Stuck on a train in yet another one of many train delays that occur in the UK. Running late, rushing and running to get the bus so that I can get to a meeting on time. "Why do I put myself through this," I asked myself. Trying to make sense of what possessed me to arrange this meeting at this ungodly hour of the day. "Peak hour."
While waiting for the bus, I grabbed the South African newspaper. Inside was the SA Property magazine with an article on "mixed use type developments" and the article contained the following facts:
The world's average commuting time to work is 40 minutues one way. Average commuting for workers in the UK works out to 15 days every year (360 hours).
In peak hour traffic times to cross the city can take between 4 and 5 hours in London, New York, Tokyo and even Johannesburg.
A colleague of mine said that door to door each day takes him 1 hour and 15 minutes which means that he is spending 24 days a year just on commuting to work.
How crazy is this? It makes me want to scream:
VOTE FOR FLEXIBLE WORKING!!!! and take on the powers that be.
I am also stunned when people say to me that they prefer to come into the office, sit behind a desk because if they worked from home, they would get no work done, "no self displine" they say.
"Mmmmm, 15 days extra a year, self discipline OR come into the office and loose 15 days every year. I say "15 DAYS EXTRA, bring it on, learn self discipline". 15 days should be motivation enough.
Others say that they need the interaction within the office community.
"Yes, I can see this being an obstacle but there is a worldwide community on the worldwide web to communicate with." I would rather opt for the extra days and meet up with people I want to meet with and from time to time you can have team meetings and get togethers, no one is stopping you.
I say, I am all for the flexible working! Besides it is good for the planet, reduces stress levels and adds to the quality of your life.
What do you say?
How many days are you wasting travelling to and from work?
Romany Thresher
While waiting for the bus, I grabbed the South African newspaper. Inside was the SA Property magazine with an article on "mixed use type developments" and the article contained the following facts:
The world's average commuting time to work is 40 minutues one way. Average commuting for workers in the UK works out to 15 days every year (360 hours).
In peak hour traffic times to cross the city can take between 4 and 5 hours in London, New York, Tokyo and even Johannesburg.
A colleague of mine said that door to door each day takes him 1 hour and 15 minutes which means that he is spending 24 days a year just on commuting to work.
How crazy is this? It makes me want to scream:
VOTE FOR FLEXIBLE WORKING!!!! and take on the powers that be.
I am also stunned when people say to me that they prefer to come into the office, sit behind a desk because if they worked from home, they would get no work done, "no self displine" they say.
"Mmmmm, 15 days extra a year, self discipline OR come into the office and loose 15 days every year. I say "15 DAYS EXTRA, bring it on, learn self discipline". 15 days should be motivation enough.
Others say that they need the interaction within the office community.
"Yes, I can see this being an obstacle but there is a worldwide community on the worldwide web to communicate with." I would rather opt for the extra days and meet up with people I want to meet with and from time to time you can have team meetings and get togethers, no one is stopping you.
I say, I am all for the flexible working! Besides it is good for the planet, reduces stress levels and adds to the quality of your life.
What do you say?
How many days are you wasting travelling to and from work?
Romany Thresher
1 comment:
For me the answer would, as you know - be as little as possible.
Though business does need relationship and trust to be affective and that can best be developed face2face - why continue with the grind of commuting to an imperfect office environment - when higher performance and staff morale can be achived though intelligent use of office space and a little more trust and the right performance measures in place.
Don Cooke
http://www.teamr-cal.co.uk
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