Working from home? (School-based IT Managers)

[mb2k01]

Hi All,

Here's a quick one for you...

How many School-Based IT Support Staff / Managers work from home?
Is it something anyone has ever done / does sometimes / does often?

I ask, as I have found it increasingly difficult to actually get any real work done!
I have web design, policy re-writes, vision-writing and quotes coming out of my ears but get interupted with password changes and sales calls while my other staff are out on calls etc (I know.... partly my fault for not inforcing FITS / ITIL!)
I came home at 4pm today and actually got more done in an hour than I did all day!

I could easily configure my office phone to forward to my home phone, I can TS in to work and then use internal VNC tools if needed, I have email.... so the only thing to get over is the fact that those less familiar with IT might just assume I'm staying at home to top up a tan!

I'd be interested to hear people's opinions (not just based on if I should - more along the lines of if "we" should?!)

[gaz350]

I suppose it all depends on how supportive your management is of your department. I suppose you could start by asking if you could Hide away for a few hours to get on with some development work ensuiring that everything is runnign smoothly and that staff are in place to cope while your 'Out'.

SLT here go off site a couple of days per year to do the heavy planning stuff. oh and our college manager works a 4 day week , although tbh she really does the hours! infact we are both as sad as each other often having conversations late into the night via email (we both have push email to our phones, bad bad bad bad bad)

With alot of tasks i have been asked to do over the next year or so i have been told i can 'lock' myself away for the day.

[mb2k01]

Lol I've had to turn off push email from my iPhone! No work-life balance with that thing turned on!

[nephilim]

just depends, stuff like password changes which are instant requirements could take a few mins per person as they would have to be on the phone to you or you would have to have the stuff emailed over so you know what to change it too.

And what about stuff that you are needed for? IE projector bulb needs changing, or whiteboard doesnt work, not stuff you can dial in to do

its all cheques and balances really. maybe 3 days in, 2 days home?

[mb2k01]

just depends, stuff like password changes which are instant requirements could take a few mins per person as they would have to be on the phone to you or you would have to have the stuff emailed over so you know what to change it too.

And what about stuff that you are needed for? IE projector bulb needs changing, or whiteboard doesnt work, not stuff you can dial in to do

its all cheques and balances really. maybe 3 days in, 2 days home?

I suppose this depends per the individual in the scenario.
Most of the time I have three people below me available for that kind of reactive support - in theory I'm meant to be hands-off (although I've taken it upon myself to just go with the busy times until the summer!)

[PEO]

I do alot of work from home, usually tweaking the system, preparing documents. I dont get paid any extra for it, but it does make my life alot easier.

[john]

I work a lot from home in evenings and weekends, as well as late, for instance, I was sound engineering a music even for them last night (I was asked and said yes so thats not part of this), I then decided as the place was empty to stay for another hour and do some Serco work and get that done, I did more in that 1hr than I had done in the previous 3 days in the office on Serco. Its a lot easier when everyones gone home. I often bring Quotes and Policy's home to work on and review as its quiet and I can just get on with them, although there are a few good hidy holes in the building where I can go hide in the future when I've laid them out a bit better and go hide for an hour or so

[garethedmondson]

I work a lot from home in evenings and weekends, as well as late, for instance, I was sound engineering a music even for them last night (I was asked and said yes so thats not part of this), I then decided as the place was empty to stay for another hour and do some Serco work and get that done, I did more in that 1hr than I had done in the previous 3 days in the office on Serco. Its a lot easier when everyones gone home. I often bring Quotes and Policy's home to work on and review as its quiet and I can just get on with them, although there are a few good hidy holes in the building where I can go hide in the future when I've laid them out a bit better and go hide for an hour or so

From a teaching perspective - I often work better and later at home than in school. Those pesky kids just get in the way during the day LOL.

INSET days are usually very productive under all my job banners.

Even though we have got VPN access into the school I have not set it up. If I did then I wouldn't do much other work at home and would spend most time playing with the network.

When I had my first iPhone - it was fun getting work emails - but they soon got turned off.

Some of our SMT go home to do certain jobs - but I asked the other day and was told "No". I wanted to use my home computer system to do the work - better and faster than school.

GJE

[mossj]

I used to work from home evening & weekends (unpaid) however i've stopped now... as although I as doing them a favour... it actually went against me when i asked to go full-time instead of term time.

Anyway now I just work on personal projects that I enjoy (I.E I don't mind working on the schools Refrence System as it's my php system and they've agreed I can take it with me/Open Source it).

P.S I have push/pull email on my phone but only use it to email other techs or people that I like....

[p858snake]

See if you can find a empty office/store room somewhere and try to work from there, should be nice and quite if no one knows your there.

[russdev]

Yes at times do mainly in holidays but as long as can do it on day when tech is in and get agreement from head before hand if term time.

Russ

[mb2k01]

Thanks to everyone who replied. Very interesting to see what others are doing!

Unfortunately our current old school is so tight on space there isn't even a cleaning cupboard with available space in it to put a laptop! It sounds like this wouldn't be a totally "out-there" thing to look in to though. Cheers

[pete]

In holidays? Definitely.
I'll also leave early and then do maintenance work later in the evening when everyone's gone home (~7pm at least).

But I also have no qualms about grabbing the laptop and going to hide somewhere if I'm working on something and the interruptions are getting in the way. The pfy usually knows where I've gone, but he's under "unless it's on fire or something you really can't handle, leave me alone" instructions.

[Sylv3r]

The school is quite flexible here and they appreciate the extra time I put in at weekends and on an evening. I am also allowed to work from home if it will benefit me and the school i.e. at hectic times and needing to get things finished for a tight deadline, although I have only done it a small number of occasions - I know I have the opportunity if needed.