Kooky.

By "wanting to see you in person" do you mean to interview face to face? My husband does a lot of recruitment, globally, and most of it is done by video. Much of the company (tech) has always worked remotely. In normal times they might get together a couple of times a year.

The times, they are a'changing, Badge.

BadgeIsBack

No not interview. Sometimes to solve an issue, do strategic planning, or bang heads together face to face helps. But we manage on video or even voice most of the time. Most of the tech companies I have worked with allowed a day from home here and there, and I did 2 years 4 days in the office, but this crisis showed you could do it M-F. In fact, in general I was beginning to wonder whose these people were who had already been working almost permanently from home for years...recall the head of at least 1 company who had decided to come back into the office not so long ago...(Yahoo?).

For interviewing, doing it in person I think helps you pick on the body language - see if someone is sweating, and see how they react to pressure...see their manners etc...what are they doing with their hands? I think head and shoulders is a bit limited...

Beoz

The problem with UK, SA and USA is timezones. Questions need instant answers, waiting 12 hours for that answer to come through is unacceptable, and if the question needs some research, add another 12 hours to that.

I have been doing this for decades and it's a pain in the arse and a real productivity killer.

Sydney Perth can be bad enough. Perth asks a question of Sydney, at 4pm Perth time, you are waiting until the next day for the answer. I bank with Bankwest at the moment and even that has it's challenges.

BadgeIsBack

True, though that you can use that time to prepare, you are always ahead in that sense

Beoz

Prepare? What do you mean? Delivery is where the money is and if compounding time zone delays affect this then it's worth paying a little bit more for local.

Amazulu

We can argue around the peripheries of this all we like but knowledge-based professionals who think that working from home is the new norm without any negative consequences are kidding themselves. I can see businesses using this as an excuse to cut costs and not having to deal with the onerous, nanny state, anti-business IR laws that we currently have

BadgeIsBack

I'm talking about relationships where you have clients and partners overseas and behind in the timezone, not employees .

When we go to DST I have an extra hr before a client or partner is snapping at my heels.

Cheers

BadgeIsBack

sure. But for those who will keep going it could be good. Also all those workers who have a less than great 'space' will start pointing to their dicky backs and necks..employers have to provide a safe workspace and it's why they are making sure people have the right gear at home....

Amazulu

Alright for those who can but for the rest.......

If you are a knowledge-based worker, make sure that part of your role is physically hands-on - someone who actually has to go to site for instance. If your current role doesn't fit this description, find one that does!

scrubbedexpat098

spot on. Plus working from home sucks balls.

Amazulu

I don't mind a bit of working from home but would hate to do it full-time

The mob I'm currently contracting for had nearly everyone working from home during the initial kung flu overreaction but now most are back in the office. I'm looking at a new opportunity that entails 2-3 days a week at home but I wouldn't mind that as they're working big hours and I could do a lot outside of normal office hours

scrubbedexpat098

I don't mind it now and a gain, but I spent 2 years developing course material at home, and I hated it, mind you that was after a 5 year stint of FIFO, so that may have contributed. Its being motivated enough to not watch TV or mow the lawns that was my downfall

Beoz

Oh no. New Zealand panics again.

RETURN OF RESTRICTIONS

Those in Auckland will have to work from home unless they are an essential service worker.

Schools will only open for students who have parents who are essential workers. Public facilities, bars, restaurants and businesses must close by midday Wednesday.

People can only leave the house for essential services and gatherings of more than 10 people are restricted. For the rest of the country, mass gatherings will be limited to 100 people.

Ms Ardern said the three-day restrictions would give authorities time to assess the situation.

“We’re asking people in Auckland to stay home to stop the spread,” she said.

“Act as if you have COVID, and as though people around you have COVID.

“We have come too far to go backwards.”

And this is the problem you have created for yourselves. Eternal total lock in.

scrubbedexpat098

My God you'll be creaming your pants if someone dies there, you're reprehensible.

BEVS

It's OK. The poster has made some rather odd posts re Covid19 and NZ over the past few months and also displayed lack of knowledge and understanding on certain issues. When helped with that he has become somewhat supercilious . That's fine. Ex BE Site Leads have come across far worse.

It would be helpful though if he would quote properly and add in a link to the article etc as per the site rules re copyright. From a cursory glance he has cherry picked. He has also once again misunderstood intention and probably has not followed the other assorted bulletins and updates re covid , borders and travel as that would not suit his MO. I am not really sure where the eternal lock down thing comes from as we haven't been in eternal lockdown. We have been free to do as we wish , including travel , for months.

The changes to the alert levels are for 3 days at the moment. It is to allow for track, trace, test out in the community, as well as other investigations. It offers a breather . It is not the head in sand approach of course. It is a prompt measured wise approach to an expected set back.

Hopefully no-one will be permanently disabled or actually die from this outbreak which should be everyone's prime aim. Well - one would hope so anyway.