Civil Servants Allowed to Work From Home

[mrs_overall]

They are to be allowed to work from home for seven weeks during the Olympics. Is this right?

http://www.dailymail....rvants-work-home.html

[AB Editor]

"The Department for Transport, which is coordinating the plans, said that the period was extended beyond the games because pressure on transport infrastructure in London was expected to be high until the end of the Paralympics."

If they can work from home, I certainly don't see why not. I don't think they can be effective from home though - I always assume it's a job which requires discussion etc.

[mrs_overall]

I can't see anything wrong with it either

[rowanwitch]

Why not it will help with the overstretched infrastructure at least .

[mrs_overall]

I agree.

I'm not very good at this arguing lark am I?

[Mosaic]

So if it works for 7 weeks, why not do it for good?

Is there still any sound reason why our roads and railways have to be stuffed like sardines with people 'working 9 till 5'?

Loads of professionals work on projects as needed and continue at home after leaving the workplace. If it's feasible for our local schools to have overseas helpdesks for their IT support (yes, they do round here!) then I can't see why sitting in front of a computer in an office is more productive than doing that at home.

[rowanwitch]

certainly for some workers it could be possible for home based work at least part of the week I knew people who did this going in for meetings and for weekly updates with management.. seemed to work well. if even 10% of people could do this it would make a big difference to crowded transport etc.

[Mosaic]

I worked in a local government office where you didn't see people from one quarter to the next. There was mega skiving going on from top to bottom - but that was the same whether they were in the building or 'working from home'.

[bazwillrun]

So, thats seven weeks holidays for most of them then....good business !

[flip_flop]

ah the old "working from home" ruse, favoured by those who want a day off but have run out of holiday.

I could never work from home because I wouldn't have the discipline required. The lawn would need mowing, or the hedges strimming or any other countless distractions would prevent me from sitting on my backside and getting work done.

I know I shouldn't judge others by my own inability to work from home, but surely I can't be the only one like this, so I would imagine there would be a % of the civil servants working from home who are effectively being given additional paid holiday!