Finance Ministry Ready To Encourage Employees To Work At Home

[george]

Finance Ministry ready to encourage employees to work at home

BANGKOK: -- Thailand's Finance and Deputy Prime Minister Surapong Suebwonglee on Wednesday said his ministry is set to encourage private-sector staff and government employees to work at home as part of the effort to reduce overheads and increase incomes amid ontinuing rising oil prices.

He said a meeting of economic ministers chaired by Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej will be held May 26 to find ways to ease the impact of higher energy prices on the cost of living.

Dr. Surapong said he supported the move to reduce living and travel costs by encouraging employees to work at home.

The ministry would begin implementing the measure with researchers first because they could work at home given the nature of their task. It is expected the scheme would take place in the third quarter of this year.

He said the surging oil prices had fuelled rising inflation around the world.

In April, the inflation rate increased to 6.2 per cent in Thailand, 8.5 per cent in China, and 9 per cent in Indonesia, with Thailand experiencing less severe inflation than some of its neighbours.

The minister said the government had attempted to cope with rising inflation by increasing incomes earned by people in various segments and boosting energy conservation.

He affirmed the government had no policy to subsidise energy prices because such a subsidy might give the wrong signal to the public.

--TNA 2008-05-22

[Lorin]

Thais lazy enough not to work good in office under supervision, i cant imagine them working from homes...Its no Pu Yai there to decide for them what to think or how to move...

[Byegert]

Thais lazy enough not to work good in office under supervision, i cant imagine them working from homes...Its no Pu Yai there to decide for them what to think or how to move...

I thought they already use this for years under the name "inactive position" which will be applied to all ranks. I would suggest to move their "work" to golf courses: fresh air, no traffic jams, much parking space, and the bosses are already there ...

[Plus]

I read about this practice at Central Bank, now the Finance Ministry wants to emulate it. Good idea.

There's a certain amount of work that should be done in certain time frame. Most of it at your computer station which could be located anywhere.

At Central Bank only certain positions can work from home and on certain days only. It's a question of proper management.

[TAWP]

As long as there is activity monitoring, using encrypted remote logging and laptops to allow people to do work from other locations than their office is something that has been done for over 10 years back home (was involved in setting it up for one government agency).

[Gravelrash]

Thais lazy enough not to work good in office under supervision, i cant imagine them working from homes...Its no Pu Yai there to decide for them what to think or how to move...

Pretty much sums it up. Doubt anyone will actually notice those that aren't there anyway.

[H20ho]

I think this is a great idea!

This definately will reduce transport costs as well as other associated cost for a lot of Thai which cuts like a big slice of pie into their overall earnings. Great Idea

Afterall, who cares where they don't do any work at?

Edited May 25, 2008 by H20ho

[Lorin]

As long as there is activity monitoring, using encrypted remote logging and laptops to allow people to do work from other locations than their office is something that has been done for over 10 years back home (was involved in setting it up for one government agency).

Another big concern..."encrypted remote logging"..."laptops"...surfing adult and other "funny" sites from those computers, picking trojans, adware, bots etc. I can imagine what security nightmare it will be(if they be configured to access the work place servers secure in the first place, that its very doubtful)

[Farma]

If another govt ministry is anything to go on, a lot of the senior staff are already working at home after hours using their own computers or laptops catching up on their work.

That department’s computer network is riddled with viruses and anti virus programs aren't up to the task. The IT people can’t stay on top of the problem. There doesn’t appear to be a policy controlling private handy stenos etc access to the main network.

Being the finance ministry, one can only hope the appropriate security measures are in place.

[PeaceBlondie]

Even in the West, where office workers have several days of working at home, the process is difficult to implement and monitor. My old job (computing income tax adjustments during the appeals process) was converted this way, but it was professional work that required minimal supervision, and the work product could be properly reviewed upon completion.

It requires a kind of work culture that may not exist in many Thai offices, such as trusting your employees not to goof off.

[Scott]

Working at home isn't for everyone. I am good employee and get a lot done. I once had the opportunity to have a small business venture of my own (fortunately, I wasn't dependent on it's income), and I was the laziest person on earth! I put everything off until tomorrow. Decided I had best be an employer rather than self-employed. Worked out as a nice tax deduction, however.

Most people here are used to being closely monitored and directed, it has to do with the culture. I know a really bright lady who took it upon herself to do something on her own and was reprimanded and told to do it again and do it differently--and I don't mean better. Seen similar types of things happen. So the lesson is wait for those in charge to tell you what to do, when to do it and how to do it.

[Bagwan]

At Central Bank only certain positions can work from home and on certain days only. It's a question of proper management.

Get real. This is Thailand. Proper management indeed. Adequate mangers would be as rare as honest cops, effective ones will be introduced right after the Khon Kaen Winter Olympics.

[samran]

having worked at the MOF, the practice won't work for two reasons.

The ones who have nothing to do won't have anyone to go out to lunch with.

The ones who do have something to do (and there are quite a few of them who would wipe the floor with 95% of the people on this board in terms of intelligence and work ethic) won't go to work at home as they won't be at the beck and call of their seniors who require them at a moments notice.

[Dah fahrang]

I think this is a great idea!

This definately will reduce transport costs as well as other associated cost for a lot of Thai which cuts like a big slice of pie into their overall earnings. Great Idea

Afterall, who cares where they don't do any work at?

I do, if its 'Immigration' who are working at home when it's time to extend!

[astral]

I find it difficult to work at home.

Far too many distraction.