If employers were mandated to allow employees to WFH unless there was a clear reason to need someone physically in a workplace

When it suited employers for people to WFH it was allowed now when it doesn't we get ordered back into the office.

Well yeah, if it does't suit an employer then they will expect employees back in the office.
They have a business to run 🤷🏼‍♀️

During Covid people with young kids were given a lot of leeway and would often have to duck out of meetings etc. all fine. But that has continued and it’s not acceptable to combine childcare with wfh.

it can’t be good for the kids either!

Could not agree more WFH has been a revelation for me. We are in the 21st century and people should be able to choose. When it suited employers for people to WFH it was allowed now when it doesn't we get ordered back into the office.

I would be interested to hear what jobs allow people to work from home full time as I am soon going to be in the position of needing to find one.

For all that some people skive when WFH there have always been plenty of people skiving in office based roles.

Companies frequently make decisions, issue blanket policies, not for any logical reason but because it suits the personal whims of the person in charge. I had an MD who didn't believe people worked unless he could see them sweating. Issued a blanket policy that everyone had to be in the office 5/5.

Then he got a puppy.

I am definitely healthier when in the office as we have a gym onsite so it takes me about 30 seconds to travel to it compared to 30 minutes to my home gym. I wouldn’t have time to go if wfh every day

Because people like to interact with other people. Chatting in the office you bond as a team. Stuck in a small room in your own house not meeting other people your mental health and physical health will get worse. Sounds awful.

Well for a start, trains would be more expensive to cover losses.

Diets wouldn't necessarily be healthier, nor would people. Sitting in your house all day isn't good for mind, body or spirit.

As for infections, we'd probably become so feeble with not being faced with germs every day that we would die of a cold.

Your ideal world sounds horrible to me OP.

Well, it's been shown that people understand and retain less information when communicating electronically.... ;)

You could argue the office workers have terrible reading comprehension by looking at these responses! What a silly argument.

People are vastly different, as you should know from the rich social life your job gives you. Some people thrive in the office, some people thrive wfh. All the OP is arguing for is for employers to have to allow WFH if they request it and it's feasible. My DH for example works in a role where his full team is based in another country, but still has to go to the office 3 times a week. That means a long, expensive commute, only to sit alone all day attending virtual meetings. There is absolutely no benefit to him being in the office.

Learning from being around others is nonsense? You really are deluded

Edited to remove insult because I like my Mumsnet account!

Personally I felt trapped in my own home, no designated office space and it was like I lived in my kitchen. Hated WFH

I've worked at home every day since 2019, pre covid. I am obese, diabetic, high blood pressure. In that 5 years, I've lost 4 stone...mainly because I am at home. I have more time to make better food choices, I can be more organised and not just pop to the sandwich shop. You have more opportunity to prepare healthier meals. You can eat at better times, not just stuffing something quickly at your desk. I can also exercise more. This is all because I do not have a 3 hour commute and my kitchen is 2 min walk away. Not only have I lost weight at home, my diabetic HP1ca reading has decreased from 86 to 49.
So yeah, diet is better at home, health and wellbeing is better, stress is better....and no cakes!!

You have been in work 20 years? Wow, you write like a child.

I can certainly see why OP with that attitude might find working with other people quite tricky.

Is this the reason why society seems to be so much more aggressive? WFH employee/ers* have forgotten how to communicate? I sometimes must about that. As I come into contact with hundreds of people a day I learn to read faces, body language, nuances of voice - you have to be socially flexible. Maybe WFH (and being alone) means forgetting how to compromise?

*not all WFHers obviously - just the OP and others like them who seem to be mad at the world.

I wouldn’t thrive in an office with the op, that’s for sure 😳 we are moving to 3 days in the office from 2, there’s no question of people skiving off at home, but we are more effective with regular in person time and all the casual encounters that creates. I met someone Tuesday coming through the office to say hi, dropping in from another city before moving to another country office. I’d never have met him otherwise in a casual context to get to know each other better, and improve our working relationship.

I do think about the benefits for the environment from reduced car use that’s 120 miles I am not driving every week - that’s got to be a good thing for the planet.

I do hybrid and it’s the best of both I think - I go to the office and sit by myself because my team is spread all over the uk the rest of the week I wfh and sit by myself because the rest of my team is all over the uk. No difference to my work but gets me out of my joggers.

I'm a teacher. Should I have a legal right to wfh?

I sit in an office part of the day but I'm out and about the rest of the day

Still impossible for me to WFH

I like WFH and do twice a week, but not everyone feels the same. I would hate to WFH every day. It’s quite shortsighted of you.

@OptimismvsRealism
You're living in dream land. Your boss wants you back in the office for a reason. Only you know what that reason is.

Your a manager - realistically how well can you manage and mentor your team if you never see them?

Are they turning to other people to ask questions because you aren't available?

Yip there is a department in our office that has a lunchtime quiz, 15mins and a bit of a laugh.
I have a feeling it was started during lockdown just to break up the monotony of those early months.

I sometimes go for lunch with a couple of colleagues just a general chat. It certainly makes it worthwhile to go into the office