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Original poster

So tired of being made to come into into the office

68 replies

cofingalthetime · 08/07/2022 10:33

So I'm in the office today - everyone else either on leave or working from home. I think I'm one of the only people in the building. I wish I was at home too - it's really hot and uncomfortable here, I'm not getting anything done, and literally nobody to even talk to. I don't see the point of being here.

Management refuse to listen - all working from home themselves. As a colleague said during the week "we are here to "guard the office". Guard it from what? or for whom

Very frustrating. Am literally staring at the clock every 5 mins.

OP posts:
feistyoneyouare · 08/07/2022 19:44

Some silly comments on here. Most people chat occasionally during the work day, and what's wrong with OP using her lunch break to take a much-needed nap? It's not like she's doing it on company time. It's a bit of a reach to suggest this means her productivity is lagging.

(OP, totally hear you re the naps - I have chronic fatigue and very often do the same thing - I'm lucky enough to WFH permanently!)

Original poster
cofingalthetime · 08/07/2022 22:34

Jalisco · 08/07/2022 17:30

They aren't a lone worker though. As a minimum there is a security officer there - OP said so. And I suspect others too. Being the only person in a room in a building is not lone working.

Let's be honest here. There is nothing wrong with the OPs mental health, and they are not lone working. They are tired and would really prefer not to be in the office because at home nobody can see them skiving. Which is why those of us who have no other choices get a reputation for skiving. If the OP is too tired to work, there's sick leave. If they don't like the employers policy on hybrid working, get another job. If they object to people taking annual leave, well that's not going to make them friends amongst their colleagues, but put in a grievance and say you don't want people taking leave when it doesn't suit your personal requirements- I'm sure management can find a system of refusing annual leave to ensure more people are in when they are required to be. Just don't be surprised when you get your leave turned down!

Bit the bottom line is, if you don't like your job, get another.

Show quote history

I'm bloody trying but it's not as easy as saying 'get another job'. I've applied for loads, done 3 interviews, and been rejected for others. And some had worse wfh policies. I wish it was that bloody easy to waltz into another job. I had to take a break from job hunting as i was getting really upset and down about rejection after rejection.

The thing that bugs me, is that management have not taken the time LOOK find out, or analyse, or ANYTHING. All they seem to be interested in is 'bums on seats'. And at the same time complain about the cost of running the buildings, not having enough space for other activities (not offices), which could all be solved by reducing the time the office staff need to come in, and opening up the office space to be used. They talk about climate change, and carbon footprints, and won't listen when people talk about their commutes etc etc. I don't think I would like to wfh 100% - I like getting up and out after doing it for so many years. But I just wish management could be more enlightened. I mean they were bloody grateful when we all moved to wfh in March 2020 after years of people asking to wfh and them saying no, it was impossible. No break in service, we all adapted really fast, as we had to - the technology was suddenly able to cope with us all wfh - yet management won't acknowledge any of this. Back to the stone age - if you're not at your desk you're not working. For me it's quality time, that gets me ahead, and my job well done.

OP posts:
feistyoneyouare · 08/07/2022 23:24

They are tired and would really prefer not to be in the office because at home nobody can see them skiving.

Except that she's not talking about skiving, @Jalisco - if, when wfh, she's able to ease the fatigue caused by her insomnia by having a quick sleep at lunchtime i.e. her personal time, not her employer's, how the heck can that be construed as skiving?

orangeisthenewpuce · 09/07/2022 08:18

@feistyoneyouare Except that she's not talking about skiving, @Jalisco - if, when wfh, she's able to ease the fatigue caused by her insomnia by having a quick sleep at lunchtime i.e. her personal time, not her employer's, how the heck can that be construed as skiving?

She is. She's says she's not getting anything done. That's skiving.

feistyoneyouare · 09/07/2022 08:24

orangeisthenewpuce · 09/07/2022 08:18

@feistyoneyouare Except that she's not talking about skiving, @Jalisco - if, when wfh, she's able to ease the fatigue caused by her insomnia by having a quick sleep at lunchtime i.e. her personal time, not her employer's, how the heck can that be construed as skiving?

She is. She's says she's not getting anything done. That's skiving.

Struggling with productivity due to exhaustion and discomfort, which I presume is what the OP meant by not getting anything done, is not the same thing as skiving.

luckylavender · 09/07/2022 08:27

NoSquirrels · 08/07/2022 11:40

I’d just go home, if I were you.

If they never check, then whatever - they’ll not know.

If they do happen to check, you had a migraine/heat exhaustion/felt ill and went to WFH.

Of course they'll know. IT security will log when you enter & leave the building, as well as location of PC you're working from.

luckylavender · 09/07/2022 08:27

SheepingStandingUp · 08/07/2022 12:20

There's two issues here.

You can't work because you're too tired. If you're unfit to work, you call in sick.

You want someone to talk to. Not really works problem. I know it's nice to have company but you are actually there to work.

Surely you can take a fan in and maybe mput some music on your phone etc

This

Hbh17 · 09/07/2022 08:31

I love working alone - in the office - it's so calm no distractions & I get loads done. Going to work to "chat to people" really shouldn't be a thing.
Plus if you are WFH then you're on your own there too, so I really don't get the issue.

yomellamoHelly · 09/07/2022 09:09

I'd buy an inflatble mattress and have a nap on days like this. Who's to see?

topcat2014 · 09/07/2022 09:24

Sounds like your organisation could usefully lose a few underemployed heads.

Be careful what you wish for OP

Luckydip1 · 09/07/2022 09:33

I think senior managers are really struggling to accept that the office has changed and staff are just as productive if not more WFH. If they insist on presenteeism you should leave and get another job where they value their staff more. By doing that they will get the message that times have changed and they need to change their policies too. It helps that there are lots of jobs available right now too.

feistyoneyouare · 09/07/2022 11:33

You can't work because you're too tired. If you're unfit to work, you call in sick.

Except it's not that simple with insomnia. It sounds like the OP maybe struggles with this on a regular basis. If so, I can relate. It becomes a case of managing as best one can - speaking for myself, if I called in sick every time I was too tired to be 100% fit for work, I'd have lost my job years ago. If the OP suffers frequently from insomnia, presumably she's in the same boat.

TwaddleTwaddle · 05/03/2023 09:20

Sorry didn’t rtft. Does your employer have a lone worker policy?

FourTeaFallOut · 05/03/2023 09:24

You didn't rtft? It's been seven months since the last post, how did you find it and then not read it?

TwaddleTwaddle · 05/03/2023 14:24

@FourTeaFallOut it came up as suggested after looking at similar threads. Well pardon me for not seeing the date but I fail to see why you felt the need to comment.

Ceryneianhind · 05/03/2023 14:43

WomanStanleyWoman2 · 08/07/2022 13:08

I feel your pain. After over two years of WFH, management have now decided we ‘need to be seen to be in’ at least one day a week. I asked my manager why there had been this sudden shift. It turns out that the person who managed the return to office process proudly boasted to the board that approximately 90% of people were regularly using the office. (I doubt it’s even half that.) Then one day a very senior person unexpectedly came over from Europe, came into the office and saw there was actually about four people and a cat mug there.

Instead of holding her hands up and admitting the push to get people back in wasn’t working, very embarrassed office manager has now kicked up a fuss to get more people in. I’m paying to commute because she has egg on her face.

So management wanted people in the office

Your manager covered for you all and said you were in, until senior mgr came in and saw you weren't and you're blaming your manager?

Ceryneianhind · 05/03/2023 14:46

Great, a bloody zombie 🧟‍♀️

WomanStanleyWoman2 · 05/03/2023 15:18

Ceryneianhind · 05/03/2023 14:43

So management wanted people in the office

Your manager covered for you all and said you were in, until senior mgr came in and saw you weren't and you're blaming your manager?

Show quote history

Do read it properly. She isn’t my manager and there was no obligation to come in. The only covering she was doing was for herself - she’d boasted about a full office and looked an idiot when it became obvious she’d bent the truth.

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