Remote opportunities on the rise for job seekers in the IT sector in South Africa

[Nom Chompsky]

At my previous employer, office attendance was suddenly increased from 2 days to 5 days, although a compromise was reached due to huge staff rebellion and we settled at 3 days. The reason for the random escalation? The boss couldn't find one of the juniors minions on a Friday [which wasn't one of designated compulsory in-office days] and "doesn't like emailing or messaging" people (read as: I like to bully people face-to-face so they do as I demand on the spot).

 

[EmmanuelGoldstein]

At my previous employer, office attendance was suddenly increased from 2 days to 5 days, although a compromise was reached due to huge staff rebellion and we settled at 3 days. The reason for the random escalation? The boss couldn't find one of the juniors minions on a Friday [which wasn't one of designated compulsory in-office days] and "doesn't like emailing or messaging" people (read as: I like to bully people face-to-face so they do as I demand on the spot).

That's pretty much how it happened here... the tosspot couldn't get hold of one of the people (person has since resigned) on a Friday, and then went on a rant and tirade about how "people are not available during the day"

Makes us work 8 hours straight, any shortage leads to reprimands, yet he himself walks in when he feels like it sometimes around 9:30AM.

And for posterity: It's all about dashboards here... they treat the Jira board as God's truth, and measure on how many lines of code was written in a day.
Successes are not recognized, only failures are and these generate reprimands in the daily standup meetings.

 

[warrenpridgeon]

I do get up at 5am, but the N3 is a horror show.

I leave around 6, get to work just before 7 if I am lucky. 4pm is the earliest I can leave and getting home by 5pm is considered a smooth run. If anything stupid happens or it rains (Gillooly's likes to flood), I am cooked. My record is 3 hours to get home (30km).

Gillooly's is a mess basically all the time... it just goes from completely standstill mess to "normal Gillooly's mess"... even Saturdays is dicey.

My first job was off of anvil road... I had to brave Gillooly's daily... BUT back then I could get from the Vaal to work in 50mins most days unless there was an accident. That was however circa 2006. lol. That's not even close to the reality of that route now though... except at 3am but then you're dodging dronkies on the road (in cars and on foot).

 

[Werner1975]

Commuting between Boksburg and Samrand, I use the N12/N3/N1 in the mornings. Leave the house at about 05:10 and get to work at about 6 am.
In the afternoons I totally avoid the above mentioned roads like the plaque as the R21 is a better option.

 

[hj007]

Yup, this is what we've tried to do, we have myself generally from 6 to 3, 8 to 5 and 9 to 6, this also covers most things for support, maintenance and such as well.

Here thinking about all those days where in office 7-4 or 8-5 but work continues at home till 10, so irrelevant whether you leave at 3/4/5, you're just working from home after that...

 

[kolaval]

Part of me actually doesn't mind going into the office, the one advantage is the actual separate place for work and home.
When you're working from home, there isn't that distinction.

Until they redo the offices into a big, open plan, interruption factory® and you have to code.

 

[Lupus]

Here thinking about all those days where in office 7-4 or 8-5 but work continues at home till 10, so irrelevant whether you leave at 3/4/5, you're just working from home after that...

Nope, I now only do my hours, if they want overtime I bill for it, so they rarely ask me to do it unless it's really necessary.

 

[Lupus]

Until they redo the offices into a big, open plan, interruption factory® and you have to code.

Already did in 2019 :-( I am not a developer though, I am a sys admin, but in reality jack of all trades.

 

[Fuma]

I also do not mind going to the office every now and then, because as mentioned, I'd like that separation from office and home.
The only problem now is I relocated. So I used to stay 5km away from work. Now I'm 40KM away.

 

[hj007]

Nope, I now only do my hours, if they want overtime I bill for it, so they rarely ask me to do it unless it's really necessary.

Makes sense, and that you're able to do your hours/ bill for overtime.

Sometimes I wish that were the case also in my industry. I guess the job pays very well, but with the caveat that there will be late hours and weekends when in deal cycle.

Should go back to the world of fixed hours/ an industry that operates in that mindset