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RTO

Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2022 3:26 pm
by Madrigal
Anybody here still working from home since the pandemic started? Hybrid work? Full return to office?

I basically check job ads every day just to see if there are any translation agencies I can send my CV to, but so many of them are looking for in-house employees. There is no justification for certain jobs, like mine, having to be done at someone's office. It would be great if employees just refused to take those jobs altogether, but I know some people will take them because they need the money.

How fucking primitive is it by now to waste time morning and afternoon in crowded transportation only to sit in a place full of distractions where you're actually going to do less work, not to mention spend money on office food and clothes. All this to maintain an ecosystem of middle management parasites that only get paid to watch what you're doing. It's just infuriating they're still pretending we need to do this.

Re: RTO

Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2022 8:54 pm
by Dirac
Yeah I'm fully remote since the pandemic. Some people are starting to sporadically go back to the office but I have a contract amendment so even when everyone else goes back I'll be remote forever. I actually moved completely out of the city. It's great honestly.

Re: RTO

Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2022 1:29 am
by Senseye
Would those in office translators get paid by the hour or by the piece?

I'm convinced working from home types aren't as productive if they are paid by the hour. So I don't blame employers for wanting them at the workplace. It doesn't make any difference for piecework. If you get paid by the completed piece, who cares where you do it assuming you don't need equipment only available at a workplace.

Re: RTO

Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2022 3:47 am
by jyng1
Senseye wrote:
Wed Aug 17, 2022 1:29 am
I'm convinced working from home types aren't as productive if they are paid by the hour.
Hmm... one study I just read said the average worker is productive for 2 hours and 23 minutes each work day. Hard to imagine you'd be less productive at home.

Re: RTO

Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2022 12:18 pm
by Ferrus
I've been hybrid, 2-3 days in the office, 2-3 days at home, depending on the week and what meetings I have to attend. Recently I have been full time in the office more as it has good a/c. :ph34r:

Re: RTO

Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2022 5:48 pm
by Madrigal
Dirac wrote:
Tue Aug 16, 2022 8:54 pm
Yeah I'm fully remote since the pandemic. Some people are starting to sporadically go back to the office but I have a contract amendment so even when everyone else goes back I'll be remote forever. I actually moved completely out of the city. It's great honestly.
What kind of work are you doing?
Senseye wrote:
Wed Aug 17, 2022 1:29 am
Would those in office translators get paid by the hour or by the piece?

I'm convinced working from home types aren't as productive if they are paid by the hour. So I don't blame employers for wanting them at the workplace. It doesn't make any difference for piecework. If you get paid by the completed piece, who cares where you do it assuming you don't need equipment only available at a workplace.
By the hour. But there's a standard for how many words a day you're expected to produce as a translator, whether you're working freelance or in an office. The standard is 3500 words a day, and whether I am at home or in an office, I'm not going to raise the bar on that. I did work at an office where I could finish that amount of words if I started work at 2 pm (after coming in at 9 am and just posting on Central the whole time :p). When I worked at home by the hour, I always reminded the boss of the 3500 maximum when I had to, even though I could finish that in one morning.

I guess there's some software that tracks your time online now but they'd have to bark up another tree with that.
jyng1 wrote:
Wed Aug 17, 2022 3:47 am
Hmm... one study I just read said the average worker is productive for 2 hours and 23 minutes each work day. Hard to imagine you'd be less productive at home.
That doesn't sound right, maybe it applies to a certain job, though, where work is more about creative spurts.
Ferrus wrote:
Wed Aug 17, 2022 12:18 pm
I've been hybrid, 2-3 days in the office, 2-3 days at home, depending on the week and what meetings I have to attend. Recently I have been full time in the office more as it has good a/c. :ph34r:
Look at you now, braving covid just for the air conditioning! I think I'd take the heat wave but I don't really know how bad it is.

Re: RTO

Posted: Thu Aug 18, 2022 6:46 am
by Spartan26
I'm work from home. I doubt I'll be called into an office before the end of the year. Hopefully never.

Re: RTO

Posted: Thu Aug 18, 2022 10:05 pm
by puerile_polyp
I've always had real jobs that require actually doing things and not just fucking around on the internet, so I have never "worked" from home

Re: RTO

Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2022 1:44 am
by Madrigal
puerile_polyp wrote:
Thu Aug 18, 2022 10:05 pm
I've always had real jobs that require actually doing things and not just fucking around on the internet, so I have never "worked" from home
This reminds me of someone I know who told me he basically fixed the electrical circuits in airplanes for a living. I was shocked and told him he was the only person I knew who had a real job. /humanities person

That said I used to watch the window washers on my way to the translation office and envy them so much. I'm much more comfortable with this kind of work now, maybe I'm just old.

Re: RTO

Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2022 6:34 am
by jyng1
Madrigal wrote:
Fri Aug 19, 2022 1:44 am
puerile_polyp wrote:
Thu Aug 18, 2022 10:05 pm
I've always had real jobs that require actually doing things and not just fucking around on the internet, so I have never "worked" from home
This reminds me of someone I know who told me he basically fixed the electrical circuits in airplanes for a living. I was shocked and told him he was the only person I knew who had a real job. /humanities person
I don't think I'd like to take work home. It'd probably frighten the neighbours.