No more WFH or flexible working

[Lizzie523]

Been WFH for a year now - about 6 months ago the company MD said we had done brilliantly, was thrilled by how we had risen to the challenge etc. We were then told the future would likely be hybrid working & we all had to complete detailed consultations about our preferences RE this. Personally ive been more productive overall & I feel a mix would work well.

Imagine our shock to now be told we are all to go back to full time at the office 5 days a week. They said they would no longer consider the results of the consultations and wished they hadn't done it - many of us tried to appeal this but were just told 'no'.

I moved during the pandemic which means I am just far enough away that 5 days a week in the office is going to be a hassle (not to mention awful for the environment).

We work with a few people with young kids and it obviously isn't inclusive for disabled people either. Our main competitors have already confirmed their commitment to remote working.

Is everyone else headed back to the office or am I right in thinking most places are being more flexible now?

15 hours of additional work a week would be pretty noticeable output……….

How many people do work that can be measured in that way? I think there's a plethora of data that should be used alongside meeting objectives, sick leave would be one. If outputs are the same or higher but sick leave is lower, that's a direct additional benefit to the employer.

@LemmysAceCard

How long does the school run take for some people? All this angst about Jane not being available between 3 and 4. I pick my DD up from school, door to door the school run takes me 12 minutes. And i use my lunch half hour for this.

So i am gone 12 minutes and the company gets back my other 18 unused minutes. My manager is happy with this. I dont think my colleagues even notice i have gone, obviously if i have a meeting i will ask someone else to pick her up.

And then DD is at home for the 30 minutes until i finish work, but she is 9 and goes to her room to play with toys or read a book or whatever she does to entertain herself.

But on the other hand i looked after my 2 year old niece the other day whilst my SIL was at an urgent hospital appointment, i think i had her for 3 hours and thought it would be fine whilst i worked.

Fuck me, how do people think they can look after a baby all day and work full time? How? I had to keep stopping work to stop her killing herself by launching off a chair, stop her bullying the dog, mute a meeting as she was screaming, trying to distract her meltdown etc. I was a wreck after 3 hours. No way could somebody work full time and look after a young child full time, it cant be done.

It was understandable when the lockdown happened as everywhere was shut but if both parents work and have a small child they need child care.

When do you eat lunch then? If the school run takes 12 mins and you give up your other 18mins lunch break?

@changename7634

15 hours of additional work a week would be pretty noticeable output……….

How many people do work that can be measured in that way? I think there's a plethora of data that should be used alongside meeting objectives, sick leave would be one. If outputs are the same or higher but sick leave is lower, that's a direct additional benefit to the employer.

Ah. Interesting. Sickness absence levels are far from the whole story.

What if people now work sick instead of taking time to recover? What if they are too sick to work but aren’t telling you? How do you know the reduction in sick leave is because people are more well?

Ah. Interesting. Sickness absence levels are far from the whole story.

I didn't say it was, I specifically said a plethora of data and that's one element I would look at. Turn over of staff would be another interesting one, think of the time saved in recruitment, training someone up, settling someone in if they managed to retain people longer (I'm just musing, no idea if it would have an impact or not).

Currently analysing an absolute tidal wave of data for 90k staff.

I'm definitely more productive. I now use the three hours I used to use commuting actually doing something useful. Working. It would soon become apparent that I was slacking in my role (within an hour or so), there is nowhere to hide!

Why are you doing 3 hours extra a day? And has your employer noticed how much extra work you are doing?

@NavigatingAdolescence 😂😂 crikey have fun with that, my organisation is less than 500 😂 I'm fascinated to see the data that comes out of it all for those that publicise it, I guess the problem is the last year is somewhat artificial particularly with the childcare issues. I count myself as someone who works better at home, but definitely not when home schooling!!

OMG. Nearly finished me off for good.

@Fishandhips it doesn't have London weighting for head office staff. We have regular industry wage benchmarking - we're not near the top (we can't afford it), however, our work flexibility is a key identifier when people apply

I'm definitely more productive. I now use the three hours I used to use commuting actually doing something useful. Working. It would soon become apparent that I was slacking in my role (within an hour or so), there is nowhere to hide

So you're working an extra three hours a day for no extra pay. I wouldn't call that being more productive, exactly, just doing a lot of unpaid overtime.

If you were cranking out an extra three hours' worth of work in your usual 9-5 hours, that would be being more productive.

@Fishandhips

I'm definitely more productive. I now use the three hours I used to use commuting actually doing something useful. Working. It would soon become apparent that I was slacking in my role (within an hour or so), there is nowhere to hide!

Why are you doing 3 hours extra a day? And has your employer noticed how much extra work you are doing?

Err, work! My boss is busier than ever which in turn means I'm busier than ever. Yes, my employer is aware of the extra hours I'm putting in, he's putting the same extra hours in. I'm happy to do it, I love WFH and my firm is going down the hybrid route which I'm frankly thrilled about.

@EdgeOfACoin

I'm definitely more productive. I now use the three hours I used to use commuting actually doing something useful. Working. It would soon become apparent that I was slacking in my role (within an hour or so), there is nowhere to hide

So you're working an extra three hours a day for no extra pay. I wouldn't call that being more productive, exactly, just doing a lot of unpaid overtime.

If you were cranking out an extra three hours' worth of work in your usual 9-5 hours, that would be being more productive.

Well I do call it being more productive. Because I am more productive. Way better use of my time than driving to the station, sitting on a packed train and tube for 1.5 hours every morning / evening.

I get remunerated v well for my efforts. I don't work in an industry where 'overtime' is a thing.

My extra time is firmly spent on me, I work flexi so account for every hour worked. But a drop in commute has meant I can no longer hide behind my "busy day" as a reason not to exercise!! Which I'm sure in turn helps my well-being, productivity etc etc, it's a self fulfilling positive prophecy for me, I understand it isn't for others.

I miss commuting in London. 45 mins to travel 3 miles but sooooooo many more books read.

My job role has turned to part office based and part WFH. However we organise our own diaries so I could have 3 weeks wfh and 1 week office if I chose in a month.

@NavigatingAdolescence yes I have to admit that's been my biggest loss, I used to listen to audio books on my drive, I just don't now.

Err, work! My boss is busier than ever which in turn means I'm busier than ever. Yes, my employer is aware of the extra hours I'm putting in, he's putting the same extra hours in. I'm happy to do it, I love WFH and my firm is going down the hybrid route which I'm frankly thrilled about.

I guess they're thrilled if in peoples desperation to work from home they're doing 3 extra hours a day, fuck that!

I don't think there's a right or a wrong re: WFH or not - the key is that you find an employer that aligns with your preferences.

Case in point: I've just been job hunting and I turned down an offer from a company that had switched to full WFH because I personally value being in the office at least some of the time. Two weeks later I found out that my colleague was leaving that very company. Her reason? She wanted to WFH full-time. I think this is the new future tbh.

*was leaving TO GO TO that very company

Have I missed something? You were originally employed to work in an office five days a week? Because of a pandemic we've all been told to stay home whilst still getting paid? Now the pandemic is improving we are all asked to go back to work? Despite being still paid you decided to move away from your job?

Is this a wind up? Get back to work!

@londonscalling you've missed the fact many companies are now moving to hybrid or flexible working.

The pandemic might be improving but the Indian variant shows it is not over. I won't get a vaccine for a while. I would be going back to an office, not back to work. I've been working 5 working days a week since I left.

@londonscalling are you in your nineties? I ask because your attitude sounds so old fashioned. As if people working from home are not working. I used to encounter attitudes like that thirty years ago, but not now.

we've all been told to stay home whilst still getting paid? Now the pandemic is improving we are all asked to go back to work?

People WFH have been "still getting paid" because they have still been working! Unless they've been furloughed, people have worked throughout.

@BeenAsFarAsMercyAndGrand no you are supposed to be working from home for free, because somehow doing it in your own home means it does not count.

Someone needs to tell @londonscalling there's a difference between WFH and furlough.