To dislike WFH….

Agree, I hate hate hate wfh. I ended up moving jobs but I’d still prefer to be in the office (with a team!) more than I am.

@ZippyDoodle

I agree with you.
I wfh full time now. If I could go back to a pre 2000 office I'd love to! I don't want to go back to a 2024 office. It has changed so much.

WFH is a blessing for us as my partner can see the children before work and as soon as he finishes, it’s a lot cheaper (No buying lunch, second car needed, petrol, or train costs etc) but it does take its toll mentally and you need discipline to get up and do something so you’re not sat down ALL day. Also, his day starts as soon as he wakes up (big workload, stressful job) so it can feel never-ending. Ideally he would be x2 days in a local office, x3 at home, I’m worried his mental health is suffering from not having any face to face contact with colleagues. However, he gets a big hug from the children after school and they def provide lots of fun from 5.30 onwards, or whenever he finishes..

Yes there is.

https://www.hse.gov.uk/msd/dse/home-working.htm

You don't need to sit in a fart stinking open plan box with someone to become their pal.

Would you have the budget for a hot desking space? We have some really nice offices near us that offer hot desking, meeting rooms etc.

Because we never know when we would need help . Other people gives your mind something to focus on . I think that's why hubris working works better .

WFH can be very lonely. It has its benefits as no commute time but I work very hard so am not doing washing etc.

I have loads of friends which I made because I worked with them @OptimismvsRealism

I wfh one day a week the rest is office based I much prefer the office but also like the fact I’m at home on a Friday and can use this to do my back office stuff without distraction.

I don’t have a seperate dedicated workspace really (although would love one). I either use the desk in dds room or the dining table. Depending on my mood.

Yeah those are friends. You don't need an office to see them.

And don’t underestimate what a laugh some other people can be.

Sit at a desk, get up for 5-10 mins every hour, engage with your colleagues on Teams more, but it's not the same as in office, no.

I don’t think the way you feel is that unusual. Is it worth talking to your LM to see if they have any ideas that might accommodate your needs? But ultimately if you have to move on because you need more face to face engagement, you’re not doing anything wrong in putting your own needs first.

Remember that if you went into the office, most people would be working from home so it would still be pretty quiet 🤷‍♀️ If you don’t like WFH, your best bet is probably to look for a hybrid role at another organisation.

I have WFH for many years.
I have a garden office with a proper office set up.
It came at a time (senior) when I felt fully able to work independently and that the flexibility and time saved on commuting far outweighed the benefit of being in the office.
There are days when I don't go out much during the working day, but this is probably because I've got something on in the evening. Or I go for a run or walk with a friend during the day.

I have an app which locks my workstation every 55 mins for 5 mins. I can't override it once it starts (though I can stop the whole thing obviously if I've got a meeting), so I get up and get a lot of stuff done around the home. It's amazing what you can do in 5 mins.

I am a lone parent and being present for my 15 yo is great. He'll come home around 4pm this afternoon, pop his head in the garden office and have a little chat. The flexibility also enables me to work with his teen life (ferrying him somewhere at a random time) more easily than if I was in the office.

I absolutely hate how work has changed since I started work in the mid 80s.

When I started working in offices. All the jobs I did were clearly defined. Hours were pretty much 9 to 5 with an hour for lunch. There was enough time to chat to colleagues and take your lunch hour. People weren't generally stressed out about their jobs. Companies inducted staff properly and actually trained them for their job. I looked forward to work and most people got on with each other.

Over time, hours and workloads have crept up. Three people get sacked and the remaining four have to absorb the work. Management attitude is suck it up. Everyone's job merges into everyone else's because we're all supposed to be team players when in reality one poor sod gets lumbered because they're too nice to speak up. Big open plan offices crept in then hot desking which drove a lot of people to want to work from home. Companies then seized this opportunity to close offices so loads of people are now working from home on their own using their own equipment and electric to get their job done.

I sound like a complete dullard I know.

YANBU. I honestly wouldn't like a fully remote job. There's a lot to be said for having a team around you, the daily chat, the office environment, the social stimulation.

Commuting sucks; I've dealt with that by finding a job I can bike to. I also do a 1h walk at lunchtime on my WFH days.

I understand where you’re coming from but I live WFH. I have a small child now and it means I don’t have to commute after the nursery run, can get a load or two of laundry done. Prep dinner at lunch time and then come dinner time everything is almost ready and the evening is relaxing. In the warmer months I go for a walk at lunch or work in the garden with my laptop. I do one day a week in the office and I hate it. Everyone is so chatty it’s impossible to get any work done. I’ve also realised how much time some colleagues spend on smoke breaks. Someone queried why I was leaving 30 mins early but she had easily had 40 mins of smoke breaks that day if not more! However I think in the early days of WFH
during Covid I was doing at least 20 hours a week extra which I have completely cut back now as it was not paid.

I like working from home and have done so for about 14 years now as I'm self employed. I am quite happy to be alone all day but DH often works from home as well which is also nice. Prior to covid he was I'm the office every weekday and that was fine as well.

If it doesn't suit you then that's fine as well, if you think you be happier with an office to go to or hybrid working then definitely look for another job, lots of places do want staff in the office again.

i work in customer service so working anywhere else isn’t an option. We have two scheduled breaks a day and our every other minute is clearly monitored, and failure to adhere to those targets can result in performance management.

But that’s still the case for those going into the office.

my employer actually went fully wfh in the pandemic and started hiring people all over the country. Then they moved to highbrid, which meant some have to go into the office twice a week, and those who live too far don’t.
It’s an interesting mix.

If the job is really demanding, it's even more important that you take breaks - for your mental and musculoskeletal health.
What changes can you make that would help you? (Walk to the paper shop, stand up and do some squats, listen to 5 minute snatches of a podcast while hanging out the washing, stick Heart radio on, message with friends or family who also need company). You need some interaction in your life.

If I were you I’d have a little rota of places I could go and eork for an hour or two each day. Coffee shops, libraries, shared office spaces (highly recommended!) etc that I’d shuttle round to change the scenery. Much less drastic than changing jobs.

Prior to the pandemic if you had told me I could WFH all the time I would have jumped at the chance. Now like the OP I would hate it.

I go into the office 2-3 times a week, and I have a 3 hour commute per day.

I find it less stressful in the office, being visible and able to interact with my colleagues.

WFH is ok occasionally - to be in for the plumbed or a parcel, for example. But my office is much nicer, with AC, big screens, a magic tap for boiling water….