About time! In this day and age, I don’t know why anyone that does not have to drive to a ‘brick and mortar’ building would be required to do so. Saves money for the agency and the employee, better for the environment, less cars on the road. Kid sick, no problem, car won’t start, no problem, snow and ice, no problem. Lets move into the next century people!
Nationwide closed out Field Service Office decades ago and forced us to work from home. This is just an expansion to what they have been doing for years. I retired in 2003 and it was well prior to that.
Farmers closed most of their field claims offices about 20 years ago. They allowed the claims adjusters to work from their home which resulted in much better service to the customers because they were usually assigned to customers near where the adjuster lived. My office lease is up next April but, I am planning to retire. My staff is hoping to get a much better deal for this space because of the decrease in demand for office space to start their agency. I am giving them all of the equipment so, all they will need is a new sign. We still have customers that want a face to face meeting but, now customers are much more willing to actually set appointments and we can do most of our work from home. I live 73 miles south of my office so, making that drive only one day per week has been a blessing. I actually found myself going to restaurants more often when working from home as it provides a needed break making the drive to pick up the order that I called in. The biggest downside of working from home is that the internet speed at my home in the country is much slower than it is at my office in the Dallas Metro-plex.
I was afraid this was going to happen. Tip of the iceberg. If many large businesses follow this model, the commercial real estate market will be devastated. And think of the trickle down effect. Workers no longer going out to lunch, so many restaurants will suffer. What about all the maintenance and cleaning crews for these vacant offices – no work for them. Commercial Property insurance premiums will go down as there are fewer risks to insure. It goes on from there. Our economy will adjust and other types of businesses may benefit, but this change worries me.
Commercial real estate transformed into residential condos.
Traffic reduced, leading to shorter commutes to work and elsewhere, plus wear and tear on roads and autos.
Highway infrastructure work that will decrease, lowering state and federal expenditures.
Jobs created in take-out restaurants and dial-a-ride service providers (Lyft, etc.).
Auto exhaust fumes reduced, improving the quality of air in/ near cities, reducing various lung diseases.
and other things that will be improved that I don’t have time to write because of my pending commute…
I think you’re right. Commercial office real-estate is likely to tank. Companies have been wanting to do this for years and now they have a fait accompli. Indeed, it is the tip of the iceberg. Our economy will adjust but it’s going to take a long time. This economic downturn is not going to simply reverse itself. We’re in for some severe convulsions. Like in so many other cases, these lost jobs, and they’re working-class jobs, aren’t coming back. I fear a time when all but the elite worker is rendered superfluous. Our journey towards a caste system accelerates.
I think the demand for office space inside of office buildings will decline but, the demand for office space in highly visible spaces such as strip centers may increase or at least stay steady. I moved my office from a suite inside a professional building 35 years ago into a strip center and my business increased four fold because consumers could identify my office with the location of other businesses they frequent. When I called them on the phone they could relate my business to a neighboring business. That marketing fact is not going to change with a large segment of consumers. We get new customers from internet leads but, so many remark that they called or emailed for a quote because they felt they knew who we were – the insurance office between the Kroger, Family Dollar and the Subway. However, I won’t need as much room for staff because some can do most of their work from home so, I can lease a smaller space. The next employee I add can use my work station at the office since I’ll be managing from my home. At my home, neighbors include a title attorney, a legal assistant and myself – we are all working from home now so, although we each have street front offices, we don’t need the amount of space at those offices that has been required in the past. Demand for offices inside professional buildings has declined because some businesses simply don’t gain from their location – they can be just as effective or more effective by working from home.
Homework works for some and not others. The technology def works if you have internet. If you are in an area with no or poor internet it obviously won’t work.
Personally, I’d rather go to a nearby office and then dump the problems at the door at 5 pm; I can understand not wanting the commute though, in the Big City!
Perhaps they will be able to increase commissions so that they are no longer the lowest paying carrier in the industry. What other IA company pays 10% renewal commission for auto AND home?
The biggest challenge that some companies encounter is reduction in service. Some employees do not have the self-discipline to work from home. The other challenge is training new employees and allowing them to work themselves up the latter. While a company may be able to accomplish this, the remote training process is more difficult and many employees gain much knowledge from casual conversations with peers and face to face time with managers and peers.
many will say there’s a reduction in services without having any proof. Studies have shown during the pandemic that there has actually been more productivity. To say ” Some employees do not have the self-discipline to work from home,” would do a disservice because those same employees (or others) may not be productive in the office.
It’s nice to work from home, but people will still be needed to go into the office. Think of everything else that is affected if people worked from home. Transit, food service, convenience marts, gas stations.
Come work in Boston then. You get a 1.5 hour commute (each way), even if you only live 10 miles north of the city, spend $7 on parking per day (outside of the city) and then $20-$30 on a daily rail pass. You then get to walk 20 minutes to the office once you get off the train or subway. At the end of the day you do it all over again, except your train is often late or gets cancelled and then you barely get to see your family. Pushing people to go to offices in 2020 for white collar desk jobs is like pushing people to rent movies at a video store on VHS/DVD in order to support local businesses. Obviously I don’t wish Covid 19 happened, but I do hope a positive result of this historical experience is that workers get better working conditions and executives, who barely understand technology prior to this event, start to realize the mental and financial benefits of having a remote workforce. Food service, stores, gas stations will either adjust or close like the rest of us.
It’s interesting that in neither the article or subsequent comments that no one made mention of concerns with company culture…how do you maintain a strong culture when your workforce is disperse?
Interesting!
I have always considered home to be place of peace and relaxation. On the other hand, the workplace was effectively set up for “work” – good work space, satisfactory equipment, a place for some clients to visit, drop off their premiums, get a Certificate of Insurance BUT above all a place of work fellowship – bouncing ideas and questions from one to another — a source of information and sharing. Oh well, change is probably for the best. Cheers to all. Mike
About time! In this day and age, I don’t know why anyone that does not have to drive to a ‘brick and mortar’ building would be required to do so. Saves money for the agency and the employee, better for the environment, less cars on the road. Kid sick, no problem, car won’t start, no problem, snow and ice, no problem. Lets move into the next century people!
Plus, think of all the money their employees will save on PANTS.
As an employee, I would not think this is good for my career.
I can’t wait until the huge expense savings Nationwide realizes turns into premium savings passed on to policyholders!
Marcus, I love a great cynic!
More likely they’ll use the expense savings to remodel Kirt’s office.
Nationwide closed out Field Service Office decades ago and forced us to work from home. This is just an expansion to what they have been doing for years. I retired in 2003 and it was well prior to that.
Farmers closed most of their field claims offices about 20 years ago. They allowed the claims adjusters to work from their home which resulted in much better service to the customers because they were usually assigned to customers near where the adjuster lived. My office lease is up next April but, I am planning to retire. My staff is hoping to get a much better deal for this space because of the decrease in demand for office space to start their agency. I am giving them all of the equipment so, all they will need is a new sign. We still have customers that want a face to face meeting but, now customers are much more willing to actually set appointments and we can do most of our work from home. I live 73 miles south of my office so, making that drive only one day per week has been a blessing. I actually found myself going to restaurants more often when working from home as it provides a needed break making the drive to pick up the order that I called in. The biggest downside of working from home is that the internet speed at my home in the country is much slower than it is at my office in the Dallas Metro-plex.
I was afraid this was going to happen. Tip of the iceberg. If many large businesses follow this model, the commercial real estate market will be devastated. And think of the trickle down effect. Workers no longer going out to lunch, so many restaurants will suffer. What about all the maintenance and cleaning crews for these vacant offices – no work for them. Commercial Property insurance premiums will go down as there are fewer risks to insure. It goes on from there. Our economy will adjust and other types of businesses may benefit, but this change worries me.
Think of all the…
Commercial real estate transformed into residential condos.
Traffic reduced, leading to shorter commutes to work and elsewhere, plus wear and tear on roads and autos.
Highway infrastructure work that will decrease, lowering state and federal expenditures.
Jobs created in take-out restaurants and dial-a-ride service providers (Lyft, etc.).
Auto exhaust fumes reduced, improving the quality of air in/ near cities, reducing various lung diseases.
and other things that will be improved that I don’t have time to write because of my pending commute…
I think you’re right. Commercial office real-estate is likely to tank. Companies have been wanting to do this for years and now they have a fait accompli. Indeed, it is the tip of the iceberg. Our economy will adjust but it’s going to take a long time. This economic downturn is not going to simply reverse itself. We’re in for some severe convulsions. Like in so many other cases, these lost jobs, and they’re working-class jobs, aren’t coming back. I fear a time when all but the elite worker is rendered superfluous. Our journey towards a caste system accelerates.
I think the demand for office space inside of office buildings will decline but, the demand for office space in highly visible spaces such as strip centers may increase or at least stay steady. I moved my office from a suite inside a professional building 35 years ago into a strip center and my business increased four fold because consumers could identify my office with the location of other businesses they frequent. When I called them on the phone they could relate my business to a neighboring business. That marketing fact is not going to change with a large segment of consumers. We get new customers from internet leads but, so many remark that they called or emailed for a quote because they felt they knew who we were – the insurance office between the Kroger, Family Dollar and the Subway. However, I won’t need as much room for staff because some can do most of their work from home so, I can lease a smaller space. The next employee I add can use my work station at the office since I’ll be managing from my home. At my home, neighbors include a title attorney, a legal assistant and myself – we are all working from home now so, although we each have street front offices, we don’t need the amount of space at those offices that has been required in the past. Demand for offices inside professional buildings has declined because some businesses simply don’t gain from their location – they can be just as effective or more effective by working from home.
New jingle:
Nationwide is eliminating your commuting ride!
Homework works for some and not others. The technology def works if you have internet. If you are in an area with no or poor internet it obviously won’t work.
Personally, I’d rather go to a nearby office and then dump the problems at the door at 5 pm; I can understand not wanting the commute though, in the Big City!
Perhaps they will be able to increase commissions so that they are no longer the lowest paying carrier in the industry. What other IA company pays 10% renewal commission for auto AND home?
The biggest challenge that some companies encounter is reduction in service. Some employees do not have the self-discipline to work from home. The other challenge is training new employees and allowing them to work themselves up the latter. While a company may be able to accomplish this, the remote training process is more difficult and many employees gain much knowledge from casual conversations with peers and face to face time with managers and peers.
many will say there’s a reduction in services without having any proof. Studies have shown during the pandemic that there has actually been more productivity. To say ” Some employees do not have the self-discipline to work from home,” would do a disservice because those same employees (or others) may not be productive in the office.
It’s nice to work from home, but people will still be needed to go into the office. Think of everything else that is affected if people worked from home. Transit, food service, convenience marts, gas stations.
Come work in Boston then. You get a 1.5 hour commute (each way), even if you only live 10 miles north of the city, spend $7 on parking per day (outside of the city) and then $20-$30 on a daily rail pass. You then get to walk 20 minutes to the office once you get off the train or subway. At the end of the day you do it all over again, except your train is often late or gets cancelled and then you barely get to see your family. Pushing people to go to offices in 2020 for white collar desk jobs is like pushing people to rent movies at a video store on VHS/DVD in order to support local businesses. Obviously I don’t wish Covid 19 happened, but I do hope a positive result of this historical experience is that workers get better working conditions and executives, who barely understand technology prior to this event, start to realize the mental and financial benefits of having a remote workforce. Food service, stores, gas stations will either adjust or close like the rest of us.
If it sucks so much, why don’t you leave Boston? So many nice places to live/work in this country without the hassles you describe.
Or, CL PM, people can live where they want AND keep their jobs without the commute. Does it really have to be one or the other?
Whether Cooper can/wants to leave Boston is extraneous to the point they made about how rough and expensive the commuting life can be.
It’s interesting that in neither the article or subsequent comments that no one made mention of concerns with company culture…how do you maintain a strong culture when your workforce is disperse?
hmm Will it be easier or harder for management to take advantage? let’s see Hey can you work late tonight?
Nope, sorry, I’m already home….
Interesting!
I have always considered home to be place of peace and relaxation. On the other hand, the workplace was effectively set up for “work” – good work space, satisfactory equipment, a place for some clients to visit, drop off their premiums, get a Certificate of Insurance BUT above all a place of work fellowship – bouncing ideas and questions from one to another — a source of information and sharing. Oh well, change is probably for the best. Cheers to all. Mike