International News After Covid.....

Essexyellows

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As sure as it started it will end, however...things will change and life won`t be the same.
Companies will have learnt they don`t need offices, expensive real estate and people working from home can be more productive.
Same for the Public Sector, the Admin etc can work remotely and be just as efficient.
Retail faces a massive challenge, as does the leisure industry.
People may have a greater sense of community.
Consumerism may not be the be all & end all.
Lots of numbers have been pushed around & written off, will they need "paying back" ?

Discuss............
 
I can see the working from home becoming a norm. Large numbers of office spaces would/could be sold or converted into living spaces. Commuting would lessen and the knock on would be less pollution. This would also give a potential increase in productivity for those not spending time at the start and finish of the day just getting to and from work.
Sadly, we may have seen the end of cheap air fares as most of the airlines are struggling. We will lose some of the smaller less profitable carriers.
 
For my view, will separate it into 2 parts.

Oxford United
If we have to play games behind closed doors, will people get use to it, will we need a stadium (bye bye Kassam)
Revenue drops so we may revert to Amateur/Semi-Pro.

Non Oxford United
Agreed WFH works and would go so far to say do we need to work in the locality of the company/business? Ie, Banking in London?
Less formal/informal contact, shaking hands go and we go back to "tip your hat" or non contact forms of greeting.
Temporary or permanant resurgence of people getting out and enjoying the outdoors (with social distancing), ie Parks, etc.
Increase in Virtual Reality.
 
Yep, walking down the stairs to start the working day is most wonderful. As is working in scruffs rather than shirt & trousers.
Home energy consumption has increased a fair bit though.
I`ll agree with flights & carriers, even though we have re-scheduled our May holiday to 2021 at the same price so won`t get a price hit yet. :)
 
Yep, walking down the stairs to start the working day is most wonderful. As is working in scruffs rather than shirt & trousers.
Home energy consumption has increased a fair bit though.
I`ll agree with flights & carriers, even though we have re-scheduled our May holiday to 2021 at the same price so won`t get a price hit yet. :)
Disagree with you on that. I miss the office and people!!! But thats because our lockdown is even worse, I cant even go over the road and say hello to people
 
Disagree with you on that. I miss the office and people!!! But thats because our lockdown is even worse, I cant even go over the road and say hello to people

Think that is where we have struck a good balance in the UK.
Being allowed out for a walk etc has certainly taken the edge off things & there is the interaction with others, from 2 metres!
Our road also have "Drinks on the Drive`s" on a Saturday evening.
A volunteer puts up their house number as a start point/time on Whatsapp and we just take camping chairs & drinks and circulate whilst maintaining social distancing. No traffic around so it`s easy to spread out onto the road. :)
 
WFH is great - given you have a suitable working environment (desk space, proper chair, dual screens (job dependant)) - going to be interesting how many people have subsequent back and neck pain following this.
 
Yep, walking down the stairs to start the working day is most wonderful. As is working in scruffs rather than shirt & trousers.
Home energy consumption has increased a fair bit though.
I`ll agree with flights & carriers, even though we have re-scheduled our May holiday to 2021 at the same price so won`t get a price hit yet. :)
Having largely been a home worker for 6 months, home energy bill is up, but fuel and travel costs are way, way down. There are occasions where I miss the office, but I'm way more productive now and ironically, I feel in a better physical condition not spending so much time (and stress) in the car each day.

Plus of course, the other benefit is how much more personal time you get as a home worker. Better for a healthy life!
 
A&E admissions and GP appointments are down as people are no longer presenting unnecessarily, it would be nice if this were the new norm.*


*as long as it wasn't used to justify a reduction in government spend
 
I hope employees allow working from home for all. Even for the decline in cars on the road therefore cleaner air!
 
not a new concept for me as I work mainly from home anyway ( pre lockdown).... though yesterday was my first foray out to work in 5 weeks- had to go and do a triple photoshoot - roads were quiet going there and back, and was no prob social distancing while doing the shoot ( while wearing ppe of sorts- overalls, latex gloves, mask n hat- as well as hand wipes) -

And it really was good to have a change of scenery albeit just for a total of 4 hours inc traveltime there n back

Itll be about 10-14 days before going to do my next photoshoot- if all goes to plan
 
not a new concept for me as I work mainly from home anyway ( pre lockdown).... though yesterday was my first foray out to work in 5 weeks- had to go and do a triple photoshoot - roads were quiet going there and back, and was no prob social distancing while doing the shoot ( while wearing ppe of sorts- overalls, latex gloves, mask n hat- as well as hand wipes) -

And it really was good to have a change of scenery albeit just for a total of 4 hours inc traveltime there n back

Itll be about 10-14 days before going to do my next photoshoot- if all goes to plan
Not being funny @Sarge but, how can a 2 hour drive for a "photoshoot" be considered necessary?
 
Not being funny @Sarge but, how can a 2 hour drive for a "photoshoot" be considered necessary?
20 mins there, 20 mins back ( Banbury) 3 hours 20 mins actually doing the photoshoots ( over 700 images)


Im lucky in so much as my freelance work has in the main continued despite the lockdown, as I have a number of commisions Im working my way through.

To answer your question @Manorlounger, I believe the government compiled the list of what is deemed key / necessary work and what isn't during the current stage of the lockdown?. While I have a key worker pass, bar permitted exercising, shopping for essentials or a trip to the pharmacy to collect prescriptions, yesterdays triple photoshoot was the first time in over 5 weeks that Ive 'used' said key worker pass, and gone out to do necessary work that cant be done from home


photographers (for printed magazines) ,( as well as Journos) are on the Key Workers list ( hence I have an approved work permit*), the one thing that cant be done from home workwise, for me, photographs. Ive waited for one of the three scoots I needed to shoot to be finished (it was, on Saturday evening) then went a did a triple shoot - instead of going to Banbury 3 separate times to do each individual shoot. It was on the property of the owner / builder of the 3 machines, which was totally enclosed and also he lives alone, and was also wearing gloves and mask .

Also the publication(s) I freelance for commissioned me for all 3 way before the lockdown, also my *approved permit is only valid, if I wear the previously mentioned PPE at all times Im doing the photographs- and I maintain social distancing of 2m or more

I felt hell of a lot 'safer' actually going out to work, and while at work yesterday, than I do both exercising and going to the shop for essential purchases.

I work from home 90% of the time anyway, irrespective of the lockdown, however while having a key worker pass, the only time I will be using said pass is when I go and do a photoshoot that Ive already been commissioned for ( Next one in a couple of weeks- if all goes as planned)
 
20 mins there, 20 mins back ( Banbury) 3 hours 20 mins actually doing the photoshoots ( over 700 images)


Im lucky in so much as my freelance work has in the main continued despite the lockdown, as I have a number of commisions Im working my way through.

To answer your question @Manorlounger, I believe the government compiled the list of what is deemed key / necessary work and what isn't during the current stage of the lockdown?. While I have a key worker pass, bar permitted exercising, shopping for essentials or a trip to the pharmacy to collect prescriptions, yesterdays triple photoshoot was the first time in over 5 weeks that Ive 'used' said key worker pass, and gone out to do necessary work that cant be done from home


photographers (for printed magazines) ,( as well as Journos) are on the Key Workers list ( hence I have an approved work permit*), the one thing that cant be done from home workwise, for me, photographs. Ive waited for one of the three scoots I needed to shoot to be finished (it was, on Saturday evening) then went a did a triple shoot - instead of going to Banbury 3 separate times to do each individual shoot. It was on the property of the owner / builder of the 3 machines, which was totally enclosed and also he lives alone, and was also wearing gloves and mask .

Also the publication(s) I freelance for commissioned me for all 3 way before the lockdown, also my *approved permit is only valid, if I wear the previously mentioned PPE at all times Im doing the photographs- and I maintain social distancing of 2m or more

I felt hell of a lot 'safer' actually going out to work, and while at work yesterday, than I do both exercising and going to the shop for essential purchases.

I work from home 90% of the time anyway, irrespective of the lockdown, however while having a key worker pass, the only time I will be using said pass is when I go and do a photoshoot that Ive already been commissioned for ( Next one in a couple of weeks- if all goes as planned)
All clear! First read as though you were travelling for 2 hours each way!
Never had you down as the artistic type though! Proper David Bailey sort now! ? Hopefully this keeps the money rolling in.
 
All clear! First read as though you were travelling for 2 hours each way!
Never had you down as the artistic type though! Proper David Bailey sort now! ? Hopefully this keeps the money rolling in.


Point n shoot and hope for the best me ;) ....... Digital SLR cameras, thankfully, give you an idea what you've snapped and whether youve got the shots you need or not, using a tripod for feature 'shoots helps :sneaky:
 
I live very close to Utrecht which is the central hub of all motorways and trains in the Netherlands. Normally the roads are clogged in the rush hours and any problem with the trains shuts down almost the entire system.
But now there are almost no traffic jams and the quality of the air is incredibly better. I can sit in my garden and see stars like I have only seen in Africa before. Fantastic.
I hope that we can switch over to a work at home system (as far as possible), that would be s winner for me.
 
Seriously hoping for a more widespread work from home culture after this. Sometimes you just need to be in the same room to get things properly done there and then, not to mention break up the monotony, but there are already a number of shared space and by the day / hour options available in just about every town and city. Why not pay for what you use, and use what you need, rather than pay through the nose and feel obliged to sit in an office all day, every day?

Wildlife is definitely a lot louder now as well, as strange as that might sound. It isn’t just quieter in general so we can hear them more - it’s definitely both. A few people I’ve spoken to have mentioned things like just how loud the birds are these days, almost like they’ve noticed the change to the world around them and are responding.
 
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