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Not strictly on-topic, but I’m wishing we could adopt the term ‘flexible-location’ instead of ‘work-from-home’. I feel that the latter can convey a mental imag

Not strictly on-topic, but I’m wishing we could adopt the term ‘flexible-location’ instead of ‘work-from-home’. I feel that the latter can convey a mental image of a person lounging at home in their pajamas, drinking a chai latte while ‘dabbling’ occasionally in work, while the former more accurately describes what I’m hoping the future of (former) office work will be: something not bound to a single, company-controlled, indoor location.

Traubenfuchs 5y ago
> a person lounging at home in their pajamas, drinking a chai latte while ‘dabbling’ occasionally in work This is literally what a lot of people want though.
- DoingIsLearning 5y ago
  This is literally what a lot of managers think a lot of people want. People act (on average) with a lot more good faith than most corporate entities. If, as a manager, you are unable to infer that this is happening, then in all probability that person would be doing the same 'dabbling' if they were co-located. (Just with a higher effort of looking busier).
  - throwaway6734 5y ago
    My anecdotal evidence is that the majority of people in my network are not working anywhere close 8 hours. I don't think they're less productive than they were in the office.
    - ghaff 5y ago
      That's probably because they were rarely heads-down for 8 hours in the office either.
      - throwaway6734 5y ago
        absolutely
    - Loughla 5y ago
      When we were remote, my staff was nowhere near 8 hours a day. Our schedules are very dependent on our students (higher education) and their needs. Sometimes they would work 2 hours a day, sometimes 10. It was literally just like in the office, except they were free to do whatever they needed to do during their down time. Old administration thought that wasn't good, because people were screwing around during the 8-5. I tried to explain that yes, that happened, but a) that already happens in the office; b) they're also working at night, on the weekends, and whenever the hell I need them to, and not complaining about it, or even being bothered by it c) they're happier and MUCH more effective for the students. No go.
  - Akronymus 5y ago
    For me, I don't want to do that, but as distractions are so easy, I can easily see myself falling in such a pattern. That's why, despite having the choice to work from home, I am going to mainly work in the office.
    - intricatedetail 5y ago
      Won't that project an image that you are not trustworthy and have to be supervised?
    - l33t2328 5y ago
      I think there’s something to be said for the fixed “work” environment having an impact on your thinking and productivity. At work = work mode, at home = home mode.
      - ghaff 5y ago
        It's more important for some people than for others. I will say when I used to just sometimes work from home, it was more important for me to do the usual morning routine, dress up in my usual business casual, and sit down in my office. The last 10 years or so, when I've been increasingly working remote--and have been effectively full-time even within fairly easy commute of an office--I don't bother and will work anywhere in the house I want.
      - WorldMaker 5y ago
        Which is why many successful remote workers have a dedicated "space" for work to help force the mental switch between modes, even if it just a dedicated "office" room in their home or a regular coffee shop they only use for work or options like that. You can have a "fixed" work environment without it being a centrally managed office. More reason why "work-from-home" is an under-efficient specifier on both sides for what people are often really asking for/what bosses really want. "Work-from-home-office" at the very least would offer a better impression to both sides, though I think the great-grandparent here's "flexible-location" is probably better still.
- syshum 5y ago
  My experience over the years, especially for "information workers", is that location does not matter to productivity. if a worker wants to slack off and post on HN (or watch netflix) during office hours it does not matter if they are "in the office" or at home....
- chasd00 5y ago
  You either get it done or someone who can will replace you. What makes people feel so safe in their job that “dabbling” is not putting their career at risk?
- protonimitate 5y ago
  Why not both? I can drink a chai latte in my PJs and "occasionally" work through-out the day and still be more productive than if I waste 3 hours a day on commuting and have to fight through constant noises and distractions in an office.
- antihero 5y ago
  Then the solution is simple. Make the metric production. If you can sit around in your PJs browsing reddit and do the odd hour here and there and still get the same results as people that are 9-6 bum in seat, who cares?
devoutsalsa 5y ago
Legit. Sometimes you have to get ready for standup when you're in a small village in the Scottish Highlands because you couldn't get to your new accommodations on time. https://i.imgur.com/9oY9F0t.png https://i.imgur.com/9oY9F0t.png
- joejerryronnie 5y ago
  Looks like a perfectly acceptable office to me.
- input_sh 5y ago
  Tell them you're home and you're using one of those custom backgrounds.
- leesalminen 5y ago
  Nice. At an old job, I was known as the WFDP (work from dog park) guy. The dog park next to my apartment was beautiful and for some reason was blanketed with WiFi. So, I spent a lot of time there under a tree. My coworkers thought it was a little ridiculous, but I always got all my work done each sprint so…
  - zaphirplane 5y ago
    I want your battery ;)
- 52-6F-62 5y ago
  Probably the most clear-headed on the meeting that morning, to boot. One thing I really love about working remotely is that I can maintain perspective. It's easier to take a step away and remember to see life for what it is rather than getting so caught up in the miniature worlds created by someone else who didn't necessarily have everyone's best interests at heart.
- nomoreplease 5y ago
  Amazing that you had service! What provider do you use? Last time I drove around the highlands I had zero data signal
hobofan 5y ago
Maybe that's just me but flexible-location on the other hand to me suggests that the person is constantly on the go, e.g. in a café. Given the shitty internet situation (might just be here in Germany though) and background noise anywhere that is not the office or home (which seems to be still bad in a lot of cases), that doesn't seem too desirable of an image. Those factors are what cause the location in "flexible-location" to be home 99% of the time for me (and probably many other people).
- ghaff 5y ago
  "Flexible location" also opens up a bunch of potential tax issues if people are spending a lot of time working from another state or another country. (Surprisingly, the former can be a bigger issue than the latter assuming visa limits are being observed.)
paulcole 5y ago
I specifically try to avoid saying “work from home” for the reason you mention as well as to try to make an effort to separate work life and home life. When interviewing candidates and speaking about the company to current employees I make a conscious effort to say that we are a “remote” or “distributed” company.
jventura 5y ago
I think “remote working” is good enough, as it does not carry a specific social stigma..
intricatedetail 5y ago
> I feel that the latter can convey a mental image of a person lounging at home in their pajamas, drinking a chai latte while ‘dabbling’ occasionally in work Isn't what you do in the office except you don't wear pyjamas and have to look busy?
k__ 5y ago
In Germany this is already the case. We got home office laws, where the employer has to give you stuff to do you work from home. And we got mobile work laws, where things are more flexible, and people are allowed to work in office if they wish, but can work from anywhere they like. This way the employer doesn't have to put effort into a potential home working environment.
bradlys 5y ago
Flexible location is only so accurate though. It’s unlikely that your work is async as soon as you go remote. So, unless you like working through the night in some locations then it’s not truly a flexible location.
slumdev 5y ago
Another reason your new term is superior: "Flexible-location" implies that I might not live within commuting distance of one of my employer's offices. "Work-from-home", so far, has been abused by employers who are hellbent a so-called "hybrid" model and still want to require that employees live within commuting distance. "Work-from-home", in any proportion less than 100%, is worthless for someone who doesn't want to live in the 'burbs.
st1ck 5y ago
You may like "location independent", already used for years. However "remote work" or "working remotely" are a lot more common and don't have pajamas connotation.
EspadaV9 5y ago
The policies we're writing at the moment at calling it "work from anywhere". We don't really care when you want to do your work, as long as you do it. We have some people that would like to take a year abroad while still working for us. As long as they have an internet connection and can meet their team goals, go for it :-)

Traubenfuchs 5y ago

> a person lounging at home in their pajamas, drinking a chai latte while ‘dabbling’ occasionally in work This is literally what a lot of people want though.

DoingIsLearning 5y ago
This is literally what a lot of managers think a lot of people want. People act (on average) with a lot more good faith than most corporate entities. If, as a manager, you are unable to infer that this is happening, then in all probability that person would be doing the same 'dabbling' if they were co-located. (Just with a higher effort of looking busier).
- throwaway6734 5y ago
  My anecdotal evidence is that the majority of people in my network are not working anywhere close 8 hours. I don't think they're less productive than they were in the office.
  - ghaff 5y ago
    That's probably because they were rarely heads-down for 8 hours in the office either.
    - throwaway6734 5y ago
      absolutely
  - Loughla 5y ago
    When we were remote, my staff was nowhere near 8 hours a day. Our schedules are very dependent on our students (higher education) and their needs. Sometimes they would work 2 hours a day, sometimes 10. It was literally just like in the office, except they were free to do whatever they needed to do during their down time. Old administration thought that wasn't good, because people were screwing around during the 8-5. I tried to explain that yes, that happened, but a) that already happens in the office; b) they're also working at night, on the weekends, and whenever the hell I need them to, and not complaining about it, or even being bothered by it c) they're happier and MUCH more effective for the students. No go.
- Akronymus 5y ago
  For me, I don't want to do that, but as distractions are so easy, I can easily see myself falling in such a pattern. That's why, despite having the choice to work from home, I am going to mainly work in the office.
  - intricatedetail 5y ago
    Won't that project an image that you are not trustworthy and have to be supervised?
  - l33t2328 5y ago
    I think there’s something to be said for the fixed “work” environment having an impact on your thinking and productivity. At work = work mode, at home = home mode.
    - ghaff 5y ago
      It's more important for some people than for others. I will say when I used to just sometimes work from home, it was more important for me to do the usual morning routine, dress up in my usual business casual, and sit down in my office. The last 10 years or so, when I've been increasingly working remote--and have been effectively full-time even within fairly easy commute of an office--I don't bother and will work anywhere in the house I want.
    - WorldMaker 5y ago
      Which is why many successful remote workers have a dedicated "space" for work to help force the mental switch between modes, even if it just a dedicated "office" room in their home or a regular coffee shop they only use for work or options like that. You can have a "fixed" work environment without it being a centrally managed office. More reason why "work-from-home" is an under-efficient specifier on both sides for what people are often really asking for/what bosses really want. "Work-from-home-office" at the very least would offer a better impression to both sides, though I think the great-grandparent here's "flexible-location" is probably better still.
syshum 5y ago
My experience over the years, especially for "information workers", is that location does not matter to productivity. if a worker wants to slack off and post on HN (or watch netflix) during office hours it does not matter if they are "in the office" or at home....
chasd00 5y ago
You either get it done or someone who can will replace you. What makes people feel so safe in their job that “dabbling” is not putting their career at risk?
protonimitate 5y ago
Why not both? I can drink a chai latte in my PJs and "occasionally" work through-out the day and still be more productive than if I waste 3 hours a day on commuting and have to fight through constant noises and distractions in an office.
antihero 5y ago
Then the solution is simple. Make the metric production. If you can sit around in your PJs browsing reddit and do the odd hour here and there and still get the same results as people that are 9-6 bum in seat, who cares?

devoutsalsa 5y ago

Legit. Sometimes you have to get ready for standup when you're in a small village in the Scottish Highlands because you couldn't get to your new accommodations on time. https://i.imgur.com/9oY9F0t.png https://i.imgur.com/9oY9F0t.png

joejerryronnie 5y ago
Looks like a perfectly acceptable office to me.
input_sh 5y ago
Tell them you're home and you're using one of those custom backgrounds.
leesalminen 5y ago
Nice. At an old job, I was known as the WFDP (work from dog park) guy. The dog park next to my apartment was beautiful and for some reason was blanketed with WiFi. So, I spent a lot of time there under a tree. My coworkers thought it was a little ridiculous, but I always got all my work done each sprint so…
- zaphirplane 5y ago
  I want your battery ;)
52-6F-62 5y ago
Probably the most clear-headed on the meeting that morning, to boot. One thing I really love about working remotely is that I can maintain perspective. It's easier to take a step away and remember to see life for what it is rather than getting so caught up in the miniature worlds created by someone else who didn't necessarily have everyone's best interests at heart.
nomoreplease 5y ago
Amazing that you had service! What provider do you use? Last time I drove around the highlands I had zero data signal

hobofan 5y ago

Maybe that's just me but flexible-location on the other hand to me suggests that the person is constantly on the go, e.g. in a café. Given the shitty internet situation (might just be here in Germany though) and background noise anywhere that is not the office or home (which seems to be still bad in a lot of cases), that doesn't seem too desirable of an image. Those factors are what cause the location in "flexible-location" to be home 99% of the time for me (and probably many other people).

ghaff 5y ago
"Flexible location" also opens up a bunch of potential tax issues if people are spending a lot of time working from another state or another country. (Surprisingly, the former can be a bigger issue than the latter assuming visa limits are being observed.)

paulcole 5y ago

I specifically try to avoid saying “work from home” for the reason you mention as well as to try to make an effort to separate work life and home life. When interviewing candidates and speaking about the company to current employees I make a conscious effort to say that we are a “remote” or “distributed” company.

jventura 5y ago

I think “remote working” is good enough, as it does not carry a specific social stigma..

intricatedetail 5y ago

> I feel that the latter can convey a mental image of a person lounging at home in their pajamas, drinking a chai latte while ‘dabbling’ occasionally in work Isn't what you do in the office except you don't wear pyjamas and have to look busy?

k__ 5y ago

In Germany this is already the case. We got home office laws, where the employer has to give you stuff to do you work from home. And we got mobile work laws, where things are more flexible, and people are allowed to work in office if they wish, but can work from anywhere they like. This way the employer doesn't have to put effort into a potential home working environment.

bradlys 5y ago

Flexible location is only so accurate though. It’s unlikely that your work is async as soon as you go remote. So, unless you like working through the night in some locations then it’s not truly a flexible location.

slumdev 5y ago

Another reason your new term is superior: "Flexible-location" implies that I might not live within commuting distance of one of my employer's offices. "Work-from-home", so far, has been abused by employers who are hellbent a so-called "hybrid" model and still want to require that employees live within commuting distance. "Work-from-home", in any proportion less than 100%, is worthless for someone who doesn't want to live in the 'burbs.

st1ck 5y ago

You may like "location independent", already used for years. However "remote work" or "working remotely" are a lot more common and don't have pajamas connotation.

EspadaV9 5y ago

The policies we're writing at the moment at calling it "work from anywhere". We don't really care when you want to do your work, as long as you do it. We have some people that would like to take a year abroad while still working for us. As long as they have an internet connection and can meet their team goals, go for it :-)