OT: General Off Topic Thread [NO Politics, Race, Religion, etc.]

[WeekapaugGroove]

Curious of y'alls opinion. I'm potentially getting a job offer next week that checks every box on what I want career wise moving forward BUT it's a brutal commute. Probably an hour each way even if they let me tweek my schedule around traffic. Will be 5 days in office then potentially a hybrid split. I've worked 100% from home the past 10 years. My current job is fine but very limited long term growth.

I'm worried the commute will drive me insane but also that if I pass this opportunity up I'll regret it.

Not in a position to move anytime soon, like my neighborhood, schools and current interest rate.

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[JayMKE]

Hour commute is rough, especially sitting in AZ traffic. My parents use to live out in Maricopa, getting stuck on that death highway 347 sssssssuckkkeddd

[WeekapaugGroove]

Hour commute is rough, especially sitting in AZ traffic. My parents use to live out in Maricopa, getting stuck on that death highway 347 sssssssuckkkeddd

I live in SE Chandler and the jobs in North Scottsdale. The **** 101 is always a parking lot. I might be able to go straight north on side streets and cut through the reservation but it's still a long as ways.

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[ReasonablySober]

Curious of y'alls opinion. I'm potentially getting a job offer next week that checks every box on what I want career wise moving forward BUT it's a brutal commute. Probably an hour each way even if they let me tweek my schedule around traffic. Will be 5 days in office then potentially a hybrid split. I've worked 100% from home the past 10 years. My current job is fine but very limited long term growth.

I'm worried the commute will drive me insane but also that if I pass this opportunity up I'll regret it.

Not in a position to move anytime soon, like my neighborhood, schools and current interest rate.

Sent from my SM-F731U using RealGM mobile app

I've had hour-plus commutes a few times since college. For me it was only bad when there was exceptionally terrible snow, or when there was some kind of social thing after work.

Now I'm debating commuting again because of housing prices. Eau Claire is absolutely insane. Thousands of housing units were developed over the last few years because companies in the Twin Cities are allowing employees to telecommute, and people with higher paying jobs can just live in EC and go drive over when needed. Eau Claire people are being priced out.

I'll have an opportunity to buy a house on a lake up north and I'm considering it, even if I have to spend eight hours on the road every week. I listen to probably 20+ hours with of podcasts every week. I could make the drive and probably not mind.

[MikeIsGood]

Curious of y'alls opinion. I'm potentially getting a job offer next week that checks every box on what I want career wise moving forward BUT it's a brutal commute. Probably an hour each way even if they let me tweek my schedule around traffic. Will be 5 days in office then potentially a hybrid split. I've worked 100% from home the past 10 years. My current job is fine but very limited long term growth.

I'm worried the commute will drive me insane but also that if I pass this opportunity up I'll regret it.

Not in a position to move anytime soon, like my neighborhood, schools and current interest rate.

Absolute non-starter for me, but it's such a person-to-person thing I think. Do you like driving? Even find it meditative? Some people actually enjoy their commutes (within reason, I'd suppose), so that's maybe not an issue for them.

But for me, two extra hours away from home for me each day would be an absolute no-go. But, as a remote worker in a remote-friendly industry who could find advancement opportunities elsewhere if I wanted, I recognize it may not be as easy of a disqualifier for you.

[MickeyDavis]

I've done the commute thing, 67 miles each way. Traffic wasn't an issue but that was a grind. Did it for a year and couldn't do it any longer. Later I did 28 miles each way, going through the Zoo interchange when it was undergoing the rebuild. Also brutal. Now I have about 12 miles but only go in 3-4 times a month. I prefer the 10 foot commute.

[WeekapaugGroove]

Curious of y'alls opinion. I'm potentially getting a job offer next week that checks every box on what I want career wise moving forward BUT it's a brutal commute. Probably an hour each way even if they let me tweek my schedule around traffic. Will be 5 days in office then potentially a hybrid split. I've worked 100% from home the past 10 years. My current job is fine but very limited long term growth.

I'm worried the commute will drive me insane but also that if I pass this opportunity up I'll regret it.

Not in a position to move anytime soon, like my neighborhood, schools and current interest rate.

Absolute non-starter for me, but it's such a person-to-person thing I think. Do you like driving? Even find it meditative? Some people actually enjoy their commutes (within reason, I'd suppose), so that's maybe not an issue for them.

But for me, two extra hours away from home for me each day would be an absolute no-go. But, as a remote worker in a remote-friendly industry who could find advancement opportunities elsewhere if I wanted, I recognize it may not be as easy of a disqualifier for you.

I don't mind driving and Iikr audio books so I'll fill the time. It's the time away that concerns me. I have two young kids and value my time with them. But I've been very clear on that in the interview process and they are open to me basically opening the office at like 7 so I can leave at a reasonable time in the afternoon to be home for dinner. But it's still concerning. Should note, my wife is totally on board with me taking this if I want to.

The second part makes it hard. I've spent the past 18 years doing high end third party recruiting. Ive wanted to move to an in house role with a company in growth mode for a while now but it's really hard to make that transition and find something that pays remotely what I make headhunting. Plus the talent acquisition market in general is brutal after all the high growth company layoffs the past year.

This one pays well and I would basically run all TA while also getting trained up to run HR. I would report to the Chief Administrative Officer who's in their 60s and told me she wants someone to groom so she can retire.

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[ReasonablySober]

Will say that one thing I've taken for granted now with my lack of a commute is being able to go home for lunch, something I do every day. Even if it's just for 20-30 minutes and I'm running the dishwasher or doing some quick laundry, obviously I can't do that if I'm working an hour away. In the 14 years at my current job I've never once stuck around for lunch. I gotta leave every day.

[KidA24]

"to boost productivity". BS. But most CEO's (and other senior management) simply don't trust employees WFH. They want to be able to see them work. I'm more productive from home because I don't have to waste commute time (not that bad for me though, about 15 minutes each way). But I get more done at home. No chit chat, no "how was your weekend?", "how was YOUR weekend?", "what are you going to do THIS weekend?". "Did I tell you what happened in little Jimmy's soccer game?". It's the same reason I've never been on FB. I don't give a **** about what you had for dinner or your vacation pictures.

We are supposed to be 3 days a week but there's a space crunch so it's up to each manager. Mine doesn't care, just do your work and come in when you want. When the space crunch is resolved in a couple of years there is no doubt they will go back to full time in the office.

A friend of mine works for a rather large insurance company, they just got told that all WFH people are going to have keylogger's installed on their laptops to "ensure productivity"

Just so much awful waste in trying to micromanage people instead of having actual conversations and teaching managers to lead.

[vital_signs]

Curious of y'alls opinion. I'm potentially getting a job offer next week that checks every box on what I want career wise moving forward BUT it's a brutal commute. Probably an hour each way even if they let me tweek my schedule around traffic. Will be 5 days in office then potentially a hybrid split. I've worked 100% from home the past 10 years. My current job is fine but very limited long term growth.

I'm worried the commute will drive me insane but also that if I pass this opportunity up I'll regret it.

Not in a position to move anytime soon, like my neighborhood, schools and current interest rate.

Sent from my SM-F731U using RealGM mobile app

Back in 2016-2017 my commute was roughly 75-90 minutes for 10-11 miles. It was frustrating but some good tunes or podcasts made it fine. Not sure if I could do it long term but that was 5 days a week so hybrid would obviously make it better. Occassionally I'd just find restaurants I wanted to try on the way back to break it up or run some errands at whatever store was on the way.

Edit to add (for honesty) - my shift started at 7 so my commute there was maybe 45 minutes. Way back was the definition of a parking lot.

[MartyConlonOnTheRun]

To be a contrarian here, I think it's reasonable for companies to push workers back to the office. Obviously, this isn't a catch all for all types of jobs or industries and you should compensate the employee more for coming into the office than those working at home (if the company thinks it's beneficial).

I'm 75% WFH, 25% travel to sites. I get my **** down when WFH, but I don't think it makes me a better employee. Whenever I'm on-site, I learn so much or expand my network. Yeah all the chit chat is annoying but you get comfortable with the people and build relationships. You are more likely to vent to them or ask for help, and they made have some insights, solutions or someone for you to talk to. Can you do all this via Teams? Sure, but the trust factor isn't there and not as organic. It's more of a 'i got my **** done' I'm signing off or watching Netflix.

Last year, I went to our center of excellence in Mexico and it was honestly a breath of fresh air watching teams huddle and work in small groups. I'm pretty dam isolated when I work from home.

Now would I ever voluntarily go to the office? Hell no. I can switch laundry, run the dishwater, wear gym clothes all day doing stuff like pull ups or pushups when I have a minute.

I'm just saying I understand the companies's point of view and not dismissing it as them all being micro managers or idiots.....just trying to squeeze all synergies and productivity. (again this doesn't cover all roles and some of you probably work in jobs that are more independent/specialists that don't benefit as much from organic collaboration.) I also deal with a lot of people that have to be physically at the sites every single day, so I also consider myself extremely lucky to have this flexibility.

[MickeyDavis]

Some companies make it clear that if you want promotions/raises you better get your ass into the office. If you want dough you better show.

[jute2003]

Curious of y'alls opinion. I'm potentially getting a job offer next week that checks every box on what I want career wise moving forward BUT it's a brutal commute. Probably an hour each way even if they let me tweek my schedule around traffic. Will be 5 days in office then potentially a hybrid split. I've worked 100% from home the past 10 years. My current job is fine but very limited long term growth.

I'm worried the commute will drive me insane but also that if I pass this opportunity up I'll regret it.

Not in a position to move anytime soon, like my neighborhood, schools and current interest rate.

Sent from my SM-F731U using RealGM mobile app

I had a 45ish minute commute for a couple years at my last job. I dont mind driving and got used to it quickly. It really only bothered me when I had to work really really late which was only a few times a year. I also enjoy having somewhere to go for work and insist on having an outside office now even as a self employed person.

If you feel like it's a good opportunity and provides you with a path upward in the future....It's definitely doable depending on your own tolerances. That transition from wfh to 2 hours of driving a day is gonna be a bitch though. You'll have to be prepared to push through the grind until you get used to it.

[ReasonablySober]

I was always more productive when I worked from home because I was self-conscious about not appearing like I was slacking off. When I'm in my office people just assume I'm working, so I can afford to get stuff done when I feel like it. If I'm working from home I feel like I need to reply immediately and get stuff done ASAP or people will assume I'm slacking off.

[jute2003]

To be a contrarian here, I think it's reasonable for companies to push workers back to the office. Obviously, this isn't a catch all for all types of jobs or industries and you should compensate the employee more for coming into the office than those working at home (if the company thinks it's beneficial).

I'm 75% WFH, 25% travel to sites. I get my **** down when WFH, but I don't think it makes me a better employee. Whenever I'm on-site, I learn so much or expand my network. Yeah all the chit chat is annoying but you get comfortable with the people and build relationships. You are more likely to vent to them or ask for help, and they made have some insights, solutions or someone for you to talk to. Can you do all this via Teams? Sure, but the trust factor isn't there and not as organic. It's more of a 'i got my **** done' I'm signing off or watching Netflix.

Last year, I went to our center of excellence in Mexico and it was honestly a breath of fresh air watching teams huddle and work in small groups. I'm pretty dam isolated when I work from home.

Now would I ever voluntarily go to the office? Hell no. I can switch laundry, run the dishwater, wear gym clothes all day doing stuff like pull ups or pushups when I have a minute.

I'm just saying I understand the companies's point of view and not dismissing it as them all being micro managers or idiots.....just trying to squeeze all synergies and productivity. (again this doesn't cover all roles and some of you probably work in jobs that are more independent/specialists that don't benefit as much from organic collaboration.) I also deal with a lot of people that have to be physically at the sites every single day, so I also consider myself extremely lucky to have this flexibility.

I think it's very dependent on the culture within the company and obviously the scope of the individual job. If management can show a lapse in productivity associated with wfh, I have no problem with them pushing for people returning. Or if there is a quantifiable benefit of some sort.

I have some friends who can wfh either part time or full time. I know some of them get their **** done and it's not an issue. Others, I wonder how the **** they haven't been canned yet.

[MikeIsGood]

I haven't even lived in the same state as an office I could work at in almost eight years. Want me back in an office? Good luck

[BUCKnation]

I work in a small office for a small company. My commute is 30 min in, then 35-45 min back. Most times I don’t mind it but it’s definitely a grind, especially as I used to have a less than 10 min commute and could bike in.

Thankfully, my company is extremely chill when it comes to remote work where any form of bad weather means we’re all working from home that day. I try to go into work when I can bc we get good benefits in the area and its so much easier to get most of our work done in the office, but I’m grateful to be able to remote work when possible. It’s very defeating to see a bunch of traffic on the route home.

[MoneyInDaBank07]

Greatly depends on the industries ya'll are in - but I can't imagine not going into the office at bare minimum 3 days per week.

I found remote work to be extremely isolating at times. Hard to replace the rapport you build in-person. ATX traffic though

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[LUKE23]

Curious of y'alls opinion. I'm potentially getting a job offer next week that checks every box on what I want career wise moving forward BUT it's a brutal commute. Probably an hour each way even if they let me tweek my schedule around traffic. Will be 5 days in office then potentially a hybrid split. I've worked 100% from home the past 10 years. My current job is fine but very limited long term growth.

I'm worried the commute will drive me insane but also that if I pass this opportunity up I'll regret it.

Not in a position to move anytime soon, like my neighborhood, schools and current interest rate.

Sent from my SM-F731U using RealGM mobile app

This would be a no go for me, but my opinion doesn't mean much. I've been self-employed for the past seven years, worked remotely before that, and was a five minute drive from work before that. I just could not justify two hours per day being used on the commute unless it counted as work time, which I'm guessing it does not.

I think if I took that job, I would get a firm agreement in place ahead of time on what "potentially a hybrid split" meant. I would want a set timeline on it (how long after start date it started) and set number of days per week you could work from home. This is obviously assuming they really want you over the other candidates and you have the bargaining power.