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Original poster

Working from home?

29 replies

Luna92x · 06/01/2022 22:19

Hi everyone;
Not sure if i’m posting this in the right area but just want some general advice or to ask the question, what would you do?
So i have been a shift manager (running the shift in a call centre) for a few years. I have been signed off sick for the past 6 months due to stress, depression and anxiety. I have approached my manager today about my options and here they are..
OPTION 1:
Go back to work and continue to do what I was doing. My shift is 15:30pm-1:30am. I work a 4 on 4 off pattern so 4 days in 4 days off. My wage is £13.99 per hour and £25,000 per annum.

OPTION 2:
Work from home and take a demotion where I will be just a call agent and earning £10.71 an hour and will lose my 4 on 4 off so will have to work Thurs, Fri, Sat and Sun. Think I will be doing 30 hours so annual wage will work out around £16,700!!!

Now when written down sounds an easy decision to make right?! Obviously option 1. This is where the difficulty comes into play. The office is horrible! The people are crappy i dont relate to any of them literally go in and sit to do the 10 hours which absolutely drags in front of a computer screen or option 2 the comfort of my own home with my family where I will be happy away from the drama! (My family consists of my husband and 2 cats at the moment).
I really don’t know what to do. Any advice would be gladly appreciated. And what would you do in my situation?
I have until tomorrow night to decide as I am due back Saturday. My plan of action at the moment is to go back on Saturday and see what its like whether its got any better and take everyday as it comes and maybe revise my decision after i’ve had this weekend back at work?!
Any replies would be really appreciated as I have been crying tonight due to this :’( I have really enjoyed my time at home for the last 6 months.

OP posts:
KirstenBlest · 06/01/2022 22:22

I'd work from home. Your MH is worth more than money

PollyPeePants · 06/01/2022 22:23

A big reduction in stress sounds good as does escaping a toxic work environment but those working days for option 2 are not great, are they?
Does it have to be thurs, fri, sat, sun every week for option 2? What are the hours of work?

Kite22 · 06/01/2022 22:27

Easy for any of us to say you have to loo after your mental health, but not being able to pay the rent / mortgage, or heating bills, or other essentials is also going to be very stressful. So this has to have an impact on you decision making. Your whole household budget and your debts or just your commitments need to be covered by your (household) income.
You need to sit down together and plan out a budget before you make any choices.

All of that said, why are these the only two options? Why not look for different work, elsewhere ?

HoobleDooble · 06/01/2022 22:27

I'd personally stick with the first option while posting my CV on every online job site until I get something else and squirrelling away as much money as I can in case I decided to go to plan B until another job comes along.

Hastina · 06/01/2022 22:27

Could you opt for work from home then look for a new job?

Cheeseycheeseycheesecheese · 06/01/2022 22:27

Personally I would go for option 1, mainly because the shift pattern would be more attractive to me.

However, your mental health is more important, so I'd suggest looking at a few things.

Is the wage from option 2, similar or equal to option 1 after you take travel and other work related expenses out?
Would you be able to change your mind once you're back in if you take option 1?
Is the company the right one for you?

Chanandlerbong1 · 06/01/2022 22:29

Your workplace should be putting things in place to help with the stress that has made you unable to work for the last six months.

SpookyScarySkeletons · 06/01/2022 22:31

Option 3: look for another WFH role paying better :)

419HLR · 06/01/2022 22:34

Option 2, no job is worth sacrificing your MH for. I'd take the drop and WFH then start looking for a better paid more enjoyable job wether that be in a nicer office environment or WFH

Passthecake30 · 06/01/2022 22:36

Definitely option 2. I bet you’ll save some cash by wfh to offset the pay gap slightly. Less travel, office clothes etc.

tootiredtospeak · 06/01/2022 22:37

My decision would be heavily affected by my finances do you need the extra money.

Hugasauras · 06/01/2022 22:38

Personally I'd go for 2 as a temporary measure and work on finding a better job. Being miserable at work is shit, and if you can manage money wise then life is too short to spend so much time somewhere that makes you sad.

Def a good idea to go in and see how you feel though - the thought of it might be worse than the reality and Option 1 might end up being not as bad as you feared.

Vapeyvapevape · 06/01/2022 22:39

Can you afford the drop in salary and would you mind losing every weekend?

But I agree, you need to look for another job.

Original poster
Luna92x · 06/01/2022 23:36

Thank you everyone so much for answering me and for your advice I’m sitting here crying again reading them as the thought of just going back to the office really upsets me and its true what u have all said my mental health is more important and my health in general and also my happiness. life is too short.

Whilst i was on sickness i was getting £500 and have managed. All be it a struggle and have had to dip into my savings at times but I privately rent which is £1000 a month so £500 for me £500 for my husband but other than that i dont spend my money I just save because one day i want to be able to buy my own house. I think thats why I’m so sad as well because taking the pay deduction and working from home is a massive step away from my end goal and dream.
Like some of you have said i think maybe its time i look for another job, fear of the unknown has kept me in this job for 8 years.
The office is only 5 minute drive up the road so i only have minimal fuel costs but the thought of just working from home in the warmth of my home and surrounded by people i actually love not fake people that pretend to be nice but behind your back talk crap (office politics) my other half is getting frustrated at me keep going backwards and forwards with my decision as well just when i think ive made my mind up i think of a negative again.
My manager said today on the phone thats the only available shifts if i was to take a demotion. I dont have any social life i just stay indoors wouldnt want it any other way so it doesnt entirely matter losing my weekends but at the same time if my husband gets a job mon- fri (he has been out of work for his own health reasons) then the weekend will be the only time we have together. It just makes me so stressed and sad.
The hours i would probably chose working from home are thurs and fri 5pm-10pm and then 12pm-10pm on saturday and sunday. I worked out if i did the WFH i would take home around £1252 and annualy that would be £15,000 so such a massive drop from the £25500 i take home annualy now xx

OP posts:
WhatsitWiggle · 06/01/2022 23:47

I would take the demotion, as it sounds like going back to the office is the cause of your stress rather than the work itself.

Then get your CV updated and get looking for jobs. There will be other home based jobs you can do, with nicer shift patterns, or other office jobs with nicer environments. If you're in a better place health wise then you'll feel more able to cope with job hunting.

Kite22 · 06/01/2022 23:52

I don't understand how you only spend you rent. You must have bills, food, phone, haircuts, bus pass or car expenses, etc etc.

If your dh is out of work, I don't see how you can afford to lose £10k a year.
You need to take some deep breaths, ignore colleagues you don't get on with, do the work and then use your 4 days off to apply for other jobs.

giggly · 07/01/2022 00:00

Just a word of caution here, you have said twice now that you have enjoyed your time at home while on sick leave. However don’t forgot that when you will be wfh you’ll not have the same level of interaction with your loved ones.
But on a personal note I work a combined wfe / office and love it

Original poster
Luna92x · 07/01/2022 00:05

@Kite22 i do have other expenses, food shops, elec and gas, water bill and council tax thats pretty much all I spend my money on. Those bills have only come in quarterly so i have dipped into savings of hubby has covered those so if I was to get £1,200 it is doable all be it i wont be able to save as much as I have been previously. I am really tight with money, dont treat myself often dont have hair cuts etc literally just pay out what i have to to get by and save the rest. x

OP posts:
Original poster
Luna92x · 07/01/2022 00:07

@giggly thats very true as well i have thought about that how i may feel knowing i cant interact like i have been the past 6 months and i keep reminding myself 4 days off is really good to have as well because if i book 4 days annual leave i get 12 days off so maybe i should go back see how it is use up my annual leave i have remaining then make the decision after? X

OP posts:
Original poster
Luna92x · 07/01/2022 00:11

Like others have said look for another job in the meantime or save as much as i can whilst i can then really review my decision in a month or so see if its bearable x

@Chanandlerbong1 my workplace is truly awful! I have been signed off multiple times since 2017 the death of my dad in 2017 plays a big part on my depression and then the stress of work tops it off and they have done nothing each and everytime i return i tell them what causes my stress it falls on death ears. This time round i have been referred to an occupational health therapist so dont even no what to expect from that but have that on the 18th x

OP posts:
DipYourPenisInMyBeaker · 07/01/2022 00:16

If you’ve been off work for that amount of time I’d have expected a referral to occupational health and a phased return to work. It’s not reasonable to expect you to return full pelt into everything after having a long time off.

If they offered you a phased return, with reasonable adjustments to help manage the stress etc going forward, that will buy you some one to figure out your options.

Have they done any of this?

DipYourPenisInMyBeaker · 07/01/2022 00:18

Crossed post - just saw that you’re due there on the 18th. To be honest I’d get an additional fit note to take you to the end of Jan so it covers your OH appointment, subsequent report and gives time to put in any reasonable adjustments - including a phased return to work.

Crunchymum · 07/01/2022 07:28

Could you not do more WFH hours? As well as the hourly rate drop, you are also dropping from 40 to 30 hours per week?

(Or is this the idea. To do less hours?)

ZenNudist · 07/01/2022 07:32

Option 1 and look for a new job

Cottagepieandpeas · 07/01/2022 07:39

I would say Option 1 but start looking for a new job as a matter of urgency. We spend too much time at work for it to be something we dread and makes us cry.
(I say that as someone who is currently hating their job and looking for something else).

Apologies if I missed this but are you getting any help with your MH?
Good luck!

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