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

I can honestly see some pros for WFH, but I absolutely feel that in the majority of cases, it’s not a healthy way to live mentally.

For you maybe. How are new young staff supposed to train via shadowing etc? They don’t just arrive on the job knowing exactly what to do you know.

How do new staff feel
part of a team if they’ve never actually met their colleagues? Even day to day chit chat of holidays, family, new shows on Netflix etc all adds to them feeling comfortable.

The idea that the average person can just pick whatever job suits them is further proof that you belong firmly in the “have” group. Nothing wrong with that in itself - I’m in the same group. But it is worth (at least occasionally) recognising that you are in a privileged group.

It was your heaven; it was my hell. We’re all different. I’ve had flashbacks this week due to the half term holiday. Endless Teams calls … hearing one sided conversations all day ‘yeah … yeah … I’ve asked Trevor if he can take a look but … yeah I know, Colin said something similar … well OK, I’ll get James to sort it out…’ argghhh. Toddler whingeing for daddy, trying to get to daddy, wrangle toddler away, toddler has tantrum, DH appears for a toilet break just when I’ve calmed toddler down. Repeat x 100. It was, I repeat, HELL!

The employer can dictate whatever conditions they like within the bounds of employment law but workers can decide not to work for them, and voters can continue to vote for candidates supporting stronger employment rights.

Employers have already shown that if they are left to determine the terms they will force 7 yos to work in highly dangerous conditions with no PPE for 12 hrs a day 6 days a week, pay them 3 scoops of gruel a day, then fire them if they lose a hand or foot, so I'm not too worried about their opinions on a good ethos.

Use ‘comfortably work from home’ if you like. I often feel like I’ve jumped into a different universe when I come on here. Not all of us can afford a home with space for a desk and having the heating more than a couple of hours a day. If you can then that’s great but don’t assume everyone else can.

Why exactly do you disagree?

I don’t think I could ever work in an office again, the commuting and the sitting all day,5 days a week in that environment would be too much for me now. I found it hard pre-covid but I really couldn’t bear it now. If it became mandatory I would have to leave. I’d rather work a non-office job locally, office environments can be really hard for some people and I’m one of them. The thought makes me feel really ill, I have to do it sometimes and it’s difficult for me to concentrate.

One of the senior partners screamed at me once in front of the whole office because I'd accidentally left a sheet of paper in the photocopier after scanning it in. And his wife had a massive go at me because I didn't relay the message she'd given me to pass on to him correctly. I wasn't his PA and I wasn't paid to pass on personal messages between him and his spouse but apparently she thought it was my job.

My husband wfh during the pandemic, we had a spare bedroom thankfully eventually but he started out on the dining room and we'd a 2 yr old who we now know is ASD and ADHD ANFI couldn't wfh so we worked round each other and obviously couldn't leave the house for a long time. After the pandemic he also wfh while I was on mat leave with a newborn and then 3 yr old. And it was brilliant, he didn't have to leave so early to commute so we had breakfast together, I'd walk baby and toddler to nursery and drop off some days and other days I'd both kid, we'd go out a couple of hours and leave him to it, he'd take the baby's moses basket into his office while baby napped and I'd nap u til she woke. They formed a really strong bond because he w as always in the house. It took a bit of navigating but ultimately it's shared space and everyone has to learn it's more home than work space

Oh my god how could I forget 😅 My employer started making noises about this after Covid but thankfully we avoided it.

I disagree with the wfh ethic. Fair enough on the odd occasion but as a permanent way of life - no. In any case its up to the employer whether folk are allowed to work from home and not for employees to dictate their conditions.

I've never been described as a 'have' before. Have I jumped classes just because I can work from home?

yep, people who are anti work from home are anti women and anti families in my opinion

Me too

It is amazing for people who would otherwise not have been able to work at all due to disabilities etc too.
My DP has a WFH job, and it is the longest he has stayed in one role.

I was one of the ‘have nots’ 10 years ago after my divorce & I was bloody thankful that I didn’t WFH then.

I think having the choice is the ideal. If I need to show a newer staff member how to do something I book it for one of the days we’re both in, & my workplace has a pretty good social engagement programme that a lot of the younger ones are involved in.