Home office

Prior to the pandemic, I benefitted from the use of home office a few times a year, when not turning up to the office was for some reason convenient. Back then I realised such solution had some drawbacks, but every time I worked from home, this was my choice.

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way corporate managers perceive working from other locations. Suddenly they realised employees do not treat home office as an extra day off, but are even more productive and diligent than in an office. Even after COVID-19 is brought under control, so that it does not paralyse our lives as it is doing these days, some shifts will not be reversed. My employer has already announced most non-branch staff will partly work from homes forever. If you put faith such move is dictated by care for employees’ safety, keep on believing it. Home office means enormous cost savings for corporations and this is the major reason it will continue to be pursued.

I have taken the trouble to estimate how much I save (money-wise) working from home and how much it costs me.

On the savings side I see:

1. travelcard, useless since late March, a 90-day ticket costs 250 zlotys, however I estimate monthly savings at 50 zlotys, since from time to time I buy single tickets and take by car some journeys I would take by public transport had I had a valid travelcard,

2. lack of lunches out, given that I ate out 2 or 3 times a month, I estimated monthly savings at 60 zlotys,

3. slower (or no) wear and tear of suits, elegant shirts and footwear plus savings on dry cleaning – here I approximated money not spent to reach 40 zlotys per month.

All in all, my costs of living are down by 150 zlotys per month; eateries in town and clothing industry are worse off.

On the cost side, I see:

1. increased electricity consumption, it rose by around 50 kWh per month, which means electricity bill will be higher by 20 zlotys per month,

2. increased warm and cold water consumption, boosting monthly charges by 40 zlotys per month,

3. increased natural gas consumption, probably some 10 zlotys per month.

On top, since my employer refused to equip anybody in a proper chair, I had to buy it for myself with my own money. I paid for it 850 zlotys. Assuming it lasts 5 years, the monthly expenses is 15 zlotys.

All in all, financially I seem better off, since net savings on items above are 65 zlotys per month. But money is not the only thing that matters. Working in the office has a crucial social aspect. Apart from just working, you meet people, chat, tell jokes, eat together. As a single, every day you have somebody to talk to, if you are in a relationship and / or have children, you can take a precious break from your spouse and offspring (which is essential to stay in balance).

Home office is a benefit and once the pandemic eases, it should be voluntary. Those most fed up with it are people who have children and look after them. Some of my workmates are already at the end of their tether. Some, because they lack proper conditions to work (if you have an analytical job, you cannot sit with a notebook on your knees and toil away) which means a crampy flat, lack of proper table, chair, noise, discords with family members. I believe home office is a cruel salvation from the threat of contracting the COVID-19 and just the lesser of two evils. With inadequate conditions to work from home and lack of direct contact with other humans, the overall long-term impact on efficiency is downward, despite absence of factors which can distract one in an office. On top, the separation of work and private life has vanished into the air (I turn off my computer and do not look it up until next working day morning, many people do not do it).

My home office is currently extended until the end of August. The routine is a misery for me. I long for direct contact with workmates (I actually saw many of them in person as lockdown eased). I long for face to face meetings with clients (most of them have returned to their offices). I long for business trips, lunches, silly jokes and all the good things which are gone, hopefully not forever.