Published on 12, July, 2020
The government wants to help companies in city centres which have suffered during lockdown because they rely on office workers. It wants to get people back in the office, but 90% of people would like to continue working from home. I'm not sure what the answer to this is. It's already cost the country more than £100bn to pay furloughed staff, and so the government wants to get everyone back working in the towns and cities. I've been working from home during 2020/2021 but I would actually prefer to get off Zoom for good! But most people seem to prefer to want to be at home. I can totally understand that and I think they are right to not want to sped their entire lives commuting, which causes so many other problems. But what does that mean for our bustling towns and cities in the future and the local economy?
I'm not sure about other people on here but I worked in London everyday for a few years and now I think people are realising that there is no need to start commuting in and out of London all the time, especially if you live just outside of london because there aren't really any decent jobs unless you go into the city.
But now that all the companies have set up the infrastructure for remote working people aren't going to want to give that up especially of they have kids because now they have a better work/life balance, also commuting into london is very expensive if you don't live near an underground station, it cost me 5k a year just in train fairs. So people are saving a lot of money from that too, I could see people maybe going into the office once or twice a week but I think the majority of people are happier and more productive at home
I understand why people do London - high wages. The problem is the ludicrous cost of commuting and the time it takes - if you're prepared to work those crazy hours, you're better off stacking shelves in the local supermarket.
I live near a main-line route into London - timed correctly, I can be at a major London Terminus only 30 mins from stepping off my doorstep.
My last house had neighbours leaving home at 06:30 am and getting home after 7 pm - they were burned out - but earning a high enough salary that enabled them to buy a nice house - but they were never in it - and couldn't afford to have kids.
They would have killed for the opportunity to work from home.
It was the same for me i was up at 6:30 and didn't get back till 7pm and that's if the trains are fine and more often than not there was some kind of delay i spend on average 13 hours of a 24 hour day at work and being on trains i had no time for any leisure and i was too tired when i got home anyway to do anything.
No we're in a place where your working hours are actually you're working hours if you work 9-5 you can wake up at 8:30 turn on your computer at 9 and shut it down at 5 and that's it. You're done for the day to do what you want. you are essentially gaining 4 hours in the day.
So far so good it's only been a week it's takes a few months before significant difference happen but I'm eating better and I think I've put on 1 or 2 pounds this week so yeah it's going well
How are you getting on at the gym?
The Empire seeks Global Control.
Not really. There's a bigger game going on.
The American tail is wagging the British dog.
Exactly - you only need a bit of bad weather or a 'jumper' and your day goes past 9pm.
But the draw of the consumer lifestyle is very strong - millions do it.
I had an agreement to start early and leave early- commute was 12 minutes.