To put in a flexible working request because I live so far away?

If it doesn't cause inconvenience to your employers then it's hopefully not a big deal, but if it would be a problem for then it would be entirely legitimate for them to consider that the location of your home relative to your place of work is entirely within your power - you choose where to live and which jobs to apply for and if the commute is too much the normal thing to do would be to change one or the other. But hopefully if it's no bother for them then it won't come down to making that choice.

There's a difference between looking back at the end of a day and noting that you had no face-to-face interactions all day, and knowing at the beginning of a day that you will 100% definitely not have any face-to-face interactions all day because there is zero chance of any walk-in queries etc.

For some reason MN is always particularly terrible for employment advice.

AIBU is a terrible place for employment advice. The work board isn’t. ;)

If no one else is in then I don't see why you need to be in. I'd ask. Also ask if it's possible to arrange a "team day" when you're all in the office on the same day to best utilise the office time

No other team members are in - do some of them have flexi or wfh?

You'd be better posting in the work forum or asking this to be moved.

In AIBU you get a lot of arsey opinions from people who don't have a clue what they are talking about.

In the work forum you will get sound and informed advice

There is. "Legislation" provides that any employee can ask for flexible working for any reason at all, and the decision is based on business needs, there's no reason that's "better" than another.

The reason isn't relevant.

You don't have to share your reason. And their decision should have nothing to do with your reason.

Your request needs to set out how it can work and how you can overcome any difficulties.

You don't have to give a reason

I agree with others that you can absolutely request, but it doesn't mean that you will get.

However, your set up seems very strange. Have you spoken to your manager about how you come into the office and basically sit at a desk on your own? Maybe it would be a good plan to introduce team days?

Although, it sounds like you would be better looking for another job anyway.

For some reason MN is always particularly terrible for employment advice. Although insulting someone for knowing the legislation takes the biscuit.

OP have a read through this: https://www.gov.uk/flexible-working

Your work most likely have a flexible working policy, if so have a read through that as well.

YANBU to fulfill your legal right to make a flexible working request, and appeal if necessary.

ACAS have a helpline you can ring for more specific guidance as well - I’d trust them over MNetters for employment law advice any day!

Welcome to the world of work

Why not get a job closer to home if you don’t even like this one?

OP have a look at the info on ACAS on flexible working. As others have already said the law changed earlier this year, and employers have to grant flexible working requests unless there is a business case not to. A colleague recently submitted a request to work entirely from home, only 7 miles from our place of enployment. Request was turned down. He appealed. Decision overturned, and he will now be permanently working from home.

These are the conditions for a request to be turned down:

A lot of offices are extremely flexible with hours and being in the office. I work one day a week in the office and more if there is a meeting I need to be in for. I only live 10 mins away so it’s not a problem either way for me. Our office is we happy for people to work from home as everyone seems happy and there isn’t many issues not only that they were running out of space so it worked out well. You can always put it in and they can say yes or no! That’s it, you might find they are flexible and it’s not a problem et all. Not sure why everyone is being weird about it, since Covid most office roles are hybrid

I’m nhs….since the new legislation came in, there is new policy for flexi workingrequest….we do not have to give any reason for our request…..there is no where on the paperwork for ‘a reason’ ……therefore no reason is taken into account……we often have no one in the office ….it’s not a problem…..we all have phones and laptops

OP does your company have a sustainability policy? We consider working from home to be better for the environment as reduced travel emissions. I would put several reasons on the request to bolster it, so for example - your presence in the office is not needed as others are not there so you can do your work at home, but you’d be happy to come in for team meetings etc; increased cost of travel: better work life balance from duration of travel; improved sustainability for the organisation by reduced travel

Do it. Be honest about cost to sit at a desk

Does your employer have a process for requesting flexible working? My employer has a form that we need to complete. It doesn’t ask for the reason as that isn’t relevant in their decision making. It does ask that you show how this will work and to demonstrate that it won’t be detrimental to the company.

You may be entitled to put a request in but be prepared for it to be rejected and a new initiative to drive colleagues to be in at the same time. This may be a good second outcome for you but consider how it will go down with your colleagues. Not saying you'd be wrong to do it but that to me seems the most likely outcome.

OP, the new legislation came in fairly recently and a lot of people (as shown on this thread) are unaware of it or how it must be applied. Just put your request in.

Of course YANBU - there's a col crisis and a housing crisis. For many of us not on 6 figure salaries WFH is the only way we can just about make ends meet.

As the other poster said to you ‘you are full of yeast’ 😂

You must live in a dream world spiders. Employers also must give everyone the exact same pay rises and promotions regardless of gender/race/disability. Oh wait what’s that thing called…. Discrimination! Gender pay gaps!

Do you honestly think employers decide on flexible working requests purely based on an objective set of tick boxes and no human element? Yes in a big company with very tight controls and HR. No in every other company around the country.

Right. But it doesn’t. They have to follow a very specific set of rules for refusing it.