| Had a bit of a depressing realisation last night... 13:23 - Apr 19 with 5737 views | monytowbray |
That we’re thinking about COVID too short term.
What we’re actually seeing is the impacts of climate change kicking in and the earth’s temperature is the curve we really need to be flattening. If we go back to what normal was, we’re pretty much resigning civilisation (and possibly our species) into extinction within the next hundred years.
Seeing the global response to this pandemic globally, from long term preparation of governments, ability to act swiftly and the reaction of big business when faced with profit losses, has made me realise we’re not doing enough about a risk that will almost certainly affect my daughter in her life time. We’re already past the point of no return and it will take decades to fix it (if we even can) if we act now and hope we can mitigate some of the risks.
We’re talking food shortages, fuel rations and largely displaced chunks of the population through nothing more than luck of the draw. No one is safe. It won’t magically go away or just be something that affects someone else.
In a way I think COVID could oddly be a blessing in disguise if it’s a wake up call to planet earth. We can impact our social and economic norms right now, but can’t do a lot in 100 years time if the planet is 4 degrees hotter, but if you think the lockdown now is harsh you want to see what climate change will do.
I’ve already made changes in my life over the last few years - veganism, ditching my car, overly hot on recycling, but I personally need to be thinking about more. We all do. A large chunk of recycling doesn’t even get recycled as we don’t have facilities in the UK. We should be outraged but as a species we evidently deal with our problems by ignoring them, and we’re all guilty of it.
If we learn one thing about COVID, it’s that scientists don’t use words like EMERGENCY for a laugh and those warning us are often not taken seriously by the powers that be as it interferes with capitalism.
Let’s be realistic, we could be LITERALLY DOOMED in 100 years if we don’t get this right now.
https://www.unenvironment.org/explore-topics/climate-change/facts-about-climate-
All the best.
[Post edited 19 Apr 2020 13:25]
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| Had a bit of a depressing realisation last night... on 10:16 - Apr 20 with 593 views | nodge_blue |
I agree with you but the depressing reality is that China, USA and Russia do not. We can only get our own ship in order but unless those massive countries do too.........
Look at Trump with covid- he only faces up to reality when its an inch from his nose. Otherwise he just dismisses stuff as non sense cos it doesnt fit with his agenda. |  |
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| Had a bit of a depressing realisation last night... on 10:30 - Apr 20 with 585 views | StokieBlue |
| Had a bit of a depressing realisation last night... on 08:08 - Apr 20 by TractorWood |
You could even say it's decent evidence for more counter urbanisation. London mainly but other cities have incredibly expensive office space, which people flock to every day to earn money to pay their eye watering rent and mortgages if they are supremely lucky.
Why not just live somewhere that takes your fancy or that affords a comfortable living and use Zoom or Teams or whatever?
I appreciate not everyone has the ability to work from home but a really decent percentage can after this period. |
I think you are right that a good percentage will work more from home and it's probably the way things should be heading.
However I still think the majority of people are not as productive at home. Some of that is not even their fault, Zoom meetings aren't always as efficient as being at someones desk or working through a problem together.
None of that means the work paradigm shouldn't change after this though, it definitely should.
SB |  |
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| Had a bit of a depressing realisation last night... on 10:35 - Apr 20 with 579 views | Swansea_Blue |
| Had a bit of a depressing realisation last night... on 08:08 - Apr 20 by TractorWood |
You could even say it's decent evidence for more counter urbanisation. London mainly but other cities have incredibly expensive office space, which people flock to every day to earn money to pay their eye watering rent and mortgages if they are supremely lucky.
Why not just live somewhere that takes your fancy or that affords a comfortable living and use Zoom or Teams or whatever?
I appreciate not everyone has the ability to work from home but a really decent percentage can after this period. |
The focus on Finland last year has always stuck in my mind for how we could modernise the relationship with work. They seem to focus on the individual and building links in the community first, and then work links are overlaid on that. We're the other way round, normally organisation are more authoritarian/dictatorial and we get our social interactions mostly at work but speak far less to people living next door.
In addition to being more productive, their approach has the potential to address many of the problems that we blame on a breakdown of family/community structures.
https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20190807-why-finland-leads-the-world-in-fle |  |
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| Had a bit of a depressing realisation last night... on 10:45 - Apr 20 with 569 views | BloomBlue |
| Had a bit of a depressing realisation last night... on 10:30 - Apr 20 by StokieBlue |
I think you are right that a good percentage will work more from home and it's probably the way things should be heading.
However I still think the majority of people are not as productive at home. Some of that is not even their fault, Zoom meetings aren't always as efficient as being at someones desk or working through a problem together.
None of that means the work paradigm shouldn't change after this though, it definitely should.
SB |
So this is question from someone who retired years ago.
When someone works from home I assume the company is still responsible for their wellbeing?
Take the simple example of an office worker, if you're in the office a company is responsible for making sure you have a relevant desk, chair and if the working position/environment caused you a major problem like a long term back problem resulting in you having to give up work the company is responsible for financially looking after you. But I know some people who 'ad-hoc' work from home sit on the sofa or at the dinning table.
So if people suddenly convert to working from home, does the company responsibility still exist?
I'm just interested in would companies have to supply a office desk, chair, check you electrical supply is of a certain standard, do you have a fire extinguisher? |  | | |
| Had a bit of a depressing realisation last night... on 16:17 - Apr 20 with 517 views | Andrew4445 |
| Had a bit of a depressing realisation last night... on 10:45 - Apr 20 by BloomBlue |
So this is question from someone who retired years ago.
When someone works from home I assume the company is still responsible for their wellbeing?
Take the simple example of an office worker, if you're in the office a company is responsible for making sure you have a relevant desk, chair and if the working position/environment caused you a major problem like a long term back problem resulting in you having to give up work the company is responsible for financially looking after you. But I know some people who 'ad-hoc' work from home sit on the sofa or at the dinning table.
So if people suddenly convert to working from home, does the company responsibility still exist?
I'm just interested in would companies have to supply a office desk, chair, check you electrical supply is of a certain standard, do you have a fire extinguisher? |
Yes is the answer. The employee or worker should conduct a workplace assessment and then appropriate adaptations made to the working environment. Larger organisations have an online computer program for this but it should be completed annually or after any significant change to the working area.
I think the problem is that many people do not have enough room to dedicate a space to serve as a constant work area so it is difficult to complete these assessments. The number of people I know with dedicated studies is minimal, instead it forms part of the dinning area or the spare room. |  | | |
| Had a bit of a depressing realisation last night... on 16:26 - Apr 20 with 512 views | monytowbray |
| Had a bit of a depressing realisation last night... on 16:17 - Apr 20 by Andrew4445 |
Yes is the answer. The employee or worker should conduct a workplace assessment and then appropriate adaptations made to the working environment. Larger organisations have an online computer program for this but it should be completed annually or after any significant change to the working area.
I think the problem is that many people do not have enough room to dedicate a space to serve as a constant work area so it is difficult to complete these assessments. The number of people I know with dedicated studies is minimal, instead it forms part of the dinning area or the spare room. |
I’d assume if a business saves money from being able to downscale offices they would invest in employee work setups. Eventually everyone would have what they need when they switch jobs.
Or government grants but in a recession I don’t think that’s fair or likely. | |
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| Had a bit of a depressing realisation last night... on 01:09 - Apr 21 with 485 views | Ryorry |
| Had a bit of a depressing realisation last night... on 10:08 - Apr 20 by monytowbray |
They ain't idiots, usually quite smart which is the worrying thing. Smart at sucking people dry anyway. |
They're still idiots, in the sense that they can't or won't contemplate the long-term - including the planet that their kids/grandkids/great-grandkids & so on will inherit. You can't eat gold bars or bank balances etc. |  |
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| Had a bit of a depressing realisation last night... on 01:41 - Apr 21 with 481 views | monytowbray |
| Had a bit of a depressing realisation last night... on 01:09 - Apr 21 by Ryorry |
They're still idiots, in the sense that they can't or won't contemplate the long-term - including the planet that their kids/grandkids/great-grandkids & so on will inherit. You can't eat gold bars or bank balances etc. |
Come throw bricks at banks with me in the new world. | |
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| Had a bit of a depressing realisation last night... on 01:44 - Apr 21 with 478 views | Ryorry |
| Had a bit of a depressing realisation last night... on 01:41 - Apr 21 by monytowbray |
Come throw bricks at banks with me in the new world. |
Much more subtle ways of getting up & at 'em than chucking rocks at bullet-proof glass  | |
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| Had a bit of a depressing realisation last night... on 01:48 - Apr 21 with 476 views | monytowbray |
| Had a bit of a depressing realisation last night... on 01:44 - Apr 21 by Ryorry |
Much more subtle ways of getting up & at 'em than chucking rocks at bullet-proof glass |
I’m not even going to dig into that one, is this why you needed Malware help? Are you Googling Anarchist Cookbook recipes?! | |
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| Had a bit of a depressing realisation last night... on 01:51 - Apr 21 with 474 views | Ryorry |
| Had a bit of a depressing realisation last night... on 01:48 - Apr 21 by monytowbray |
I’m not even going to dig into that one, is this why you needed Malware help? Are you Googling Anarchist Cookbook recipes?! |
Now there's a thought, cheers! | |
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| Had a bit of a depressing realisation last night... on 09:05 - Apr 21 with 435 views | BloomBlue |
| Had a bit of a depressing realisation last night... on 16:17 - Apr 20 by Andrew4445 |
Yes is the answer. The employee or worker should conduct a workplace assessment and then appropriate adaptations made to the working environment. Larger organisations have an online computer program for this but it should be completed annually or after any significant change to the working area.
I think the problem is that many people do not have enough room to dedicate a space to serve as a constant work area so it is difficult to complete these assessments. The number of people I know with dedicated studies is minimal, instead it forms part of the dinning area or the spare room. |
Thanks and yes the 'not enough space to dedicate a workspace' was the issue I could foresee meaning you end up with a situation of those who have larger properties will be able to work from home (permanently) and those who don't won't be able to.
I guess there is ultimately a cost saving for companies if they can have a large percentage of the workforce at home but I was just thinking by the time they've supplied the PC, desk, chair, having extra staff available to visit homes to replace broken furniture or test electrical equipment, plus not all staff being able to work from home because of no dedicated space so still requiring a building for those people is the saving as vast as it sounds. | | | |
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