Working from home.

[Sunriseinwonderland]

Its not a criticism but why are so many people still working from home. I genuinely don't know.
Im not in a job that can be done from home so I've had to go in throughout.

I work in a hospital (non-clinical) and am currently undergoing chemotherapy so am immunosuppressed. I've worked from home throughout my treatment, apart from a few days in the office. Means I don't have to go off sick and everything can continue as normal. Otherwise the taxpayer would be paying my sick pay as well as backfill for my post whilst I was off (chemo plus surgery so around 9 months in total).

Because I want to?

Because my employer has acknowledged the benefit of employee wellbeing by adding in the flexibility?

I live 5 kms from office, I am saving 2.5hrs (if not more) a day on commuting time.

I can bring my child to school rather than dumping them in breakfast club at 730am

We get to cycle to school rather than driving because we have time

I can pick them up from afterschool a 430pm rather than 530pm

They get to go to soccer and scouts and swimming and play dates because we are now home in time for it

I get to go to the gym and other social groups because I am home in time

We got to get a dog because we are home.

No longer have to sit in a toxic environment listening to people bitch and moan which has massively improved my mental health

Is that enough of a reason or would you like me to list another 50 reasons

Because it saves me £56.80 per day. And saves me three hours a day commute time.

Why on earth would we ever do that again?

We now go in one day a week and rely on videoconferencing for the rest. Relations between staff have improved because we don't see each other enough to irritate each other.

Staff are less stressed over things like school run. We get less ill. We can make lunch at home instead of spending £7 a day on a wrap. We've reduced the size of the office and cut our rent. Young staff based in London still go in if they wish but for those of us with space, who live further out, there is no need.
I'll never work in an office again. 😊

Because we can.

Because it's good for work life balance and mental health.

Because it saves employer 6 figures in rent.

Because 9-5 preseneteeism isn't necessary

I love working from home. I only go into the office 2 days a week, which I enjoy because I like the people I work with but we can do any two days we want so people are in on all different days each week to suit them.

It saves me money on parking at the station, paying for a train ticket, and my commuting time.

It means I can see my daughter when I finish work and she finishes nursery and spend time with her before she goes to bed. The days I work in the office I only get home when she's getting ready for bed.

From an employer point of view I've noticed that my colleagues often start work a bit earlier or finish a bit later when working from home. You can have more meetings when they're online (we have offices all over the world that we regularly have meetings with) so even if we were in the office every day it wouldn't facilitate more meetings.

Employers can have smaller office spaces because not everyone is in every day.

I've found it generally makes employees happier so they're more likely to stay with an employer rather than leave to go elsewhere. If you have good benefits like flexible working and wfh then you can attract better talent too.

There are definitely benefits to companies in terms of a happier workforce, but for my company and I'm sure many others who do hybrid, I honestly think efficency has decreased. It's easier to get things done when you're all in the same building if your job involves a lot of communication and collaboration.

I don't think organisations can now turn back the clock without facing a backlash so people have carried on with WFH.

Hybrid works for me. It saves me a lot of time and money, so I don't want to go back to how it was. But I can't honestly say the overall company output hasn't suffered for it

What are your reasons for this. What's been your experience.

From the employer point of view, we grew revenues 80% last year without extra staff, just less commuting less illness, happier people.

And halved our rent.

I don’t think in the office full time is great for lots of people either. Where you fall between the two will be different for everyone. Im glad that I get to choose (I don’t like being in the office full time or wfh full time), rather than someone like you who wants everyone to copy what works for them alone

Anyone caught doing this at my work are pulled back into the office, WFH revoked and formal warning. They are really clear about this. Obviously the odd day if the kid is home from nursery sick is another matter, but it cannot be a regular solution or equivalent to childcare.

I went from 2 days a week to wfh full time about a year before Covid. My company was already allowing it for certain teams/roles.

It's seen as a benefit for employees. Don't knock the work/life balance until you've had it.

And it's a win in terms of reducing overhead costs for employers, smaller, fewer offices to maintain.

Same.

Well it's the new normal for a lot of people that were office based. Companies can save money by getting smaller office space to rent or none at all and most staff enjoy some wfh. I am perm wfh (part time 3 days) now but others go to office once a week. I wouldn't take a job now that was office based.

Because I can. I do 3 days office/2 days home, and while I could go in every day because my commute isn't long, I like having a slightly more relaxed start/finish to the day on home days, and a bit of peace and quiet to work through the sort of tasks that need undisturbed thinking time.

I work with an international team anyway, so in the office a lot of my calls are still by video. My office days are useful to clear off those quick questions people ask me in passing but wouldn't be bothered set up a call for.

Why would you go in if you don't have to?

I have had a few interviews recently for local government jobs where I am told the team only meet in person every six weeks, which I do think is a bit rubbish.

Because I work for a small company with no actual office. If they did have an office I'd be the only person in it 90% of the time as the other staff would be out on the road travelling from job to job.

I've done large office working before and when I was younger the social side of it was very important. Young people need that still.

Now I'm a bit old I'm happy to work from home in my dressing gown and slippers. 😂

Because I can and because I work for an org that doesn't have an office in my location.

Not everyone! My husband's employer used covid as an excuse to shut down offices and he's now on a rota system for access to a desk 5 days per month but even when he's in, he spends the time on online meetings so being in the office no longer had a benefit but the company are saving money.

This

I was working primarily from home before the pandemic. Most of my work involves writing and editing; I can do it from anywhere really. I do have a small dedicated workspace in the office, and I go in about once every two weeks, mainly for the socialization.

I wish I was. It’s great saving the 3-hour daily commute time and tbh 80% of what I do could be done perfectly well from home.

I WFH because my office no longer exists.

Employer doesn't want me to get covid again as I needed ages off, was really unwell and had to fuck about getting anti virals