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Original poster

If you work for your local council, have you gone back to work in the office or have you been offered wfh for the future?

49 replies

burpies · 07/08/2020 09:08

Just wondering what other local councils are doing. Haven't got a date for when we will start back but wondering if you will be wfh for a few days in the long term.

OP posts:
hiredandsqueak · 07/08/2020 09:28

Our LA were proposing end of September. We have an Annual Review booked September 22nd and LA will only attend by video call. Dd works for our LA and I will be having dgs but she has had no return date yet. There was discussion early on about returning in January and I wouldn't be too surprised if that's not the case.

CornedBeef451 · 07/08/2020 09:36

We won't be back until December apparently and then max two days in the office.

Original poster
burpies · 07/08/2020 11:09

allCornedBeef451 2 days only in the office seems perfect! i wish they will do that!

OP posts:
susiella · 07/08/2020 11:14

I work for a County Council. The current policy is 2 people in Centre only. The rest WFH. We are a 100% female workforce so childcare issues massively prevail. Numbers in Centre will slowly increase. We are closed to the public and have had no indication when that will change

Fatted · 07/08/2020 11:14

I'm not council, but public sector and its a case off keep working front home for as long as physically possible.

I'm sick of all this 'people need to get back into the office to help the economy' clap trap. In my workplace, sickness rates have plummeted, employee moral is improved, work is still getting done and more efficiently. Plus with all of the money I'm not spending on petrol, I've had more disposable income which I've been happily spending in the shops!

CleanQueen123 · 07/08/2020 17:43

I work for my LA and they've said working from home until at least the end of September. And then I imagine it will be a phased return.

They've just spent thousands kitting us all out with new IT equipment to WFH so I'd be surprised if they didn't offer us the option to carry on. It seems a lot of money to spend if they're only intending on us using them for another 6 weeks.

RunningFromInsanity · 07/08/2020 17:47

Local Council. Option to go back into office occasionally but they’ve just ordered a whole lot of new working from home equipment so I think this is the new normal.

In our department we’ve spoken about going into the office 2 days a week on a casual rota and wfh the rest. Which is perfect!

TippledPink · 07/08/2020 17:50

I work for an LA- we can go into the office if we want but can WFH as well. We need to tell them if we are going in to keep the numbers down. No one goes in except for 1 person daily and a couple of others go some days. I live 50 minute drive from the office so only pop in if I am on visits. It's great WFH I hope it continues, no sign of being forced back yet.

My last LA is already back in the office but teams split in half and alternate days.

cortex10 · 07/08/2020 17:59

We are all wfh for the foreseeable future but have just surveyed staff to see whether there's any significant demand to return. A couple of staff have returned on health grounds if not coping at home ( eg autistic staff who prefer office 'routine').

EllieQ · 07/08/2020 18:00

No date given here (local council) for return to the office. The only people in at the moment are front line workers (binmen, highways workers etc), who are obviously not in the office all day, and people who need equipment at the office (that can’t be moved to their home).

Before lockdown, we all had to wfh one day a week anyway (new office system with hot desking), so I can see this being increased to two or three days and people going back in on a rota system. I miss being in the office and seeing my lovely colleagues Sad

Original poster
burpies · 07/08/2020 21:28

Oh wow. So many LAs are open to WFH for the future. I am concerned that my LA is going to be a bit backwards and phase full time working in the office as soon as they can.

TippledPink Your last LA sounds like mine!

OP posts:
Original poster
burpies · 07/08/2020 21:35

What department do you all work in?

OP posts:
TippledPink · 07/08/2020 22:03

@burpies My last LA was a London borough.

I work in adult social services.

BitOfANameChange · 07/08/2020 22:13

I'll be wfh for the foreseeable, at least until Xmas, I'm told. I'll be getting some new kit soon.

newmobile · 07/08/2020 22:52

Told half the desks are being moved out of the offices and then back around October. Obviously not everyone at the same time there will be a rota. The team I manage do visits to people's homes and we have been told they won't be given masks or ppe for the average visit only those that are high risk ie someone who has a long term illness or disability. Seems strange to rock up on a visit with no mask and go into someone's home. To be fair the team all said they will use own masks.

PercyKirke · 07/08/2020 23:04

SIL who works for our LA has been told he can WFH for as long as he likes until the end of the year, when the situation will be reviewed.

Rainbowsoup · 07/08/2020 23:11

Situation being reviewed mid-September, anticipating only going back approx 2 days per week. There was a big push on home-working prior to coronavirus to save costs of office working so this has just spurred it on. We have gone paperless already and will not go back. Don’t expect the office to ever go back to how it was before.

Original poster
burpies · 07/08/2020 23:13

I want to work for your LAs!!! ,

OP posts:
docemmett · 07/08/2020 23:15

Work for LA. Have been told we'll be working at home until 'well into 2021'

BettyOBarley · 07/08/2020 23:16

We haven't been told for definite what's happening yet but all staff have been surveyed and over 80% want to work at home most of the time.. The rumour is 1 or 2 days a week in the office and the rest at home.

SomethingPhishy · 07/08/2020 23:19

I work for an LA. In taxation & benefits. The main office has just had a trial opening to 30% of staff, that went fine so they are looking to increase that from September onwards. You have to book a desk. My department is mainly working from home & no particular push for us to go back during the first phases of reopening.

BYGIDAFY · 07/08/2020 23:36

Are there any LA employees here who work in schools (but who are not teachers)? Ed psychs etc? Will you be going back into schools next month?

CleanQueen123 · 08/08/2020 06:42

@BYGIDAFY I do payroll for the schools in my county and they seem to be recruiting for various roles, including Ed Psychs, with start dates from September so I think more will be going back.

I haven't seen anything official though. But then it's my job to process payroll, not actually know what's going on Grin

CleanQueen123 · 08/08/2020 06:47

@BettyOBarley our survey showed over 80% wanted to continue working from home too. In our LA those who really wanted to go back to the office for whatever reason have, everyone else is home until at least the end of September when it will be reviewed.

I'm hoping it continues in all honesty. It's saved me a fortune in fuel and bus fare. Plus it means I get a bit of time to myself before and after work instead of commuting, which as a single parent, is invaluable.

whatever1980 · 08/08/2020 06:52

Big push at mine for full time back to office.

Some departments already 5 days a week simply due to their managers wanting them in.

Some departments 2 days and others 1 day so resentment amongst departments which I understand.

Big push for all meetings to stop being virtual too.

No reasons given for this. Been working well and productively in lockdown - no issues so not sure push for back to work.

Not located in big city or town with lots of shops and cafes so not sure how it will necessarily boost local economy