Any other agencies increasing telework flexibilities?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, and it is terrible. We had been going in 2x a week and 1x a week, respectively, so one parent was always home to walk the dog and pick up kids. Now our children are in beforecare as well as aftercare and we have a dog walker so we can be on Zoom or Teams meetings all day in our offices.

So who watched your kids while you were teleworking? You can’t supervise kids who belong in daycare and work at the same time. So you either ripped off the taxpayer with illegal childcare, or neglected your kids.

Well considering their kids are in before and after care, it sounds like they are school aged and not being supervised all day. Relax, most parents don’t want to work and care give. We did that during COVID and it was awful.

However, a school day is generally ~7 hours. With the bus, our kids are out of the house 8:15-4:00. With no commute and 2 parents teleworking, we were able to stagger hours and our kids didn’t have to spend extra time in childcare. I used to work 7:30-4. DH would work 8:30-5. Occasionally we’d mix things around if one of us had a meeting/deadline/doctor’s appt or whatever.

The beauty of telework is being able to flex your schedule. I would often get up and work like 5-7 am, get the kids off to school, and then work 830 or 9 to 3 or 330 pm. Kids get home at 4 so I never needed before or after care. I'd do something similar on days I had doctors appointments or school events or whatever, but started even earlier in the morning so I didn't even need to take any leave unless I left town. My agency got so much work out of me. People are just jealous of that kind of flexibility is what it comes down to.

Right. as long as you are being reasonable with the flexing and not refusing to meet after 3pm.

This is a management issue, not a telework issue. I’ve never heard of a worker refusing late meetings when there is a genuine reason for them— time zone issues, etc.

It's a telework issue in that I'm not available after I leave the building unless I can telework. Be flexible with me so that I can be flexible with you.
I work 6:30 to 3:00 because I'm on calls that start at 7 a.m. I can't also join your 4 p.m. meeting unless something gives.

oh wow- I said the exact same thing as you right below you. I think work got spoiled by my availability around the clock. I never minded and still wouldn't mind, but hey- telework isn't allowed!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, and it is terrible. We had been going in 2x a week and 1x a week, respectively, so one parent was always home to walk the dog and pick up kids. Now our children are in beforecare as well as aftercare and we have a dog walker so we can be on Zoom or Teams meetings all day in our offices.

So who watched your kids while you were teleworking? You can’t supervise kids who belong in daycare and work at the same time. So you either ripped off the taxpayer with illegal childcare, or neglected your kids.

Well considering their kids are in before and after care, it sounds like they are school aged and not being supervised all day. Relax, most parents don’t want to work and care give. We did that during COVID and it was awful.

However, a school day is generally ~7 hours. With the bus, our kids are out of the house 8:15-4:00. With no commute and 2 parents teleworking, we were able to stagger hours and our kids didn’t have to spend extra time in childcare. I used to work 7:30-4. DH would work 8:30-5. Occasionally we’d mix things around if one of us had a meeting/deadline/doctor’s appt or whatever.

The beauty of telework is being able to flex your schedule. I would often get up and work like 5-7 am, get the kids off to school, and then work 830 or 9 to 3 or 330 pm. Kids get home at 4 so I never needed before or after care. I'd do something similar on days I had doctors appointments or school events or whatever, but started even earlier in the morning so I didn't even need to take any leave unless I left town. My agency got so much work out of me. People are just jealous of that kind of flexibility is what it comes down to.

Right. as long as you are being reasonable with the flexing and not refusing to meet after 3pm.

This is a management issue, not a telework issue. I’ve never heard of a worker refusing late meetings when there is a genuine reason for them— time zone issues, etc.

It's a telework issue in that I'm not available after I leave the building unless I can telework. Be flexible with me so that I can be flexible with you.
I work 6:30 to 3:00 because I'm on calls that start at 7 a.m. I can't also join your 4 p.m. meeting unless something gives.

That’s fair. Are you working with people in Europe?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, and it is terrible. We had been going in 2x a week and 1x a week, respectively, so one parent was always home to walk the dog and pick up kids. Now our children are in beforecare as well as aftercare and we have a dog walker so we can be on Zoom or Teams meetings all day in our offices.

So who watched your kids while you were teleworking? You can’t supervise kids who belong in daycare and work at the same time. So you either ripped off the taxpayer with illegal childcare, or neglected your kids.

Well considering their kids are in before and after care, it sounds like they are school aged and not being supervised all day. Relax, most parents don’t want to work and care give. We did that during COVID and it was awful.

However, a school day is generally ~7 hours. With the bus, our kids are out of the house 8:15-4:00. With no commute and 2 parents teleworking, we were able to stagger hours and our kids didn’t have to spend extra time in childcare. I used to work 7:30-4. DH would work 8:30-5. Occasionally we’d mix things around if one of us had a meeting/deadline/doctor’s appt or whatever.

The beauty of telework is being able to flex your schedule. I would often get up and work like 5-7 am, get the kids off to school, and then work 830 or 9 to 3 or 330 pm. Kids get home at 4 so I never needed before or after care. I'd do something similar on days I had doctors appointments or school events or whatever, but started even earlier in the morning so I didn't even need to take any leave unless I left town. My agency got so much work out of me. People are just jealous of that kind of flexibility is what it comes down to.

Right. as long as you are being reasonable with the flexing and not refusing to meet after 3pm.

Meetings can be scheduled during core hours. It’s not my job to accommodate your inefficiency.

Not always. I’m working with someone right now with an early schedule and I’m just doing a lot of meetings I’m sure they would like to be included in on my own. They’re missing out on a bigger role in the project. Maybe they’re fine with that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My agency just told everyone the bearings will continue until morale improves. No full days of telework. I’ve lost amazing employees, and for some reason can’t seem to get the problem children to move on. They’re doing a heck of a job destroying things!

As far as split schedules go they are useless for those of us that don’t need to be home before and after school. And for those that DO need to be home before and after school, I have real concerns about whether or not they’re actually working. It’s a grueling day commuting two ways and then logging back in?? Why would I stretch my day out to 12 hours plus?!!! We need to let people have a day or two at home every pay period , at the very least—people are taking so much leave and are unavailable because we aren’t meeting them halfway. I’m just so disheartened by all of this.

NP. My agency is headquartered in the suburbs and most of us have very short commutes. Split schedules would not be an issue since most of us have under 15 min commutes. My issue is that there's been a lot of issues with my kids' public school schedule and it's always last minute. Since Thanksgiving every week there's "aftercare cancelled for today! Kids should just go home their regularly scheduled way." (wtf school?? The regular is that she goes to aftercare!) Or that school is ending early after the holiday party, make sure to pick your kids up. I have the leave and I don't mind using it, but work minds.

Work is unhappy I can't be on meetings later, but I would gladly be on meetings if telework was allowed. I can't be on 7am meetings and also be on 5pm meetings. I used to do this when telework was allowed, but no way am I working 11 hour days in the office to accommodate that without telework.

+1.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, and it is terrible. We had been going in 2x a week and 1x a week, respectively, so one parent was always home to walk the dog and pick up kids. Now our children are in beforecare as well as aftercare and we have a dog walker so we can be on Zoom or Teams meetings all day in our offices.

So who watched your kids while you were teleworking? You can’t supervise kids who belong in daycare and work at the same time. So you either ripped off the taxpayer with illegal childcare, or neglected your kids.

Well considering their kids are in before and after care, it sounds like they are school aged and not being supervised all day. Relax, most parents don’t want to work and care give. We did that during COVID and it was awful.

However, a school day is generally ~7 hours. With the bus, our kids are out of the house 8:15-4:00. With no commute and 2 parents teleworking, we were able to stagger hours and our kids didn’t have to spend extra time in childcare. I used to work 7:30-4. DH would work 8:30-5. Occasionally we’d mix things around if one of us had a meeting/deadline/doctor’s appt or whatever.

The beauty of telework is being able to flex your schedule. I would often get up and work like 5-7 am, get the kids off to school, and then work 830 or 9 to 3 or 330 pm. Kids get home at 4 so I never needed before or after care. I'd do something similar on days I had doctors appointments or school events or whatever, but started even earlier in the morning so I didn't even need to take any leave unless I left town. My agency got so much work out of me. People are just jealous of that kind of flexibility is what it comes down to.

Right. as long as you are being reasonable with the flexing and not refusing to meet after 3pm.

This is a management issue, not a telework issue. I’ve never heard of a worker refusing late meetings when there is a genuine reason for them— time zone issues, etc.

If you leave at 3 you’re going to get left off a lot of projects and conversations that happen within normal work hours.

I see it as your project will be missing out on my great ideas... Good luck to you :-p

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My agency just told everyone the bearings will continue until morale improves. No full days of telework. I’ve lost amazing employees, and for some reason can’t seem to get the problem children to move on. They’re doing a heck of a job destroying things!

As far as split schedules go they are useless for those of us that don’t need to be home before and after school. And for those that DO need to be home before and after school, I have real concerns about whether or not they’re actually working. It’s a grueling day commuting two ways and then logging back in?? Why would I stretch my day out to 12 hours plus?!!! We need to let people have a day or two at home every pay period , at the very least—people are taking so much leave and are unavailable because we aren’t meeting them halfway. I’m just so disheartened by all of this.

Usually problem employees are just fine coming into the office and loafing around.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, and it is terrible. We had been going in 2x a week and 1x a week, respectively, so one parent was always home to walk the dog and pick up kids. Now our children are in beforecare as well as aftercare and we have a dog walker so we can be on Zoom or Teams meetings all day in our offices.

So who watched your kids while you were teleworking? You can’t supervise kids who belong in daycare and work at the same time. So you either ripped off the taxpayer with illegal childcare, or neglected your kids.

Well considering their kids are in before and after care, it sounds like they are school aged and not being supervised all day. Relax, most parents don’t want to work and care give. We did that during COVID and it was awful.

However, a school day is generally ~7 hours. With the bus, our kids are out of the house 8:15-4:00. With no commute and 2 parents teleworking, we were able to stagger hours and our kids didn’t have to spend extra time in childcare. I used to work 7:30-4. DH would work 8:30-5. Occasionally we’d mix things around if one of us had a meeting/deadline/doctor’s appt or whatever.

The beauty of telework is being able to flex your schedule. I would often get up and work like 5-7 am, get the kids off to school, and then work 830 or 9 to 3 or 330 pm. Kids get home at 4 so I never needed before or after care. I'd do something similar on days I had doctors appointments or school events or whatever, but started even earlier in the morning so I didn't even need to take any leave unless I left town. My agency got so much work out of me. People are just jealous of that kind of flexibility is what it comes down to.

Right. as long as you are being reasonable with the flexing and not refusing to meet after 3pm.

Meetings can be scheduled during core hours. It’s not my job to accommodate your inefficiency.

Not always. I’m working with someone right now with an early schedule and I’m just doing a lot of meetings I’m sure they would like to be included in on my own. They’re missing out on a bigger role in the project. Maybe they’re fine with that.

People make their calculations for work life balance, unless they’re paid enough to want to do otherwise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, and it is terrible. We had been going in 2x a week and 1x a week, respectively, so one parent was always home to walk the dog and pick up kids. Now our children are in beforecare as well as aftercare and we have a dog walker so we can be on Zoom or Teams meetings all day in our offices.

So who watched your kids while you were teleworking? You can’t supervise kids who belong in daycare and work at the same time. So you either ripped off the taxpayer with illegal childcare, or neglected your kids.

Well considering their kids are in before and after care, it sounds like they are school aged and not being supervised all day. Relax, most parents don’t want to work and care give. We did that during COVID and it was awful.

However, a school day is generally ~7 hours. With the bus, our kids are out of the house 8:15-4:00. With no commute and 2 parents teleworking, we were able to stagger hours and our kids didn’t have to spend extra time in childcare. I used to work 7:30-4. DH would work 8:30-5. Occasionally we’d mix things around if one of us had a meeting/deadline/doctor’s appt or whatever.

The beauty of telework is being able to flex your schedule. I would often get up and work like 5-7 am, get the kids off to school, and then work 830 or 9 to 3 or 330 pm. Kids get home at 4 so I never needed before or after care. I'd do something similar on days I had doctors appointments or school events or whatever, but started even earlier in the morning so I didn't even need to take any leave unless I left town. My agency got so much work out of me. People are just jealous of that kind of flexibility is what it comes down to.

Right. as long as you are being reasonable with the flexing and not refusing to meet after 3pm.

This is a management issue, not a telework issue. I’ve never heard of a worker refusing late meetings when there is a genuine reason for them— time zone issues, etc.

If you leave at 3 you’re going to get left off a lot of projects and conversations that happen within normal work hours.

I see it as your project will be missing out on my great ideas... Good luck to you :-p

lol not really.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, and it is terrible. We had been going in 2x a week and 1x a week, respectively, so one parent was always home to walk the dog and pick up kids. Now our children are in beforecare as well as aftercare and we have a dog walker so we can be on Zoom or Teams meetings all day in our offices.

So who watched your kids while you were teleworking? You can’t supervise kids who belong in daycare and work at the same time. So you either ripped off the taxpayer with illegal childcare, or neglected your kids.

Well considering their kids are in before and after care, it sounds like they are school aged and not being supervised all day. Relax, most parents don’t want to work and care give. We did that during COVID and it was awful.

However, a school day is generally ~7 hours. With the bus, our kids are out of the house 8:15-4:00. With no commute and 2 parents teleworking, we were able to stagger hours and our kids didn’t have to spend extra time in childcare. I used to work 7:30-4. DH would work 8:30-5. Occasionally we’d mix things around if one of us had a meeting/deadline/doctor’s appt or whatever.

The beauty of telework is being able to flex your schedule. I would often get up and work like 5-7 am, get the kids off to school, and then work 830 or 9 to 3 or 330 pm. Kids get home at 4 so I never needed before or after care. I'd do something similar on days I had doctors appointments or school events or whatever, but started even earlier in the morning so I didn't even need to take any leave unless I left town. My agency got so much work out of me. People are just jealous of that kind of flexibility is what it comes down to.

Right. as long as you are being reasonable with the flexing and not refusing to meet after 3pm.

This is a management issue, not a telework issue. I’ve never heard of a worker refusing late meetings when there is a genuine reason for them— time zone issues, etc.

It's a telework issue in that I'm not available after I leave the building unless I can telework. Be flexible with me so that I can be flexible with you.
I work 6:30 to 3:00 because I'm on calls that start at 7 a.m. I can't also join your 4 p.m. meeting unless something gives.

That’s fair. Are you working with people in Europe?

Yes, but I also have colleagues on the west coast and in Hawaii who are getting up early to be on afternoon calls with DC.

I'm old enough to remember the days before work phones were common (although yes, a lot of feds still don't have work phones). IMO there was a lot more planning - planning meetings, meeting agendas, meeting facilitators, etc - because you didn't have the option to just randomly call somebody when you felt like it. It was slower, but in some ways it was more efficient. Telework is a different kind of efficiency, faster but more churn. RTO without losing the telework "always on" culture is the least efficient because nobody is planning around availability but people aren't available like they were when teleworking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, and it is terrible. We had been going in 2x a week and 1x a week, respectively, so one parent was always home to walk the dog and pick up kids. Now our children are in beforecare as well as aftercare and we have a dog walker so we can be on Zoom or Teams meetings all day in our offices.

So who watched your kids while you were teleworking? You can’t supervise kids who belong in daycare and work at the same time. So you either ripped off the taxpayer with illegal childcare, or neglected your kids.

Well considering their kids are in before and after care, it sounds like they are school aged and not being supervised all day. Relax, most parents don’t want to work and care give. We did that during COVID and it was awful.

However, a school day is generally ~7 hours. With the bus, our kids are out of the house 8:15-4:00. With no commute and 2 parents teleworking, we were able to stagger hours and our kids didn’t have to spend extra time in childcare. I used to work 7:30-4. DH would work 8:30-5. Occasionally we’d mix things around if one of us had a meeting/deadline/doctor’s appt or whatever.

The beauty of telework is being able to flex your schedule. I would often get up and work like 5-7 am, get the kids off to school, and then work 830 or 9 to 3 or 330 pm. Kids get home at 4 so I never needed before or after care. I'd do something similar on days I had doctors appointments or school events or whatever, but started even earlier in the morning so I didn't even need to take any leave unless I left town. My agency got so much work out of me. People are just jealous of that kind of flexibility is what it comes down to.

Right. as long as you are being reasonable with the flexing and not refusing to meet after 3pm.

This is a management issue, not a telework issue. I’ve never heard of a worker refusing late meetings when there is a genuine reason for them— time zone issues, etc.

It's a telework issue in that I'm not available after I leave the building unless I can telework. Be flexible with me so that I can be flexible with you.
I work 6:30 to 3:00 because I'm on calls that start at 7 a.m. I can't also join your 4 p.m. meeting unless something gives.

That’s fair. Are you working with people in Europe?

Yes, but I also have colleagues on the west coast and in Hawaii who are getting up early to be on afternoon calls with DC.

I'm old enough to remember the days before work phones were common (although yes, a lot of feds still don't have work phones). IMO there was a lot more planning - planning meetings, meeting agendas, meeting facilitators, etc - because you didn't have the option to just randomly call somebody when you felt like it. It was slower, but in some ways it was more efficient. Telework is a different kind of efficiency, faster but more churn. RTO without losing the telework "always on" culture is the least efficient because nobody is planning around availability but people aren't available like they were when teleworking.

+10000

Spending hours a way to move my laptop from one location to another is the dumbest thing I’ve been involved in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My agency just told everyone the bearings will continue until morale improves. No full days of telework. I’ve lost amazing employees, and for some reason can’t seem to get the problem children to move on. They’re doing a heck of a job destroying things!

As far as split schedules go they are useless for those of us that don’t need to be home before and after school. And for those that DO need to be home before and after school, I have real concerns about whether or not they’re actually working. It’s a grueling day commuting two ways and then logging back in?? Why would I stretch my day out to 12 hours plus?!!! We need to let people have a day or two at home every pay period , at the very least—people are taking so much leave and are unavailable because we aren’t meeting them halfway. I’m just so disheartened by all of this.

Usually problem employees are just fine coming into the office and loafing around.

Uh no. They’re not. I have found they are a problem no matter what. When they come in, they come late and leave early or spend their day socializing—when they’re at home, they disappear. It has nothing to do with where they “work”. Good employees get their work done, no matter where. That’s why all of this is just stupid—punishing the wrong people for the wrong things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My agency just told everyone the bearings will continue until morale improves. No full days of telework. I’ve lost amazing employees, and for some reason can’t seem to get the problem children to move on. They’re doing a heck of a job destroying things!

As far as split schedules go they are useless for those of us that don’t need to be home before and after school. And for those that DO need to be home before and after school, I have real concerns about whether or not they’re actually working. It’s a grueling day commuting two ways and then logging back in?? Why would I stretch my day out to 12 hours plus?!!! We need to let people have a day or two at home every pay period , at the very least—people are taking so much leave and are unavailable because we aren’t meeting them halfway. I’m just so disheartened by all of this.

Usually problem employees are just fine coming into the office and loafing around.

Uh no. They’re not. I have found they are a problem no matter what. When they come in, they come late and leave early or spend their day socializing—when they’re at home, they disappear. It has nothing to do with where they “work”. Good employees get their work done, no matter where. That’s why all of this is just stupid—punishing the wrong people for the wrong things.

I think you’re saying the same thing. In office work doesn’t make problem employees productive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, and it is terrible. We had been going in 2x a week and 1x a week, respectively, so one parent was always home to walk the dog and pick up kids. Now our children are in beforecare as well as aftercare and we have a dog walker so we can be on Zoom or Teams meetings all day in our offices.

So who watched your kids while you were teleworking? You can’t supervise kids who belong in daycare and work at the same time. So you either ripped off the taxpayer with illegal childcare, or neglected your kids.

Well considering their kids are in before and after care, it sounds like they are school aged and not being supervised all day. Relax, most parents don’t want to work and care give. We did that during COVID and it was awful.

However, a school day is generally ~7 hours. With the bus, our kids are out of the house 8:15-4:00. With no commute and 2 parents teleworking, we were able to stagger hours and our kids didn’t have to spend extra time in childcare. I used to work 7:30-4. DH would work 8:30-5. Occasionally we’d mix things around if one of us had a meeting/deadline/doctor’s appt or whatever.

The beauty of telework is being able to flex your schedule. I would often get up and work like 5-7 am, get the kids off to school, and then work 830 or 9 to 3 or 330 pm. Kids get home at 4 so I never needed before or after care. I'd do something similar on days I had doctors appointments or school events or whatever, but started even earlier in the morning so I didn't even need to take any leave unless I left town. My agency got so much work out of me. People are just jealous of that kind of flexibility is what it comes down to.

Right. as long as you are being reasonable with the flexing and not refusing to meet after 3pm.

in the current no-telework posture, on an 8-person team, only two of us are available after 3pm when before last March all of us were available 8:30-5. and because commuter trains are involved there is no flexibility to "just stay for an extra 15 minutes to chat real quick." the cost of RTO.

[Anonymous]

Just talked to our division director. They said it’s coming back in 2026.

I guess that’s one way to buy fed votes for midterms.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just talked to our division director. They said it’s coming back in 2026.

I guess that’s one way to buy fed votes for midterms.

How on earth would they know this?