Vocal Voices

It is being used by workers from home to keep them sane.

There's Annabelle and Jocelyn talking about their latest nail dos, the scrunching of crisp packets, coughing, Bill, Elsa and Dave on about the footie, farting, the crunch of an un-dunked ginger nut, the constant pffffts as cans are opened, the 'bongs' of incoming e-mails and Gary constantly clicking his Biro and sighing as he looks bedazzled at another nonsensical spreadsheet - and then there's the ticking of the much watched wall clock. The anticipation.

Bob feels right back where he belongs as he lays out on the settee, laptop at the ready, waiting for the beep-beep-beep that tells him it's time to "go home" just like in the office.

We have had builders next door for three weeks.
The noise has not been fake. We asked could they not work from home.
They hace been using a jack hammer to break up concrete and flags.
Then a mechanical digger to dig trenches and load the dumber. This took the waste to the front garden. Two large loads have been removed.
Then this morning a lorry came to lay concrete for the fondations.
Hope it will be quieter now.

Tough luck, Cruiser, I guess you've just had to grin and bear it.

I used to prefer working from home when I could. No interruptions, no phone calls from clients, no trainee staff wailing they couldn't balance a bank account, no visitors at the front desk wanting to pay in the weekly pension (we were a Building Society Agency) and have a good gossip. I found concentration at home was much easier to sustain, and I certainly reckon I was more productive. Of course, it doesn't suit everybody or lend itself to every job, but if I were still working today, I'd certainly be looking for ongoing home-working options ......

TheOstrich wrote:Tough luck, Cruiser, I guess you've just had to grin and bear it.

I used to prefer working from home when I could. No interruptions, no phone calls from clients, no trainee staff wailing they couldn't balance a bank account, no visitors at the front desk wanting to pay in the weekly pension (we were a Building Society Agency) and have a good gossip. I found concentration at home was much easier to sustain, and I certainly reckon I was more productive. Of course, it doesn't suit everybody or lend itself to every job, but if I were still working today, I'd certainly be looking for ongoing home-working options ......

The main UK director at John’s company was totally against working from home before this, he simply wouldn’t allow it under any circumstances, but he’s seen how well it’s worked and is much more flexible now.

Mick doesn't need background "office" noise, we have the dogs

I used to work week on, week off from home and hated it with a passion. I was fidgety, on edge, always wanting to 'do' something - make a cuppa, tidy a cupboard, hoover the carpet!

I missed the banter and the contact and Annabelle and Jocelyn talking about their latest nail dos, the ginger nut crunching, Gary and his pen clicking.... and then going walkabout with a few others during lunch.

The fake office noise game would not have cut it for me.