To think people who work from home don’t understand this?! And they’re paid more usually

I am both senior and lucky enough to work at home two or three days a week. I'm not pompous about it though (all these people working "harder" at home 🙄). I see it as a massive privilege. I benefit hugely from the days I don't have to commute across London. I get hours a week of leisure time back.

I also totally see how it feels unfair to others. It feels like Covid created a class of people who benefit from this huge social change/better work-life balance, and a class of people who don't. I absolutely see their point of view.

I work a hybrid week, and when I’m wfh I feel like I have to be contactable at all times; early, lunchtime, late etc. When I’m in the office, I feel I have clearer break times and can go to the gym at lunch or pop out for a coffee with a colleague. I’ve found that if people take the mick at home, then they probably do the same in the workplace.

My close friend is a high earner and she is always galavanting round during the day then catches up on her work in the evening at her convenience. I can’t understand why people like this don’t get that I'm don’t have this flexibility?!

Does she really care that much what you do?

My friend of 25 years can’t work from home and doesn’t drive. Beyond giving her lifts when we go out, I really don’t concern myself on how she manages her appointment. She’s a healthy, capable woman, she’ll figure it out.

I wfh - guess what, I’ve been working since 7am this morning, I’m just running some reports and playing on MN while they finish. Yes, I took 90 mins at 3.30 to do the school run and get the kids’ tea ready instead of taking lunch. But I’ll be working probably til midnight so next week if I am slacking off I won’t feel bad!

i do know people who take the piss whilst wfh. I also know people like me, who use the flexibility and give back aplenty - late evening working, long hours to hit deadlines, I have taken my laptop and work phone on every single holiday for the last ten years. I was even on my laptop the day after major surgery from my hospital bed!

Life’s not fair 🤷🏻‍♀️

Different jobs have different perks - this is nothing new (and something one person regards as a perk, another person may not).

Who said life was fair?

What’s wrong with/funny about that? I think it’s great that people’s jobs support their lives outside of work.
I work out of the home but DH WFH and it makes life so much easier. Can’t believe he used to work in the office 5 days a week with a 1.5 hour commute each way. Bonkers! I basically had to be a SAHM because he was unavailable during the kids’ waking hours.

I imagine she has a job where she needs to be available at all times. Both my husband and I have jobs like this. So yes I pop out and pick the kids up from school or go to the sldentist or what ever but I am available from 6am to 10pm everyday and yes that includes the weekend. Obviously im not working all.of those hours but it evens out over the course of the week.

I am working from home while my office is temporarily closed but I most certainly can’t do whatever I can’t during the day, I have to work my core office hours

OP what makes you think people don’t get it?? Most people have worked a variety of jobs and therefore have perspective. You’re right, you chose your job and you can retrain. Stop worrying about other people’s thoughts.

I work in a role where I make appointments. I wish I had a £ each time I am told “Oh I can come any time, I work from home” 🤣🤣

I work from home occasionally. Sometimes I work in the office. We have to work core hours regardless of location. My lunch break doesn’t count towards my working hours. This just sounds like another WFH bashing thread from someone who is jealous to be honest.

What a load of tosh. Most people who work from home are actually working and as they are at home in outer areas of town or rural they cannot nip out to appointments during the day or lunch hour. Not across the street from other businesses. Your friend may have flexibility but that is part of her work contract and doesnt meam she should have less annual leave than you as it is calculated on your full time hours.

As WFH are spending more than you on electricity and heat perhaps they should get paid more than you??

You just sound bitter about your life choices.

I don't work in an office -there are many professions and roles which preclude the use of personal phones while working.

I would work hard to be senior so I could galavant once in a while!

Of course it's one rule for them another for you. My boss is on twice my salary. That is one rule for them another for me. Did you not realise that there are different rules depending on seniority?

I WFH and went to not working on Friday in order to fit in appointments. I still get phone calls from work on a Friday, which go to voicemail saying that I don't work on Friday and you can't leave a message!

Exactly this. I 'gallivant’ off to yoga or whatever in the morning, but may have been on the phone with Australia at 6am and may be on with US until 10pm.

Also your friend might work at a global level, in which case she might spend a lot of time working with people in different time zones.

You'll hate my workplace. Not only do we work from home mostly, have flexi, we also have 1 well being hour a week to do what we want. We can build these up to a max of 4 hours, so that's how I get my hair done midweek now!
The last week has been manic though and ive barely managed lunch break so it's swings and roundabouts.

I do 2-3 days in office and 2 at home. I’d say I don’t behave too differently at home vs office. I have incredible flexibility and arrange appointments when I’m at home. I do try and do it during lunch time period and wouldn’t miss a meeting because of it. I can’t move my work to the evenings as a lot of it is meeting based.

I do have it easier than the OP. But….I’ve been in this role around 27 years so I’ve worked lots of hours which are unpaid. During the pandemic I was working flat out til midnight. It’s why I don’t move companies as I know I wouldn’t get the same flexibility. I don’t even have to tell my line mgr when I have appointments.

Any appointments I have during the day are medical or dental related including physio. I wouldn’t take time out to go to hairdresser or anything frivolous like getting my nails done.

I think it’s unfair that anyone has to use annual leave for med/dental appointments. I think the biggest advantage has been managing appointments for my child and not worrying about work.

I worked in an office for many years and actually wouldn’t mind being full time in it as I don’t enjoy home working.

Not sure what the solution is for you but it’s not the be all and end all working at home. It just makes life a little easier - I take it for granted.

If she’s making up the time in the evening when she has a daytime appt that she doesn’t in fact have ‘more free time’ than you, because she’s working in the evening to make up the time. So you work 8 hrs in the office in one block, she works 8 hrs at home, spread across the day and the evening.

I WFH, have done since well before Covid, it’s great I love it. I have lots more flexibility and pretty much free rein to decide what hours I work as long as I attend any important meetings and meet my deadlines. The negative is that I am expected to be available to drop everything and do any urgent work as and when it’s needed, I’m expected to work as many hours as needed to get the job done, some weeks that’s 30 hours, some weeks it’s 60.

You don’t know how she’s managing her time.
There may be times when she doesn’t have much on, but can’t control it all landing on her desk later. I have a job like this, quite big peaks and troughs. I always log on when I’m on holiday. Is that fair?
You sound very spoiled and entitled. What’s stopping you from getting one of these jobs?

Thanks for the honesty

Yes, I know plenty of people who take the p* wfh, attending hairdresser, dentist, school drop offs and collecting etc, all whilst wfh.
I simply don't get it. Like alot of people, I take annual leave for appointments and have arranged childcare for children.
Recently, I attended a birthday party where a lady with a 1 year old works ft from home with no cc.
So completely wrong.

Different jobs have different demands!

I don’t work from home but I do have flexibility - when I don’t have clinical commitments I can leave early, come in late, work in the evening, or whenever suits me.

But the flip side to that is that I am on my way into work now to see patients (having been working offsite since 9am), will be in until midnight, and will be doing a thirteen hour day tomorrow. None of which I am paid overtime for, it is just part of my standard working week.