about getting up to take a break, move around, etc. to mimic the times at work that I would be socializing with a co-worker or walking to and fro.

   One thing I have yet to investigate are any tax benefits I can utilize to recoup some of the costs of having a home office!

6. Sarah KebeaAugust 11,2022 at 1:58PM UTC

   Thank you for sharing this! I understand the difficultly separating work vs. personal life — it's definitely been a trial and error experience for me.

7. AnonymousAugust 10,2022 at 11:52PM UTC

   I've been working from home for almost 20 years and I have never regretted a single day. I wouldn't even think about going back into the office. In fact, I would take a small pay cut to be able to work from home.

8. AnonymousAugust 11,2022 at 11:43PM UTC

   I hate working remote.!! HATE IT. I like separation of work and home. I hate the quiet, I hate the lack of human interaction. I hate just sitting at a desk all day and having no physical aspect to my job now. It’s miserable for me!

9. AnonymousAugust 12,2022 at 2:37PM UTC

   Hello, First I want to say I acknowledge your feelings and respect your opinion.

   I'd like to offer a different perspective: You can create your own routine with your time and space. Have you considered working from a coffee shop or some other public space? Also, you can do more physical activities such as walking around your block during breaks etc. This may help you better manage your perceived "isolation".

   Remember when it rains one person is mourning their outside plans while a farmer is celebrating his crops. It's all about perception. Only you can control that, it will be whatever you allow.

   Have a blessed day!

10. AnonymousAugust 12,2022 at 11:21PM UTC

    Thank you. I have considered every option trust me. My co has a strict policy about working at a cafe etc. I don’t feel however it’s perceived isolation. It is isolation for me. I live alone in a very small apt. I don’t have a real workspace/office so it all becomes workspace. We tend to have a lot of meetings due to the fact that we’re remote. So I’m sitting at my “desk” for long periods of time wherever that may be on that day. I always have the tv on. It doesn’t make up for lack of human consumption, the lack of having some physical aspect to my job or leaving to go home to my happy place. The laptop goes away but it doesn’t take away the fact that my home has now become my job. My happy place has now become work! ?

11. AnonymousAugust 16,2022 at 12:14PM UTC

    When ur day is done close the laptop and pack away your equipment. Until I was able to officially set up a home office my PC was setup on the dining room table in full view of the family room. It was hard to mentally break away. I absolutely get it! It may be helpful to even get a room divider or curtain if space is limited. This way u can visibly clock out and create that boundary for yourself.

12. AnonymousAugust 12,2022 at 7:48PM UTC

    When I switched to remote I struggled with the lack of separation from work and home too. I don't have a desk so I work at my kitchen counter with a monitor (I like standing). I started moving my monitor on Friday evenings. At the end of the day on Friday the monitor and everything gets closed up and put in an area I don't use during the weekend. This helped a lot with creating separation between work and home.

    I also hate the quiet, but I get around that by listening to music (something that I did in office too but with headphones). If music isn't your thing, podcasts, ambient noises on youtube, or even just the tv can all be background noises.

    I know you didn't ask for advice, but since these tricks helped me I wanted to share in case it helps make working remote a bit more bearable for you. No one should have to work in a situation they don't enjoy.

13. AnonymousAugust 12,2022 at 11:30PM UTC

    I appreciate your input thank you. I’m always open to any suggestions that may help :)

    I left my last job for a couple of reasons one was because it was toxic. The CEO was a bully and tried to use intimidation and verbal abuse to make his point. I swore I would never again be unhappy at a job. Remote is new to me but I also don’t feel like it’s right for me. We shall see:) Thank you again!

14. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistAugust 12,2022 at 12:21AM UTC

    Nope.
    I've worked remote for over 15 years and I think it's the greatest thing since sliced bread. Before covid, I worked for 100% remote companies and since, on 100% remote teams with some other employees on-site depending on what they do.

    I don't arrive at work stressed or home exhausted from commuting, I've saved on gas and car bills (and insurance because of miles driven) and have saved a small fortune on dry cleaning bills.

    I get to breath fresh air, don't have to sit under flourescent lights, don't have to listen to anyone's boyfriend drama, smell their nasty lunch or share a gross refrigerator. And it makes every day Take Your Dog To Work Day!

    I'm never going back to work in an office if I don't have to.

15. Karen LytleAugust 12,2022 at 12:57AM UTC

    It depends on what your needs are. I have worked remotely at a couple of different companies for a total of 6 years. I find that my productivity goes through the roof and I don't have to worry about gas money, toll money or time on the road. In terms of what it "costs" me, most companies are still figuring out how to include remote workers in team building, holiday parties, celebratory successes, after hour get togethers, holiday parties, even DEI meetings. If a person is okay with potentially being excluded from the more social team and company events and doesn't have a need for personal interaction or the company benefits (i.e., in-house chair massages, free lunches, free snacks), the "costs" are minimal. What do YOU want?

16. Sarah KebeaAugust 12,2022 at 6:33PM UTC

    Great advice, thank you for sharing!