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forthemiddle

(1,460 posts)
41. I worked from home, exclusively since 2002
Mon Jun 22, 2026, 04:20 PM
Monday

I like to say I worked from home before it was cool.
WFH is not for everyone. I was never a manager but I did do some onboarding and system training.

The bad seeds warped the image of the whole work style. There are , literally, full groups on Reddit and other social media sites that brag about having multiple full time jobs and how to get away with it.

There are multiple threads about people asking who works more than 3-4 hours out of their full time jobs, and what they do to fill their free time. There are also threads about getting away with fooling the system monitoring of key strokes, etc.

I am the biggest advocate of WFH, it was a Godsend for me. Having said that, when people want jobs to avoid daycare for infants, or for going to the gym during the middle of the day, it ruins it for everyone else.
When you are employed to work for 8 hours a day, 40 hours a week, that’s what you should be doing! That doesn’t mean you can’t throw in a load of laundry or start dinner on your break but you are being paid to work. Don’t ruin it for everyone else. If you have enough time left over after your assignment let your managers know don’t just assume it’s “your free time “.

Recommendations

2 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

Absolutely bucolic_frolic Monday #1
some managers have limited capabilities; desk checks is one of them. dem4decades Monday #2
Hey, it's not easy to sit in your office and track worker's bathroom trips Orrex Monday #5
Or snag an unfortunate employee just passing by your office YodaMom2 Monday #25
Sometimes I'm gone to the bathroom so long, the inevitable question arises: True Dough Monday #52
I've had managers in corporate settings whose only discernible function was to call meetings and waste everyone's time. sop Monday #3
... Wednesdays Monday #38
Republicans love home schooling but don't want their workers to work from home?? Yeah, there's a in2herbs Monday #4
indoctrinate their offspring. no outside thoughts dave99 Monday #20
"No outside thoughts" Shipwack Monday #28
Yep! Ego. ZDU Monday #6
Clearly, There Are Some Jobs... ProfessorGAC Monday #7
was this article about you ? dave99 Monday #22
Huh? ProfessorGAC Monday #27
I appreciate this article; its thesis was clear before the pandemic even ended Orrex Monday #8
The movie, Office Space, comes to mind. Sequoia Monday #32
Definitely! Orrex Monday #39
Having a narcissist boss is awful. I got to experience it sadly. Oneironaut Monday #9
So many CEOs are sociopaths. My boss was the owner's son and a real SOB. OMGWTF Monday #42
"Owners son" - No words are more terrifying. Ugh! Oneironaut Monday #44
The most efficient business model is multigraincracker Monday #10
Employee owned businesses don't have a CEO? MichMan Monday #19
They don't have overpaid CEOs multigraincracker Monday #33
Only $3.4 million MichMan Monday #34
Does he need an assistant manager at half price? DFW Tuesday #57
In my experience, it was also about trust nuxvomica Monday #11
Well, I did have employees who shirked work from home. Easterncedar Monday #49
When people are evaluated on their work Pinback Tuesday #60
We could have used more like you! Easterncedar Tuesday #62
It's all about control. n/t area51 Monday #12
That, and they have long term leases on Brick and Mortar Bristlecone Monday #13
Might be more to it. Business analysts saw that a CRE meltdown could result in a broad financial crisis lostnfound Monday #14
Great. Now we have found out that some of our Bosses are like Donald Trump. chouchou Monday #15
My kid had, and still has, the option of working from home, but he didn't like it, so he went back to his office at Raftergirl Monday #16
Yes, personally I prefer a hybrid schedule TexasBushwhacker Monday #21
my condolences on his touch of narcissism dave99 Monday #29
Well... Raftergirl Monday #36
Your Son Sounds Like a Winner To Me! alcuno Tuesday #61
In a different situation, I would have been like your kid RandomNumbers Monday #48
Can only speak for myself. In 2012 Joinfortmill Monday #17
I have 3 family members working from home Tree Lady Monday #26
The Galley master needs people to whip. Old Crank Monday #18
Watching people drive in LA traffic to the office Johonny Monday #23
It depends on the working environment MichMan Monday #24
I sympathize with this 100%... Moostache Monday #31
Work from home intelpug Tuesday #56
Ye Gods! Does this fit!!! slightlv Monday #30
I disagree with the premise of this genxlib Monday #35
Reductive analysis. maxsolomon Monday #37
If I remember your profile genxlib Monday #40
I worked from home, exclusively since 2002 forthemiddle Monday #41
Illustrates the disconnect between the blue collar working class and elites MichMan Monday #43
Covid change the work environment LogDog75 Monday #45
Most mid-level managers add absolutely nothing to organizations. waterwatcher123 Monday #46
T-rump, narcissist extraordinaire, ordered federal remote workers back to offices. Wicked Blue Monday #47
Technology in the 90s made remote work possible. I used to work at home a lot, but still OAITW r.2.0 Monday #50
Turf. Telework means employees are on their home turf. underpants Monday #51
My experience frequently mirrored the scenarios described in the article, BUT Pinback Monday #53
Don't forget the real estate incentives. paulkienitz Monday #54
They also think you're not actually working Figarosmom Monday #55
My husband is lucky Jilly_in_VA Tuesday #58
'New Research'? Where the hell has this person been? OldBaldy1701E Tuesday #59
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