Using a way of watching TV that does not make me feel like a slave to the tube, I am watching it via iTunes. Right now an episode of "Extreme Engineering" called "Tokyo's Sky City", about a planned vertical city in Tokyo.
That's interesting in itself, but I noted this small fact: according to the program, most of Tokyo's residents commute two to four hours every day. Most of them. Two to four hours. In those horrible over-filled trains. That is just... evil.
Why don't more people telecommute? I know that I'd take a pretty hefty pay cut to avoid a three-hour commute every day. (Heck, I'd take strychnine.) It must surely pay off for companies to do this for all those employees who don't have to be on site physically.
Featured comment by Wonko Outside the Asylum:
I'd telecommute in a moment, no question. This is mainly because that's what I did for the past two years. Unfortunately I now have to actually commute into and out of London every weekday. It eats between three and four hours of my life and over £1,500 of my hard earned, but none-the-less extremely limited cash. I hate it. I loathe it. I would rather cut off sensitive parts of my anatomy with a blunt and rusty spoon than do it. Sadly, at the moment I have no choice.
What did telecommuting require? A home broadband connection (that worked - see my blog for details - arrgghh!), an ADSL firewall router, a cable and the laptop that my employer already supplied me with. It didn't cost any money (on broadband), I didn't have to travel contributing at least one fewer sweaty person on already over-crowded public transport, I didn't have to fork out for the travel either, I had a life and some energy after work. And best of all, my colleagues and customers all said that they couldn't tell the difference.
So, I have to agree with Eolake; if you can get into your work e-mail system, filestore and any other systems they have, and have a 'phone number to be called on (I had a mobile 'phone provided for me), why do you need to be in an expensive office and waste all of that time getting to and from it? Fair enough sometimes you do need to meet with people face to face, but increasingly that is less and less of an issue.
Dammit, I want to work from home again!
I wonder how much the companies have to pay to actually have the employees on site - do they compensate for the travel costs? And I do wonder, knowing what kind of equipment is necessary for telecommuting, if it works out cheaper... I'd think that in Japan, where everything is supposed to be super efficient, that they'd have thought of it, if it was that much more efficient.
ReplyDelete"I'd take a pretty hefty pay cut to avoid a three-hour commute every day. (Heck, I'd take strychnine.)"
ReplyDeleteI'd recommend you go with the mint-flavored one. Makes it way more pleasant...
Oh, and avoid the almond-flavored type. You wouldn't want to have an unfortunate mix-up between strychnine and cyanide, right?
ReplyDeleteYes, I've heard that can cause a severe headache.
ReplyDeleteI think "telecommuting" is one of those dream arrangements that the upper classes create to ensure their upperness over the lowly middles and lowers. At all my workplaces, former and current, anyone who was powerful and rich enough to call the shots would basically get to telecommute because they called the shots. But they didn't need to, because they essentially were at fun conferences at hotels in Las Vegas or Bali for "work" most of the time, and anyway on the few days they did show up their commute was "taken care of" by the fact that they arrived at 10, had a company car, or got taxi-cab reimbursement as a "work related expense." Anyone who could have benefitted from rearranging their lives to telecommute was denied the option; I'm sure the motivation was as much to "keep the special perks for the special few" as any other reason.
ReplyDeleteGeez...
ReplyDeleteMe, I am wondering: if you can't notice whether somebody is being productive or not, why do you even keep them on staff?
Because you can't fire your pampered relatives just like that, Eolake! ):-P
ReplyDeleteGeez, have you no idea of how the world works? ;-)
If you can't tell whether or not they're being productive ...
ReplyDeleteWell, I "get" the joke, but honestly, I've never been in a workplace where productivity mattered. Or, where doing something "good for the company" (whether improving client relations, or making a profit, or creating longer-term profitability, or solving a short-term problem, or reducing the company's negative press, or WHATEVER) actually had ANY bearing on any employee's assessments.
All my workplaces have rewarded, only, and above all else, "fitting in." Even if that meant, doing a startlingly bad job to the point of embarrassment, merely in order that the senile receptionist wouldn't have to actually answer the phone.
I would be quite glad to be inserted into a more "socially Darwinist" workplace. Although I tend to disagree with the Libertarians and Republicans who believe the free market is a force for good, nevertheless I have to recognize at least one wise facet to their fictional gem. My talents are wasted by the "corporate doldrums." I'm lucky to be a bright, well-educated guy who can easily solve problems, create systemic means to get more sales for less expense, and generally lead people toward greater success, whether personal-wise or business-wise. But that means ... I get fired. Regularly.
Either I have a wonky, idiotic view of myself, or American business is a wonky, idiotic world. I choose to believe the latter.
So, would I want to telecommute? Yes. Would my productivity therefore be an issue? Yes, because I'd be able to give the company EVEN MORE, at even less cost, and therefore they'd fire me SOONER.
"I've never been in a workplace where productivity mattered."
ReplyDeleteMr Dilbert, when a guy as well-known as yourself wishes to keep his final identity undisclosed, he REALLY should remain less talkative about the details of his life. I'm no Columbo, but still I guessed way too easily. ;-)
(No, really, I'm NOT Columbo!)
"I tend to disagree with the Libertarians and Republicans who believe the free market is a force for good"
It's not necessarily a force for evil either. The principle has its qualities. Just like communism. But any system will be relentlessly manipulated by a certain kind of people until they can pervert it for their own interest.
I find it very hard sometimes to see the resemblance between the principles and the spirit in the Gospel, and the sad errings of today's Church(es). And not just in these child abuse sickeningly hypocrite scandals! Which is why I can be neither a pure atheist nor a pious bigot. Both would feel very wrong.
Perhaps Economy could ALSO admit the best position is somewhere in-between the two extremes?
"Either I have a wonky, idiotic view of myself, or American business is a wonky, idiotic world. I choose to believe the latter."
Strange, but I tend to make the same choice. Perhaps because I too was once fired almost officially for doing too good a job?
I know, I know... "Never let it show you're more competent than your boss." Oops! My wrong for not being born stoopid enough, d'uh!...
But in a hospital, it's not just about showing-off, it's the well-being of people that's involved. Stupid, stupid me for having a heart AND a brain.
"I'd be able to give the company EVEN MORE, at even less cost, and therefore they'd fire me SOONER."
But it seems they're so wonky and idiotic, even THIS clever thought is too much for their understanding. ):-P
The insecure jerk executive who treated me so poorly was fired himself soon after. However, nobody "up there" thought of calling me back. I've seen it at least three times in my yet brief professional life.
Three guesses why Economy in Lebanon is doing so poorly:
A-Bosses.
B-Absence of laws.
C-Corruption.
D-All of the above.
To all you commuters in the "decadent West": just imagine what my youth has been like, with all the various checkpoints a lebanese citizen had to cross during the war in order to get to work or college. Sometimes, we'd have to wait an hour for a 100 meter line. Twice a day!
I think I'm totally vaccinated against nostalgia!!!
Ah, Bakerloo. What I wouldn't give to be riding decent public transit ... or even waiting for it! At least you can meet the pretty girls in the line, or read a book. None of which you can do when behind the wheel of your otherwise unoccupied sedan.
ReplyDeleteFor most of us in the USA, any lack of opportunity to telecommute ALSO means the expense and time of maintaining a car and driving to work. With gasoline prices near record, that can add up to more than half of my annual income. I spend about $900 annually on (mandatory minimum) car insurance; $250 monthly on gasoline; $180 annually on standardized required maintenance; another $300 annually on surprise maintenance. That adds up to $4380 annually (which is roughly three months of my after-tax income) and I suspect it's closer to $5000. When you add in as well housing and utilities ($1000 monthly) you get a bare minimum requirement of roughly $1400 monthly. WITHOUT CONSIDERING FOOD OR CLOTHING. The best paycheck I've ever seen is about $1900 monthly. And yet they want me to save for retirement? Hah!
In simple terms, an above-entry-level salary cannot cover living, sleeping, eating, clothing, and driving expenses. Oddly, the "free market" hasn't shaken this out yet. Salaries are actually going down, and "benefits" like group health insurance are cutting services; yet costs go up. I suppose the ultimate recourse that the market of employees and bosses could have, is a total system-wide strike against work. I don't see that happening any time soon, because our culture is so ingrained to believe people are only worthwhile if we're working 40+ hours a week. "But what do you DO?" is the continual mantra.
So, as a society, we prefer something that makes us comfortable in its familiarity (the self-definition of our "work" and the location of that work at a large distance from our home -- "I'm a commuter, aren't I important?"). I have no idea how the people who flip burgers for a "living" bring it about. And then there are those amazing women who raise a child while working. And running a non-profit organization. And getting a second master's degree.
When do they sleep? Probably while telecommuting ... :)
Wonko,
ReplyDeleteHave you tried audio books? (I am wondering if that would make you dizzy too.)
Line? Train line?
ReplyDeleteA neighbor came up last week and showed me his new Bose head phones with (outside) noise dampening. They're pretty amazing.
"At least you can meet the pretty girls in the line, or read a book."
ReplyDeleteThis is what I love about today's public buses in Lebanon. They'll get you nearly anywhere (at a measly dollar for 30 km), and I do a lot of reading in them.
All's not wrong with this country. :-)
"you get a bare minimum requirement of roughly $1400 monthly. WITHOUT CONSIDERING FOOD OR CLOTHING."
Final Identitiy, have you considered becoming a naturist? You'd save a bunch on clothing!
(Disclaimer: "We take no responsibility if living naked is illegal in your State.")
"But what do you DO?" is the continual mantra.
- I gripe continually.
- Ah, so you're a Democrat! Does it pay well? ;-)
"I'm a commuter, aren't I important?"
Hey, buddy, "commuters" stopped being all that when IBM put one in every house. Miniaturization helped.
"And then there are those amazing women who raise a child while working."
No comment. They ARE amazing.
Or bonkers...
"When do they sleep? Probably while telecommuting..."
Or when commuting. That would explain everything I hear about women drivers. ;-P
"A neighbor came up last week and showed me his new Bose head phones with (outside) noise dampening."
Buses in Lebanon can get rather damp too, on a rainy day. But it sure beats walking...
I now have to actually commute into and out of London every weekday. [...] I would rather cut off sensitive parts of my anatomy with a blunt and rusty spoon than do it.
ReplyDeleteIf you video that and upload it to some pay-for-view service (iTunes?) that might actually work - heck, with some luck you mightn't even need to work again!
Hey, welcome back Ronald!
ReplyDeleteI really regret the loss of your last (and late!) Euthanasia post, because I was eagerly anticipating it and always enjoyed reading them. And certainly many others were too. I believe you should be re-writing and posting it (using Eolake's safety advice). Don't do it for me : do it for you. I'm sure you understand what I mean.
"You don't need hope to try, you don't need success to keep going."
"When one tries continuously, one ends up succeeding. Thus, the more one fails, the more one has chances that it works." -- (Shadok proverb)
Shadoks are French, obviously. :-)