That replying to work emails on the train IS working?

[managedmis]

Jury seems to be out on this one at work so thought I'd ask on her.

I commute 2 hours per day to get to work, an hour there and back. I have my work email on my phone and reply /send emails when I'm on the train. Note that my role is admin based, so always loads of emails to respond to etc.

I consider that this is work.

What do you think?

Presentism in teaching is bloody essential for schools (but not for other types of training/teaching) - but not essential for marking work, you can do that on the train on the way to work surely?

My friend works for a very progressive and successful company where performance is measured on results, not hours in the office. She leaves work an hour early and works in her hour commute. Also works from home 1-2 days a week. I wouldn't like to be working for some of the PP's.

conveniently all factors the OP hasnt or won't mention in a bid to get the response she wants,

^^

Or just to get unbiased opinions maybe.... Didn't work, did it?

My friend works for a very progressive and successful company where performance is measured on results, not hours in the office. She leaves work an hour early and works in her hour commute. Also works from home 1-2 days a week. I wouldn't like to be working for some of the PP's.

But you dont work for this progressive company either? Again, no one is wrong. Different employers, cultures and job roles all come into play.

@managedmis I see you are still reading, why arent you contributing. It seems to me that you have left the detail out on purpose.

All that matters is, has you employer agrees working on your commute counts?

It depends on the company, if your employer is happy for you to respond to emails outside the office then it’s ok. If not then don’t answer emails on the train and travel an hour earlier

Presentism in teaching is bloody essential for schools (but not for other types of training/teaching) - but not essential for marking work, you can do that on the train on the way to work surely?
Being present on site to teach lessons is.
But we are contacted 32 hours a week (and that's the directed time on site stuff, which includes a small amount of planning time, usually 2-3 hours).
Everything else is outside of those hours. My point is that it would be ridiculous for someone to argue that because they've done 8 hours at a weekend, they should have their working week reduced to factor that in, or they did additional planning on their commute so they should have a shorter day so the work they do there is factored in. That's a job that has an expectation of a certain amount of reasonable out of ours work (like many professional jobs, where it's fairly common to fire a few emails off on an evening if convenient but you wouldn't request a reduced day).

Or just to get unbiased opinions maybe.... Didn't work, did it?
Nobody can give any useful advice or opinions without knowing the job, nature of the post, whether work are directing you to answer emails / whether some out of hours communication is a reasonable part of your role and similar roles.
It's not about unbiased opinions. It's witholding information that will allow people to offer useful advice in favour of hoping people say "but you can work anywhere, presenteeism and bums on seats is damaging etc".

When I worked I was relocated to a London office from a regional one. I drove to the regional office, 1hr each way, clearly not work time. Got the train to London, did 1.5 hrs work on the train journey in, clearly work time. I was available, responsive and concentrated. The 1/2 hr tube journey across London was not work time as I was unavailable, the train journey home was me time.

My employer wanted the work done. Where it was done was not the issue. One of the London based colleagues gave me the tip of relocating to a museum cafe during some periods when concentrating was needed - not a busy office.

20yrs ago I worked, on an hourly basis p/t for a large City company. Before mobile data. My line manager there absolutely counted work done anywhere as work hours! Yes I worked on the train then too.

@managedmis - my unbiased opinion was YANBU, it's work, albeit slightly less productive. You then explained your agenda and converted me to YABU, I changed my vote accordingly. What I think you meant to say is that you hoped people would agree with you.

I don’t think it is work unless you have to do it, to be honest. If your work make you do it then yes, but if you could put your phone away and read a book instead without any comment from work then I wouldn’t consider it work. I’d personally consider it voluntary extra

That distinction makes no senee to anyone who has any flexibility or autonomy over their work though. I am mumsnetting at the moment because my work laptop is broken. I am not going to get into trouble, but at some point i need to get logged on and work!

I don’t think it is work unless you have to do it, to be honest. The emails have to get read and responded to - that has to be done and whether it gets done in an office or on a train at midnight or noon, it is still work that has to be done... a boss may prefer it gets done in the office at noon, they might even insist upon it but it's still work that the OP has to do.

It won't be long, it's already happening, that employers will expect you to work out of hours without any extra pay and they will not show that they are appreciative or grateful for this.
I was teaching for years and extra hours were expected. no one asked whether you were free for parents evenings or not ! Your lessons had to be prepared in non contact time.
Only do this if it makes your day easier.

I was teaching for years and extra hours were expected. no one asked whether you were free for parents evenings or not !

none of these are "extra hours", even my youngest kids know that teachers have to work evenings or weekends preparing and marking, and attend all sort of parents evenings!
who goes into teaching expecting to work "school hours"?!?

“It's whether it's your choice to email then or not. If you have to be on email, then tou're working. If you're choosing to do it and then trying to claim back those hours then YABU.”

This.

Of course it's work

some people think your arse needs to be on a seat in the office, some people think your arse on the train going to work is fine.

What most people think doesn't matter. What your line manager thinks does. Have you discussed with them/got approval to count as work hours? Most managers would recognise you will be much more productive sitting in a seat in an office with laptop etc rather than just a mobile phone on a train.

I think claiming your commute as part of your contracted hours is wrong. Few jobs lend themselves to proper concentration/confidentiality/ full range of tasks eg calls, attending meetings or completing complex spreadsheets without distraction. Fine to do occasionally but not as a matter of course. I’ve seen a couple of people try this- their productivity and performance tanked as did their bonuses.