Not sure if I want to work from home full time - would you?

[GymGirl23]

I work in a big office environment and most of us in my department have proved during the lockdown that we can work just as well from home if not better in some cases.

Heard today that we will be offered the opportunity to choose if we want to work from home full time, we'll be sent a memo about it soon. A lot of us aren't sure as it was fine when we thought it was for a certain amount of time before resuming our usual routine of commuting, looking around the shops at lunchtime, quick chats at the coffee machine and just having proper social contact. We've all worked together for years so have become good friends in the process. We also work effectively together as a team in person rather than on Zoom.

I spend 2 hours commuting each day but I actually find it relaxing as I read or listen to music. At the moment I'm working an extra 2 hours instead of commuting and working the other hours fully whereas in the office we tend to work 50 minutes out of each hour. I would miss the social contact and general banter. I think the novelty has worn off even though we do have a proper home office set up. There won't be an option to work 1 or 2 days from home and the other days in the office btw, it's basically home or office! Also I'm not getting paid for the extra 2 hours which I don't mind (and they haven't offered either) but if I was to work from home full time should I negotiate extra pay going forward as it's an extra 10 hours per week? What would you do? Really need advice on advantages and disadvantages! The one advantage is during the winter months not having to deal with cancelled trains due to a bit of snow and ice! DH works from home part of the week and kids are teenagers so not really distracting like small kids for context...

[HelloDulling]

I wouldn’t want to WFH forever.

Why are you working an extra 2 hours a day?

[Xmasbaby11]

I'm not sure why you are working 2 more hours a day - has your workload suddenly increased? I wouldn't be happy with that.

[sqirrelfriends]

I will be working from home if they offer it to me, it's so much nicer to be able to spend time with family or exercise in the morning rather than rushing about to get out the door in time.

Do you have an increased workload at the moment? Two extra hours a day really adds up and you shouldn't be expected to be putting in extra hours just because you're not commuting. Could you do something for yourself instead?

[Home42]

I wfh full time and have done for 10 years. I hated it for the first 6 months and missed my friends and the coffee machine and tea breaks... I wouldn’t swap it now. I clean in “commute time”. I am here when my kid comes home from school and to make tea.

However my job is hugely busy and I am in meetings ALL the time! I wouldn’t have time for coffee breaks anymore 😩

[Jammysod]

I'm hoping my place will offer it, but I'd only like to do 2 days a week from home. Miss the interaction with my team.

[Home42]

You don’t work in commute time by the way!!! If you worked in the office 7.5hrs/day and commuted 4hrs/day then you now wfh 7.5 hrs/day and get your 4hrs/day back!!!

[BruceAndNosh]

Unless your employer was paying for your commuting time, I don't see why you are working 2 hours extra when you are working your standard hours efficiently.
Maybe work longer hours if you are simultaneously toddler wrangling.
Does your employer know that you are working extra hours?

[bibbidybobbidyboo]

I think people's answer to this will probably vary depending on their life situation & the size of their house... If you're young, single, no kids or responsibilities after work and living in a house share in central London with 3 of you crammed around a dining table or taking zoom calls sitting on your bed, WFH forever is a nightmare.

If you're older, married, got a family to cook for/clean up after in the evenings and plenty of space in your house (a study to properly work in and a garden) WFH is a respite and makes life much more manageable.

As it happens, I'm in the first group and I cannot wait to go back.

[NiceLegsShameAboutTheFace]

I hate it: can't wait to get back to the office.

[SiaPR]

I don't want to work from home forever. I miss the social side. I might work from home a couple of days a week though if offered.

[Ted27]

Surely you are choosing to work the extra hours though? I'm not sure why you would expect to be paid. 10 hours a week would be around a 20% increase in pay. I am starting earlier and finishing later, but am taking a proper lunch break, I rarely took more than 15 minutes in the office, and other breaks for various reasons so overall I'm doing roughly the same hours.

I'm not sure if we will be given a choice. If we have to choose I'll go back, I miss being around people, its only 30 minutes walk but I am also missing that. I havent got space for a proper office set up, so bsck to the office for me.

[Jellykat]

I worked from home full time (self employed seamstress) up until 4 years ago, and hated it.. I was so lonely and cut off from the world, that i ended up taking on other part time work, just to get out and about and interact!

[kimbo1611]

I would - I have come to realise how anti social I am

[AndMyHairWillShineLikeTheSea]

Why are you working extra hours?

No I wouldn't want to do it for longer than I have to.

If I had an hour long commute I would maybe want to on a Friday though but not every day

[CMOTDibbler]

I wfh full time, and could never go back to being in the office

[overthinking88]

I would love to wfh full time - I love it. I'm expecting us to be told we will have to have some time at home and some in the office. My ideal would be 2 days in the office and 3 at home.

[BendingSpoons]

I don't understand why it has to be just one option. It would make far more sense for most people to do 2/3 days at home and 2/3 days in the office. Are they trying to make social distancing plans for the coming months and want to know who will be in or is it a long term plan?

I work my normal hours so enjoy gaining the commute time, although I have come to realise my commute was good headspace to switch off from work, as well as a bit of exercise and time to myself to read etc. That is 'your' time that work shouldn't be getting.

I honestly don't know what I would pick in your situation. My job won't lend itself to wfh long term and I'm glad really. I don't massively like wfh, although do have very young children, but it is hard to turn down the extra time and no commuting costs.

[user1471548941]

Nope, I really miss the office! It’s taken my 8 weeks to settle in to work from home but even so, I hate having my dining table given over to a desk!

Also, I have a one bed house with only 1 living space, with 2 of us, on calls all day, competing for loudest voice! It’s a beautiful home for a young couple to live it, but was not designed to be 2 people’s office also! We would need a bigger home (2 extra bedrooms for an office each!) and I can’t really see that being approved on expenses....

[crustycrab]

You're working your commute time? Do you usually get paid to commute?

I'd WFH forever yes, but a paid commute is a nice luxury!

[zscaler]

You shouldn’t be working an extra 2 hours per day just because you aren’t commuting. If your workload has massively increased then YANBU to ask for it to be redistributed or for your hours to be amended to reflect what you’re actually doing.

[Hippopotas]

I’d like to work part of the week from home and a few days in the office

[Oysterbabe]

I'd like a mix I think, maybe 1 day in the office a week.

[ScarfLadysBag]

I've WFH for five years and I could never go back to an office. The lack of flexibility would kill me (I'm also self-employed so I choose when I work!). DH WFH too, and means we have so much more time together as a family. But we are both antisocial and don't particularly crave the company of others!

[isthistoonosy]

Yep, I've WFH ft before though (with small kids) and was already easing my new manager into letting work on my commute and wfh 2 days a week.

Why can't two of you desk share and work in the office on opposite days?

Oh and you should not be working yourcommute time, this is one of the wfh perks that makes up for less breaks and chit chat.