How long will we all be working from home?

[Ghostlyglow]

Do you think? After a couple of false starts, I was sent home from my NHS admin job last Thursday. We've all been given brand new kit to work on (DP reckons over 1k's worth) and basically told to get on with it, and given no indication of how long for (yes, I did ask ) I can't help thinking it's going to be a while...

Where did you see that, littlemiss? I understand schools in terms of freeing up parents, but that would mark the end of social distancing so surely they should just open everything and we can all go down the pub!

We’re saying 6 months for a full return (central London).

I work for a global company and our CEO has stated we won't go back to working together in the office until employees have either been tested or have been vaccinated - 18-24mths seems more realistic for us (8000 employees currently all working from home).

Schools going back means the end of social distancing for a huge part of the population as it is impossible in schools. I think we will be at least two weeks behind France etc. Even though they are 'softening' the rules in Spain schools are not going back.

Wow @feliciabirthgiver 24 months! I've heard a few people saying nothing will change until there is a vaccine, but you're the first person I'm aware of that has said it "officially". 24 months ...

I doubt all workplaces will re-open. Some people will have to get used to working from home. It's already been proved do-able in many cases.

I wonder if some organisations say with 20 staff, will cut both staff and premises costs for example have 15 staff working from home instead. Although they'd have to factor in insurance costs. Whatever the case I just don't foresee all jobs will still be available & that working life will continue as per pre-Covid.

If GCSEs and A-levels have been cancelled I reckon it won't be before June, maybe July.

@CountTessa it could be June though, they’ve cancelled the exams as a pre-caution, not because they know It won’t be over by June, but because there could be a possibility that it won’t be. They don’t know that it will be or it won’t be.

Who knows though. The government announcement was that even if things go back to normal by then, exams will not be going ahead anyway. They are cancelled this year completely.

"My husband is expecting to be back in the office by the end of May at the latest."

I thought the legislation allowed people to go to a workplace if they could only get their work done there, and if it wasn't the type of premises that has to be closed (like non-essential shops). So he could go into do the 25% now if that's only way he can get his work done.

Just to be clear I'm not saying lockdown will 'officially' be 24 mths just that is my employers approach to us working from home.

24 months???? No way I am staying in lockdown for two years!!

I work for a large firm, about 300 employees in my office plus other similar sized offices in lots of cities and other countries.

Our MD has told us they are not expecting us to be back in the office before September and even then we'll probably be WFH most days with everyone spending 1 or 2 days a week in the office at different times so we can carry on social distancing. They are also looking at plans to fit Perspex screens around the desks similar to those they have in supermarkets.

The whole thing just worries me so much, I'm a PA and can't imagine how my role is going to survive this.

@lljkk he could be but the company are putting this off for as long as possible during lockdown for which we're thankful.

Realistically the wheels start to wobble towards the end of next month. By the end of June the routine essential stuff will become urgent and affect the general public adversely which is why we think end of May at the latest.

For some jobs, I don't see why you would have to go back at all before a vaccine or only once a week or so. I think it will become the new norm.

I think probably some time in the last half term. I really hope so. I’m a teacher and really want to get back in the classroom now, it’s so hard trying to set and mark work like this.

for the sake of the economy we don't want people furloughed for longer than necessary
I think those that can't work from home retail, factories trades construction etc will be back first and a wait to see how it impacts on public transport
I think those that can reasonably work at home will be doing it for longer even perhaps after kids back in school to ease the numbers commuting or it maybe that office based work will have a limit like 2 days in office per week no hot desking ( or full decontamination before next user) desks spread apart or if not possible using alternate desks and trying to keep same people in same place maybe with shields like in supermarkets between desks
when kids back at school wfh may become easier as not supervising children at same time as work
it may lead to a realisation that actually we really don't need everyone in the office 40 hours a week
another thing maybe staggered start finish times so not everyone trying to get on 7.25 train in east croydon etc