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

most are going back to office..
it's being phased out

Total bullshit to make people believe it's normal to full time work in the office these days. Look I can do it the other way around too:

Most office people do wfh these days

Wfh will becoming more and more the norm and will continue to be so

Most people believe wfh is the future as its better for the environment and work life balance

See...

gave her a contract stating remote working

I thought her contract said working in the office... has that changed since earlier in the thread?

Why should she? No, seriously? They headhunted Op for the role, assured her it was remote, and gave her a contract stating remote working, provided her with home working equipment etc. Why should she just agree that they can make it office based for no good reason?

Get back to the office or get another job.

The position was confirmed by HR to be remote, so they shouldn't be trying to change your job spec. It is very unreasonable seeing as how far away you live. I would be very careful as this smacks of constructive dismissal to me. Maybe they want to get rid of you for some reason, and are going to make things difficult so you'll leave. Stand your ground. Good luck!

have you been reading this with your eyes closed? She was headhunted and has it in writing she is in a remote wfh role. read the posts

This exactly! Its almost a flight away, a short one but never the less…

As you’ve been doing WFH for two years it can be considered an assumed contract term even though not specifically in your contract. Therefore the onus is on them to justify why they are now needing to change your terms.

Ignore the jealous types who are only on here to make thinly veiled 'HAHA's at you, and celebrate your suffering.

If you have it in writing that it's remote, then that's important. It might not save you, but it will be something. Don't expect HR to back you up though - most of them are spineless in this situation and exist to support management and the business, not the underlings.

Your manager seems to be trying to scare and bully you into this, to make some kind of point about her authority. She sees you as an easy target and probably has been given targets by her own management to fulfil when to remote workers. Because of that, I would get to HR first if you can. They might take you up on this, so be careful, but in your shoes I would ask them to put it in writing that they want to change the terms of your initial employment and that they are willing to sack you if you don't agree.

Honestly....this isn't worth the aggravation from your company. You live 5 hrs away ffs!!!

Actually I would call ACAS before speaking to HR. They were very helpful when DD needed advice.

Er... HR isn't there to get on side, they are there to protect the interests of those running the company.

They will likely beef up the reason, make it linked to business need in some way.

Thats if they want to give OP the heave-ho, which sounds likely. If they value her they may come to some compromise.

Gosh... Haven't they heard of constructive dismissal?!

Lovely that she wants people in the office but unfortunately you work on a niche remote team and you probably wouldn't be the best person to manage projects in an area you nothing about. I would be saying things like "Are you pushing me into resigning?" "So you want me to do a completely different job in a completely different location that I'm not qualified to do?" Get HR on your side promptly and any Union if you have one.

I would email HR saying you are concerned at this completely new role she seems to be giving you.
You were hired to work remotely.
You are able to attend meetings remotely at both ends of the working day which would be impossible if commuting.
You have niche skills ,which their company headhunted you for, but which she is moving you from.
You have a disabled husband you need to be around for and a medical condition yourself which means you cannot drive.
She has given no reason other than that she likes people in the office for these changes.

Then you are in a strong position OP and HR will put your manager straight. They will need to consult with you to change the terms of your role and from what you've described it's actually helpful for you to cover the calls at the top and tail of day etc

If the post you accepted was a remote one, your contract should have stated mobile or home based.

Expenses can’t be paid for travel to your contractual base location as there are tax implications.

Ask for a change to a home based contract, agreeing to travel to HQ x times per month, which could be expensed.

Best case, explain that that level of commuting is not feasible or reasonable and they may offer redundancy due to being geographically stranded from the location you are expected to be located at.

Because if you'll read the thread you'll see that it was advertised as a remote role...

Giraffe has said she applied for a remote position after the company approached her, knowing where she lived. They have provided all equipment for wfh and they pay her expenses if she has to go to the office. They hired her as a remote worker for a niche job.

@Stressedgiraffe "they knew where you lived" but the reverse is also true! you knew where the business was based so why did you apply for a job if the business was based so far away???

Let her go to HR. If it's a bit company, hopefully your HR will be decent and just put her straight!! Sounds like she's one of these people in a new role and throwing her weight around to "prove" she's the boss and she's the "right" person for the job. I would go to HR direct yourself tomorrow to discuss it with them.

Do not let them manage you out. Ensure you have printed any emails or paperwork backing up your remote working agreement and forward any emails to yourself so that you have copies. Speak calmly to HR about the role you were hired for and that it is remote working. If they want to change the terms of the contract/agreement, they need to discuss a severance package with you. I would also consider seeking legal advice, but don’t tell them this, to avoid them reacting badly towards you. Document everything.

I wouldn’t go anywhere for the moment and stick to your guns, don’t make it easy for her to manage it out
You should go to HR aswell and explain your case.
From now on keep a note of all communication.
Even if you do eventually go I would cause a bit of trouble for her first as she is probably making others lives difficult as-well.
You can say to HR that you think she is trying to manage you out so then everything she does from there on could possibly help build a case

@NewYorkie39

''WFH is destroying our economy''

What is your evidence for this?

I think you will find that the Tories and Brexit have destroyed the economy...not flexible working.