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Im curious. What does wanting to WFH and who someone works for have to do with anything? From my experience it is about 50/50 on who someone voted for for those who want to WFH. Do you have something to back up that it is different nation wide?
I was curious about this too, but let it slide. I think SharonMB hit the nail on the head. It reads like an assumption that liberals work in offices and conservatives work in the field/with their hands. I find it funny because I've worked at plenty of jobs where we had an office and labor (like when I worked in a machine shop) and that was not the case at all. You can't make those assumptions based on career.
I really think those who like WFH vs. those who don't is more of an introvert vs. extrovert thing than a political thing. Not always, but I think that's the main driver.
I can't work from home due to the nature of my work but my wife does. The issue I have is that I used to be able to turn the thermostat down during the day in the winter and the lights weren't on all day like they are now, so it is costing us money. My wife also doesn't like it because she doesn't have any social interactions with anyone. We are Gen X if that matters.
But don't you save on gasoline, wear and tear on your car, and maybe your wife's work clothing?
I really think those who like WFH vs. those who don't is more of an introvert vs. extrovert thing than a political thing. Not always, but I think that's the main driver.
I believe WFH could come back to bite introverts. I know that, as one myself, coworkers provided reliable social contacts; I HAD to interact with them every day... Whereas the tendency to isolate and withdraw or be unable to reach out could take over, to harmful effect, if one is allowed to just sit in a house alone every day. It can lead to depression...
I unfortunately learned this from retirement!
Extroverts would be sure to have many other social outlets; WFH might be their ONLY solitary activity.
Last edited by otterhere; 12-06-2022 at 07:43 AM..
I'm at the cusp of Gen Z (I'm 28). Pretty much every job I have ever had was field tech support of some kind, driving to different businesses to fix equipment. Since I'm visiting different businesses all day, my friends always ask me if I know places that are hiring.
When I tell them the Transit District will pay them double what they are currently making at the grocery store to drive a city bus, or that I know a steel mill offering a great apprenticeship program there is always some lame excuse. "That's too hard", "I meant a retail job", "Sounds dangerous"
It's a complex subject... I work remotely 3-4 days per week and in office 1-2 days per week. We do have quarterly audits where external auditors fly into town so we do a full week in office then. The interpersonal interaction is important for certain meetings and teams. But for getting work done working at home I'm far more productive. Also not having a 1 hour commute each way is very helpful for evening schedule flexibility. If I can get out at 5 go to the gym and eat I can be back online by 8 pm to have a meeting or two with our India team. If I go into the office and commute by the time I'm done with the gym and dinner it's time for bed.
It's a complex subject... I work remotely 3-4 days per week and in office 1-2 days per week. We do have quarterly audits where external auditors fly into town so we do a full week in office then. The interpersonal interaction is important for certain meetings and teams. But for getting work done working at home I'm far more productive. Also not having a 1 hour commute each way is very helpful for evening schedule flexibility. If I can get out at 5 go to the gym and eat I can be back online by 8 pm to have a meeting or two with our India team. If I go into the office and commute by the time I'm done with the gym and dinner it's time for bed.
Let me know when you can find all of these Chinese engineers with US PE licenses.
That's going to be a lot easier than you think. The percentage of foreign born PE's in the US is increasing dramatically. Outsourcing of engineering jobs is increasing at a rapid pace. While there will always be a reason for limited on-site work, many of the PE's job functions can be performed remotely. It's cheaper to buy a plane ticket than hire an American. If you can do your job from home, so can a guy in China.
That's going to be a lot easier than you think. The percentage of foreign born PE's in the US is increasing dramatically. Outsourcing of engineering jobs is increasing at a rapid pace. While there will always be a reason for limited on-site work, many of the PE's job functions can be performed remotely. It's cheaper to buy a plane ticket than hire an American. If you can do your job from home, so can a guy in China.
Then again if it could be done remotely we are left with the potential that after you change your lifestyle to resume the commute your management could just decide to outsource overseas to someone just as able and willing to do it for less money anyway. So they might as well enjoy their present lifestyle with another employer willing to accommodate them working from home or increasing their compensation to account for the commute to work.
Once employers can hire workers from anywhere, the candiate labor pool explodes geometrically. Even so, it does not mean you can just hire any dweeb from Delhi.
WFH opens the door to employers replacing American workers with cheaper labor from overseas, but I am not convinced it will be big numbers. Without doubt is a risk for anyone who can WFH. If you can WFH you can WFI (island) or WFA (Asia) or WFM (Mars). It is a risk.
IMHO, the bigger risk American workers face is, blue collar workers replaced by automation rather than white collar workers replaced by international labor.
We will find out. We live in interesting times. Being outsourced would really suck. We already went through waves of that in tech, telemarketing, customer service. Remains to be seen if WFH sees another big wave of outsourcing in other job classes.
I am so glad I am retired. As an engineer, there is no doubt I could have been replaced by someone with good Engish skills living in Taiwan, Vietnam, or Syria.
WFH is nothing new. I've worked from home on and off since 2004.
I had a VT220 terminal and a 9600 baud modem in my apartment in, I'm old - 1991?
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