Anyone back in the office this week, what’s it like?

[Shirleyphallus]

Went back in to the office for the first time today.
Observations:

1. Actually nice to be back and I felt much safer than I thought
2. Almost no one was wearing masks on the train / tube
3. Our facilities manager has gone WAY overboard with the sign maker. Labels everywhere with arrows, about 10 laminated signs in the kitchen reminding people to only take the teabag they’re going to use and sanitise the kettle after. There’s cling film all over the coffee machine and the printer panel. And a reminder to close the toilet seat when you flush to stop covid (how??)
4. People were mostly friendly but definitely stood further away / moved chairs back etc when talking

Would be interested to hear how others have got on (particularly to hear if anyone else has got a sign making facilities manager like mine)

I went in last week. Have now developed my first cold since pre lockdown (yes I’ve done a covid test) so now I’m back at home. Not impressed!

Put the toilet seat down? And cling film on the coffee machine, what's the point in that? Sounds a bit ott.

Sounds a bit like our office when we went back in April! It's all gone out the window now. I'm sure you'll find the same as everyone relaxes into it.

@Crinkle77

Put the toilet seat down? And cling film on the coffee machine, what's the point in that? Sounds a bit ott.

Understatement. There are signs absolutely everywhere. Sadly written in a comedy font with Random Capital Letters and excessive!!!! Exclamation!!!! Marks!!!!

@Brokenrecord3006

Sounds a bit like our office when we went back in April! It's all gone out the window now. I'm sure you'll find the same as everyone relaxes into it.

Yep, most people are pretty much back to normal in our place. We do have some safety measures in place, but trying to get anyone to remember them is a challenge!

Crikey. I've worked in a school throughout the whole pandemic, mainly working with international pupils including those from red countries and kids with Covid. No arrows in our kitchen or tea bags signs. Am also a fan of the tv show, Ambulance which documents the work of health care professional throughout the pandemic. It therefore always makes me smile when I read of brave desk workers returning to their offices.

It therefore always makes me smile when I read of brave desk workers returning to their offices.

Office workers have been such entitled snow flakes in the pandemic. I am an office worker by the way.

I went back as soon as allowed for 3 days a week last October.

Running home again with a cold unimpressed are we? Poor lamb!

"And a reminder to close the toilet seat when you flush to stop covid (how??)"

You should always close the toilet when you flush so that you're not spraying human waste all over the room. I don't think it will do much to stop Covid, but you should do it anyway.
It's a pain that a lot of public toilets don't have lids.

We're back today. 2 days a week. Not an issue in the office, that seems ok. But lots of very deliberate not mask wearing on the train/tube. I'll do me, they can do them. It all just takes a bit of getting used to commuting tbh never mind the covid stuff.

I'm an office worker and we never stopped going in 🤷‍♀️
Taxes and wages, furlough and Vat, all still needed to carry on as normal. Nothing ever stopped!

Sounds funny how OTT some of those measures are tbh. Surely the returning workers havent all literally been at home for 18 months

@FunnyInjury

I'm an office worker and we never stopped going in 🤷‍♀️ Taxes and wages, furlough and Vat, all still needed to carry on as normal. Nothing ever stopped!

Sounds funny how OTT some of those measures are tbh. Surely the returning workers havent all literally been at home for 18 months

See I would have loved that. To keep going in all the way through.

Absolutely they have been... I haven't seen some of my colleagues at all since March 2020 and many of them I can count on one hand the times I've seen them.

They are literally sitting at home and have been for 18 months.

But lots of very deliberate not mask wearing on the train/tube.

What the fuck?!

Deliberate? Mask wearing is no longer a requirement most places are you implying that by not wearing a mask they are deliberately doing something that isn't allowed?!

This reminds me of when we went back last year too! Now we're all licking each other

It does make me smile when I hear of "office workers feeling unsafe."
Hmm try working in close proximity with 600+ unvaccinated mini humans with little or no understanding of the terms "social distancing."

Cling film over the coffee machine

Action really? So some office workers havent been out socialising at all? Even when restrictions have been relaxed or done away with completely?

To have an office full of only people who havent shopped, eaten out, holidayed, visited pubs or beaches, sports events, fairs or festivals at all is quite unbelievable to me tbh 🤷‍♀️

@ActonSquirrel

But lots of very deliberate not mask wearing on the train/tube.

What the fuck?!

Deliberate? Mask wearing is no longer a requirement most places are you implying that by not wearing a mask they are deliberately doing something that isn't allowed?!

I thought they were still compulsory on public transport in London.

“ActonSquirrel

But lots of very deliberate not mask wearing on the train/tube.

What the fuck?!

Deliberate? Mask wearing is no longer a requirement most places are you implying that by not wearing a mask they are deliberately doing something that isn't allowed?!”

It’s still a requirement to wear a mask on the tube!

I work in a secondary school. A handful of staff a d students are wearing masks...

We've been back 2 days a week since last year.

It was like this when we first went back but all of it's gone now - the one way systems, the screens, the limits on numbers of people in meeting rooms, etc.

So we're basically back to normal other than 3 things:

• You wear a mask when moving around the building (quite silly as you don't wear a mask when seated in a meeting room which is when you're more likely to spread it than wandering around)

• Temp check when you get to the office

• You can pick up free LFTs if you want them.

We'll be sticking with 2 days per week in the office on a perm basis though which is great!

Those that like to be in the office more can choose to do more days in the office.

Returned in July
Black & yellow tape (like a crime scene)
Loads of stickers & signs
One way system
A certain amount of people allowed in
Hand sanitizer stations
Desk wipes
Social distancing

However we share desks & equipment, which makes a mockery of all the above

We’ve never stopped. Due to mental health reasons you can choose whether to go in or not. There’s anti bac and mask wearing, that’s it. We all share the same equipment, 45 staff members and one case of covid that no one else caught.

I work in an office and continued to go in one day per week throughout most of last year for the sake of my sanity.

I've now moved location (same company) and we're not going in for the foreseeable. Our team works very well remotely and the company hasn't seen a drop in productivity. Long term they're talking about downsizing the offices and having them as hubs for collaboration days etc.

I've not had fear of being in the office at all and miss the banter but working from home has been great for my work life balance

Ive been back for a year after WFH wasn’t achievable.

We have signs with the usual on them.

And a cleaner who talks more than she cleans, and come into the room, wipes a couple of light switches and the screen of the photocopier, which no doubt keeps ys 100% safe🙄

She also lingers desperately wanting to gossip which we ignore. Were too busy to idle gossip

I'm back next week. I'm a bit worried from a covid point of view as I work in a university so there's going to be lots of it about. I also hate my office as it's like a cell and it stinks.

We've been asked to spray our shoes on the way in... There is a laminated sign.