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

Why do people who've chosen to do jobs that have to be done in person imagine their terms and conditions are relevant to jobs that can be done remotely? I can only dream of a pension scheme like teachers have access to, but I'd never delude myself that it's relevant.

My lot are getting a bit like this. Pre-pandemic we were all in the office full time, for the most part, with occasional flexibility to work at home. Fine.

Then the pandemic came and they sent everyone home during the lockdowns - fine.

Did a trial phase for hybrid working - fine.

Hired people for particular niche expertise from all over the country and told them they could work remotely - fine.

Then the decree came from on high (well, central government) that costs had to be reduced - fine, although we moved offices to somewhere only about 30% of the capacity of the previous building, it worked OK.

Then a further decree that all shall be in x days a week - and now people are practically fighting over desks because there's not enough room. Not fine: bloody stupid.

Edited to add: worth querying with your HR, OP, particularly given what they said at the time they hired you. Good luck.

Hi OP,

So sorry you're going through this. It must be causing you a lot of anxiety.

I've managed global teams for global companies before and agree, you are hardly ever physically next to a colleague or team member. It's just not part of the culture.

As you applied for a remote role and have the JD, and emails to prove that was the basis the role was awarded, I'd start with HR and say you've only just noticed an error in your contract as this new requirement has been mooted.

The fact they are paying your travel already, too, indicates they consider you have a mobile/remote role.

I'd contact HR first thing.

Very good luck to you.

But she’s managed to do the job from home for the last 2 years without issue so why should she?

But it's her choice to live 5 hours away when she knows she has a job contract that requires her to work in an office...

I was about to say YABU but then I saw you live 5 hours away. Did they say why you need to be sat at a desk in an office 5 hours away when you could be doing the same work at home?

They sound generous if they are willing to compromise on once a month, especially as you do not have a WFH contract.
Why would you have to stay in a hotel for two nights, surely you'd travel down the day before, stay overnight and once you finish you'd return home that night.

Your attitude is quite behind the times @roses321

I disagree. I think she's spot on about entitlement. Here is the OP, with a contract that says she needs to work in the office, moaning that she has to go into the office once a month!!!

They would have to change her contract in writing. Otherwise they have an HMRC issue

Your attitude is quite behind the times @roses321

It’s in the very first post!

You'd be amazed at how well I do my job, even though none of my team nor any colleagues with whom I work directly are in the same office

Okay, that's great. But loads of people take advantage of working from home and are less productive. I know SO many people who brag about how little they do WFH, and how they can 'get away' with going to the gym etc during the working day! Have you seen all the posts on mumsnet about looking after babies/toddlers while 'WFH'?!

What does your contract say??

Why would the contract have very little bearing? Genuine question

They can if they consider her workplace to be her home. But her contract says it's not.

It hasn’t been 5 years. It’s been 2.

*TBH I think you are lucky they only want you in once a month, I would jump on that if I were you.

Your contact doesn't say WFH, most employers now want their employees back 3 days a week now*

Same! There's a weird sense of entitlement these days about WFH. The increased flexibility is great, but people seem to NEVER want to go in the office l, EVER, despite their contract saying they're supposed to?! Madness. I work in my workplace every day (school teacher) and omg I can only dream of WFH one day a week...

They can if they consider her workplace to be her home.

People are so against WFH sometimes
I don't even speak to my colleagues in the office as I'm on the phone all day, so being at home makes no difference

My manager can still listen to my calls, record my screen and monitor what I'm doing
I probably speak to colleagues more via text than I ever got chance to have a conversation in the office

Unless they can justify it (which would be tough after 5 years) then it can be considered constructive dismissal.

But your contract says you don't work from home...

Just go in once a month

You'd be amazed at how well I do my job, even though none of my team nor any colleagues with whom I work directly are in the same office. Some aren't even in the same country!
So regardless of whether I'm at home or in the office, I spend my days talking into a screen or on the phone.
And I've been doing it for a decade.
Guess I've spent all that time just sitting on arse and I imagined all those times I was still working away 14 hours after logging on.
As a side note, I am in charge of a large team of professionals. I don't give a shit where they work so long as they do the work and do it do a high standard. In the office, in their garden, sitting in a café - all fine by me.
Why would you hire someone who you felt was lazy/incompetent enough to need constant supervision?

They can’t pay your travel and hotel expenses without having it treated as a benefit in kind….which you will be taxed on.