Sorry, not sorry, but wfh really is much easier

In response to a PP:
I used to WFH before it was cool.

It was very much pre covid because of the hours I did (online customer service) it was better to WFH. I also did odd hours but it covered business needs and around my child care.
I had to work hard, couldn't do 50% of what the staff in the office did, as it was all reported on and everyone knew how much you had done.

In response to OP - 100% it's easier to WFH.
My DH now works from home 100% of the time.
They are encouraged to go to the office but then downsized the office so not actually enough hot desks for all.
He goes in every few months for meetings he has to attend but those days remind him why he doesn't bother every day.....the commute.
We only live 7 miles from his office in a city centre, but public transport is appalling & parking would cost double the public transport. It can take an hour or more to get from our house to his office for an 8.30-9am start.
Adds so much to his day when WFH means the kids (high school) have someone around when they get home, even if they don't actually need him, he's there, and he likes being there for them.

He's said loads of time now, WFH is soooooo much easier than going to the office. Even though he spends a lot of time on calls.

My job doesn't give to WFH....maybe one day a week ish or half a day here and there but the role doesn't suit WFH so I go to the office 5 days a week...but its only a 15 mins walk from my house and super flexible hours so it works for us.
But I wouldn't want to go back to commuting in to the city centre again - that was a positive from covid for me - I got made redundant and actively searched for jobs closer to home.
If I needed to move on again, I would be looking for jobs close to home/WFH for sure.

I'd love to work from home and not spend approximately half an hour each way driving in because of numerous bastarding traffic lights and traffic. Less money spent on petrol.

Get way more done at home too as no distractions.

There's times I like the chatter in the office but if I need to focus on something I'd much rather do it from home. The ideal for me would be a 2/3 split either way, unfortunately the culture here likes people in the office

I hate that I like WFH so much, as I'm very heavily office based! I'd prefer to hate it then coming into the office would be a relief.

I work hybrid and yes, going into the office is a hindrance.

I need time to get ready, and travel, which means three hours of work lost (potentially more if the trains are as shit as they often are) and I sit in the office on calls to the same people I’m on calls with at home, since my team are scattered around the country. Other than maybe a chat with a stranger in the kitchen the only people I talk to are friends who work in the same building if we have a brew together.

I actually quite like going in, but lets not pretend there’s any value in it for either me or my employer. It gives me less time and therefore gets in the way of both my productivity and family life. When I wfh I can start really early (husband takes kids to breakfast club) and be finished in time to pick up. I can be as flexible as required and get everything done without as much hassle.

I've WFH for many years now and I find a really effective way to separate home/work is to essentially "commute" by going for a little walk before work and after (I have a very active dog so it happens anyway but honestly, it works just like the drive in and out does).

Just in case it helps.

I used to wfh all the time and whilst there were benefits as you describe I was lonely and less productive. Now I work in an office full time and it's a better for me but very full on. What I need is some sort of hybrid where I do maybe two days at home. That would be perfect.

I WFH. Have done in my role for 10.5 years.

My role is field based, so I often have to travel to different places for meetings, conferences, etc.

My one and only head office is 100 miles away. So it’s not somewhere I travel to often unless I have a meeting there.

If I suddenly had to go into the office a few days a week, I’d have to find a new job because a 200 mile round trip into the office several times a week isn’t entirely practical.

Do I feel fortunate to be a remote worker? Yes I do. It brings many privileges/perks.

However, do I end up working far more hours than I would working in an office, because it’s harder to switch off? Yes I do

Do I feel like you’re generalising a lot of people who WFH? Absolutely.

You describe how hard it is for you, then say “it’s really not that hard, is it?”

Yeah it is harder. Hence, people would prefer to wfh.

So, our office does hybrid working . There are those who prefer the office and have gone in since they could after covid restrictions . There are those of us who prefer to work from home and go in to the office to ‘touch base ‘ once every couple of weeks. WFH suits me - my dh is up at 6 for work and dd leaves for work at 7.15 . I start up my computer at 6.15 and start working * once it’s loaded. I work through till 12 whether it’s databases or meetings unless a meeting runs later - I’m available by email or zoom all the time . I then break for lunch - a sandwich or something and check personal messages or emails . 1pm I start up again , sometimes earlier , more meetings etc and finish between 3 and 4 depending on work load. I don’t work Mondays. If I go into work I still get up at 6 and do some work before leaving to get the bus for a 45 min journey (if I’m lucky) to the office at about 8am when I get into the office I have to check and adjust seat and screens before I can start work , then I’m usually called into meetings or discussions with colleagues . I pack up and leave about 4 and don’t usually get home till about 6 pm . I get far more work done at home .
luckily I’m now on retirement leave and I finish at 5he 3nd of 5he month.
i have however worked in offices most of my life so the last few years since covid have been a bonus.

Well that's why hybrid is the best of both worlds!
And, as much as I love WFH, I'm also aware that it makes my job easier to replace with someone far cheaper than me, in some other country. Yes, it may result in worse productivity in the long-term but senior managers don't care. They outsource, get the kudos with savings etc then move on to their next Big Role, with some other poor sods left to pick up the pieces.

Junior staff don't get the opportunity to learn from osmosis

There's some truth in this. The current batch of trainees at my work are all WFH full time and not getting the same degree of mentoring that I got when I was in their position. Having said that, I'd not volunteer to go back into an office to support junior colleagues. I just couldn't be arsed now. I've done my bit over the years. Not that I could go into my current employer's office even if I wanted to, since it's over 600 miles away.

Me too. And the house is a constant mess unless I spend every minute of my free time cleaning and tidying 😭

Source: trust me bro.

I think wfh is massively easier so we've all embraced it but I think there are bigger picture costs that we're not really discussing. Junior staff don't get the opportunity to learn from osmosis, social side of work is virtually non-existent, loneliness and isolation is creeping in more as a society, women who wfh tend to also end up doing the role of housewife while trying to do a full day at work. I think yes day to day it's easier but long term I'm not sure it's best for us as a society.

@Notenoughtime23 nail on the head I think. You arrange your life around what you need to do for work. Change the requirements for work and it upends everything.

This is a bit like ‘those of you who broke your arm, stop moaning as I broke a leg and that’s worse’.

It’s all relative. I hate going in as I don’t have regular childcare before school so I have to arrange that. It’s not our fault you work in a less flexible job

I don’t think people moan about going into the office I think moan because businesses are changing the goalpost. It really annoys me when people claim I’m just moaning because the office wants me in more. Not the case I am moaning because I was told I needed to be in the office one day a week and no more. So my childcare was organised around this. I even increased my hours (I work part time) as work needed me to so I did on the basis this was only possible if the WFH/hybrid working stayed as it was. Then the 1 day went to 2 and now they want it to be three. Based on where I live and childcare etc it’s cheaper and easier for me to just get a part time job locally if the days increase to 3 per week. You can’t expect people to magic up childcare!
I also don’t get the leisurely breakfast etc of wfh. I think people who are lazy are lazy whether they are in the office or at home. Yesterday at home I got 8 reports done. Took a 20 minute break to take the kids to school and maybe 10 minutes to grab a sandwich. Today in the office I did one report. Caught up with colleagues who I hadn’t seen for a while (days vary so don’t always see people for a few weeks) and had an hours lunch break. I constantly had people asking me questions about stuff that should have been requested via other channels but because I’m there it’s easier to ask me which took me away from doing my actual job. I did far less in the office than I do at home and as a business our work rate has increased significantly since Covid. Unfortunately the person who was lazy before Covid is still lazy and work shy now. It’s the person not the environment. Yes work from home is easier because there is no commute so more time at home and a better work/life balance but it doesn’t work mean the work is easier. My husband is WFH and most days barely has time to eat he is so busy. It actually annoys me so much people that don’t WFH have this view that we ll sit at home doing nothing!

Given that's not true, there won't be.

Some people who work from home don't work as hard as they should be. So do some people in the office.

You tend to find that the people with the low work ethic, have it regardless of the location of their job.

I'm the only person who does my job at my company and I also inherited someone else's job too! I alone am responsible for 2 jobs, if I only did 50% I'd soon be found out!! If people are lazy when they WFH I can assure you they will be lazy when they're in the office!!! WFH doesn't change your work ethic! And those with a good work ethic do more, see my post above!

I do feel lucky being able to WFH but I had started before COVID as I previously worked about 10 mins walk from my office, but got divorced years ago then met my new (now fiance) partner. If I went to the office every day I'd have a 3 1/2 hour commute. When I first moved I initially thought I'd look for something closer to home but after having worked with my company for 29 years they wanted to help so I worked 2 days at home, 2 days in the office and I dropped a day. When COVID hit I changed to 4 days a week but I always worked the 5 as there was nothing else to do! Since COVID I pretty much work all the time from home though I've had to stop the Friday extra as I started to feel resentful. I also worked while on holiday several times when holidaying in the UK. But I've had to draw the line. I still work a half hour every day extra that I'm not paid for but I don't mind. In the beginning I thought it was great being able to do washing and stuff after 30 years being out the house five days a week, but now I can't be arsed! I just save it for my days off. There is a great advantage to me right now WFH as I have terrible health issues due to the Perimenopause and it helps me massively to stay working. If I'd been younger I don't think I'd like WFH, it can be very lonely..and I don't always know what the gossip is! But for now it helps me loads.

Absolute crap.

One day there will be reliable statistics to show that 90% of the people wfh are doing 50% of the work they are paid to do

utter rubbish

One day there will be reliable statistics to show that 90% of the people wfh are doing 50% of the work they are paid to do.

As someone who used to work from home almost exclusively at one point to now mostly working in an office I agree with you.

I have always agreed with you though, I knew the difference between WFH and WOH because I'd worked in an office full time before home working, as most people have. My good fortune in having home working opportunities has always been treasured by me and I've taken steps to work in roles where I knew that some WFH would be possible. That has meant not applying for more hours/promotions/unsuitable jobs etc. I've always earned minimum wage or not much above it so it's cost me, but with children it is worth the financial cost for us as it has made day to day life much less stressful.

I feel for people for whom it's not possible. My DH for example works one AM a week from home and the rest of the time has to be patient facing, understandably. He like you frequently then ends up having to do admin at home in the evenings. He does earn more than double what I do though so there's some compensation for it! And he knew when he trained for that role that obviously it wouldn't be one lending itself well to WFH.

You do sound really unhappy though OP with your set up and I would recommend sitting down and thinking through what changes you could make to make your life easier/you feel less stressed, if any.

This is the fundamental, basic assumption that people who don’t understand the kind of jobs where you can wfh make.

I am a manager. I don’t have “managers breathing down my neck” about how often I get up from my desk, or how many phone calls I take, or whether I’m on the internet or dealing with personal admin. The pressure I get is around why hasn’t that complex issue been resolved when I haven’t been given the budget to hire the people with the skills to resolve it, or why can’t I commit to delivering that project in two months when the requirements aren’t understood yet.

The amount of time I spend at my desk or in the office has virtually no impact on my ability to do those things, and my managers are aware of that and also understand that if they pestered me and my colleagues about that kind of trivia, they’d be creating unnecessary work for themselves whilst demotivating people and making it more likely that they’ll leave.

They’d also have to pay for us all to traipse up and down the country all the time rather than working in order to get to the face to face meetings that are allegedly so vital, and wait longer while we arranged the logistics of all that travel.