Spinoff from another thread...who is allowed to telework at your agency/company

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't get the benefits of telecommuting. You're cut off from the information flow and you have no external motivation to work, not to mention it being pretty lonely. Unless you have a long commute, I don't get it.

Saves the commute, less distractions from people in the office (although maybe more from stuff around the house if you don't have discipline) you can go to the kitchen and make a nice lunch instead of having to pack everything and you can dress casual.

Um, I buy lunch every day, and one of the benefits of working outside the home is getting to dress up I see I'm not a candidate for telework.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't get the benefits of telecommuting. You're cut off from the information flow and you have no external motivation to work, not to mention it being pretty lonely. Unless you have a long commute, I don't get it.

No commute, the information flow doesn't exist in my office whether you are there or not, I don't much like people and my paycheck is my external motivation.

I've worked from home in two separate stints for the same company for 12 of the 23 years I worked here. It would take a lot of money to get me to return to showing up 9-5.

[Anonymous]

Telework is great when you work in windowless offices where there is virtually no interaction with coworkers because of the nature of the work and culture.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't get the benefits of telecommuting. You're cut off from the information flow and you have no external motivation to work, not to mention it being pretty lonely. Unless you have a long commute, I don't get it.

Saves the commute, less distractions from people in the office (although maybe more from stuff around the house if you don't have discipline) you can go to the kitchen and make a nice lunch instead of having to pack everything and you can dress casual.

Um, I buy lunch every day, and one of the benefits of working outside the home is getting to dress up I see I'm not a candidate for telework.

It sounds like as a personality matter, you wouldn't like telecommuting much. I, OTOH, am an introvert and like the peace and quiet of my home office. I get a ton of work done on telework days, and enjoy dressing casually and walking my dog at lunchtime.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't get the benefits of telecommuting. You're cut off from the information flow and you have no external motivation to work, not to mention it being pretty lonely. Unless you have a long commute, I don't get it.

No commute, the information flow doesn't exist in my office whether you are there or not, I don't much like people and my paycheck is my external motivation.

I've worked from home in two separate stints for the same company for 12 of the 23 years I worked here. It would take a lot of money to get me to return to showing up 9-5.

+1

I've been mostly telecommuting (private company) for ten years. I am highly motivated to produce good work because this is such a great setup for me. It would take a lot to get me to leave.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't get the benefits of telecommuting. You're cut off from the information flow and you have no external motivation to work, not to mention it being pretty lonely. Unless you have a long commute, I don't get it.

Saves the commute, less distractions from people in the office (although maybe more from stuff around the house if you don't have discipline) you can go to the kitchen and make a nice lunch instead of having to pack everything and you can dress casual.

Also, you can do laundry, and let in repairmen, and other household-related "tasks" that just require your presence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:12:14, are they all attorney positions or non-attorney at FDA?

There are both attorney and non-attorney positions at FDA and both are allowed to telework a couple of days a week (in my office, some offices allow telework less frequently).

[Anonymous]

I work at a DOJ component (not attorneys) and our union negotiated 50% telework, though not everyone can do so.

[Anonymous]

I think I get more done at home than I do in the office . Love that I have the agreement, but don't want it taken away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't get the benefits of telecommuting. You're cut off from the information flow and you have no external motivation to work, not to mention it being pretty lonely. Unless you have a long commute, I don't get it.

I sleep in till 8.30am. I make breakfast and am at my desk by 9. I get more done than if I'm in the office (more distractions there). I eat healthier at home, I can easily work out over lunch since I don't need to carve out time to clean myself up. I save an hour commute home, getting more work done. I save money on food and gas. My employer needs less space (many people telecommute) reducing their RE costs. I get to see my kids after school (even if it's just 2 minutes to say hi). Deliveries are no problem. I get some tax benefits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't get the benefits of telecommuting. You're cut off from the information flow and you have no external motivation to work, not to mention it being pretty lonely. Unless you have a long commute, I don't get it.

Saves the commute, less distractions from people in the office (although maybe more from stuff around the house if you don't have discipline) you can go to the kitchen and make a nice lunch instead of having to pack everything and you can dress casual.

Um, I buy lunch every day, and one of the benefits of working outside the home is getting to dress up I see I'm not a candidate for telework.

You could also telework one or two days a week, get the benefits others are describing and still get the information and social outlet from being at work.

I do think teleworking is better for people who have been in there jobs for awhile and know them well. When you're just starting out it's much easier to walk down the hall and ask a question than to make a phone call or send an e-mail.

[Anonymous]

At our DOJ component, only the people who were on telework plans before current management came in (about 2 years ago) telework.

[Anonymous]

OCC..Attorneys. Administrative types are not allowed without "cause" Demoralizing place with bad management UNLESS you are an attorney.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work at Interior and no one is allowed to telework. Not even if there's a blizzard or if you're on bed rest and have to take leave without pay.

Allowed to telework at interior.

+1. I don't know where the first Interior poster works, but sorry, that's your own office's policy. Many other bureaus/offices w/in DOI can telework.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work at Interior and no one is allowed to telework. Not even if there's a blizzard or if you're on bed rest and have to take leave without pay.

Allowed to telework at interior.

+1. I don't know where the first Interior poster works, but sorry, that's your own office's policy. Many other bureaus/offices w/in DOI can telework.

I'm the first poster from Interior who said I couldn't teleowork. It's true that most of the rest of DOI teleworks, just my Office isn't allowed. It's severely impacted our hiring and retention of employees since we were all previously allowed telework. I think it's sad that telework is 100% up to the supervisor with no encouragement from upper management.