roger chang
Work Where You Work Best
On this episode of the Work From Home Forever podcast, we chat with Roger. Roger is a Systems Architect and he views remote work as working where you work best.
1.2 Roger C, Systems Architect – Work From Home Forever
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Meet Roger Chang
Roger has been working fully remote the last two years and started his work from home journey as a hybrid work environment the last 10 years.
Roger talks about claims that remote work stifles creativity in the workplace. We talk about his tenacity and how Roger advocated for the right to work from home and how career aspirations are unique to each individual.
Key takeaways from our chat with Roger:
- We talked about push back to work from home and one of the reasons frequently cited is that Creativity is stifled when employees aren’t in the office together. Roger brought up a great example with the creative process during the development of a movie. Those artists, directors, and editors are not in the same place at the same time.
- Roger talked about advocating for work flexibility and his tenacity to push for work from home flexibility and even question leadership if the request or accommodations were denied. Yes, work from home is not possible for everyone, but for positions where it is possible, leadership needs to provide a sensible reason why work from home is not possible.
- Roger talked about how employees want different things. Some want the title and responsibilities and the corner office. Some employees seek recognition and are comfortable with their role and continue to push and work hard and seek job satisfaction at their current level.
Connect with Roger
- LinkedIn: Roger Chang
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Q&A with Roger
Why did you want to Work From Home Forever?
So I’ve always been a proponent of working where you work best. I like to call it work flexibility and I think if people recognize where they work best (which can change daily) then people who employ them will get some amazing results. I took advantage of the Covid pandemic to push this change of mindset in front of as many people and entities as possible.
How long have you been Working From Home, Forever?
I have worked remotely, on and off, over the last 10 years. The last 2 years, however, I have worked full time from home.
What tradeoffs, if any, did you make in order to Work From Home Forever?
I was fortunate in that we purchased a larger home in 2019, not knowing that we would need the increased space. If anything the trade off has been that I have cut down on socialization inside the workplace, mainly because the vast majority of people are only familiar with virtual socialization in their personal spheres or on surface apps like Facebook, SnapChat etc.
How do you manage work/life balance Working From Home, Forever?
It’s a challenge for sure – having physical barriers like doors, or specified times when working definitely helps. I also think it’s much tougher or, perhaps easier, for parents of younger non-school age kids because of the inherent distractions. There is always the dreaded “always on” phenomenon, which occurs when you don’t have enough separation from work. That’s probably the pro-company premise’ best defense is that the physical location creates a mental “break” when you leave the office door. Unfortunately with mobile technology there’s always the possibility of “being on”.
What’s your best advice to others who want to Work From Home Forever?
Be realistic about the challenges as well as the advantages. Also, don’t crow over people who don’t want to work from home, because they have legitimate needs that can only be met by their employer. They may need specialized technology that they can’t manage in a home, or their careers may require a lot more “physical sharing” like a modeling team for a car manufacturer.
What are your three must-haves to Work From Home, Forever?
- Complete alignment with your employer, house mates and family members
- Dedicated office space
- The proper technology for you
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