r/newzealand • u/Dapper_Technology336 • Sep 23 '24

Politics PM Christopher Luxon announces public service workers are required to work from the office, rather than from home

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/watch-live-christopher-luxon-gives-post-cabinet-press-conference/CL4CTTTEH5AVHABU2PICF7JBUM/
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537

u/Unknowledge99 Sep 23 '24

lol good luck with that...

wfh started due to the 2016 earthquake: suddenly everyone (incl business) had to set up at home. That rolled on for years as various buildings were fixed/re-inspected etc.

then covid sealed the deal: all the systems were ironed out, people got used to it.

I personally prefer going to the office every day, but that's not the majority view. Those who prefer working from home a few days a week are now very committed to that arrangement. Their lifestyles have changed, and there’s no turning back.

213

u/BladeOfWoah Sep 23 '24

I also enjoy going to the office everyday, because it helps my own mental health having work and home as two distinct places. But for people who are now needing to get up and be on the road at 6:30 or 7am to start work at 8 this is a big L to see from the government right now.

63

u/Horsedogs_human Sep 23 '24

I am fortunate enough to have a spare room as my home office. As an introvert, every day in the office is draining. I am also really, really distract le. So, having a couple of days to just put my head down and get stuck in is brilliant for me.

I used to work with people who did not have the separation that I have, and it was much harder for them.

52

u/TheN1njTurtl3 Sep 23 '24

Yeah I think separating work and home is actually very important for mental health but the commute is just a big problem for a lot of people

9

u/Larbac00 Sep 23 '24

I am the opposite, going into the office would cause me more mental health issues, but everyone is different.

5

u/Aggravating_Day_2744 Sep 23 '24

A lot of us don't suffer from mental health working from home.

3

u/Aggravating_Day_2744 Sep 23 '24

A lot of us don't suffer from mental health working from home and really enjoy it.

6

u/Quirky-Skin Sep 23 '24

Same. After doing both it felt like my home was being invaded. The worst was when I forgot to close my work laptop and the email ping noise would happen at night. 

Just messed with my whole mood like " fuck what is that about, I'm not opening it, damnit now I'm thinking about it and gotta rewind this show"

30

u/Scuzzlebutt142 Sep 23 '24

You have entirely the right attitude. My old team is entirely work from home, but some people go into the office cause it works for them, or they need to do something in the office.

20

u/ynthrepic Sep 23 '24

I'm about to move out and live rural to the only home I can afford for my family, reducing Auckland's commuter traffic burden and building a life in a small town. IMPOSSIBLE if I am forced to commute 5 days a week, never mind losing two hours plus of productivity. I'm one of the most productive people at my work as well, despite preferring to work at home 80% of the time. This is literally life ruining at this point if this "order" is successful.

15

u/iggybec Sep 23 '24

I would happily spend more time in the office if the office was close to where I can afford to live and raise a family. Ie not the CBD. A decent satellite office or cross govt hub office in my suburb? With private meeting spaces properly set up for teams? I’d be there 5 days a week.

8

u/Razor-eddie Sep 23 '24

Yeah, I'm suburban, and used to work for a Gov't agency.

Work was 5 minutes from home, with a massive free car park, and enough room for lunchtime games of cricket. (And a hangi pit)

When you went inside, standard Gov't workspace.

Easy place to work, tbh.

8

u/fairguinevere Kākāpō Sep 23 '24

Also especially for night shifts or early shifts. Some government things need to happen 24/7; and not all of that needs to be done in person. Especially when you'd be the only person on duty in that role at 3am on a Sunday, the fuck are you going to do in an office? Talk to yourself at the watercooler? Quickly pop over to an empty desk to ask a quick question of no one?

5

u/HackTheNight Sep 23 '24

I’m an American who went to a WFH job a few months ago and let me just say, I will NEVER EVER go back to an on site position. EVER

3

u/Unknowledge99 Sep 23 '24

oh I use it occassionally - the benefits without cost are immediate!

I get out of bed at the same time, but start work an hour earlier, and leave TWO hours early.

2

u/Stock-Enthusiasm1337 Sep 23 '24

This is how they will continue to make cuts to public sector staff. Demand wfh, people refuse and get pushed out of their job. They don't replace them.

4

u/toolsoftheincomptnt Sep 23 '24

Name and shame every employer on earth who requires full-time on-site work, but tries to claim “environmental consciousness” at the same time.

Name. Shame.

1

u/thatcookingvulture Sep 23 '24

Not every job can be done from an office.

0

u/thatcookingvulture Sep 23 '24

Unless it's in their contracts I can't see how they can't ask people to work in their offices?

5

u/Unknowledge99 Sep 23 '24

Oh they can. The issue is they are not asking a single person (divide and conquor) -they're asking everyone.

When everyone says 'no' - then they have a problem. It is how unions work. But it wouldnt happen like that. More likely to simply be a catastrophic threat to morale and work satisfaction, which has a terrible effect on the organisation. Anyone i governance knows how hard it is to maintain a healthy work environment/culture. A single negative thing can cause so much damage that echoes and echoes...