New manager want me in the office. I wfh-help!

‘Lucky’ erm you do realise companies are finding it hard to recruit right?

OP she can't just change your terms and conditions without HR input so it's a good thing to get them involved.

And in doing so she'll discover she doesn't have much leg to stand on. The contract is one thing, but working practice in this case would override the paperwork. Plus you have written confirmation that remote was agreeable.

So she needs to have a very firm reason for changing changing that.

You should also call out with HR your disabled Dh and requirements to be local to home. This could qualify as reasonable circumstances for a formal flexible working request to alter your contract - which I think could be your next step.

As for projects, well, she can change provided you are generally able for the work and it's not significantly different per project.

Don't resign. You have statutory rights at this stage.

I think exactly that - it’s time to find a new job that works better for you.

There is bizarre assumption amongst the anti-wfh bots that it’s all the fault of the employee, that some empty office is just waiting for them. In my case I was hired for a job in an office 10 miles away that a large corporate took over. They shut it and moved me further away (1 hour), then again 5 years later (post wfh) a further half hour. If they decided I had to be in some far flung office more than I wanted I’d be looking for something else.

Sorry to hear that op.

It's worth hearing what HR have to say but even if they resolve it, it's soul destroying working for someone who doesn't value or respect you so I'd focus on finding a new job.

Sorry to say, but I feel you've been lucky for two years, if it didn't specify WFH in the contract. More and more companies are returning to at least a hybrid form of work these days... but it's certainly worth a chat with your boss about your situation. I think I would have always thought I was chancing it getting a non WFH position and living five hours away

Rookies aren’t homogenous. Some wfh works for, some it doesn’t.

😂😂

Well the ones who still have enough office space and haven’t shut all the ones we actually were contractually obliged to.

It really isn’t that simple.

Totally see your point about attracting talent etc. but I’m talking about the rookies who aren’t blowing anyone’s mind but what they do and need guidance and mentoring.

Hate to say this, but could they be trying to put you off? (eg get rid of you) - it is a well-known HR 'method'.

Actually, whilst there is truth in the challenges for younger generations not getting the same experience, wfh has opened up the employment market for many employers. Being able to attract talent from anywhere in the country/world without insisting they relocate has been hugely beneficial for many companies. And for large global companies, having people come in to an office purely so they can sit near other people who happen to live nearby whilst the spending most of the day on calls to the people they actually work with who are based in other parts of the world isn't really greatly beneficial to anyone.
I can see that if your team or the people you mostly work with are based locally then there are benefits, but that just isn't the case for a lot of jobs.

YANBU

Contrasting with most people who have absorbed WFH as the norm since COVID but now their employers want them back, you were never an office based employee.

They can't change it now - it's not reasonable.

It sounds like you've been caught in the post COVID net like others gave said. You'd have good grounds but better to go in softly at first - as they can probably shaft you anyway.

YANBU but they might be.

I haven’t read all the posts but I understand WFH is going to be phased out by large corporations. The younger generation coming through the ranks are struggling and need to be shown how to interact and build relationships both internally and externally. Some then sneeze and take a few days off, the fact is they aren’t resilient enough, and need a bit of a kick up the back side…

I don’t think it’ll return to 5 days a week but I think there will be more demands to go in, in person. WFH is a great luxury but many just take it as a given. I don’t get it personally….

Ask the question over on the Legal Beagles employment forum. FOC legal advise from employment solicitors.

Always amazed how little attention people pay to their employment contracts. This is not specifically aimed at OP but there are frequent threads on here where people are surprised regarding terms and conditions like sick pay, annual leave etc.

However, employee has over two years’ service and has worked from home plus paperwork to show she accepted a remote job.

The employment contract or statement of terms and conditions is not necessarily the decider. Custom and practice is equally important (if not more so) in employment law and in this example is in OP’s favour.

Read your contract. Go to HR. Why did your contract state HQ? I was in a similar situation once. My contract stated HQ, but I had emails setting up the contract that stated wfh. The emails won. But I agreed to go to London one day a week - not five. You know if there is a business need to be present and build relationships with people. And you know, whether to co-operate and succeed, or whether you might find your job becomes redundant. Only you know how important your function is for the company you work for. And whether you are valued. If the company is suffering because you cannot be on site - they will re-organise the company and job roles. If you understand your value, I'd start talking to your manager and HR.

*amenable

I love a nice bit of wfh though I am 99 per cent office based and front facing. However I really don't think it's a great way for young workers to start as so many are already fighting with anxiety and problems with social interaction after lockdowns. I fear they won't learn how to actually be in a workplace and navigate work relationships.

Once a month doesn't sound too bad. Once a week would be a pain.

Wfh is here to stay no matter what bitter mnetters say. Absent minded, Cos I say so Presentism is dinasaur culture. Wfh is better for morale better for the environment. Office is better for train company profits for pret a manger profits and for canary wharf estate owners. You're being manipulated dear people. Unless you're in a job phsycal work or teaching or service etc is involved, you can perfectly be OK seeing your colleagues once a month. The other category of office advocates seem to be lonely people who want a chat. That's OK but They need to understand not everyone wants to. Those who want can congrogate. Just don't force yourselves on other people for goodness sake.

What's the fine print of the contract. Even a WFH contract usually has an office as your 'base' for meetings and HR things.

We had a lady who was based hours away and her office was London but she worked from home unless needed for meetings which weren't often. Sadly the company scrapped WFH completely even before COVID and she was completely screwed.

If you check the fine print and confirm with HR what exactly is in the contract you will have an answer. It maybe the HQ is the location given for all WFH staff. If there is zero mention of remote working then yes they can force you to attend or leave. However they have also hired you knowing you are 5 hrs away so clearly didn't expect you to be in every day but if did you not read the contract you signed and questioned why it didnt state your correct terms and just signed anyway so then legally - you signed up for this. This would be one for the union/HR/ legal experts I think.

It's also the exact reason I am terrified of getting a remote working position. I really need to work from home as I have health issues and a sole carer but this being told I have to be in at the other end of the country thing seems to happen a lot lately and I physically can't.

And the OP says her emails from HR (and the job spec) state the position is a remote position, with occasional visits to the office.

My own contract states that I am field based worker as part of the HR dept in HO and that I may have to visit my HO from time to time. I still get my mileage expenses paid for it, that are classed as a reimbursement not a benefit in kind.

If her role is classed as remote as part of her contract, any travelling she does, can be claimed as expenses, not a benefit in kind.

You realise jobs WFH have been about well before Covid started?

I’ve been in my field based WFH role for over 10 years. My job requires it because I have to travel places at times to attend meetings, conduct assessments etc.

Those of us have been WFH for many many years have been doing so perfectly fine for all that time. People have only started paying attention to WFH since Covid and seem oblivious to the fact that WFH jobs existed long before.

Speak to your manager and explain your circumstances see if you can get her on board. If not I would speak to HR and look at putting in a request to work from home. Explain all your reasons, tbh with the fact you have worked from home for so long, and that you have a disabled dependent I don’t think they would have a leg to stand on to refuse the request.

That was meant for @browneyes77