Does anyone work from home 1 day and in office the other days?

I have a meeting with two member of HR next week to discuss this topic.

I work 4 days a week. I am going to propose to work from home for 1 of the 4 days. HR actually mentioned this to me a few weeks ago in passing.

Does anyone work a VERY demanding job FT and work from home 1 day a week?

If so, does it really make an impact on your work life balance?

Are you more productive at home? Or is it more stressful? Slower remote access connection, etc.

Do you have any coworkers who do this? If so, how do others in your office feel about it?

My DS will still go to his babysitter's house as I could not work if he is home!

I am just wondering about this because although the people I work for directly wouldnt care if I worked from home every day I work for a large company and I feel like this makes me appear to be a less desirable employee. I am currently working towards a promotion so I am wondering if this would hold me back.

Thanks!

Re: Does anyone work from home 1 day and in office the other days?

I also have a demanding job and the ability to work from home. My last employer let me work from home (it was their idea) once a week and it ended up biting me in the butt come bonus time.

Also a large org - I feel Ike HR is pushing to have work.life balance options and management is being forced to find someone to do it to say "oh look at us we are family friendly"

At my new company, I have the option to work from home,but i don't do it on a set schedule. If I have paperwork to do and no client meetings, I I will go in the morning to show my face and speak to people in the office i need, then leave a lunch and take paperwork home to do. Daycare is near my house so it works out well.

Re: Does anyone work from home 1 day and in office the other days?

I have a pretty demanding job. I work from 1 day a week-mondays. if needed ill change the day. I still bring DD to daycare. Its nice i don't have to commute for the day, I can clean up during 'lunch' and relax a bit. I also can get dinner ready- makes my weekend feel a little longer.

Does anyone work from home 1 day and in office the other days?

I work from home a few days a month. On those days I can get laundry done etc since it only takes a minute to throw it in. I also like the fact I don't have the commute those days. I am as productive as if I had been at my desk but it takes time to get used to it and not slack off.

I also worked my third trimester from home and loved it.

Re: Does anyone work from home 1 day and in office the other days?

I don't but my DH does. He works for a large bank. It hasn't hurt him at all in the workplace, but a lot of his coworkers also telecommute. He does say that it is his least productive day though. It is nice because he can get dinner started and he's home as soon as I get home with DS at the end of the day. Feels like our time together starts sooner.

Does anyone work from home 1 day and in office the other days?

I work from home one day a week and in my office 4 days a week.

I love it - I feel like I am so much more productive at home since nobody comes by to chat. I don't think it's hurt me professionally and it helps my work/life balance by getting a day off from commuting. I get laundry done and a few errands done so I get to enjoy my weekends to their fullest.

Certain things are a little slower - mainly accessing the network drive. I try to email myself big files the night before if I know I will be working on them.

My boys are still in daycare - it's in my telecommuting policy and it's impossible to do when they are home - I tried to work after Sandy with both of them home when the office and daycare were closed and it's impossible!

Re: Does anyone work from home 1 day and in office the other days?

Thanks everyone for responding! I really appreciate hearing all of your experiences. I guess I should take this opportunity so I can make my life a little easier!

For those who do work at home what do you do when you have no work?

I am usually 100% billable and there are only rare instances when I have absolutely nothing to do.

Re: Does anyone work from home 1 day and in office the other days?

I work from home over half the week but started out with 1 day a week. It does take some getting used to but it definitly helps with the life/work balance and you should try it out.

As for not having work, i rarely have no work and can usually find something to do. I make sure that i bring home enough from work to keep me busy at home or I start getting on the phone and making my own new work. There is always something that needs to be done. There were a few times as I was going out on maternity leave and handing my work over to my co-workers that I had less work than usual and I would just take the opportunity to take some time off and do something for myself. Since it wasn't often, taking a little time off to get ready didn't bother me.

Re: Does anyone work from home 1 day and in office the other days?

In NY it was easier to get this done. We had two options. Flex which meant four days (longer hours) at work then one day off. Modified meant one day off and reduced salary. I didn’t do it. My job is very demanding as far as presence needed. But that one day off you still couldn’t turn off your phone (aka email) so it was not really ‘free’. Here it’s not possible. Not enough coverage.

I didn’t do it because the idea of working extra hours 4 days a week didn’t appeal to me. Working in lower Manhattan and living in Huntington already the hours more than enough standard. The idea of losing money (and it was a good chunk) didn’t appeal to me either plus the idea that I’d be out a day.

They made it clear that if I worked from home (which they did allow all employees) then AJ had to have alternate care. I worked from home before and after AJ was born. Working from home meant work, not multi-tasking a child with work. One person said that if they heard AJ in the background (when she was a baby) they would report to HR and then HR would confirm if I had childcare, which is crazy. So if I got one day to work at home, it would be even more stressful, save me no money as AJ would have to still go to child care and then I’d feel like I wasn’t as productive, which would make me feel like my job was in jeopardy.

So I stuck with my schedule. Took an early hour off here and there or sick days for AJ’s doctor appts (which really as a full day due to commute) and Mommy and Me days. I still do this. As a matter of fact I’m off on Tuesday (the day after MLK) because AJ has two doctor appts but I have 4hours of free time in between. When AJ causes me to take a sick day (care for child is a sick day) and its only a shot (we still get to use a full day if we want) then it generally becomes a Mommy and me day if I can manage it. This time it won’t since I work on Tuesday night and she’s going to school for lunch and nap before her dentist appt.

It was so tempting when she was younger but I'm very glad I passed on it.

Message edited 1/18/2013 9:57:32 AM.

Re: Does anyone work from home 1 day and in office the other days?

I can work from home whenever I want
My boss likes to keep it to 1 day a week.
I thought it would be great.
It is NOT
Having DD at home means I get NOTHING done.
Conference calls are a nightmare.
Unless she is napping, I can't even answer my phone for fear of her screaming or something while I am on the call.
In the summer I literally go out in the yard to make calls.
One time I was out there cowering behind the patio furniture on an important call while she banged on the sliding glass door screaming for me!

I am so much less productive at home.
DD sees that Mommy is home and she doesn't want to hear that mommy is working. She thinks mommy is there for her. And I can't blame her.

Unless DH is home or someone to help out, I have to go to the office.
If DD is in daycare ,then yes., it's great.
But it's also easy to slip into the- oh let me just throw in a load of laundry, wash some dishes, run to the supermarket, or turn on a soap opera...which is also distratcting.

It is great if DD is home sick or I am sick or it's snowing etc.... I have to suuck it up for those situations and I am grateful for it then- I don't have to burn sick or personal time for situiations like that.

But other than that- no way

ETA- i missed the part that you DS will be at a babysitter
In that case- YES! It's great.
My internet connection is great at home, I VPN in, I have my work phone as a soft phone on my laptop so it's great.. just watch the household distratatctions that I mentioned above- and you will be fine!

Message edited 1/18/2013 11:08:06 AM.

Re: Does anyone work from home 1 day and in office the other days?

I work from home twice a week, but occasionally have to go in if needed. The other 3 days i'm in the city. It def makes a huge difference in that I am able to take DD to school, pick up. I have childcare for the entire time i'm working. I couldn't do it without.

I don't feel it has hurt me - most of my office does it as well, who has kids. And what do I do when I don't have any work? That would never ever happen!!!

Re: Does anyone work from home 1 day and in office the other days?

my cousin does this. she works from home 1 day a week. I WISH I could do this but in the nature of my job I have to be in the office.

ETA: my cousin said she doesn't get a lot done though while she is at home, so i would think having a sitter would be helpful

Message edited 1/18/2013 1:17:29 PM.