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

Maybe a minority but not the only one.
I can't understand these "not my job" people.
I've always worked in places where everyone mucks in and gets on with things.
We've had a few "not my job" people over the years but they haven't lasted long. Usually left of their own accord as they don't like to chip in with things outside of their job description.

But working to rule surely would include going into the office as stipulated by the rules?

OP doesn’t seem sure what the rules actually are in relation to Hybrid working. She will need to get advice on what the minimum she needs to do to meet her contract.

How OP responds to this will depend on what is explicitly stated in her contract. She should also research what is happening in elsewhere before she jumps. What other jobs are out there at a similar salary point which offer the hybrid arrangement that OP wants. And does she even want hybrid or does she actually want a fully remote role?

That's nothing to do with the difference between location based work and WFH.

That's all about your employer vs. better ones.

Whose job is it to sort the room out and what does the sorting entail?

I work in the NHS which is both enormous and backwards. I’m 90% clinical but we have offices, desks, workstations, cupboards converted to offices, offices converted to storerooms etc. My manager would expect me to call IT to organise a phone, workstation etc. call the cleaning supervisor to get a clean done and put that room on someone’s regular list, call the clutterman to remove excess furniture. If I needed any furniture or equipment that wasn’t available I would send a link of what I wanted to my manager for purchase approval. I wouldn’t be expected to vacuum or paint or remove furniture myself but I wouldn’t get away with standing with my arms folded and saying “but the room is dusty and has furniture in it I don’t want and IT haven’t been”.

Whatever you do don’t book a ton of appointments during your working day to show them that somehow this means you are efficient at home and don’t say you get more company at home.

it might not be her usual job, but it's not outrageous to do something different/extra/helpful occasionally

perhaps she works somewhere small where there isn't a specific occ health/DSE expert/desk setter-upper!?

I'm in a senior position, but have no problem cleaning / tidying / unpacking / defrosting a freezer etc etc when occasionally required 💁

I would start working to rule. Start bang on 9, leave at 5:30. Hour lunch break and don’t pick up anything outside of hours. If they aren’t prepared to give you flexibility then you don’t give them flexibility

What does your contract say? If it says 3 days in the office then your manager can’t make you come in on a 4th day.

I think you would be reasonable to say you at least need that room to be cleaned before you work there, and presumably doing cleaning isn’t part of your role? Not very healthy to be surrounded by dust.

Don’t use interaction with others as a reason to not go into the office though, you haven’t really got a leg to stand on there. Is there not another desk in an office with people that you could have?

I am not 100% sure I don’t think OP has been doing the three days a week.

I wonder is this a management issue. It can be hard to enforce WFH rules. Some line managers just want to be popular so are more flexible than their seniors would like - they let things slide unofficially.

OP picked up on this and maybe stopped going in at all, or very rarely. Possibly more people took this stance. Seniors noticed and pushed back. That seems to be the pattern in a number of workplaces.

Line managing teams is hard - and as this thread has shown people feel very strongly that they can’t be told what to do by their employers.

Where do you work on your current office days, if you're hybrid?

Agree with PP saying it's not your role to sort a DSE compliant work station but I don't think you can complain about being asked to go in once that's sorted.

Maybe I’m in a minority of one but if that were me I’d bring my duster in and get the office ship shape. Maybe that’s because I’ve run my own business for many years and am used to just making things happen instead of moaning and griping and threatening to work to rule.

The idea of booking dentist / doctor / boiler repair / whatever in work time just to stick it to the man just shows why businesses are keen to get people back in.

I think a lot of places are moving to 4 days now as a lot of people royally took the piss, I know my place is nudging that way due to the fact you can't get hold of anyone after 3pm.

well, they're covered there, aren't they.

But. If you have to just try to fit in a storage cupboard - you can maybe phrase your return to be when the working space is compliant with H&S at work regulations? in terms of space, light, etc?

I hate that we are forced to come back into office to worse conditions than before covid. We used to have 2 person offices with electric desks, 2 screens and all that jazz. Now we are hotdesking (pre-booking online) in 35 person open office without screens. So I'm just sitting there with my laptop with tons of other people having their own meetings and phonecalls. They still havent installed wifi so also need to share the internet from phone. Whereas I could be home alone in my private office with a good chair, desks and 2 screens.

I'm looking for jobs so would love there to be a definition of "hybrid" cause some employers really love to claim they are hybrid when it really is not. I'm sorry, but being allowed to wfh once a month or if there is some force majoure does not make it hybrid.

where have you been working on the 3 days a week you have been going into the office? can't you just continue working there?

I can’t believe people are saying OP should sort out the room. That’s not her job and she shouldn’t be taking time away from her actual tasks to do it. It’s someone else’s job and they need to do it so she can come in.

Has the manager explained what the business need is which means you need to start coming in more?

Set the office up to how you want it instead of complaining

Time to start looking around.
Are you easily replaced by this employer?

This. @Lavendar01 call ACAS and explain in detail the working/office conditions and they can advice if the work are meeting their health and safety requirements.

I got a former employer into hot water, as we had moved to a new location and they tried to get the younger and/or junior members of staff such as me to clear conference /private working rooms which involved hauling boxes and moving furniture. That as not our job at all, we had desk jobs in a creative agency.

It was a clear health and safety risk as they well knew but banked on the junior staff not speaking up.

In terms of having to work in the office more unfortunately there’s probably nothing you can do about that (once they sort the office space out for you ) except find a new role.

Please don’t play the mental
health card… 🥱

The usual race to the bottom in some of these replies...

• The OP should not have to clear/clean up a room so she can have a space to work. It is the employer's responsibility to give you an appropriate workstation and to do a DSE assessment.

• OP, email your manager and copy HR and make it clear you need the space to be cleared and made safe before you can work there.

• In term of days in the office you could try to make an official flexible working request asking to keep your 2 days working from but it might be difficult unless you have a disability/health condition that can be used to justify this reasonable adjustments.

• Ultimately you might want to look at finding a new job that offers more wfh opportunities.

As usual I am surprised by how many people are so negative about WFH and as usual I assume it is people who resent not having the opportunity to WFH themselves or crap managers who want everyone on site for an ego boost...

Also, why can’t you just set up the office to your liking yourself?

Of course WFH works for you - you can do chores, pop out, don’t need to dress up, no supervision..

If you don’t want to be in the office 4 days per week, find a new job! It isn’t an unreasonable request to move you back in.

Well said. I’m thankful I only go into the office one a month. I could stretch to once a week but no more than that based on the fact I don’t drive and I’m sick to the back of teeth of expensive and unreliable trains! My team is all over the Uk so I don’t work with or recognise most in my local office anyway.

I am so also way healthier now I’m not tempted by the various coffee shops etc I pass by on my way to work. Make my own coffee for a lot cheaper using my filter coffee and milk foamer and it tastes pretty good. Don’t miss buying overpriced Starbucks to warm myself up when I hear a train has been cancelled again and I’m freezing out in the cold or train.

Been working from home since 7am today and currently on a coffee break. Also managed to get some exercise in before I started. It’s definitely better for me.

It sounds like they aren't going to change what they want and you'll be unhappy if you stay.
In this situation I look for a new job rather than fighting it. I'd go along with what they want for now, whilst looking for a new fully remote role or a better hybrid set up. Handing the notice in can be so satisfying.

i don’t think this is great approach.

Working to rule for OP seems to be coming in three days a week?

Also presumably she wants a good reference. Why trash your professional reputation when looking for a new job?

I agree that is the working arrangements don’t suit then look elsewhere - but people talk and reputations can be lost so quickly. Is this a close knit industry OP? Do you work in a specialist role?