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AIBU?

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Original poster

To wonder how we ever did 5 days a week in an office?

495 replies

OptimismvsRealism · 07/06/2024 19:04

I work hard and love my job (legal). Spent a day in the office today for the first time in months and honestly feel sick. The people flu! I couldn't go back. All those blokes in the City saying WFH was an "aberration" are deluded.

I get that some people love it and there's enough diversity in this world for everyone to find their niche but Oh My God am I glad I don't have to do the daily traipse any more.

OP posts:
Original poster
OptimismvsRealism · 09/06/2024 22:10

Donsyb · 09/06/2024 21:44

That’s a ridiculous statement. Millions of women managed it when they had no choice - you would just make it work.

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Most women in the history of time were excluded from the workplace. Enough is enough.

OP posts:
Willywaitingforbreakfast · 09/06/2024 21:57

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SocoBateVira · 09/06/2024 21:55

Donsyb · 09/06/2024 21:52

They made it work, not saying it was always easy. Statistics show less people are in employment than before Covid, not more.

Personally I don’t know anyone that couldn’t work pre covid that now can because of WFH

Edited
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Who's 'they'? Lots of people did, yeah. Others didn't. That's a fact. It's simply not the case that people just got on with it, because there were people who couldn't make it work in 2019.

There are indeed fewer people working now than pre covid. But there are a lot of reasons for that, and it doesn't affect the fact that there are people who did not make it work before.

Donsyb · 09/06/2024 21:54

OptimismvsRealism · 09/06/2024 20:23

That's because you want certain things and thrive on certain things. Not everyone is like you.

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And not everyone is like you!

Donsyb · 09/06/2024 21:52

SocoBateVira · 09/06/2024 21:50

And lots more didn't, couldn't. If we're going to talk about what things were like before 2020, that also has to include all the people who were excluded.

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They made it work, not saying it was always easy. Statistics show less people are in employment than before Covid, not more.

Personally I don’t know anyone that couldn’t work pre covid that now can because of WFH

Donsyb · 09/06/2024 21:51

MotherOfRatios · 09/06/2024 20:33

I'm mid 20s and my job requires attendance in person for stuff but I hybrid work.

I'm glad I can wfh because as a Black woman I can largely avoid microaggressions

Out of interest, what micro aggressions do you face? Genuinely interested, as not black so would like to know what your experience is. I’m still shocked that in this day and age you should have a different experience in the office to a white woman (although the fact I have to specify woman is also wrong!)

SocoBateVira · 09/06/2024 21:50

Donsyb · 09/06/2024 21:44

That’s a ridiculous statement. Millions of women managed it when they had no choice - you would just make it work.

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And lots more didn't, couldn't. If we're going to talk about what things were like before 2020, that also has to include all the people who were excluded.

Donsyb · 09/06/2024 21:47

OptimismvsRealism · 09/06/2024 21:19

No it doesn't. I'd happily see the human population reduced by 50% right now. Having to sit around them is no benefit.

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That’s a “you” problem, not a society problem.

I hated WFH full time, as did a number of people I know. It had a major impact on our mental health. As the previous poster said, that’s not the case for everyone, but you have to understand there are lots of people that need that human interaction and don’t function well WFH, and that excluding a significant number of jobs that physically can’t be done at home.

Donsyb · 09/06/2024 21:44

OptimismvsRealism · 07/06/2024 19:15

No, I couldn't. I'm really lucky that the choice has come about now.

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That’s a ridiculous statement. Millions of women managed it when they had no choice - you would just make it work.

nobeans · 09/06/2024 21:24

Thevelvelletes · 07/06/2024 19:07

And how many calls/emails go unanswered because of WFH policy particularly in public facilities such as HMRC, DVLA etc.

I don't know their policy but in my office those that work from home answer MORE calls and emails

Original poster
OptimismvsRealism · 09/06/2024 21:19

BennyBee · 09/06/2024 20:57

I deliberately said this isn’t about personal choice. It isn’t what I prefer, it’s about what’s good for us as a society. You can disagree and think WFH is good for us, as some have, but you can’t say it’s just my preference or yours. I think it’s good for people to get outside of their comfort zones and engage with other people. It helps us all.

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No it doesn't. I'd happily see the human population reduced by 50% right now. Having to sit around them is no benefit.

OP posts:
MotherOfRatios · 09/06/2024 21:07

SocoBateVira · 09/06/2024 20:43

Should be required reading for everyone who wants to say hybrid and remote are bad for young people.

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I think it's more about your team if you work with people who want to develop you it's fine but if you have a team who don't care it's different.

But when I'm in the office and face microaggressions it's exhausting I couldn't imagine doing it five days a week.

BennyBee · 09/06/2024 20:57

OptimismvsRealism · 09/06/2024 20:23

That's because you want certain things and thrive on certain things. Not everyone is like you.

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I deliberately said this isn’t about personal choice. It isn’t what I prefer, it’s about what’s good for us as a society. You can disagree and think WFH is good for us, as some have, but you can’t say it’s just my preference or yours. I think it’s good for people to get outside of their comfort zones and engage with other people. It helps us all.

SocoBateVira · 09/06/2024 20:43

MotherOfRatios · 09/06/2024 20:33

I'm mid 20s and my job requires attendance in person for stuff but I hybrid work.

I'm glad I can wfh because as a Black woman I can largely avoid microaggressions

Should be required reading for everyone who wants to say hybrid and remote are bad for young people.

tillyandmilly · 09/06/2024 20:37

Yes - I love my WFH job - go in 1 day a week - can’t do office politics anymore - dealing with people wanting different temperatures in the office and colleagues moaning! So glad i can WFH!

MotherOfRatios · 09/06/2024 20:33

I'm mid 20s and my job requires attendance in person for stuff but I hybrid work.

I'm glad I can wfh because as a Black woman I can largely avoid microaggressions

Tahlullah · 09/06/2024 20:27

Wow OP, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone on here before, with quite such an uncanny ability to be so condescending to anyone with an opposing view!

Original poster
OptimismvsRealism · 09/06/2024 20:25

I used to contemplate suicide a lot at work (especially when I was a trainee but to be honest up until I was well qualified very regularly). After COVID, although everything around COVID drove me wild and I was fiercely against lockdown, I haven't really seriously thought about it once.

Social beings don't need the office. We existed before it did.

OP posts:
Original poster
OptimismvsRealism · 09/06/2024 20:23

BennyBee · 09/06/2024 19:57

I honestly think that WFH is a bad development. It’s not so much about your choice or enjoyment of the job but what it says about the way our society is being restructured. We were already quite atomised and isolated from one another and now we just relate through screens. Private life dominates over public. I don’t think it’s a healthy balance. I do work from home sometimes but don’t have the option all the time and I’m grateful that I’m forced to get out there, get public facing and mingle with my fellow humans. It’s like we are all voluntarily living in the Matrix. No wonder mental health issues are going through the roof. Humans are social beings, we need each other, even the annoying ones.

That's because you want certain things and thrive on certain things. Not everyone is like you.

OP posts:
Sendinsanity · 09/06/2024 20:23

Toptops · 09/06/2024 20:20

Annoying post.
Lots of people don't have the choice due to the nature of their job or their employer's decision.
For me, the jury's out when there are massive delays when it comes to someone picking up the phone in councils or other public orgs.
Is it because of WFH? Is it because there are too few people employed to do the job?
Either way, it's fucking annoying

It's absolutely not enough staff. I work for my LA and part of my job is a 2 hour slot on the phones each day. The technology we have is amazing, despite working from home. There just isn't enough of us to manage demand

Sendinsanity · 09/06/2024 20:22

They other employer benefit of having WFH available is that I've picked up something rough from my kids. If I was office based I'd be calling in sick tomorrow. Instead I'll take my laptop to the sofa and carry on working. My threshold for calling out unwell is far far higher because I can wallow at home and not have to worry about a commute or spreading it

Toptops · 09/06/2024 20:20

Annoying post.
Lots of people don't have the choice due to the nature of their job or their employer's decision.
For me, the jury's out when there are massive delays when it comes to someone picking up the phone in councils or other public orgs.
Is it because of WFH? Is it because there are too few people employed to do the job?
Either way, it's fucking annoying

Pepsiisbetterthancoke · 09/06/2024 20:17

OptimismvsRealism · 09/06/2024 19:15

I absolutely cannot wait to see the compulsory office people trying to force neurodivergent or anxiety suffering gen z into the office

They'll just quit and the employers will have to eat crow pie

Some of those anxiety suffering gen z-ers would benefit from a little social interaction rather than spending their working life in a bedroom of a shared house only interacting with colleagues via a teams chat room. And to be honest that goes for people of all ages.

Some people, not all before words are twisted

SocoBateVira · 09/06/2024 20:06

BennyBee · 09/06/2024 19:57

I honestly think that WFH is a bad development. It’s not so much about your choice or enjoyment of the job but what it says about the way our society is being restructured. We were already quite atomised and isolated from one another and now we just relate through screens. Private life dominates over public. I don’t think it’s a healthy balance. I do work from home sometimes but don’t have the option all the time and I’m grateful that I’m forced to get out there, get public facing and mingle with my fellow humans. It’s like we are all voluntarily living in the Matrix. No wonder mental health issues are going through the roof. Humans are social beings, we need each other, even the annoying ones.

You can't really assume that because this is true for you it's true for everyone though. A lot of people had lengthy commutes, and now have time freed up from that to use for actual social interaction or something else of more value.

Jaybail · 09/06/2024 19:59

yumyumyumy · 07/06/2024 20:39

A lot of people think they are "more productive" working from home. It doesn't make you more productive if you load the washing machine in your lunch hour.

Surely you are not expected to be productive in your lunch hour? That time belongs to you not your employer.