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Why are we still commuting at all? The vast VAST majority of jobs can be done from home yet there is some sort of idea in management circles that if you're not

Why are we still commuting at all? The vast VAST majority of jobs can be done from home yet there is some sort of idea in management circles that if you're not in a cubicle you're not getting work done. Think of how much better everyone's lives would be if only those who absolutely needed to be in an office (Doctors, mechanics, etc) went to work and everyone else just stayed home.

ubernostrum 11y ago
I worked full-time remote for four years. Now I work a job which expects me to be physically present in the office. And... I'm kinda happy about the current job. Four years of being remote taught me how isolating it can be, how easy it is to end up feeling utterly detached from what my co-workers are doing, lacking in human interaction during my working hours, and being in an office and around people again every day has done a lot for me. So I wouldn't be so quick to send everybody to work from home all the time.
- alkonaut 11y ago
  The perfect balance for me would be commuting or traveling 1-2 days a week for meetings, and working remote the rest of the week. When commuting 1h or more the time spent commuting should be spent doing phone meetings etc so you can start working as you leave the house, otherwise the work day can end up being 10-11h which is obviously not compatible with having a family.
  - draugadrotten 11y ago
    I've done 2 days a week of 2 hour commute and 3 days remote. It works, sort of. The 2 days in the office gives the social interactions and keeps relationships smooth. The 3 days remote provides calm time for productivity. However, I've also worked 5 days in office with 7 minutes bike ride. This is incredibly good. Every day is shorter. I will optimise any new job for shortest possible commute - it's really a winner.
- GoToRO 11y ago
  it can work: when you work in an office you just can't wait to get home. When working from home at 5pm you must leave the home :) Go in a park, go somewhere, anywhere. The problem is not that you work from home, the problem is that you stay in the same place all day.
jheriko 11y ago
i think you will find the vast majority of jobs require physical presence since they involve physically moving things or interacting with customers face to face. most people do not work in an office environment. iirc about 10% of people work in production industries which means factories, building sites and mines etc. 10% work in social and health care which means hospitals, community centres and homes... 10% work in retail which means shops. 10% in leisure and hospitality which means restaurants, hotels etc. 5% work in agriculture which means farms, orchards, vineyards etc. 3% work in transport and warehousing... thats not quite a majority, but i can easily find around 48% of jobs are impossible to do from home...

ubernostrum 11y ago

I worked full-time remote for four years. Now I work a job which expects me to be physically present in the office. And... I'm kinda happy about the current job. Four years of being remote taught me how isolating it can be, how easy it is to end up feeling utterly detached from what my co-workers are doing, lacking in human interaction during my working hours, and being in an office and around people again every day has done a lot for me. So I wouldn't be so quick to send everybody to work from home all the time.

alkonaut 11y ago
The perfect balance for me would be commuting or traveling 1-2 days a week for meetings, and working remote the rest of the week. When commuting 1h or more the time spent commuting should be spent doing phone meetings etc so you can start working as you leave the house, otherwise the work day can end up being 10-11h which is obviously not compatible with having a family.
- draugadrotten 11y ago
  I've done 2 days a week of 2 hour commute and 3 days remote. It works, sort of. The 2 days in the office gives the social interactions and keeps relationships smooth. The 3 days remote provides calm time for productivity. However, I've also worked 5 days in office with 7 minutes bike ride. This is incredibly good. Every day is shorter. I will optimise any new job for shortest possible commute - it's really a winner.
GoToRO 11y ago
it can work: when you work in an office you just can't wait to get home. When working from home at 5pm you must leave the home :) Go in a park, go somewhere, anywhere. The problem is not that you work from home, the problem is that you stay in the same place all day.

jheriko 11y ago

i think you will find the vast majority of jobs require physical presence since they involve physically moving things or interacting with customers face to face. most people do not work in an office environment. iirc about 10% of people work in production industries which means factories, building sites and mines etc. 10% work in social and health care which means hospitals, community centres and homes... 10% work in retail which means shops. 10% in leisure and hospitality which means restaurants, hotels etc. 5% work in agriculture which means farms, orchards, vineyards etc. 3% work in transport and warehousing... thats not quite a majority, but i can easily find around 48% of jobs are impossible to do from home...