It's Friday
Forecast for today: 12C/53.5F - light rain, although it's supposed to get quite heavy this afternoon.
Mr Cee told me about a conversation he had with one of the senior managers at work yesterday. Mr Cee manages a small team and they are spread all over this country and there are a couple who are abroad. Since the beginning of the pandemic, they have all worked at home as what they do is easy from home and most people used to work at least one day at home before it all started. In fact, it proved that all the travelling he used to do is completely unnecessary as the technology is so good today that meetings can be virtual and they work well.
The senior manager said that the company is happy for everyone to work where they are most comfortable, and there are several reasons they'd like them to keep working at home. Firstly because it's cheaper for the company (of course!), secondly because people are far more productive at home. If you have to run to catch a train to get home, you often don't start something and leave it to the next day. At home, people are happier to just finish the project off at home as it gets it out of the way. Thirdly - people are happier - they have more control over their day and can do things when it suits them. Finally, it means they are less likely to get ill and have to take time off (the sick leave figures are way down from average apparently, but not surprisingly as for large amounts of time people couldn't see anyone else over the last couple of years).
I'd agree with that - Mr Cee's work/life balance is so much better - he eats better (because he's not stuck buying lunch in the canteen or a sandwich from a local supermarket), he can schedule in exercise (such as Tai Chi online from 10-11 on a Thursday morning) as he makes the time up elsewhere. He also doesn't have a 90-minute commute on public transport each way to work, so he's not as tired. His sleep patterns are more regular as he gets up at 7am, and is working by 7.30am instead of getting up at 4.30am to catch a train to London at 5am and get to the office by 7.30am. I'm pleased the senior management has realised that working from home works! Mr Cee has talked to his team and they are all happy too, and have agreed that they'll try and meet up a couple of times a year to have some time together if necessary, but it's not usually necessary :)
In other news I'm finishing off the stained glass panels today (just some tidying up) and then packing them up to send off. Then I'm off to my RL Tai Chi lesson in a nearby town and going to lunch with a friend who comes to class afterwards which will be nice. That's all I have planned apart from stopping off for groceries on the way home, but this evening there will be a nice meal and wine with Mr Cee to start the weekend :)
11. March 11 is "Worship of Tools Day". What is your favourite tool?
In the kitchen it's my Artisan stand mixer (I make bread with that all the time!), and for household tools, it has to be the electric screwdriver which means I don't get stuck with a stubborn screw if I want to take something apart.
If today is the last day of Lj I shall be very sad. I've loved the 17 years it's been my online home more than any other platform. I've met so many people online and I have so many virtual friends all over the world. I've met online friends in RL and they have become RL friends *g*.
I'm crossing everything that if it goes away, at some point it will come back.