Working Remotely

With my last job, I enjoyed the daily interaction with customers, but hated the fact that everything was dumped on me with the boss admitting that he told co-workers to dump everything on me. I have never worked remote. But, I am putting myself to be in a position to work hybrid, at a minimum, with the I. T. and Cybersecurity schooling that I am doing. My talents are best suited when I work with little supervision and little distraction... Since the middle of June this year, I have adjusted quite nicely to not having to go to the office five or six days a week. Being at home the past six months truly has been good for my soul.

[quote=vabeachcouple33]We also have old friends where he works remote (in a role somewhat similar to what I did before we had our own company) and he works remotely. He rather openly brags about how he only works 1-2 hours a day because he has automated most of his tasks and keeps his mouse jiggling so he doesnt look idle, and he keeps his phone Teams notifications live so he'll be able to answer if someone wants to talk to him.

His wife still can't understand why we won't hire him.[/quote]Tell her DEI, and they'll pull their hair out.

[quote=thn1045]From 2012 to 2019 I worked 95% remote for two companies (one bought out the other) as a Microsoft web developer (Visual Studio / SQL server / C# and APIs) in the pharmaceutical marketing arena. We would come together one day a month for lunch and meetings. Otherwise full remote. It went great and it requires great discipline on the part of the person obviously. .. .. .. From 2019 to now, I shifted to Microsoft Azure cloud software development in a different (non-pharma) vertical, more data and APIs. During covid we were 100% remote and it worked great. About halfway through 2023, we shifted to a hybrid model; working from home two days per week. That's nice too. I've reoriented towards more of a data role (Aure Data Engineer), completed three certs, and have three more to go before I shift to remote consulting. I'll see if my current company will allow it. If they won't, I'm seeing plenty of opportunities on Indeed for remote data engineers. It's all about growing and keeping up your skill set. There is a shortage of people with top-level skills and high ethical standards. If you develop both, you can write your own ticket.[/quote]I'm studying the Cloud, Networking & Security and Computer Support.

I have decades of customer service experience from the military and post military telephone maintenance days.

Now, just invest heavy at work, fix and sell the house within 3 yrs and head overseas.

And do some remote work for about $30-35 per hour for 20 hrs a week for 2-3 yrs from a warm country until eligible to pull out my ROTH at 59.5 yrs of age and wait til that pension and Social Security kick in at 65.

But all of that could change if Uncle Sam sponsors me in Europe with a WG/GS position until I'm 65.

That is the only way that I work to 65, if on a government job and getting housing and gas coupon sponsorship.

We also have old friends where he works remote (in a role somewhat similar to what I did before we had our own company) and he works remotely. He rather openly brags about how he only works 1-2 hours a day because he has automated most of his tasks and keeps his mouse jiggling so he doesnt look idle, and he keeps his phone Teams notifications live so he'll be able to answer if someone wants to talk to him.

His wife still can't understand why we won't hire him.

I do Monday and Friday remote.

[quote=thn1045]There are some quality of life aspects I really do like about working remotely. I can work out more; dumb bells, squats, etc. In the summer I can take a 15 minute break to tend to the garden. When the weather is even half decent (live in Eastern Pa.) I can work on our covered back porch and see the squirrels scurrying about and birds too. While my wife is at school teaching, I can knock out the kitchen, cooking, laundry, shopping, and other things. That way when she gets home we have more quality time. And.. in the background I can have on Netflix/HBO/whatever or Spotify podcasts.[/quote]Exactly.

Slide in a little 15-20 min nap in there before cutting the grass, raking leaves or shoveling snow.

Never have to iron a shirt or slacks unless making a guest appearance at The Office.

I think the Wednesday/Fri in office schedule and Mon, Tues & Thurs at home is a good balance.

I travel about 50% of the time, but otherwise work from a home office and have for nearly 20 years.

vabeachcouple & thn1045: I couldn't agree with your posts more. Discipline is a massive plus because of the distractions. but managed, you feel more productive work and home wise. We eat better when I work remotely because I can cook things. More things get done. Little breaks from work become ways to be productive in other areas. I find I work more since I'm not spending 2 hours in a car commuting.

Te isolation can be an issue. Even though Teams & Zoom help bring people together, there are times when I miss being able to plop down in someone's office and bounce an idea off or get an opinion on something. Even just the chance to have adult interactions and conversations are missed. I still travel 50-60% of the time, so I do get a chance to be around peers & colleagues frequently, and that's been the case whether working from home in the US or UK.

Not everyone is cut out for remote work. It does require a certain degree of self-discipline to stay focused and not screw around, but also to learn to ignore work during your offline time. Some people do not do well with the isolation as well.

There are some quality of life aspects I really do like about working remotely. I can work out more; dumb bells, squats, etc. In the summer I can take a 15 minute break to tend to the garden. When the weather is even half decent (live in Eastern Pa.) I can work on our covered back porch and see the squirrels scurrying about and birds too. While my wife is at school teaching, I can knock out the kitchen, cooking, laundry, shopping, and other things. That way when she gets home we have more quality time. And.. in the background I can have on Netflix/HBO/whatever or Spotify podcasts.

I have been working remotely since Covid. I have permanent remote status. At the end of next month I will be retired and am looking forward to it. Working from home is definitely a good gig for me.

I work with a guy that is 71 with currently no plans to retire. He is dating, but being divorced/single, work was a significant part of his social interaction. Our favorite hobby gives us all the social interaction we need, and then some. It's also different being married with 3 kids (adults now).

I worked remotely for 6 months during Covid and hated it. Luck for me, the university offered many of us early retirement and I took it. I don't miss anything about work except for some of my coworkers.

"Have you worked from home for a significant amount of time?"

I have consistently, with very little travel, since 2010.

"Anybody forced to do it during COVID?"

Our work situation didnt change during COVID. But it did for a lot of our clients, who had to go into the office to process payments and it caused a serious backlog of our accounts receiveable. It resolved eventually, but it was an emergency for several months, and it was strange to me that our clients seemed bewildered by the idea that not paying us for months might present a problem. The only client at the time who continued to pay us consistently was - interestingly- the Department of Justice.

"What kind of remote work have you done or would like to do?"

I like to say that our business operates at the intersection of medical and legal. We are asked to consult on legal disputes pertaining to healthcare. This can mean personal injury, fraud investigation, contract disputes, and whistleblower aka "qui tam" cases.

"If you could do your job for your current pay in another city or country, would you take it?"

We have been flexible to go almost anywhere since 2010, so long as we have a strong internet connection and aren't too far from an airport. We moved from Virginia Beach to Orlando in 2014 because we could. As for another country - that would potentially create problems, given our need to occasionally testify in court and be given access to sensitive systems within government and otherwise.

"And which cities or countries would you consider?"

With the kind of work as it stands now? The US is the only option. In some sort of retirement phase we might be able to go to the Caribbean. I am in the early process (and being fucking slow about it) of getting my Irish passport, which would give me property and legal rights almost anywhere in Europe or many European possessions in the Caribbean. So who knows. My plan was to live in the US for the rest of my life, but if it continues its path to becoming somewhere between Gilead and Magastan, it's nice to have options.

I worked remotely from 2006-2013. Changed jobs and worked in an office until COVID.

We worked remotely for 2.5 years during COVID. Since then, we work 2 days remote and 3 in the office.

Starting Jan 5, we are starting a pilot working a 36 hour work week. If the pilot is successful, the plan is to go to a 32 hour workweek at the same pay.

From 2012 to 2019 I worked 95% remote for two companies (one bought out the other) as a Microsoft web developer (Visual Studio / SQL server / C# and APIs) in the pharmaceutical marketing arena. We would come together one day a month for lunch and meetings. Otherwise full remote. It went great and it requires great discipline on the part of the person obviously. .. .. .. From 2019 to now, I shifted to Microsoft Azure cloud software development in a different (non-pharma) vertical, more data and APIs. During covid we were 100% remote and it worked great. About halfway through 2023, we shifted to a hybrid model; working from home two days per week. That's nice too. I've reoriented towards more of a data role (Aure Data Engineer), completed three certs, and have three more to go before I shift to remote consulting. I'll see if my current company will allow it. If they won't, I'm seeing plenty of opportunities on Indeed for remote data engineers. It's all about growing and keeping up your skill set. There is a shortage of people with top-level skills and high ethical standards. If you develop both, you can write your own ticket.

I've worked from a remote home office on & off since the mis 1990's. Have done that while living in the USA and in the UK as a sales manager. Have managed various territories in the USA, Canada, & Europe in that time.

I have also worked on location managing staff & ops. Can't say I necessarily prefer one over the other. I do like not having to waste time commuting to/from an office, and I tend to get more work down remotely. I miss the camaraderie of an office, but only when there is a culture of collaboration and a good team atmosphere. I do not miss the drama & politics of a bad office culture.

I have been in school for I. T. and Cybersecurity since the spring of this year. I am putting myself in a position where I can, at a minimum, do a hybrid job. Being able to work from home has become very appealing to me, as I now live a life that needs flexibility for commitment to a time clock.

I choose to no longer be part of environments that foster ignorance, indignance, ineptitude and toxicity among the staff. If I am successful in my training, it puts me in a position to sit outside in decent weather with my laptop and not care about anything else... I would be avoiding as much as possible, those that woke up on the wrong side of the bed that day.

When I started my present-day business, it was in my brother's garage (between getting laid off after my last employer was purchased, and COVID, it was the best way to get things going). Honestly, I couldn't wait to move it all into my own industrial space. I don't like working and living in the same place, I prefer the separation.

Been working from home for last 20 or so years. Used to travel too much to really call it from home. The last 2 years or so, I've been working out of the house mostly. I definitely prefer it and get more done this way but I can see how it could backfire on enplorers if the employee doesn't have structure.

On certain job sites, I'm seeing a great amount of remote work jobs in IT and other fields.

Have you worked from home for a significant amount of time? Anybody forced to do it during Covid?

What kind of remote work have you done or would like to do?

If you could do your job for your current pay in another city or country, would you take it?

And which cities or countries would you consider?