Working from home.. Where?
Discussion
RanchoGrande said:
There are masses of people on these forums working in IT. Sometimes wonder why I dropped out of computer science at uni as it seems like it's the path to a rich and exotic lifestyle.
It's not so much IT per se, it's just that IT/tech consulting tends to be more comfortable with the tools and culture of remote working. What I do isn't at all geeky any more as Swerni can no doubt validate. But the industries around IT/tech tend to challenge more "why the flip would I go into an office every day and waste productive time commuting?... we can meet when we need to meet"
(and yes Swerni, I know we are massively overdue a beer in person)
BobSaunders said:
ClaphamGT3 said:
We spend three months of the year based near St Emilio in the Dordogne. 45 minutes to Bordeaux airport and I can be anywhere I need to go in Europe, or hop to Heathrow, Charles de Gaulle or Schiphol for intercontinental
Do you rent for the three months?A technology park in Singapore is very much like one in Milton Keynes if you are stuck inside all day.
My team are across Europe and some over in various flavour bits of the Middle East. I can't remember the last time I was in the office. I see my boss maybe once a quarter and we have an annual kick off somewhere in the world (USA, UK and Spain in recent years).
I could work from anywhere, I think I'd probably head North to Lincolnshire as that is where my family are and I could live like a king or just buy a much bigger house or down south to Devon/Cornwall.
Less opportunities for the kids though as they grow up.
My team are across Europe and some over in various flavour bits of the Middle East. I can't remember the last time I was in the office. I see my boss maybe once a quarter and we have an annual kick off somewhere in the world (USA, UK and Spain in recent years).
I could work from anywhere, I think I'd probably head North to Lincolnshire as that is where my family are and I could live like a king or just buy a much bigger house or down south to Devon/Cornwall.
Less opportunities for the kids though as they grow up.
RanchoGrande said:
what are these awesome jobs that allow this kind of lifestyle?
We are a real estate advisory business. I only really need to be physically Anywhere to meet with clients. In the summer that quietness down quite a lot so it's possible to do it without being in our office networkRanchoGrande said:
what are these awesome jobs that allow this kind of lifestyle?
As well as the others, Sales Manager, Europe, in a high tech field such as semiconductors, IT equipment or software, often has people who could be based anywhere with reasonable airport access. I know one who lives in a ski resort in Austria. He can get to Munich airport fairly easily for trips.It's a matter of employing people that you know are self motivated, enthusiastic, and trustworthy to be able to deliver.
90% of the people through the door at interview time i find are not self motivated or enthusiastic, or i would not trust to work from home.
Anything regarding work using a PC nowadays can be delivered from home.
Skype, email, document collaboration tools, etc. have all made remote running of teams easier.
90% of the people through the door at interview time i find are not self motivated or enthusiastic, or i would not trust to work from home.
Anything regarding work using a PC nowadays can be delivered from home.
Skype, email, document collaboration tools, etc. have all made remote running of teams easier.
Singapore is nicer than MK, I agree but an office block is an office block wherever it is in the world. Not sure I'd want to base myself there though to WFH.
To a degree I was talking about exotic travel for business which people who don't do it think is glamorous and working from home which again is all skiving off and w
king. (Cue up the Mitchell and Webb sketch).
To a degree I was talking about exotic travel for business which people who don't do it think is glamorous and working from home which again is all skiving off and w
king. (Cue up the Mitchell and Webb sketch).BobSaunders said:
It's a matter of employing people that you know are self motivated, enthusiastic, and trustworthy to be able to deliver.
90% of the people through the door at interview time i find are not self motivated or enthusiastic, or i would not trust to work from home.
Anything regarding work using a PC nowadays can be delivered from home.
Skype, email, document collaboration tools, etc. have all made remote running of teams easier.
I would have thought that with the tech advancements it would also be easy to remotely manage staff with little difference to whether they were sat in an office reading PH all day... surely its relatively measurable in most professions and with connected IT systems, relatively transparent? 90% of the people through the door at interview time i find are not self motivated or enthusiastic, or i would not trust to work from home.
Anything regarding work using a PC nowadays can be delivered from home.
Skype, email, document collaboration tools, etc. have all made remote running of teams easier.
That said, I do find that mates of mine who WFH on an occasional basis still very much view it as a skive. Being self-employed I love the flexibility of location and hours, but skiving is of no benefit and holidays are a thing of the past (but then I happily trade 2 weeks on a beach to 52 weeks a year on a beach with a laptop).
Shnozz said:
BobSaunders said:
It's a matter of employing people that you know are self motivated, enthusiastic, and trustworthy to be able to deliver.
90% of the people through the door at interview time i find are not self motivated or enthusiastic, or i would not trust to work from home.
Anything regarding work using a PC nowadays can be delivered from home.
Skype, email, document collaboration tools, etc. have all made remote running of teams easier.
I would have thought that with the tech advancements it would also be easy to remotely manage staff with little difference to whether they were sat in an office reading PH all day... surely its relatively measurable in most professions and with connected IT systems, relatively transparent? 90% of the people through the door at interview time i find are not self motivated or enthusiastic, or i would not trust to work from home.
Anything regarding work using a PC nowadays can be delivered from home.
Skype, email, document collaboration tools, etc. have all made remote running of teams easier.
That said, I do find that mates of mine who WFH on an occasional basis still very much view it as a skive. Being self-employed I love the flexibility of location and hours, but skiving is of no benefit and holidays are a thing of the past (but then I happily trade 2 weeks on a beach to 52 weeks a year on a beach with a laptop).
Yes, it is very much expected that if you get everything done on a friday then you can sign off - but on a tuesday it's a big no no.. you stick your head up and ask for more.... sir.
BobSaunders said:
It's a matter of employing people that you know are self motivated, enthusiastic, and trustworthy to be able to deliver.
I'm a contractor. The company I work remotely with would just drop me if that was an issue - and they have done with newish employees where it's an issue too.BobSaunders said:
It's a matter of employing people that you know are self motivated, enthusiastic, and trustworthy to be able to deliver.
90% of the people through the door at interview time i find are not self motivated or enthusiastic, or i would not trust to work from home.
I agree. We just don't employ anyone who needs 'managing'. Our company's whole ethos means it would be too easy for the wrong person to take the piss.90% of the people through the door at interview time i find are not self motivated or enthusiastic, or i would not trust to work from home.
For example, we don't have a set number of days' holiday per year. We take what we want. Sounds bizarre to many people but it works perfectly. I'll probably only take 4 weeks or so in total this year, whilst a colleague has been having a house built in another country so he's been out of circulation for probably 10 weeks. Having said that, if a client delays a project and I'm at a bit of a loose end I might take some more time off.
We just fit time off around business needs and make it work.
BobSaunders said:
Where in the EU would you live with a young small family? South coast of Spain? Balearic islands? England? Wales? France?
England for me. Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, South East London, I love them all. If no ties and money no factor then I would strongly consider living in Kenilworth and just drive to Birmingham airport. You can truly live like a king there.Bromley is a similar option but you have to deal with Gatwick or City airport, its a real pain in the neck.
Even Milton Keynes I like (lots of new build going on, well landscaped, good pubs and entertainment options for kids) but the air transport connectivity is not as good. Bromley and Kenilworth great for families, not as cheap as other places but you get what you pay for.
Munich is lovely, the people are great. the food is bloody awful. I actually preferred Wolfsburg.
Singapore is lovely, the people are great. It is a police state, the kids will hate it, the time zone is a b
h and the weather is bloody awfulAlgarve is lovely, the people are great. Too much sun and beer, won't get anything done, ever. Not great for the kids in the sense that education and job opportunities far inferior to U.K - IMHO
Zurich is one of the best places you will ever want to live with a family, it has it all. so boring I considered lobbing myself in the cut and be done with it.
If I had no family and money is a factor then Valencia and Gandia specifically would be near top of list for me as airport connectivity is good and I can get beer so cheap it should be illegal.
If money is no factor then, there is no question that it would be Marbella on many factors as Malaga airport is very well connected indeed. I could not spend all my time there, I would go nuts. Good place to die.
Bloke I used to work with used to commute in from Montpellier, used to swear by the place but never been there myself.
Gassing Station | Jobs & Employment Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff