Value of telework - fed gov edition

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Meh, the shock and awe part of RTO is over.
RTO has served its purpose of traumatizing people and making them want to quit. It has mostly run its course. Nothing is ever permanent but if someone is hiring for a remote position in today’s environment, I think there is a good enough chance of it staying remote.

I never understood why it was such a big deal. Most Feds are older and worked for years even decades in office.

People keep saying this. It’s simply not true. I’ve had telework available since 2006. That’s nearly 20 years. My entire career. So yes, it was a big deal to have it taken away in one fell swoop. I’d been able to telework 2-3 days a week since long before COVID. Being able to bring my kid to dance two days a week without taking leave because I didn’t commute those days was a big consideration in committing to dance every year, and it is a school year long commitment since you pay for the studio year whether you go or not. So it’s not like I could just pivot last March and be like, whoops, sorry, you’ve got to quit dance mid year after a decade. Now, I take an hour and a half of leave twice a week to make it happen. This is stupid. But whatever. You don’t want a full week of work out of me, that’s cool.

You make Feds look bad. It’s one thing to pick up kids from school and then plop the doing homework or tv while you work. Even better to argue that you work better in home with less distraction and no tiring commute. But what are you even doing here? Are you taking off at 3 and “working” at the dance studio?

I’m a DP, but when I was teleworking, I could be done at 5 and take kid to his activity 30 min away at 5:30. Now I would have to leave at 3:30 to be home at 5 to take kid to activity at 5:30.

You live 1.5hr away from your work? That’s your problem.

DP, but in the last few months my 30 minute commute (which has existed for over a decade) has grown to 1.5, which is a noticeable difference and I’m certain that poster didn’t anticipate that being an issue after having flexibility for 20 years. While I’ve sucked up the changes and adjusted, I empathize with that poster. In these days and times, empathy goes a long way.

Another DP. When I got my job, it was remote, my duty station was my home address. We had a union contract protecting telework. All of this was illegally changed. Many coworkers have a 1 hour or more commute now. They’re making it work but you can’t just blame people for living far away. Many are in 2 income households where the spouse works in a different location. It’s not like anyone is going to sell their home and move when we’re under the threat of reorganization or layoffs.

Many people said that the remote work was not the new normal, managers liked butts in seats, and wealthy interests wanted to protect commercial real estate. so taking a remote job was a risk; this happened a decade ago at Yahoo and IBM, its hardly unprecedented to be recalled back to home office.

If two workers in far flung jobs, you need to live near one persons job, and the other commutes. Then one drops off and one picks up, or you hire a driving nanny to pickup and take to activities. Telework was always fragile, and employers just waited for job market to turn — and the working two jobs at once people really annoys employers, if you have idle time you should be innovating and improving thats why you are salary. With AI jobs are getting even more of the screws, so stop complaining about picking up for dance or other nonsense and focus on doing job well AND maybe advocating how telework improves your performance at work (beyond Im happier because Larla dances!)

No one is asking you for career advice. When the government no longer let me be remote, I found someone else who would. It was a stupid waste for them to end remote work and drive people out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Meh, the shock and awe part of RTO is over.
RTO has served its purpose of traumatizing people and making them want to quit. It has mostly run its course. Nothing is ever permanent but if someone is hiring for a remote position in today’s environment, I think there is a good enough chance of it staying remote.

I never understood why it was such a big deal. Most Feds are older and worked for years even decades in office.

People keep saying this. It’s simply not true. I’ve had telework available since 2006. That’s nearly 20 years. My entire career. So yes, it was a big deal to have it taken away in one fell swoop. I’d been able to telework 2-3 days a week since long before COVID. Being able to bring my kid to dance two days a week without taking leave because I didn’t commute those days was a big consideration in committing to dance every year, and it is a school year long commitment since you pay for the studio year whether you go or not. So it’s not like I could just pivot last March and be like, whoops, sorry, you’ve got to quit dance mid year after a decade. Now, I take an hour and a half of leave twice a week to make it happen. This is stupid. But whatever. You don’t want a full week of work out of me, that’s cool.

You make Feds look bad. It’s one thing to pick up kids from school and then plop the doing homework or tv while you work. Even better to argue that you work better in home with less distraction and no tiring commute. But what are you even doing here? Are you taking off at 3 and “working” at the dance studio?

I’m a DP, but when I was teleworking, I could be done at 5 and take kid to his activity 30 min away at 5:30. Now I would have to leave at 3:30 to be home at 5 to take kid to activity at 5:30.

You live 1.5hr away from your work? That’s your problem.

DP, but in the last few months my 30 minute commute (which has existed for over a decade) has grown to 1.5, which is a noticeable difference and I’m certain that poster didn’t anticipate that being an issue after having flexibility for 20 years. While I’ve sucked up the changes and adjusted, I empathize with that poster. In these days and times, empathy goes a long way.

Another DP. When I got my job, it was remote, my duty station was my home address. We had a union contract protecting telework. All of this was illegally changed. Many coworkers have a 1 hour or more commute now. They’re making it work but you can’t just blame people for living far away. Many are in 2 income households where the spouse works in a different location. It’s not like anyone is going to sell their home and move when we’re under the threat of reorganization or layoffs.

Many people said that the remote work was not the new normal, managers liked butts in seats, and wealthy interests wanted to protect commercial real estate. so taking a remote job was a risk; this happened a decade ago at Yahoo and IBM, its hardly unprecedented to be recalled back to home office.

If two workers in far flung jobs, you need to live near one persons job, and the other commutes. Then one drops off and one picks up, or you hire a driving nanny to pickup and take to activities. Telework was always fragile, and employers just waited for job market to turn — and the working two jobs at once people really annoys employers, if you have idle time you should be innovating and improving thats why you are salary. With AI jobs are getting even more of the screws, so stop complaining about picking up for dance or other nonsense and focus on doing job well AND maybe advocating how telework improves your performance at work (beyond Im happier because Larla dances!)

No one is asking you for career advice. When the government no longer let me be remote, I found someone else who would. It was a stupid waste for them to end remote work and drive people out.

most employers are going back to in person. thats great you found one for now, but basically if the work is done remotely, it will be outsourced or automated first.

as for driving people out, that was the point. but complaining you cant make dance lessons essentially during the work day makes feds look bad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Meh, the shock and awe part of RTO is over.
RTO has served its purpose of traumatizing people and making them want to quit. It has mostly run its course. Nothing is ever permanent but if someone is hiring for a remote position in today’s environment, I think there is a good enough chance of it staying remote.

I never understood why it was such a big deal. Most Feds are older and worked for years even decades in office.

People keep saying this. It’s simply not true. I’ve had telework available since 2006. That’s nearly 20 years. My entire career. So yes, it was a big deal to have it taken away in one fell swoop. I’d been able to telework 2-3 days a week since long before COVID. Being able to bring my kid to dance two days a week without taking leave because I didn’t commute those days was a big consideration in committing to dance every year, and it is a school year long commitment since you pay for the studio year whether you go or not. So it’s not like I could just pivot last March and be like, whoops, sorry, you’ve got to quit dance mid year after a decade. Now, I take an hour and a half of leave twice a week to make it happen. This is stupid. But whatever. You don’t want a full week of work out of me, that’s cool.

You make Feds look bad. It’s one thing to pick up kids from school and then plop the doing homework or tv while you work. Even better to argue that you work better in home with less distraction and no tiring commute. But what are you even doing here? Are you taking off at 3 and “working” at the dance studio?

I’m a DP, but when I was teleworking, I could be done at 5 and take kid to his activity 30 min away at 5:30. Now I would have to leave at 3:30 to be home at 5 to take kid to activity at 5:30.

You live 1.5hr away from your work? That’s your problem.

DP, but in the last few months my 30 minute commute (which has existed for over a decade) has grown to 1.5, which is a noticeable difference and I’m certain that poster didn’t anticipate that being an issue after having flexibility for 20 years. While I’ve sucked up the changes and adjusted, I empathize with that poster. In these days and times, empathy goes a long way.

Another DP. When I got my job, it was remote, my duty station was my home address. We had a union contract protecting telework. All of this was illegally changed. Many coworkers have a 1 hour or more commute now. They’re making it work but you can’t just blame people for living far away. Many are in 2 income households where the spouse works in a different location. It’s not like anyone is going to sell their home and move when we’re under the threat of reorganization or layoffs.

Many people said that the remote work was not the new normal, managers liked butts in seats, and wealthy interests wanted to protect commercial real estate. so taking a remote job was a risk; this happened a decade ago at Yahoo and IBM, its hardly unprecedented to be recalled back to home office.

If two workers in far flung jobs, you need to live near one persons job, and the other commutes. Then one drops off and one picks up, or you hire a driving nanny to pickup and take to activities. Telework was always fragile, and employers just waited for job market to turn — and the working two jobs at once people really annoys employers, if you have idle time you should be innovating and improving thats why you are salary. With AI jobs are getting even more of the screws, so stop complaining about picking up for dance or other nonsense and focus on doing job well AND maybe advocating how telework improves your performance at work (beyond Im happier because Larla dances!)

No one is asking you for career advice. When the government no longer let me be remote, I found someone else who would. It was a stupid waste for them to end remote work and drive people out.

most employers are going back to in person. thats great you found one for now, but basically if the work is done remotely, it will be outsourced or automated first.

as for driving people out, that was the point. but complaining you cant make dance lessons essentially during the work day makes feds look bad.

This doesn’t make much sense. Pretty much all office workers are working remotely now. Really. If you work using a laptop using Microsoft products, you’re working remotely. Your company however might require you to work remotely from an office.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here - I want to be a little vague (paranoid I know) because boss reads this. The
Agency I’d go to is less prestigious or whatever, but I am going to be a fed gov lifer so do not have too much to gain from prestige although I did care about that more a few years ago

It’s not about prestige. The top ranked agencies are like night and day from the bottom ranked ones. Until you’ve been at a bottom agency you can’t understand how miserable it can be. Bad management, lazy coworkers, bad mission, less freedom with your work.

[Anonymous]

Telework is plain stupid as is paying for childcare.

My first jobs were at 24/7 companies. You don’t need to work same shifts so problem solved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Meh, the shock and awe part of RTO is over.
RTO has served its purpose of traumatizing people and making them want to quit. It has mostly run its course. Nothing is ever permanent but if someone is hiring for a remote position in today’s environment, I think there is a good enough chance of it staying remote.

I never understood why it was such a big deal. Most Feds are older and worked for years even decades in office.

People keep saying this. It’s simply not true. I’ve had telework available since 2006. That’s nearly 20 years. My entire career. So yes, it was a big deal to have it taken away in one fell swoop. I’d been able to telework 2-3 days a week since long before COVID. Being able to bring my kid to dance two days a week without taking leave because I didn’t commute those days was a big consideration in committing to dance every year, and it is a school year long commitment since you pay for the studio year whether you go or not. So it’s not like I could just pivot last March and be like, whoops, sorry, you’ve got to quit dance mid year after a decade. Now, I take an hour and a half of leave twice a week to make it happen. This is stupid. But whatever. You don’t want a full week of work out of me, that’s cool.

You make Feds look bad. It’s one thing to pick up kids from school and then plop the doing homework or tv while you work. Even better to argue that you work better in home with less distraction and no tiring commute. But what are you even doing here? Are you taking off at 3 and “working” at the dance studio?

Screw off. I live as close into DC (actually in the district) and it still takes me 35 minutes each way between walking and metro. When I could telework two days a week, I started my day at 7 and was done at 3:30. My spouse does kid mornings and school drop off and I do kid afternoons. Since we live in DC there is no bussing. Our kids take the metro home, but if they had to take it to school they’d have to leave our house by 6:30 in the morning. Dance starts at 4:45. Easily doable when i had telework, which was not new or anything else so I don’t feel lazy, incompetent, or anything else. I was HAPPY to sign back in if needed after I dropped off at dance and got home, but I’m only paid for 8.5 hours as an NBU employee. I get all my work done and more, I’m currently doing the job of 4 people since my executive and admin took the DRP and another cw quit. I’m thisclose to total burn out as an acting exec while also covering my own work and everyone else’s. None of us signed up for this.

[Anonymous]

Netflix, shopping, appointments, naps, showers, school pickups, yes “working” from home. Fock the government.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Netflix, shopping, appointments, naps, showers, school pickups, yes “working” from home. Fock the government.

That same person will just use their phone and chat with coworkers in the office. This is private or public sector.