Are you going back to office? Rising energy prices…..

[BarrelOfOtters]

can’t help but think the office is going to be busier.

No. DH wfh too, so the cost of heating offset against petrol and city centre parking doesn't make it worth it.
We have oodies and electric blankets on hand and don't really put heating on in the day unless it's super cold.

I’m not going in anymore frequently either, travel time, school pick up and drop offs

If I was able to wfh I’d do it regardless of the added costs, it’s a lifestyle change that if affordable can be very beneficial. A winter of dark mornings and cold commutes isn’t very appealing nor the umpteen flu bugs and Covid waves that will no doubt be rife too.

I suspect a fair few will have to consider the implications of rising fuel bills and the feasibility of wfh if a return to the office means cheaper bills over the winter…

No. Train fare costs more than the energy usage while I'm at home. House is naturally warm though, even in winter, so heating is used very little anyway.

Is it a comfortable and productive workplace if it's that cold?

Nope, the train is much more expensive than the energy cost. £46 return on a peak ticket!

Lots of people in my office have said they will be in the office as soon as it gets cold to save money on gas and electricity.

Nope.

last year we had oodies and barely had the heating on. Even with the increased energy cost, the cost of my laptop and screen doesn’t really make that much impact. We have the heating on an hour or so in the morning for everyone getting up and the same in the evening. That would be the same when wfh or not. If it gets to the point we have to reduce gas use. We would reduce the time it’s on but still have it on twice a day and get showers instead of baths.

We also save money on food and waste less. We eat leftovers or make an omelette with bits from the fridge etc for lunch instead of buying lunch at work or buying things specifically for work lunches.

The cost of travelling in, the time it takes etc is an added expense.

DS is 11. He can get himself too and from school but would struggle with sorting the dogs out when he gets back, so if I weren’t at home the dogs would go to day care or ds would go to after school care. Me being here saves me money from that.

Also can walk the dogs once or twice a day (since I don’t have a commute) instead of a dog walker or dog day care doing it, so I am fitter and healthier at home and save money.

it’s still cheaper and easier to be at home.

I am planning to go in more, but partly because WFH has buggered my mental health a bit, plus I feel I'm more productive and have a better work life balance when I do. Saving on bills will be a welcome byproduct.

With commute costs, plus having to revert back to some wraparound care for DC, the saved cost of lunches, work clothes and make up, plus the saved commute time and benefit to DC of being around when they get home from school, I'd still rather WFH and suffer the cold during the day.

I have chosen to go into the office more often than wfh since we have been able to as I prefer the office.

Why are there so many threads this morning about the cost of gas and whether people will go back to the office?

Not for me, the parking/petrol costs will be more than any electricity/heating. I will use a heated throw in the day and not have the central heating on

Not due to rising costs as I don’t believe it has had a big impact on my personal energy use compared to the costs of commuting/ food waste/ time costs. But I do hope to go back a bit more due to the social element.
since wfh I think I am more able to plan and buy less spontaneously.

I've worked out that it will cost me around £4 a day to commute to work by car. Public transport isn't an option where I am (rural ish).

So I will need to see how much it will cost to heat my home and power my laptop each day before I can decide what is cheaper.

My commute costs £40 a day, so no. I’ve saved so much since wfh more - my annual season ticket was around £5.5k and now I’m only going in max 2 days a week.

Nah. I saw the Daily Scum have an article about this, they hate that people WFH 😄
If my employer made us go to an office I'd quit without a second thought. Obviously travel cost is more than the amount of electric a laptop uses, and I rarely have the heating on anyway. Plus the hours of your life wasted on commuting at your own expense.

No I won't. I'll stay at home for as long as I can.

I half expect my employer to close half the office space to save on its own heating and electricity costs given how few people are going into the office still, so I’m not sure it would be an option even if I chose to.

There is no office to go back to.

Well there are 4 desks. But with 20 staff in my team, I don't think that will work some how.

My electric bill (no gas supply) is projected to increase on average £150 a month. My commuting costs are around £200 per month. Then it's £600 per month for wrap around care for my kids that I'd need if I'm not home. Like others said, this is not factoring in lunches, coffees, the random £10 I spend on tat on my dinner, clothes, shoes and makeup that I need to wear in the office.

I am still financially much better off WFH.

i think it’s been in the news today.

But also there’s quite a few MNers who really hate people wfh. Either because they can’t or because they just don’t like people having something they didn’t.

Theres quite a few retired MNers who really detest people wfh. So this news story that people will all rush back to the office, will have been music to their ears.

I suspect very few will rush back

Not a chance. I was mainly WFH before the pandemic anyway, but higher energy prices won't see me go back to the office.

I can roll out of bed, brush my teeth, make a brew and be logged in 10 mins later.

Thick socks, jumper, joggers on and the Oodie if needed. Log burner lit. All good.

Can't help but think this is a way to get people back to the office after the media and business leaders have spent months bleating on about how important it is for everyone to go back. They seem VERY concerned with your "mental health" - despite no one investing in any meaningful support - and how it's important to be in an office setting to share the work experience and bounce ideas off one another. Oh and let's not forget we need to support those who rent out office spaces and sandwich shops in the city - two things you can't do if you're working from home. I mean, the government don't want to do anything for small businesses so the onus is on you.

I'm an old cynic though.

Anecdata, I know, but a relative will only be going in 2/3 days a week and my NDN will continue WFH indefinitely, because their employers have got rid of office buildings they owned or rented.

How long will employers keep on office space with increasing heating and lighting bills if they don't absolutely have to?

I suspect my employer will turn the heating down to the minimum they can get away with legally, so not sure it would be much warmer in the office!

I’m on pre pay meters. Last year on the very coldest days I was spending approx £3 a day on gas. It costs me £50 p/w to commute. That gives me £10 per day to stick in my meter. Even with the price hikes, that should cover it. Plus I’m benefitting from keeping my own house warm. Rather than returning home, freezing cold, to enter a freezing cold house!

I heard this on the news today as well. I feel sorry for the people that don't want to WFH but the option to go into an office isn't there any more. So they'll have to keep themselves warm whilst working.
I think the libraries will be busier with people wanting to use the computers there.