Ideal office

[Andy]

I work from home like I am doing now from Japan where I currently live working on my internet business.

I think my home office is near ideal since today I completed the installation of an air-con unit. This is remote controlled from a small control unit I have on my desk. Also, because the weather is getting warmer I bought another fridge to keep in an adjacent room for ice and beer etc, I have some extra space in the office so I am now thinking about a small sofa to use for relaxing to generate ideas.

The only other thing I am missing is a good view out of a window. But I am not complaining at all, it is much better than the cubicle I used to work in next to the toilets in my corporate career life. How's your office?

[12noon]

Bit off-topic, but do you think that the computer era has made the office an easier place to work ?

You still have lots of paperwork to do (so much for the paper less office). You've got systems going down and can't get the work done until it's back up again. You've got normal mail as well as email to read through. You have a telephone and mobile phone, so that people can talk to you all day and all night. Emails don't always stop when your out of office hours. I bet most office workers work more hours than they ever used to.

What do you think ?

[Andy]

I only worked in one office without a computer and found it very stressful. The problem was that you got all these people with their own area of jealously guarded control of access to information, tools and materials. For example inventory, cad tools, parts lists and even things such as international standards documents.

A networked computer gives you quick access to information and tools without having to deal with people barriers.

Instant email notification is a big problem I think since it is like a phone ringing. It tends to get priority treatment even when it can wait. Email should be accumulated and read at specific times of the day other wise it can take over your life. Look at middle managers in the office, they spend half their day sending and receiving email and love to boast about how much email they have after a holiday or day off.

I would never take a work phone home (well, I did do once but only since I was paid an hourly rate to be on call). If there was a real emergency, then I am sure they could find me.

As regards paper, I noticed some colleagues were obsessed with photocopying documents and printing out emails. It seemed to be a status symbol how many folders and files were on your desk. I made the point of only keeping essential and current information in paper form and regularly shredded paper. We all had huge desks but my one looked like I just started work with no personalization (I didn't want anyone thinking I regarded it as a comfy place to be). Some people also had multiple filing cabinets stuffed with junk.

In my last office job I worked exactly 37 hours a week. Less than any other job I did. In the other jobs I made the mistake of doing lots of unpaid overtime to get ahead but later realized it was income dilution. I think this trick is used by many companies. Even worse, you can be managing hourly paid contractors that are on a higher rate than you while you do this unpaid overtime.