Question on Commutes and on Management 5

[Lion06]

How long of a commute do most people have to their office? Is there anyone who's considered changing jobs (or has changed jobs) to get a shorter commute?

I have an hour commute one way into the office and it's becoming a bit burdensome on my home life. I also have a 3rd child coming in about 2 months and the extra time away from home is going to be even more problematic. On top of the quality of life issues, it is becoming very expensive (I spend almost $600/month on gas - not including my wife's vehicle).

If I didn't like my job or the people I work with I would have started looking already, but I love my job and I really enjoy the people I work with. On top of that, I happen to be one of the lucky ones (from what I've read in other posts anyway) that has a very good manager on top of the other good things at work. The prospect of changing companies and potentially having to work for one of these horrible managers is a bit scary. This is really only my second job (first in engineering - I worked for manufacturing company for 9 years) and I've been lucky enough to not have a horrible manager yet. I would appreciate if people give me an idea of how many of their managers have been hard to work for - either having unrealistic expectations for work output or just being an outright jerk or any other issues. I would think that most managers would want to be liked by their employees since I don't think most people enjoy acting like jerks, but I could be wrong.

So the bottom line is that I would love to look for a new job closer to home with a more flexible schedule, but I am scared to death of ending up in a job I don't like or working for a manager who is difficult. As much as I hate the extra drive time, I'd rather spend the extra 1-2 hours per day driving than hate the 8-9 hours in between the commutes to and from the office.

 

[ash9144]

If you have a great situation in the work place then stay there. Changing jobs is risky not only from the direct boss view but also his boss and on up the food chain. There is also risk that the company itself may not please you. I have changed jobs a few times changed boss more times and you really never know until you are working in the situation. Even if someone seems good in an interview they may not be good to work for. If you are miserable for 9 hours during the work day even a 15 minute commute home won't make it better.

If it is truly a problem get a house closer to work.

 

[frv]

StructuralEIT-

Would it be possible to approach your current company about working from home twice a week or so (as projects and time permit)?

They may be willing to accommodate such a request in order to retain a good engineer. I wouldn't approach it as an ultimatum. In fact you could spin it and say something to the effect of wanting the company to be "greener" and allowing employees to work from home a couple of days a week would help.

 

[edpaq]

"So the bottom line is that I would love to look for a new job closer to home with a more flexible schedule, but I am scared to death of ending up in a job I don't like or working for a manager who is difficult. As much as I hate the extra drive time, I'd rather spend the extra 1-2 hours per day driving than hate the 8-9 hours in between the commutes to and from the office."

I think you answered your own question. If you are that happy with what you are doing and where you work. I would talk to your current employer and see if something can be worked out to make it easier on your travel. All I can say is be creative and make sure you do not come accross like your are giving an ultimatum. There are quite a few out there that wish they had your problem. I would assume that you have looked at moving closer to your job.


Eddie

 

[Unotec]

Stay, it's all I can say

<<A good friend will bail you out of jail, but a true friend
will be sitting beside you saying ” Damn that was fun!” - Unknown>>

 

[Lion06]

I have looked at moving closer to my office, but we live in a pretty expensive area right now and it only gets more expensive (and pretty quickly) as you get closer to where my office is located.
I would certainly not come across as giving an ultimatum - I am always very conscious of how I pose a question.
A few things that makes me uncomfortable about asking for something like working from home a couple days a week are:
1. My boss lives farther from the office than I do.
2. There are several other people in the office with commutes over 1/2 hour
3. I've only been here for two years.

I know there are plenty of people who wish they had my "problem" and that I should be thanking my lucky stars, but as I said, it is taking a toll on my home/family life and a 3rd child coming soon is only going to make it worse.

 

[MiketheEngineer]

Keep the job and move ---

Take the $600/month gas expense and put it into a new mortgage.

One of the many reasons I took this job 11 years ago was to be closer to home - now about 10 minutes - used to be 45 or so. On the days my wife watches the g-kids - I go home for lunch - eat with them, gives her a few minutes off, etc, etc.

 

[Unotec]

An hour communte can be burdensome, specially if it is traffic related and not distance. And will probably only get worse. How about starting and finishing work earlier? Avoiding rush hours? I get in the office 7-7:30ish and leave just after four. My commute is then 20min. If I hit peak, then it is 45-75min long. But I do have a great manager that does not mind this

<<A good friend will bail you out of jail, but a true friend
will be sitting beside you saying ” Damn that was fun!” - Unknown>>

 

[cksh]

I would also suggest moving. If you find another job thats closer and you end up miserable for 8 hours thats gonna affect your home life.

I hate my job, hours and commute. But they pay so well
But having a family is difficult because I am not in the best of moods when I get home. And because of my hours and the commute its another hour or two out of my day. Doesn't sound like much until you have a family.

I will probably find another job soon that maybe pay's a little less but gives me more time at home.

Plus gas prices are so crazy I could take a pay cut on top of what I would be willing to sacrifice in salary if I had a short commute.

I will probably hate my new job too but I have decided that I will never be happy with my job might as well try to enjoy the hours outside of work.

 

[graybeach]

With gas prices going up as they are, maybe the mass transit options in your area will increase. Taking mass transit can add some time to a commute, but you can spend the time sleeping or reading. You are more refreshed when you get home. I commuted 1:45 each way on mass transit for years. It was not so bad and I became very well read.
When my kids hit high school, though, I switched to a job with 0:25 minute commute. I just wanted to spend more time with them and, more importantly, avoid my house becoming the afternoon party spot. I sure do miss my job in the big city and plan to return someday.

 

[MadMango]

I use to commute 18 miles to work (1gal of gas one way), took about 35mins. I moved closer to work in order to have a 15min commute at about 8 miles (different traffic patterns). Six months later, I got a new job that was 16 miles away, with a 20min commute. There is no winning for me.

"Art without engineering is dreaming; Engineering without art is calculating."

Have you read faq731-376 to make the be

 

[SomptingGuy]

I think unotec's suggestion is the best so far (if working from home is off limits). And if the mother of your children doesn't mind you clearing off as the sun rises. Time with the kids after school is nicer than time before.

The only worry is that getting into work early doesn't always guarantee getting away early.

- Steve

 

[Unotec]

That's when I get the dreaded long drive and suffer watching my gasoline level indicator drop while I'm parked in the fast lane

<<A good friend will bail you out of jail, but a true friend
will be sitting beside you saying ” Damn that was fun!” - Unknown>>

 

[cvg]

keep the job and move - while the kids are young. Moving older kids is difficult. When I bought my home I took a map and drew a 10 mile radius around the office. I only looked at homes within the circle. When I moved a few years ago, I got 2 miles closer. It really is convenient living just 7 1/2 miles from work. And I only fill the tank every 8 or 9 days. My wife lives 1 mile from work and so she is able to work through lunch and be home by 3:30 since her commute time is only 5 minutes. this more than compensates for the higher cost of living in the city versus moving to the burbs. I have passed up several good job offers because the commute would have been 3 - 4 times longer.

 

[csd72]

This is my first job that I have been only 15 minutes away from home I can work and have a life!

 

[Lion06]

I've been looking at homes closer to my office, but, like I said, they get very expensive very fast. We are already around 75% of what I would feel comfortable with for a mortgage and to get within 20 minutes of my office it is going to almost double.

 

[ykee]

If you take the money you save on gas, would you be able to buy closer?
Would moving closer to work make your spouse's drive longer?
What about changing your work hours, or is it all rush hour all the time?
It is quite a dilema that you are in, and from the changing jobs perspective, the grass is always looks greeener on the other side. Have you talked about your commute with you manager to see if they have any thoughts?

 

[Lion06]

I've talked briefly with my boss about it and have been able to leave a little early typically (around 5 insttead of 5:30), but I would need to be in by 6:30-7:00 and leave by 3:30 each day to miss rush hour. It's also hard for me to complain too much when my boss has a longer drive than I do. After him, though, I have the longest drive in the office.
Moving closer to my office would be closer to my wife's job. She isn't too far from her office right now (around 30 minutes), but I'm sure any time saved there would be fine with her.

It seems like the advice is definitely to not change jobs.

 

[csd72]

Have you looked at the option of coming in late and leaving late. This is less popular so I have found it is easier to avoid the traffic this way.

Coming in earlier just means that you are in traffic with tradesmen rather than office workers.

 

[Trackfiend]

I definitely wouldn't change jobs if you like it as much as you say.

I currently commute nearly 1.5 hours each way, but I do so because I love where I work. The learning environment is outstanding and the type of jobs I get to work on vary quite a bit. I feel the same as you in asking about working at home or getting a company vehicle since several of my coworkers drive 45 minutes to 1 hour each way also. My situation is a little different than yours in that I don't have a mortgage (I inherited my home) and my wife's commute from her job is only 15 minutes. I also don't have any children (yet).

Everything comes with a sacrifice. The question is, what do you want to give up and what do you want to gain? For me, the commute is worth the job.