Working during coronavirus

[Nalis]

Mentioned recently in the coronavirus thread and thought it deserved it's own topic.

 

What is your working arrangement since March? How have your employer's been?  Have you had to change jobs or been furloughed?

 

I can work remotely so its been fine. Starting going into the office once a week but the office is fairly empty and no obligation to go if you dont want to for those that dont have to for the rest of the year and most likely beyond that. Although I'm on slightly reduced hours for the rest of the year and the company is doing 'ok' against an adjusted budget, my employer and manager have been pretty good overall. Appreciate I've been very fortunate compared to others.

 

Like the best of both worlds and seeing people face to face, you realise how much more you get out of a meeting in person  on certain projects with a lot of docs, etc involve. Long term hoping of doing 2-3 days a week wfh/office but we shall see.

 

Would be interesting to hear other people's arrangements.

Edited 9 October 2020 by Nalis

[Alf Bentley]

Less affected than most as I've worked from home self-employed for 20+ years.

 

But the thing I've never liked about working alone from home is the isolation - and that's got worse due to Covid (few visits to friends, no cinema, no football, no face-to-face book club, even no outdoor gym for several months). Started going bonkers by July but got away for 9 days, which saved my sanity.

 

Ideally, I'd like work to involve going to an office sometimes, just for the social contact (even once a week would be a big benefit). FoxesTalk is my surrogate for that social contact.....perhaps @Mark could get a grant as a social service? 

 

Workflow hasn't dried up, but has significantly reduced overall. Weird how it's gone: busy in April/May, dead in June/July, uncharacteristically busy in late August/early Sept, dead for the past month.

Financially, overall I'm still up due to the SEISS grants, but will soon be down if workflow remains a trickle....which is likely.

I'm not complaining about that. Even assuming that happens, I'm aware that others will be affected much, much worse. But I might need to rethink my employment status and/or move home earlier if it carries on for a year.....

[Fox92]

I haven't been effected personally because I've worked the whole time. (I've only had one week off, last month, since March when it all kicked off).

 

I work in IT for a nationwide company. Our branches have been operating (not normally, but still operating), and obviously in IT we oversee the tech side of this. Back in March we worked to ensure everything/everyone was setup to work from home before we began working from home ourselves. I don't mind working from home as I work shifts so I don't have to get up as early! It's just the interaction I miss at times.

 

Workflow has been pretty much the same. People still get issues!

 

 

Edited 9 October 2020 by Fox92

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

Work for a small design agency (there are five of us including my gaffer) and 2/5 of us would have to get the rattler into Nottingham while everyone else gets public transport - my boss has been pretty sound re: people coming back, isn't rushing anyone and has earmarked next spring as a possibility. We've been almost hilariously busy since June and I think he's seen it as the perfect acid test of just how we can cope remotely, he's talked about moving out of the studio we rent and just occupying some space in one of those co-working gaffs, saving a shitload of cash and just having us in on a Monday + another day of the week, but working remotely the rest of the time. I dare say he gets more change out of us working from home, I've definitely found myself not really taking proper breaks, staying late etc (aware I'm typing on FT as I write that).

I do miss the after work pints given I work slap bang in the middle of Nottingham and I really get on with everyone I work with – but now I've moved back to Leicester I definitely appreciate avoiding that slight arse of a commute. Putting a different spin on it though, I always found the commute 'punctuated' my day really well, gave me a chance to wake up before I got to work. Feel like I'm rolling out of bed and switching my Mac on at the moment.

[Facecloth]

I've done it a bit of an odd way in that I've changed jobs. I was working for a recycling haulage firm, but wasn't enjoying it, I could see the sales being more and more with one customer (not sustainable) and the directors to put it bluntly are massive *****. So I started looking in hope more than anything and have landed a payroll job at Aldi head office. 

 

I worked in the office the whole time at my old place and as I'm training I'm in the office everyday at Aldi. I did have 6 weeks off between the two jobs though.

[Samilktray]

Work in retail so nothing has changed. My disdain for the general public has however increased ten fold throughout this all

[Sir Shep]

Was furloughed for 3 months and then returned working around 30-42 hours a week depending on whether someone was on holiday or not. As someone who works for a supplier to pubs, clubs and restaurants it’s a bit of a mare at the moment. 

[Sir Shep]

1 minute ago, Samilktray said:

Work in retail so nothing has changed. My disdain for the general public has however increased ten fold throughout this all

I feel your pain, I used to work in a supermarket and at times I hated how rude people could be, my wife also works in retail and she comes home knackered and depressed most days. I try and be super nice when out shopping! 

[boots60]

I have worked all the way through it, envious of the furloughed folk getting 80% for doing sod all. The company I work for produces make up display stands, so as you can imagine, with so many people in need of beauty products I am in a "Key" sector of industry  

[Xen]

Pre-covid I worked in an office right in the middle of Nottingham city centre. Medium-sized company owned by a large multi-national, and no furlough of any kind in our office (slight slowdown in business originally, but then a sharp uptick after the initial wave). It was a pretty straightforward transition to working from home, and I've been here since March. They initially reopened the office in August for those who needed/wanted it, although lots of prerequisite forms and new guidelines to follow for those who did. I live in Loughborough and my job can be done entirely remotely so I've stayed at home rather than commute, and would probably have been one of the last ones to go back. They've recently reduced office working again with the new spike in cases though.

 

I've just accepted a new job with Nottingham City Council starting later this year though. The department I'm joining were apparently keen on flexible working anyway and were looking for a reason to go to WFH-by-default (with occasional office days) prior to COVID, and supposedly that's going to continue long-term even after covid 'ends'. Will have to see how that works out, but it seems like a home-office is something to add to the 'must have' list when we start looking for a new house next year...

Edited 9 October 2020 by Xen

[Babylon]

Became self employed in January, so I've been well and truly stitched with with ZERO support whatsoever. Thankfully I've done ok, so support wasn't needed in the end and it helps having no mortgage. 

 

Hardest thing is working from home with a young child (16 months), working with them screaming their head off about two metres away isn't the easiest. 

[Paninistickers]

Work in trade fairs. So we are totally facked ATM. 

 

My show was in November. Continued selling right up until end of August, then pulled plug and on a technicality, we don't have to refund if it's a postponement and not a cancellation. Ruthless stuff. 

 

Unfortunately, I'm actually quite skilled in delivering bad news to the exhibitors and in most cases, they are made to feel as if it's in their best interests and indeed their idea for us to keep the money. 

 

Out of 85 firms, only 4 have gone apeshit. I'm kinda enjoyed telling one, bluntly (and truthfully) that payin him back was unacceptable as we'd go bust....and I wasn't going to let that happen, no matter how unfair or unpopular. He took it like a man!

[urban.spaceman]

Work as a social carer normally, in a private arrangement for an adult with autism. So with my health (weight) and my family living situation, not to mention his own vulnerability, I wasn't able to work during lockdown at all, so have survived on universal credit for a few months. I did manage to get a weeks work with him a couple of months ago - I had him in my bubble so he lived with me for a week. But now he's started doing some of his activities again and social mixing I feel like it's too much of a risk for both him and my family to take him in for another week. So I'm essentially jobless at the minute, and having to put off any grand career plans I had anyway, and am now searching for some more regular work. Which is hard enough at normal times, even worse during a recession and a ****ing pandemic.

[tom27111]

Was furloughed for 16 weeks, went back to work, selling cars. Company was bought out, had to reapply for my job, got it, branch shut down for refurb. Been off on full pay since 10th September and not going back for 2 more weeks. 

 

I've been very lucky.

[CosbehFox]

Returned first week in June from furlough. On the proviso of taking a 20% pay cut but full pay would be reinstated upon making twice are normal salary. 

 

Office working was approximately two days a week, out of the five. However I was coming more out of choice - the other half works from home, meaning I'm at the kitchen table where it's freakishly cold and I struggle to engage with work. Fridays in particular, my most productive where half of the industry seems to take a three day weekend. 

 

June and July were worryingly quiet. We did a lot of planning, making phone calls to potential clients or existing. 

 

Then it took off in August and it's been non stop since. A mix of a regular churn work and project work. Bit worried about December onwards as a lot of work has been with an eye on next financial year. Yesterday sat down and won't be far off returning to full pay, subject to no disasters. 

 

From 1st September, we were back to office normality. Alongside driving to work and parking every day, that's caused a major financial blackhole for me. However that got reigned back in a couple of weeks. 

 

Working in a city such as Birmingham; it's been quite depressing watch wither. Pubs close, no buzz on a summer days, train stations like a scene out of a film. 

Edited 9 October 2020 by Cardiff_Fox

[Izzy]

I'm self employed and have been extremely lucky really.

 

All my main corporate clients put a stop to classroom/in person training/coaching as soon as Covid hit and decided to do it all virtually, so I've been very busy since March.

 

I miss the variety and personal/group interaction but I don't miss the travelling and staying away from home. I love the flexibility and autonomy of managing my own time and I'm lucky enough to plan my work around the kids and going to the gym.

 

I know many friends who've been furloughed and made redundant so I feel extremely fortunate in the circumstances.

 

Thank fvck for Zoom, Teams, Google Meet etc. or I'd be screwed.

[TiffToff88]

I'm a CAD Technician. I had a job working for an electrical switchgear company in Loughborough. I worked from home for 3 weeks when it all first started in March, then I was furloughed. After 3 months in furlough, I was made redundant.

 

My wife is originally from South Yorkshire and we have always talked about moving back up that way to he with her family. We decided that, since we both found ourselves out of work because of the effect Covid had on our companies, we would take the opportunity to finally make that change. I applied for a job in Doncaster the day my contract ended in the Loughborough job, and was offered the job 2 weeks later. 

 

I'm currently living with my in-laws during the week in Sheffield while my wife sorts out the house sale in Syston, before we move into our new home in Barnsley hopefully at the begining of November.

 

So to sum it up, what started out as a pretty crappy situation for us has turned out pretty well in the end! - although my wife is still struggling to find any work up in the Barnsley/Sheffield area as she works in retail 

[Vince Vega]

Redundant just before Covid. No work since.

[TiffToff88]

4 minutes ago, Vince Vega said:

Redundant just before Covid. No work since.

What do/did you do?

[Vince Vega]

Insurance, financial services and office work.  Plenty of experience.  Looking for something steady- part time even.

 

Thanks for asking Tiff. 

[TiffToff88]

1 minute ago, Vince Vega said:

Insurance, financial services and office work.  Plenty of experience.  Looking for something steady- part time even.

 

Thanks for asking Tiff. 

I just figured maybe someone on here might see that you're looking and might be in a position to help.

 

 

That being said, if there's any electricians looking, PM me and I MIGHT he able to help...

[Facecloth]

41 minutes ago, Izzy said:

I'm self employed and have been extremely lucky really.

 

All my main corporate clients put a stop to classroom/in person training/coaching as soon as Covid hit and decided to do it all virtually, so I've been very busy since March.

 

I miss the variety and personal/group interaction but I don't miss the travelling and staying away from home. I love the flexibility and autonomy of managing my own time and I'm lucky enough to plan my work around the kids and going to the gym.

 

I know many friends who've been furloughed and made redundant so I feel extremely fortunate in the circumstances.

 

Thank fvck for Zoom, Teams, Google Meet etc. or I'd be screwed.

What you didn't know is that they have you on mute the whole time 

[Nuneatonfox in Manchester]

I’m self employed in a city centre gym surrounded by empty offices  with my corporate clientele essentially disappearing. My business is currently at the mercy of notoriously unreliable students 

 

I got the self employed grant for when the gyms were shut but with a mortgage and rent for the gym space on about 25% of my previous income it’s pretty grim!

[Yes N'Didi]

If anyone is a developer/senior developer and in need of work and based in Leicester please contact me.

[RowlattsFox]

I've been lucky, very lucky in fact I've been paid my full wage, for doing very little if I'm being honest. I work for local authority so furlough wasn't an option, there was talk of redeployment in the early stages but my childcare issues put pay to that. I've been working from home but that has just involved telephone contact with clients and a few generic tasks, and a few video calls every now and again. Some of the team have returned to office a few days a week but it depends on what contract you are working on, and for me, I work with drug and alcohol services who have stayed working from home, apparently saving them a fortune in office space. Can do some of my job, but need to have face to face contact for it to meaningful.

 

Moving forward i should be ok despite it being contract and funding based, my job relies on people being out of work so that shouldn't be an issue unfortunately, but is obviously easier if they're jobs for people to go in to. 

 

I am allowed to go into office for face to face appointments but limited to a Monday. I'm in no rush though, and saving me a few quid being able to drop my kid of at nursery at 9 and picking up at half 4 rather then paying for early and extra time.