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All across the Great Western territory => Looking forward - after Coronavirus to 2045 => Topic started by: IndustryInsider on February 28, 2021, 12:04:53



Title: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: IndustryInsider on February 28, 2021, 12:04:53
I know we've discussed the fact that some of those who commuted to work all, or most, of the time, will now be anticipating to work from home much more often.  But how often?

We have a number of regular commuters on the forum, and many have commented on their plans, but I don't think we've done a poll.  So, I thought it would be an interesting exercise to ask you what you currently expect to be doing once the lockdowns have been lifted and social distancing rules relaxed?

Pick the option that is most likely for you on a week-to-week basis, and feel free to change your choice as things become clearer over the coming months.  Feel free to choose more than one option if you expect things to change week by week.


Title: Re: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: Robin Summerhill on February 28, 2021, 12:23:47
As someone who is retired and never really comuted anyway, working in or very close to where I lived, I am not in a position to respond to the poll. I will howver put forward a suggestion.

The questions appear to presume that there will still be a fixed pattern after the pandemic, but I suspect that that might not always be the case. Depending on individual jobs, some might find themselves working in the office 5 days one week, then not at all the next week, then one day in week 3 and all manner of other permutations.

Would adding an "it may very" option be usefuk or would it confuse the result?


Title: Re: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: IndustryInsider on February 28, 2021, 12:54:53
I’ve allowed for multiple choices to cover that eventuality, Robin. 

Certainly happy to add that option if people think it’s sensible to, but I thought if lots of respondents chose it then it wouldn’t give as clear a picture as having the ability to choose more than one option.


Title: Re: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: grahame on February 28, 2021, 13:01:23
I know we've discussed the fact that some of those who commuted to work all, or most, of the time, will now be anticipating to work from home much more often.  But how often?

Superb poll - THANK YOU.  The outcome will be very interesting indeed.  I'm going to flag this up on our social media page to remind occasional members to come along and vote too, if that's OK?

I last commuted by train - i.e. regularly to a place of work for each day's work - in 1976 - so not in the target group to answer this poll. Lots and lots of other business use much more recently.  So not in your electorate for this one ... I've had a rather different working life to many!


Title: Re: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: IndustryInsider on February 28, 2021, 13:03:15
Yes of course, Graham.  Spread the word...


Title: Re: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: grahame on February 28, 2021, 13:05:33
I’ve allowed for multiple choices to cover that eventuality, Robin. 

Certainly happy to add that option if people think it’s sensible to, but I thought if lots of respondents chose it then it wouldn’t give as clear a picture as having the ability to choose more than one option.

I was posting my previous comment at the same time as you.

I suspect there's a significant number of us "irregulars" - Robin and me - around, and that will mean that the total number of votes cast will probably not be as high as some of our polls.  But that's fair enough; I would tend not to amend the questions of the options - and certainly not in mid-vote!


Title: Re: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: IndustryInsider on February 28, 2021, 13:23:15
Yes, I though it best not to ask those who commuted irregularly before the pandemic, as the results wouldn’t give as clear a picture of how regular traditional commuting will change. 

Albeit, as you say, that will reduce the number of members who vote, and it is almost worth doing as a separate poll.

It’s my intention to capture the results of this poll after a couple of weeks, and then see how that expectation matches reality, by re-running the poll in a year or so when (hopefully) things are settled back to what will become the new pattern.  It will be interesting to see if what people think will be the case, actually becomes the case.


Title: Re: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: ChrisB on February 28, 2021, 15:21:43
I’ve allowed for multiple choices to cover that eventuality, Robin. 

Errr, you sure about that? I voted once, unable to add another vote. So I deleted my vote, but it still only allows me to select one option per vote. So I can change my vote, but not add to it.


Title: Re: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: IndustryInsider on February 28, 2021, 15:27:13
I thought I had, Chris.

There doesn’t appear to be the option to check (or change) what that setting is when I click on edit poll though.  Is that possible, Graham?


Title: Re: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: grahame on February 28, 2021, 16:35:35
I thought I had, Chris.

There doesn’t appear to be the option to check (or change) what that setting is when I click on edit poll though.  Is that possible, Graham?

I have just gone in and increased from a maximum of 1 to 3 votes.  That should be possible for a poll 'owner' as well as for an admin but without doing all the setup I can't be sure.   I have also taken the liberty of setting the poll to run for 10 days rather than staying open for an indeterminate time; by that time, you should more than have all the votes you're likely to get, and if not you have an opportunity in the few days before to chase people - nothing like a deadline to get them to vote.

To change a vote, yes, delete previous vote and you can (now) select up to 3 options.


Title: Re: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: eXPassenger on February 28, 2021, 16:51:58
I am also retired so will not respond.  My earlier work pattern did not fit your defaults as it was 3 days a week in Bristol and 2 in London.


Title: Re: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: IndustryInsider on February 28, 2021, 17:00:19
I have just gone in and increased from a maximum of 1 to 3 votes.  That should be possible for a poll 'owner' as well as for an admin but without doing all the setup I can't be sure.   I have also taken the liberty of setting the poll to run for 10 days rather than staying open for an indeterminate time; by that time, you should more than have all the votes you're likely to get, and if not you have an opportunity in the few days before to chase people - nothing like a deadline to get them to vote.

Thank you, Graham.  I couldn't see that option to amend (it was there when I set the poll up), but was attempting to edit on my phone browser which is never ideal of course.  Anyway, problem solved.


Title: Re: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: ellendune on February 28, 2021, 18:24:03
Since I only work 3 days a week and intend to reduce that to 2 and I only commuted 5 miles by car before lockdown (practical public transport options not available - unless you consider over an hour to do 5 miles practical) I shall not respond. Though I think it likely that I will continue to work at least one of those days each week from home.


Title: Re: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: IndustryInsider on February 28, 2021, 18:50:21
Even if not ‘eligible’ to vote, it’s good to hear how those who didn’t do a full week in the office before are likely to change their habits, so please give a description of your plans as ellendune has done.


Title: Re: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: Surrey 455 on February 28, 2021, 19:50:19
I've selected the first 3 options. I was commuting 5 days a week, now WFH. I expect to return to the office at some point but whether that is every day, I just don't know.


Title: Re: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: Robin Summerhill on February 28, 2021, 20:02:50
Even if not ‘eligible’ to vote, it’s good to hear how those who didn’t do a full week in the office before are likely to change their habits, so please give a description of your plans as ellendune has done.

Once we get back to normal, or new normal, I intend to return to my previous habits of going somewhere at least two or three times a month. These are usually always day trips from Chippenham or on my way to airports or similar for onward travel.

It is I suppose difficult to define what normal or new normal may be, but my decisions will be based on criteria like these:

No or limited government restrictions on travel
A daily infection rate that I would feel comfortable with (under 50 in 100,000)
Face masks not compulsory
A  train service that was back to normal enough to make travelling at my choice of time possble

I am also hoping that I will be able to have the 14-day all line rover that I planned to have last year.


Title: Re: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: Sixty3Closure on February 28, 2021, 21:30:04
Pre-lockdown I was in the office 4 days a week with one day WFH. This was travelling into central London from Thames Valley. This was partly through choice but also to keep in touch with the rest of the team who tended not to have the flexibility I had.

After lockdown my ambition is to work remotely from rural Wales going to a office a couple of days each month. My work is likely to change to cover England rather than just London which may mean racking up more miles but less of the daily commute. It makes my basing myself outside of the south-east more sensible.



Title: Re: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: MVR S&T on February 28, 2021, 21:56:21
My rail 'commute' was pre lock down, 3 or four times a week to visit a pub or three, at weekends usually somewhere like Weymouth, Southampton, Basingstoke (yes there were some good pubs) or Reading, durning the week, from my local station, Hinton Admiral, to either Christchurch or New Milton, then walk back. was a shame I couldnt use my network railcard for those trips, despite usually having the coach of a 5 car train to myself!
In the ihe future probably half the amount of trips I think, as going to one of my local brewerys and DFH. Which I have got used to, better than sitting on a cold Basingstoke platform on a winter evening.


Title: Re: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: TaplowGreen on February 28, 2021, 21:58:31
1 day a week for me, very occasionally two...already pretty much confirmed......seems to be the way the wind is blowing...............https://www.bbc.com/news/business-56198750


Title: Re: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: rower40 on March 01, 2021, 13:08:37
Working from home(WFH) saves me having to iron 5 shirts a week.  But I miss my train trip (7 mins each way).


Edit: VickiS - Clarifying abbreviation


Title: Re: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: IndustryInsider on March 01, 2021, 13:31:47
After lockdown my ambition is to work remotely from rural Wales going to a office a couple of days each month. My work is likely to change to cover England rather than just London which may mean racking up more miles but less of the daily commute. It makes my basing myself outside of the south-east more sensible.

Is anybody else considering that needing to commute much less often might mean being able to live in a nicer and/or cheaper home further away from their offices?


Title: Re: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: Lee on March 01, 2021, 14:26:57
After lockdown my ambition is to work remotely from rural Wales going to a office a couple of days each month. My work is likely to change to cover England rather than just London which may mean racking up more miles but less of the daily commute. It makes my basing myself outside of the south-east more sensible.

Is anybody else considering that needing to commute much less often might mean being able to live in a nicer and/or cheaper home further away from their offices?

I already do, but in a somewhat more extreme way than you are envisaging in your question, I would imagine!


Title: Re: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: IndustryInsider on March 01, 2021, 17:27:11
I already do, but in a somewhat more extreme way than you are envisaging in your question, I would imagine!

Perhaps, Lee.  Though I think what would have been considered 'extreme' might soon be considered as fairly normal.  I used to know someone reasonably high up in a well known company who lived in the Shetlands If I remember correctly (IIRC) and commuted down, by air to Edinburgh then usually an onward flight or occasionally a train, from there to London for a couple of days a week staying overnight in a hotel.  I used to think he was mad.


Edit: VickiS - Clarifying acronym


Title: Re: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: eightonedee on March 01, 2021, 18:36:00
Quote
Is anybody else considering that needing to commute much less often might mean being able to live in a nicer and/or cheaper home further away from their offices?

Maybe, but many of those places are in National Parks, Areas of natural beauty (AONB) etc where there is a shortage of housing and strict planning policies against building many more. The "natives" will not be keen on changing this to accommodate commuters fleeing the south east and the commuter suburbs and satellite towns of our other large metropolitan areas.

Edit: VickiS - Clarifying Acronym


Title: Re: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: Sixty3Closure on March 01, 2021, 19:12:45
Quote
Is anybody else considering that needing to commute much less often might mean being able to live in a nicer and/or cheaper home further away from their offices?

Maybe, but many of those places are in National Parks, AONBs etc where there is a shortage of housing and strict planning policies against building many more. The "natives" will not be keen on changing this to accommodate commuters fleeing the south east and the commuter suburbs and satellite towns of our other large metropolitan areas.

When I was looking for my new home - I'm near a national park but not in it - that was one of the things I did think about. However, talking to many estate agents and sounding them out about the whole second home thing (which it would be for a while) they didn't seem that concerned. And yes I know they were trying to sell me a house :)

Couple of reasons - I was looking at old properties in the middle of nowhere, with land and within a certain price range. None of the locals wanted to live in the countryside or manage land (if 4 acres counts as land) and if they did they didn't want an old converted farm house with no broadband, mains water, gas or sewage. Rightly or wrongly I was also looking in a price range well outside the average for the area although to me very cheap/good value. The locals have been incredibly welcoming and accept that you need incomers to keep the small towns and villages alive as the young people head to the big cities.

My circumstance are probably not quite the same as everyone moving out of the south east but I suspect far from unique.


Title: Re: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: grahame on March 09, 2021, 07:46:22
BUMP! .... Just a day to go in this poll - which provides an indicator - a small one, but in an area that "the powers that be" are not ovwewhelmed with data - as to what people's commuting habits might be in "the new normal". If you haven't voted and you previously commuted to work, please vote!


Title: Re: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: IndustryInsider on March 09, 2021, 11:33:28
Thank you Graham.  If we can make it to 30 respondents that gives a small but reasonable sample.  Sadly, a few of our regular commuters and posters, such as NickB from Maidenhead, haven’t logged in since they stopped commuting in the first lockdown, so we’re not going to capture the views of everyone.

It looks like the results of our little survey will paint a very mixed picture with businesses still expecting to take very different approaches.  That echoes the findings of this article from the BBC:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-56319623

In summary you have Beyond Petroleum (BP) expecting a three day commuting week, Phoenix Group keen to keep their staff at home for the time being at least, with Goldman Sachs very against continuing working from home (WFH) longer than necessary. 

Others are still sitting on the fence.  It will be fascinating to see on which side they get off.


Edit: VickiS - Clarifying abbreviation and acronym


Title: Re: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: grahame on March 09, 2021, 12:10:32
Thank you Graham.  If we can make it to ...

It is already significant though a few more votes will certainly reduce the margin of error and width of the possible outcome "spray".

COME ON members - 105 of you have been logged in during the last 24 hours alone and the "turnout" for this poll so far measured against that is in line with an election such as that for a Police and Crime Commissioner; we'll never get it up to the MP level, but how about Parish Council turnout?? Please vote.


Title: Re: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: rogerpatenall on March 09, 2021, 15:07:53
Retired, and not relevant to me.

When I was living on Alderney part time there was quite a circle of British Airways (BA) flight and cabin crew staff living there. Then I moved to the Cotentin in Northern France, again part time and behold - another circle of BA long haul staff in the area. Many using their own light aircraft for the commute from both Alderney and Cherbourg.

Before the lockdown, the closest to a rail commute was in alternate months a trip from Greenwich to Rochester to meet a friend for lunch, and, in the other month a trip from Valognes to Paris - just because we could. How I miss both trips.


Edit: VickiS Clarifying abbreviation


Title: Re: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: GBM on March 09, 2021, 15:14:46
My regular commute to/from work is by own car.
Nearest rail station to me is 11 miles away.
Early start; late finishes precludes any form of public transport for my commute.


Title: Re: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: ray951 on March 09, 2021, 16:43:01
Up until March 2020 I had been a commuting 5 days a week into Oxford by train and I had been doing that for the last 10 years.

I have now been working from home for 1 year and when we eventually get back into the office I won't be going in 5 days a week, maybe 1 or 2 days a week at most.

I am also ambivalent about whether when I do go back whether I will go by train. What put me off going by car previously was the higher marginal cost of going to work by car compared to an annual season ticket, having to use the busy A4130/A34 every day, and at the end of the day I preferred to travel by train.

But I am just about to take delivery of an electric car which will make the marginal cost of the car a lot less than the full peak train fare and if I am only travelling into Oxford once a twice a week than I can probably put up with the traffic on the A34.

The other issue that is making think that I could now go by car is that since the cancellation of electrification to Oxford the service has got worse, as the number of seats per train is much reduced and there are fewer trains. And just before Covid hit there was also the issue of the Dec 2019 timetable change which caused the service I caught every morning to be late every day and wasn’t going to be resolved until the May 2020 timetable change at the earliest. Of course events have overtaken the last issue but it left me wondering why I should bother to travel by train if the railway industry take 6 months to fix an issue that was causing a lot of disgruntlement among its customers.


Title: Re: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: CyclingSid on March 10, 2021, 07:00:12
Voted, but the commute is across town by bike.


Title: Re: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: grahame on March 10, 2021, 07:52:56
Still open - eight more hours to vote at http://www.passenger.chat/24728

To those who have voted - thank you.  To those who have not - please vote now!


Title: Re: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: Jason on March 10, 2021, 11:22:12
My first post in a year to vote.
25 years of 3+ hours a day commuting by train from Berkshire to London came to an abrupt end just about a year ago.
I will only be going in maybe once a month at most, usually linked to a good after work session to compensate.
It will be on my terms and I will certainly avoid the peak.

Jason.


Title: Re: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: DaveHarries on March 10, 2021, 23:33:47
My method of transport to work prior to the current health crisis depended on what time I had to be in work for. If I had to be in for 0830 then I would get the train on my local line as that was better than sitting in the traffic. If I had to be in later I would use the car as it was impossible to guarantee what time I would finish for the day.

With things as they are now I use the car daily as a means of limiting the risk of acquiring the COVID-19 bug: that decision is largely influenced by the fact that I still live with my folks who are both 70+. They have had their first jabs and are awaiting their second: I am still awaiting my first.

Once things are done and dusted I will probably resume as per the first paragraph although I will be looking to change jobs. I am not yet sure what I will change to though.

Stay safe all.
Dave


Title: Re: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: IndustryInsider on March 11, 2021, 12:01:47
Thank you Graham.  If we can make it to 30 respondents that gives a small but reasonable sample.

Well, we fell one short of 30 voters, though the 29 that did vote (thank you!) chose a total of 33 options which were pretty much evenly split.  That was a slight surprise to me, as I was expecting fewer people to do a full 5-day week, and fewer people to expect to have almost permanent work from home arrangements.

So, purely statistically, based on the responses there would be a drop in commuter numbers of around 50%.  Now, that of course doesn't take into account holidays and sickness and the demographics of the people who are likely to vote and be a member of this forum, as well of course that the sample of votes is small, so perhaps the final figure will work out at about 66%?  Another questions is whether those that voted actually end up doing their expected choices...I may do the poll again in a year or so when things will have (hopefully) settled to see if expectations have met reality.

For those who continue to commute, it is quite likely that Mondays and Fridays, which were already quieter than mid-week, will become more quiet.  Up to a point that can be accommodated, but if it gets too polarised then you might find a situation where trains are 'sitting empty in sidings' for even more time than then used to do pre-pandemic.

Great Western Railway (GWR) find themselves in a better position than many franchises, having off-loaded a significant chunk of their commuter train responsibilities to Transport for London (TfL) Rail in readiness for the Elizabeth Line opening, but we still might find ourselves in a position of having Tu-ThO (Tuesday to Thursday only) trains in the timetable, or possibly trains running with longer formations on those days.  Neither of which is ideal.

The good news is that commutes are likely to become more pleasant experiences in many cases - more space on the trains, a more punctual service etc.  Though I remain concerned that some more marginal services, stations and routes might find themselves being axed if the revenue can't be had from them.

Time will tell...


Edit: VickiS - Clarifying Acronyms


Title: Re: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: eightonedee on March 11, 2021, 13:53:22
Quote
The good news is that commutes are likely to become more pleasant experiences in many cases

But if the service is thinner/less frequent it will mean that the impact of cancellations and missed connections will be worse.

It would be good if the opportunity could be taken (if we are to have a thinner service) if timetables could be re-drawn to make connections easier and more certain. 


Title: Re: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: IndustryInsider on March 11, 2021, 14:00:49
Yes indeed, hence using 'many' rather than 'all' in my wording.  There are some cases where the commute could become worse - or indeed if any routes or stations end up being closed, they could become impossible!

Hopefully that will not come to fruition and In my humble opinion (IMHO) the environmental argument is the strongest card in the railway's hand going forward.


Edit: VickiS -Clarifying abbreviation


Title: Re: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: Lee on March 12, 2021, 03:17:23
Here's an alternative option that you might not have considered...

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/mar/11/faux-commuters-fake-trips-work-pandemic

Quote from: The Guardian
At the outset of the Covid-19 pandemic, some workers found themselves at home, momentarily (at least they thought) liberated from the many impositions of office work – including commuting. Now, instead of waking up early, getting dressed and schlepping to the office and back, people had time to do anything they want. Which is why it might be surprising that some are still pretending to commute.

“When I [started] working from home, I had this gap in my day. At first I was like, ‘Wow, like I have a lot more time, I can sleep in!’ But there are a lot of aspects of the commute I just was missing,” says Kerri Jesson, a digital marketing associate in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Before the pandemic, Jesson had planned her day while on public transit – going over her to-do list, checking her calendar, and getting ready to transition into work mode. “I didn’t even really realize that I was prepping myself for the day until I no longer had the ability to do that,” she says.

In an effort to regain the satisfying elements of her former routine, Jesson began faux commuting several months ago. Now, she drives about 20 minutes to a coffee shop most mornings, before her workday starts. Not only does Jesson’s commute create a buffer between her work and personal time, but it “adds that more human aspect” back into her day.

“When you’re commuting, there’s hundreds of people around you, so it’s kind of like everyone’s in it together,” she says. Jesson is clearly not the only one craving this sort of downtime. Microsoft has tried to recreate the benefits lost from commuting by creating a “virtual commute”, giving employees time to set goals in the morning, and reflect back on the workday at its end – with an optional short guided meditation to round everything off.

John Dorsey, an attorney in Washington DC, had been cycling 40-odd minutes to work and back every day for 20 years when the pandemic hit. For him, cycling was a way to avoid heinous city traffic while exercising, or to listen to the occasional HG Wells audiobook.

Dorsey’s last day working in an office was a Friday, and the following Monday he was already back out there on his “circular commute”, a 15-mile morning ride through Rock Creek Park that’s become a favorite pastime. “It’s an hour where I don’t really need to talk to anybody, I’m just sort of away,” he says.

But with winter’s freezing temperatures, you would think some cyclists might appreciate a break from their morning commute. Apparently not, for cyclist Louis Philippe, a business analyst in Mississauga, Ontario, who has continued cycling to work through winter, but from the comfort of his own home.

Philippe appreciates the meditative qualities of a morning “fake commute” cycle – but swapped out the rush of wind in his hair and got his adrenaline pumping from November onwards using a stationary bike in his basement. “As soon as it starts getting dark early and we change the clocks I have trouble getting up to [bike outside] early in the morning,” he explains.

Studies support the fact that commutes offer the benefit of creating psychologically useful transition periods between work and home life. Consciously signaling to the brain and body it’s time to stop working is especially important when we’re working from home: a recent study of 3.1 million people by the National Bureau of Economic Research determined that following lockdown orders, remote workers stayed on the job almost 50 minutes longer every day than they did while in office, a trend which could exacerbate burnout.

Before the pandemic, when commuting was obligatory, its healthy, boundary-creating elements may have felt like a meager silver lining around a dark cloud of drudgery and stress to many.

Now, faux commuters can journey on their own terms, choosing where to go – like a park instead of gridlocked traffic; they can choose their mode of transportation – like a nice walk rather than a dark subway ride; and how long they want to “commute” for – perhaps just in the morning, afternoon, or both.

Naturopath Dr Jessica Eastman, a faux commuter herself, even believes a commute can be the secret to a high-quality sleep – something many have found harder to get during the pandemic. Now, Eastman prescribes morning and after-work walks to her patients to help them clear their minds and get better rest.

“People are having a really hard time falling asleep at the end of the day after working remotely,” she says, explaining how time blurs together without clear slots for things like lunch, start time and finish time.

Without the time to process and clear information, she says we end up finally doing it at the end of the day, when we lie down to sleep – keeping us up at night.

“Not only is [the faux commute] really vital for helping to regulate mood, energy and focus for the day, it’s also super vital for optimizing sleep quality and the capacity to fall asleep with ease in the evening.”

At the very least, faux commuting is as good a reason as any to get out of the house.


Title: Re: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: Red Squirrel on March 12, 2021, 18:15:06
Just been listening to the media briefing (https://youtu.be/-c-ViR0gKno) that went with the recent Bristol/West of England Combined Authority (WECA) transport announcements. Apparently 20% of all journeys are travel to work. So any reduction in commuting will be a fraction of a fraction of the total journeys.



Edit: VickiS - Clarifying Acronym


Title: Re: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: Bmblbzzz on March 12, 2021, 21:31:05
But say half of those journeys to work are no longer made, a 10% reduction in total journeys is still noticeable. And commutes are inevitably packed into the same intense period, with little real flexibility, so the effect on congestion will be greater than the overall reduction suggests. There might be a further knock-on effect in reduction of school journeys made by car; if you're not leaving home in the morning anyway to drive to work (but still have to work and might be expected to be "present" at the same time), you might be more inclined to let the kids walk, cycle or take the bus.


Title: Re: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: Jason on March 13, 2021, 11:49:14
Another questions is whether those that voted actually end up doing their expected choices...I may do the poll again in a year or so when things will have (hopefully) settled to see if expectations have met reality.

My company (80+k global headcount) were asked what we wanted to do and subject to approval we got what we wanted. My choice is now enshrined in my contract.
I still get many approaches from headhunters - stating the number of days at home is now pretty much de facto in any initial pitch. I'd say almost all are >50% home based.


Title: Re: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: IndustryInsider on March 13, 2021, 12:24:51
My company (80+k global headcount) were asked what we wanted to do and subject to approval we got what we wanted. My choice is now enshrined in my contract.
I still get many approaches from headhunters - stating the number of days at home is now pretty much de facto in any initial pitch. I'd say almost all are >50% home based.

That's interesting to hear.  I wonder if, in those sectors where 'permanent' home working is possible, people will end up changing jobs more often as the logistics of changing their employer are greatly reduced - no need to consider where you live, the nature of the commute, etc.?


Title: Re: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: stuving on March 13, 2021, 12:50:12
My company (80+k global headcount) were asked what we wanted to do and subject to approval we got what we wanted. My choice is now enshrined in my contract.
I still get many approaches from headhunters - stating the number of days at home is now pretty much de facto in any initial pitch. I'd say almost all are >50% home based.

That's interesting to hear.  I wonder if, in those sectors where 'permanent' home working is possible, people will end up changing jobs more often as the logistics of changing their employer are greatly reduced - no need to consider where you live, the nature of the commute, etc.?

It occurs to me that one asepct of of WAW (working at work) that's hard to replicate at a distance is joining a team and getting to know them and understand how they work. It's one thing for a team who have worked in one place to continue remotely, but bringing in someone new will be a very different experience. No doubt that's one reason (among many) why employers are not expecting the switch to WFH to go as far as employees are.


Title: Re: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: Bmblbzzz on March 13, 2021, 13:02:49
I'd agree with that^^ and add that it's one of the reasons why some (though probably a minority) of employees are keen to get back into the office. Other reasons are for greater work-home separation and better access to software and hardware, faster internet speeds, and similar technical reasons.


Title: Re: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: Jason on March 13, 2021, 19:57:20
It occurs to me that one asepct of of WAW (working at work) that's hard to replicate at a distance is joining a team and getting to know them and understand how they work. It's one thing for a team who have worked in one place to continue remotely, but bringing in someone new will be a very different experience. No doubt that's one reason (among many) why employers are not expecting the switch to WFH to go as far as employees are.
My situation is somewhat unusual that I am the only member of my team based in Europe and that due to Covid I have never had chance to meet up face to face since I started.
I think with the accelerated move to enhanced voice and video calling due to the WFH needs precipitated by Covid that these lines are increasingly blurred.


Title: Re: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: TaplowGreen on March 14, 2021, 09:45:59
A small sample size but significant in the context of most of those responding being rail enthusiasts or those with an interest in the subject.

I think most people are sensible and realistic enough to see the way the wind is blowing in respect of remote working however I must admit that I found that over half of those responding indicating that they foresee 2 or less days a week commuting to the office quite surprising - and even those may not commute by rail.

If those results are anything like replicated nationwide in reality, losing such a significant chunk of the customer base together with the revenue it brings must have implications and it'll be interesting to see what the future holds for those working on the railways, or for those seeking a career in that sector going forward.


Title: Re: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: Bmblbzzz on March 14, 2021, 13:04:18
Presumably one of the changes is likely to be a more permanent though less extreme version of what was reported last summer, with trains to London running half empty and those on Cornish branch lines bursting at the seams. If the railways are able to adjust to this change in travel patterns we might end up with a system that better serves more people; less London focussed, more dispersed, more attention paid to smaller places and lines. This would probably apply even within London, with more services in outer parts of the city and less concentration on the City. But it does take railway a long time to respond to changes. And of course it might not end up like that at all.


Title: Re: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: FenMan on March 31, 2021, 15:11:07
Slightly late to this subject, it's noticeable a fair number of messages in this thread seem to take WFH for granted. Presumably these contributors have home offices or similar that were set up pre-COVID?

It would be interesting to learn the proportion of 20 to 30-somethings who have the privacy and space to WFH.

Pre-COVID, large numbers of young people were commuting to Reading from my local station, Blackwater. Given the goatee beard quotient and the abundance of trendy satchells/rucksacks, I'd hazard a guess many were heading for the big tech employers in the Thames Valley Business Park. I happen to know, via a friend who works in the local estate agent, that rentals in Blackwater have been at a premium for years due to this influx of young commuters. I wonder how many are in house shares that make WFH far more challenging?


Title: Re: Regular commuters: What are your current plans and preferences after lockdown?
Post by: Sixty3Closure on April 01, 2021, 10:25:51
My employer has been doing regular surveys of staff and you're right in that there has been a noticeable split mainly by age on how happy people are to work from home and continue to do so.

Younger staff tend to be in house shares and don't have a home office and one of the most common questions we got was about DSE (Display Screen Equipment) and ergonomics. Broadband was also an issue if there's alot of people sharing. I think there's probably a social issue as well. Even though as some of the younger people in my team moved back in with parents and had a home office they missed the social aspects.
I had to work with an apprentice who hadn't been in a building or met any of the her team in person and I think that must be really difficult. Its very hard to judge office politics over a Zoom call. I've been with my employer for quite some years which is a big tick in my being comfortable WFH.

The type of work or role was also a big factor. As a middle manager with a meaningless title I tend to write and review reports and I can do that anywhere. The younger people tend to be more creative, need specialist hardware, work shifts etc and its much harder to do that remotely.

One of the other issues that came out of the surveys was some resentment from people who had to travel into buildings vs the (generally) middle managers who could skip the daily commute.



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