Started a new job thinking it was remote but it's not, please help me speak to my manager

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Title has been simplified for the sake of brevity. I started a new recently. When I applied I clearly remember it saying it was flexible and you could work in City A, City B and sometimes remotely.

I live near both City A and B, but A is a lot easier to get to (15 minutes to City A, 2 hours to City B). Before I accepted the job offer I double checked on the phone that I could work in City A and they said yes, that the company was flexible with working at A or B but most people are working from home. My contract has me down as working in City B which is why I double-checked on the phone before signing the contract.

I have now started and it has coincided with the back to office initiative. My whole team works in City B and it is the big, main office. City A is a tiny office where none of my team members work.

I have a meeting with my manager and I want to ask her if I can work in City A if I have to be in the office. I am happy to go into City B occasionally for face-to-face meetings, but if there is a blanket rule on 5 days in the office I wouldn't be happy commuting to City B five days a week. I wouldn't have accepted the job offer if I had known that.

How can I speak to my new manager about this without seeming difficult?

If I'm being completely honest this is make or break for this job and I won't hesitate to give notice. The commute will take up 4 hours of my day, cost a lot of money and involves walking through an unsafe area of the city. I hope it doesn't seem like I'm having a temper tantrum.

I think just be honest and say there seems to have been a misunderstanding, you had asked whether you could work in A and were told yes.

Just say there has been a miscommunication. You expected to work from A but it seems now to be B. Has something changed in the meantime and could she clarify.

Be straight. Straight is never difficult!

Yes, just say 'I checked before starting that my office base would be A (have the date of your phone call noted and who you spoke to), would you prefer me to be home based or to travel in to A'. Be robust 'I checked this out before I accepted the job and was given a commitment, B isn't going to work for me although I can attend x times a month if some travel time is allowed'.

Do you think it would work having all of a team in one location and just me at the other location? I'm worried they are going to be like, this isn't going to work either you work at B or quit (but in nicer words).

I'm also a junior member of staff so not senior enough to be seen to be difficult or demanding.

My contract says I must be able to work at City A and B.

If you're genuinely happy to walk away from this job then you have nothing to lose by being straight with them.

Approach it from a position of, it was agreed that I will be based at Office A.

Don’t be apologetic!

Say it exactly as you’ve described it here!

I was in a very similar predicament - I applied for a WFH role and at contracts saw it was office based - the WFH component was only verbal. I was told there was only an expectation to go to the office “once or twice a week” which was news to me and a four hour commute twice a week was not possible as a single parent.

I explained this late curve ball and they amended my contract.

But I had been sick as a pig about it, I initially tried to suck it up, count my blessings etc, but I felt defeated and miserable that I wouldn’t see my children awake for two out of five school days and would need a nanny all over again. And then I decided I’m just not doing it.

But they were great about it and have kept their word. Like you say be very open about going to the office as and when might be useful. Good luck!