Winnipeg Construction X - Page 398

bomberjet · #**7941** Posted **Sep 28, 2022, 6:11 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by drew

Maybe it's the City of Winnipeg... although they could never be organized enough to pull something like this off.

If only the City had an office tower downtown they could move into. If only... haha

drew · #**7942** Posted **Sep 28, 2022, 6:17 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bomberjet

If only the City had an office tower downtown they could move into. If only... haha

^ they can't move in there cuz apparently they might overhear some juicy Police gossip.

Winnipegger · #**7943** Posted **Sep 28, 2022, 6:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by drew

Maybe it's the City of Winnipeg... although they could never be organized enough to pull something like this off.

Many city staff are working remote or hybrid, so I don't think the city has the desire (or money) to expand it's office space. Pre-pandemic, we literally had the people who do urban planning working in windowless offices on the bottom two floors of Fort Garry place, with the only source of light being migraine-inducing fluorescents. Talk about depressing.

drew · #**7944** Posted **Sep 28, 2022, 6:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Winnipegger

Many city staff are working remote or hybrid, so I don't think the city has the desire (or money) to expand it's office space. Pre-pandemic, we literally had the people who do urban planning working in windowless offices on the bottom two floors of Fort Garry place, with the only source of light being migraine-inducing fluorescents. Talk about depressing.

This is honestly why I secretly hope it's them.

I will gladly accept some tax money going towards this as anything to improve the mood and outlook of PPD division will help in my day to day business, and make all of us living in the City better for it.

Glenn99 · #**7945** Posted **Sep 28, 2022, 6:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

^ Canada Life does have space in some other buildings downtown, apart from what is on their campus.

They have downsized those spaces quite a bit like 444 St. Mary Ave. WFH becoming permanent.

trueviking · #**7946** Posted **Sep 28, 2022, 8:18 PM**

^ permanent for now....until the world realizes that life isn't a competition to see who can never leave their house the most.

tough to imagine anyone building a new office building in the current market.

esquire · #**7947** Posted **Sep 28, 2022, 8:22 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by trueviking

^ permanent for now....until the world realizes that life isn't a competition to see who can never leave their house the most.

I don't know about that. The high waters of the pandemic may recede a little but I think it is unlikely that we will ever return to pre-2020 work patterns in our lifetimes. WFH in some form, is here to stay.

I do agree that it is hard to believe that anyone would embark on a new office construction project right now, though. At least until the dust settles on all the recent pandemic-induced changes.

WinCitySparky · #**7948** Posted **Sep 28, 2022, 9:42 PM**

Maybe the old soon-to-be abandoned Wawanesa building at Main and York a possible candidate?

trueviking · #**7949** Posted **Sep 28, 2022, 9:46 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

I don't know about that. The high waters of the pandemic may recede a little but I think it is unlikely that we will ever return to pre-2020 work patterns in our lifetimes. WFH in some form, is here to stay.

I give it five years....once the labour shortage levels out.

Glenn99 · #**7950** Posted **Sep 28, 2022, 9:48 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by trueviking

^ permanent for now....until the world realizes that life isn't a competition to see who can never leave their house the most.

tough to imagine anyone building a new office building in the current market.

I prefer a hybrid concept and possibly that's what Canada Life is doing but they can give up a lot of space with employees coming in 2-3 days a week and use a flex space.

WinCitySparky · #**7951** Posted **Sep 28, 2022, 10:00 PM**

Amazon just announced today they are moving to call centre staff working from home to cut real estate operating costs. So I doubt work from home is ever going to go away for some sections of the office workforce.

WhipperSnapper · #**7952** Posted **Sep 28, 2022, 10:53 PM**

Skip the Dishes just laid off 400 people. I would cross that one out

trueviking · #**7953** Posted **Sep 29, 2022, 2:45 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glenn99

I prefer a hybrid concept and possibly that's what Canada Life is doing but they can give up a lot of space with employees coming in 2-3 days a week and use a flex space.

Yeah. Of course. Everyone likes a Tuesday-Thursday work week. It won’t last in my opinion. Maybe minimum wage call centre jobs but I think the vast majority of white collar workers will be back at work at some point. Too much mentorship, collaboration, professional development, corporate culture, etc is lost with people ‘working’ alone.

Companies don’t save all that much with a hybrid unless your workforce alternates days. Shockingly though everyone wants their remote days on Monday and Friday so you are just retaining full capacity for a shorter time. Can’t lease office space three days a week.

WhipperSnapper · #**7954** Posted **Sep 29, 2022, 4:42 AM**

It's here to stay; just maybe not everywhere or in every industry

Low to mid level analysts, etc. were shifting from workstations to a hybrid model before the pandemic. Hotelling stations can save floor space. Middle to upper level spent, on average, more time in meetings including travelling from building to building than at their workstations. Microsoft Teams is far more productive. People commuting more than an hour to work and from work everyday are saving themselves more than 10 hours a week.

Ultimately, the employer and not the employees decides who is in the office; who is at home and, who can do either. So far , employers like that they don't have to spend $25,000 anymore to modify a floor plan to create two new stations for two new team members or $5000 playing musical chairs with 3 different work groups

wags_in_the_peg · #**7955** Posted **Sep 29, 2022, 12:54 PM**

FYI - P&M update - overnight the peeling Rainbow painted barricades have been painted with Primer White. Not sure who is behind that. Maybe tonight they will receive another coat?

Winnipeg Grump · #**7956** Posted **Sep 29, 2022, 1:17 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhipperSnapper

It's here to stay; just maybe not everywhere or in every industry

Low to mid level analysts, etc. were shifting from workstations to a hybrid model before the pandemic. Hotelling stations can save floor space. Middle to upper level spent, on average, more time in meetings including travelling from building to building than at their workstations. Microsoft Teams is far more productive. People commuting more than an hour to work and from work everyday are saving themselves more than 10 hours a week.

Ultimately, the employer and not the employees decides who is in the office; who is at home and, who can do either. So far , employers like that they don't have to spend $25,000 anymore to modify a floor plan to create two new stations for two new team members or $5000 playing musical chairs with 3 different work groups

Might as well throw in my $0.02...

Right now we've started with a one day a week option that employees can apply for but I can see the writing on the wall that they'll expand the number of days. At the same time though, we're spending a bunch of money to expand the number of workstations we have available.

As with everything, there is no 'one-size fit's all' answer. Personally, I think hybrid is where it will shake out but you also have to acknowledge that not every worker is able to be as productive at home as they are in a more structured, traditional work environment.

esquire · #**7957** Posted **Sep 29, 2022, 1:39 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by trueviking

Shockingly though everyone wants their remote days on Monday and Friday so you are just retaining full capacity for a shorter time.

Traffic is lightest and commute times shortest, by far, on Monday and Friday... those are the days I prefer to be in the office, when I have to be

WinCitySparky · #**7958** Posted **Sep 29, 2022, 1:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by wags_in_the_peg

FYI - P&M update - overnight the peeling Rainbow painted barricades have been painted with Primer White. Not sure who is behind that. Maybe tonight they will receive another coat?

Clandestine!!

esquire · #**7959** Posted **Sep 29, 2022, 2:02 PM**

Painting concrete always looks like crap in the long run. I wish they had just hung rainbow banners over the barricades for the pride parade, now this will be a maintenance issue for years to come.

bomberjet · #**7960** Posted **Sep 29, 2022, 2:03 PM**

A tale of 2 companies. I recently switched companies again, working back downtown. Except our office had a fire and is mostly closed.

If not for the fire, I'd be back in the office full time. Officially. Unofficially, work from home for 2 days per week if you want. Overall just a bit more flexibility than pre-pandemic.

Old employer out in the south Winnipeg light industrial/commercial ghettos. Work with your manager to come up with a plan, but not full time from home. While our whole group worked full time from home.

Seems most companies on the professional industry have some type of hybrid options. My new company went full on dystopian mode on employees last year. They had a work from home plan. But then felt people were abusing it, so removed any allowance for working from home. Hundreds of people quit apparently. Full time office. Most people though still do what they want.