My manager is making me come in the office 4days a week

My team are productive when they’re in the office, and WFH. We really don’t mind about school runs (we don’t want to lose our staff) providing people get their work done. And they do.

Yes, hilarious that our company KPIs show that in the last 3 years, we've delivered record results. And wfh too!

Of course not your team.

I've barely met a single person that doesn't claim they're more productive at home. But then somehow all the studies find otherwise.

Funny that!

Which ones? Not my team

Perhaps you could explain the drop in productivity with home workers?

Rubbish

'Shirking from home' seems to be the norm for many. 😂

Exactly! OP is a typical wfh whinger, wanting to have it both ways! 🙄

I think the key here is managing people well.

My team has targets to hit and daily tasks that if they weren't done, it would become obvious very quickly.

I am flexible around school drop offs and picks ups - we all have lives and families. But I then expect them to work when they get back. I've not had an instance of anyone disappearing off to the gym or taking long breaks - if they did they'd be out.

I've told them that to keep wfh we all need to keep achieving, me included.

Agreed. But people do seem to forget that the main objective for the employer is to turn a profit, not to find ways to facilitate wfh.

It'll only ever become widely accepted if a way can be found to reduce the disparity in productivity between home workers and office workers, or if it reaches the stage where companies can't find enough workers prepared to work onsite.

However, I doubt the latter will happen anytime soon because there will always be somebody happy to step up and take the job. In some ways it could even work as an equaliser. Those with truly sought after skills may be better placed to pick and choose, but others who are younger, hungrier, and less experienced may be more than happy to step up and agree to work fully onsite if it gives them a leg up.

Trust isn’t always enough. Managing remote and hybrid workers takes a different skill set that a lot of managers simply don’t have.

we need to catch up - hybrid working is here to stay. We have to explore different ways to engage teams - make sure everyone knows what is happening, and get the best out of both office and home days.

Without doubt it is easier for remote works to disengage, to fly under the radar. But those folks are in the minority. Managers need to see the early signs and move to pull people back. That isnt necessarily making them come into the office more (assuming they are complying with whatever the relevant arrangements are).

The way a lot of people work and interact has changed dramatically in the last five years - we all need to catch up.

This makes sense at face value, but there are so many studies now showing that productivity is worse when wfh. And let's be honest, lots of people take the piss and do stuff like trying to work at the same time as childminding. And that's not even factoring in those that go to the gym and have extra long lunch breaks etc.

I agree Shein has questionable work practices and I no longer order from there, but this has absolutely nothing to do with the OP.

Ditto the 'nurses/pilots/supermarket workers can't wfh' posts. What's next? No holidays because not everyone can have one this year? Learn to drive? Nope, not everyone has a car.

Realistically, not many people would want to work alone in a dirty office with seemingly no good reason for it. I would start job hunting, OP.

I manage a large team that mostly work remotely, and I employ people that I can trust to work anywhere, because they're adults.

Especially if they've been there less than two years.

Of course you can.

I don't think you can refuse.
You can however discuss with a union rep for advice (join a union if you're not already in one!).

You can make a reasonable adjustment request if you have any health issues that would count as a disability under the equality act and see what they say (ACAS has good info on this).

You can also make a flexible working request, include in this your increased productivity at home and benefits to the company. Again ACAS has good info on this. It's my understanding that they don't have to allow it but they do have to consider it and give you reasons why if they turn you down.

Employers do not always want staff back because it is beneficial. They might have other reasons.

You can't just instantly dismiss someone

Get back to the office. Your employer clearly feels your presence is necessary and beneficial. Tbh, if I employed you, you’d have requested back, full time, months ago! Failing which instant dismissal. Sorry but I think the wfh trend has caused more problems than it has solved.

It's almost like people can't take a joke. 😂

If it doesn't work for you, why not find a fully wfh role OP?

Many will be happy to take your place.

are you SURE you wanted to give your post the title you did?

But then why be so vitriolic towards those who wfh if not out of bitterness and envy?

Being against WFH seems weirdly tied in with right wing political beliefs like Elon Musk and his ilk.

The poor kids in Shein sweatshops must be sobbing over the ordeal of someone having to actually go into work to do the job they are paid for...