Email Rant: 10 Second Commute

It's been awhile since we did an email rant. So without further ado.


-----Original Message-----
From: Mike
To: Nick
Subject: 10 second commute


hmmmm....

http://tinyurl.com/7l2bvx


-----Original Message-----
From: Nick
To: Mike
Subject: RE: 10 second commute

and yet we are looking for what, an additional 4 million square feet of commercial real estate?

Who's brand is #2 globally? Oh that's right IBM!


-----Original Message-----
From: Mike
To: Nick
Subject: RE: 10 second commute


post both links on the blog... though with a more diplomatic spin


-----Original Message-----
From: Nick
To: Mike
Subject: RE: 10 second commute

btw did I mention that this podcast (c/o Deloitte) points to the fact that during hard economic times the government should be looking to reduce its capital expenditures and re-examine its real estate portfolio... (have I pushed you over the edge yet?)


-----Original Message-----
From: Mike
To: Nick
Subject: RE: 10 second commute


you no doubt heard on the radio this morning that they're looking at about 4 big purchases... all at the same time and therefore artificially spiking up demand


-----Original Message-----
From: Nick
To: Mike
Subject: RE: 10 second commute


yes. I actually like what the urban planner said yesterday morning on CBC about looking at commercial investments along the existing and planned transit way... that is, of course, if we had transit operators...

-----Original Message-----
From: Mike
To: Nick
Subject: RE: 10 second commute


that best brand slide show isn't necessarily about best people to work for - though there is probably a distinct correlation.


-----Original Message-----
From:Nick
To: Mike
Subject: RE: 10 second commute


i know but I am sure they also rank highly on employers... this is from 05 but I doubt much has changes since then, they probably still rank in the top 100.


-----Original Message-----
From: Mike
To: Nick
Subject: RE: 10 second commute

newer.


----Original Message-----
From: Nick
To: Mike
Subject: RE: 10 second commute


way to disprove the point and derail the rant - IBM Canada, not on that list... thanks a lot.

----Original Message-----
From: Mike
To: Nick
Subject: RE: 10 second commute

=)


----Original Message-----
From: Nick
To: Mike
Subject: RE: 10 second commute



Jacka...

CPSRenewal.ca Email Rant: The Changing Nature of Work

Here is another email exchange between Mike and I that we decided to share with you.

-----Original Message-----
From: mmangulabnan
To: ncharney
Subject: the changing nature of work

http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=6e280be9-ab96-410f-bd0d-8f4289923a7f

-----Original Message-----
From: ncharney
To: mmangulabnan
Subject: RE: the changing nature of work

Good article - not mind blowing but a good synopsis of how work is changing. Employers should already be implementing strategies to mitigate the retention implications of these changes. Too bad the city of Hamilton fails to see things the same way ... score another victory against work life balance?

http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/432707

My favorite line:

“The whole energy thing is a red herring,” argued Councillor Lloyd Ferguson. “Oil has come down $25 since the news release (from Merulla) went out, and it sends a real bad message for the image of our city.

“The rest of the world has to work five days a week and we only four?”

I guess he fails to see that in fact promoting work life balance in the civil service could start a trend in the city that will ultimately attract people to it and its civil service...


-----Original Message-----
From: mmangulabnan
To: ncharney
Subject: the changing nature of work

What a knob... and the rest of the world does not in fact work 5 days a week.


-----Original Message-----
From: ncharney
To: mmangulabnan
Subject: RE: the changing nature of work


His attitude is clearly of the pointy-haired boss variety:



Not to mention that working from home allows you to avoid certain distractions ...



Given context above, telecommuting also raises some ethical questions:



-----Original Message-----
From: mmangulabnan
To: ncharney
Subject: the changing nature of work

Well played...

CPSRenewal.ca Email Rant: 'Distributed Work'

Not sure if this will become a regular feature of the blog or not but sometimes you just need to share things. Rather then simply post a round-up or a full blown column here is an interesting email exchange that Mike and I had today (Note I inverted the order of the email string so you chronologically it reads it top to bottom):

-----Original Message-----
From:ncharney
To: mmangulabnan
Subject: Why not do this with gov offices?

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080812.wprsuite12/BNStory/Technology/home

FYI more info on 'distributed work'

http://www.thefutureofwork.net/assets/Understanding_Distributed_Work.pdf

-----Original Message-----
From: mmangulabnan
To: ncharney
Subject: RE: Why not do this with gov offices?

because that would be smart...

baha: "[The US] recognize the many benefits and advantages and strongly support it," Mr. Fortier says. "Here, we don't use the carrot and we don't use the stick. There's not even a donkey."

There's tons of commercial space (and vacant commercial space) 2 blocks from my house. I'm not even gonna add up how much I could save in doing away with my bus pass, not having to buy extra groceries for lunches, not to mention buying lunches. (That's over $800 a year for the bus pass alone, for those counting - anyone paying more than that for parking/gas?). There's even a small fitness benefit attached in that I would be much more inclined to walk or bike to and from work every day. I might even be more inclined to work later because it wouldn't take me 40 minutes to get home. Set up an IM and I don't need to be here 85-90% of the time.

It's funny how we can work almost seamlessly with people in the regions (remember, even Guelph, Montreal, and Toronto are considered 'regions') but it's somehow impossible to work as effectively with someone who's 20 minutes down the road. The mentality seems to be, if you can be in the office, you should be in the office.

If someone can telecommute from Nunavut, surely I can telecommute from Hunt Club...

It seems the only people who are able/allowed to telecommute in the same area are people who have retired and returned to the workforce. I know, and have worked with people who have retired and returned who live in the area and telecommute the majority of their time. The opposite mentality seems to exist for these employees: if you don't need to be in the office, then you don't have to be in the office.

oh to dream.

-----Original Message-----
From:ncharney
To: mmangulabnan
Subject: Why not do this with gov offices?

can i post your mini rant /this email exchange on the blog with links to the article and the background paper I am reading now, after I finish reading it? if you want to make any edits do so in red below, but i think it is gold as is.

-----Original Message-----
From: mmangulabnan
To: ncharney
Subject: RE: Why not do this with gov offices?

[done] - I'm tempted to add something additional about the clothes I have to buy in order to 'look presentable' for my no-clients, but I won't


-----End-----

I don't think Mike wanted me to include that last one but, oh well. Happy Tuesday everyone.