To be so glad WFH became a thing (and to absolutely hate anyone who tries to curtail its availability)

I'm back in the office 2 days a week and since tge new year I've noticed so many things broken that take forever to get fixed.
1 of 2 lifts been out of action.
Billi tap for hot water broken for weeks,fixed then sink blocked so can't use the sink, dishwasher, billi taps. Have to go to another floor for hot drinks.
One of two soap dispensers unusable in ladies on a couple of floors (been like that since last year).
They want us in but fixing stuff just not a priority to them.

Absolutely

WFH allowed me to go back to working when DS was 9 weeks old as I could flexibly work when my DH wasn't doing his job. It allowed me to work school hours when the kids were older meaning I could still make it work- I was contributing by tax and NI without my entire salary being swallowed by wrap around or nursery fees. Now it allows me to work flexibly around my hospital treatments for my secondary cancer. I can stop start, make up my hours and not have to worry about working outside of our office building being unlocked. I now can't work in an office due to being immunosuppressed so don't have to be on the sick but I'm still of use at 38 of being able to provide for my family but also to society. Actually this week was the first time I've called in sick for 10 years, I've been WFH for 6 of those.

For some people who can WFH it absolutely makes sense. I don't believe in a full outdated policy that being visible in an office is the only way of working. If we want women and the disabled to be working then we have to provide alternative options.

Hated it and got a new job so I didn't have to WFH. Did nothing for my physical or mental health. However, I can see why some people like it, so up to the individual.

Hybrid works very well for many teams, especially as the big push for all open plan over the past couple of decades means that it can be harder to do focused work in the office. I love wfh for efficiency, focus, health, and control over my environment.

I’m hybrid with 1 day per week in the office (would be 2 if I was FT). It works well for me because the company I work for are flexible.

I do in person meetings or just sit with my team in the office, no teams calls and do all the work I need quiet for at home.

I am one of those people who put a wash on/tidy up while WFH but a lot of my job is problem solving and sometimes getting away from my desk and doing something totally unconnected helps me think. Plus in the office I would be making tea/chatting to people so wouldn’t be 100% focused and working then either.

I am also a migraine sufferer and being able to alter my work environment has meant a lot less sick days - I can close the blinds/turn off lights/turn down or eliminate background noise at home in a way you just can’t in an office. Plus sometimes my sight it effected which before would have meant I couldn’t travel to work at all whereas now it means I just move things around and start late.

I would hate to be 100% in the office now, but after Covid I realised I wouldn’t want to 100% wfh either as I got very lonely (DH was an essential worker and was out 5 days per week, we had no dc then so I sometimes went several days where the only person I spoke to was DH).

I hated every minute of it during covid and would never take a job if it wasn't possible to be in the office 5 days a weeks. Don't really care what other people do but I have very little contact with my colleagues who work from home.

Yanbu, wfh has been life changing in that it gave me an actual career, been wfh for years now, pre covid. It’s great for people with disabilities, helping people stay in home towns or spread geographically, it’s a great option to have.

Couldn't agree more- I only WFH one day a week but I am without doubt 50% more productive away from the office environment- the work I need to do on that day is legislation based and I need peace to do it. I cannot do it in our open office.

It's impossible to WFH in my job, but I don't think it's a bad thing and don't begrudge other people for being able to do it (though I'm a bit envious!).

I'm hybrid and love it. I am genuinely more productive on WFH days but office days are good for bouncing ideas off each other and keeping the team connection strong. I am lucky though as the people I work with are all lovely and brilliant.

Hybrid is the best in my opinion. In my role and my teams role it’s important to have some face to face time and it absolutely hinders my knowledge not to have the input from wider teams. I work in the office 2-3 days a week, mainly 2, and whilst it means I have less control of my time it drives my work forward in a way being 100 percent remote and communicating by teams doesn’t

Hybrid working was a game changer for me, and as I race through my 50s I have no current thoughts of retirement.

I have arthritis which gets worse in the winter, so without WFH, I would be struggling massively and I wouldn't be able to comply with the hybrid max hours needed to be in the office. I am the only one in my team who would work in Leeds anyway, the rest are over in Manchester.

Pre COVID I WFH 2 days a week, it was fabulous. Post COVID we now have to go in twice a month, because it's a Wednesday 🙄 & one of the higher up bosses wants to look like they are doing something (they aren't)my team lead is based in Thurso.. I'm much farther south & have met them in person once. When we are in the office very little gets done. It's crowded, as they sold half the offices during lockdown, noisy, too bright & too hot. Takes me 10 minutes to clean desk keyboard etc etc, It costs me £30 ish because I drive in (the buses I used to get now no longer run post COVID, as bus co. said not enough use... That's another story) the clean air payment, plus £20 to park for the day etc. plus takes 2 hours round commute out of my day. At home I am very relaxed, all work gets done, no stress, I can fit in getting the washing done & pegged out etc, house tidied, during breaks, my team lead is very good & does expect proper breaks taken. They also expect all the work to be done, but happy for us to run an errand, very flexible. It works for me. My DH cannot work from home, but says he doesn't think he'd have the discipline to do it any way. But we are now on the wind down to retirement. Dh says he's going to do a 2 or 3 day week for as long as he can, or at least till I pack in, I'm a good few years younger. As he says he'd just sit on his arse festering without me about too, as his hobbies are watching films & napping😂

It gives you more time to sleep, to be with your family, to exercise and cook nice food, less time sitting in traffic or on a train and saves a fortune on commuting costs. This is all great for your average working person. I get why it’s not great for some younger people staying out as they might not get to know people so well if they’re working from their box room at home, but as someone who knows lots of people in their twenties, they love the opportunity to do a couple of days a week from home. 5 days forced is crap if they don’t want it but I don’t know anyone with a job like that!

I presume Farage is so upset about it because people are spending less on coffees, lunches and office rents!?!

It must be good for the planet and other commuters too..by taking the extra pressure off the system. In our increasing heatwaves (variable climate) it allows us to stay in place but also work. I'm very grateful it was an option after severe injury working from 4 months in hospital and then when I got home but wasn't well enough for full days plus travel

I prefer going in the office more than I WFH but there are days when I feel really not up to going in - say a full blown cold rather than just a bit sniffly - but am fine to still work. Or if ive just got too much to do and need to concentrate without office distractions. So its brill for me and id never choose to work somewhere with no WFH option now!

Oh and also enables me to be healthier than I was 10 years ago! No commute means more time to cook from scratch, exercise, I do Pilates daily (outside of working hours). Myself and my family are healthier for it.

Yes life changing for me. I have a husband who works away and a child with additional needs, WFH has enabled me to excel in my career in ways I never thought possible while sustainably managing a demanding home life!

DP works from home since Covid and much prefers it. Loneliness sank in after a while, but they do organise breakfasts together (on company time!) every so often too.

I think most of the people who are against it are the ones who are jealous because they have to travel to the office, to be honest.

I do a mix but that's because the nature of my job means I'm on site visits, then I might go to an office as well as WFH. I like a mix to be honest.

Totally agree. I manage a large team who work on a hybrid basis. WFH has meant that I can recruit great people from a wider geographical area, that members with disabilities can still work, and those with caring responsibilities can do school pick ups/take ill parents to hospital.

To answer the usual tired arguments against wfh;

No one does their washing whilst working, i have a great team of committed adults who get the job done and deliver good results because they're trusted to do so.

Pilots/retail workers/cleaners/doctors don't wfh. That's fine, if I was in one of those jobs I wouldn't either. As i'm not a pilot for example, I don't expect to work from a plane. All jobs are different.

If people are doing drop offs or pick ups, they aren't working. They split their working hours around these, I manage it carefully to ensure cover.

City centres will die out. Our office is on an industrial estate and the sandwich van does a roaring trade on the days we're in.

Won't you just think of commercial property prices. No. My team's wellbeing is more important.

The only people who should be telling you how to do your job are the people who pay you to do it. If they are happy with it, everyone is happy.

I can’t do my job from home but I still think it’s a brilliant set up. My DH does (and did hybrid before lockdown anyway) and it has had a huge benefit to his work life balance and ability to juggle the kids.

I do a mix of both. When I'm in the office I cram my days full of all the things I can't do from home, but the environment is so depressing, dirty, etc. When I'm wfh, my days are quiet and efficient, clean, healthy, etc. Being able to do this mix has been life changing.