Forced return to office - anyone else?

[Flexipecs]

My work has announced we’re all being forced back into the office two days a week. I’m a sole parent of primary school aged children (no help from ex). If I’m forced to go into the office I’ll have to reduce my working hours and I’ll be financially worse off.

I’m going to contact my union but has anyone else had this problem and did you successfully challenge it?

There’s zero benefit to me being in the office. My stats and performance are high. I actually think I’m more productive at home because I’m not being distracted so often. I’ve worked for the company for a very long time and I’m really disappointed at this decision (to put it mildly).

As an example, way before covid and before flexible or home/remote working were common my DH changed his hours so he did 8.30-6 three days a week and 8.30-1 twice a week so he could collect ds from school twice a week.

I also agree that it makes no sense to make you drive an hour each way two days a week. This is an example of where nobody is taking any notice of climate change!

Our company have done it to justify the office space they have - under a guise of 'harboring wonderful connections' please, no one from other teams ever talk to each other and never have done.

I think one effect of the covid lockdown is that people got used to working more hours but not paying for childcare, and now resent the "cost" of working.

Op you may think things are working "fine" in your team, but there's always scope to improve. I've just joined a team who were "fine" and in reality, changes (including 2 days a week in the office) has made a big improvement and we are now excellent rather than just the OK of years before.

So many more companies seem to be asking this.Lets face it whether we like it or not ,this issue will affect a lot of women.Surely its not too much to ask that some flexibility could be shown? This lady is trying hard to keep her job and care for her DC. Yes we all know how hard it was before 2020 ,but surely time to move on .

If your productivity would decrease in the office you need to be discussing with management the reasons for that, to enable changes to be made to facilitate the office being a productive workplace.

I complete understand these threads when an employer wants 4 or 5 days in but its only two. Its not unreasonable.

Of course it will predominantly affect women because it is still vastly seen that women will take the career hit to bring up children.

For me, and most people I know now, we're all back in officially 3 days a week but it's more like a couple of days a week. For anyone else who isn't able to do this then they can speak to their line manager to see if they're able come up with an arrangement that works for them both - would your company be up for that?

I'm not saying they are. I'm saying if your boss says come into the office and you say no, the next steps may well be that it's brushed under the carpet. That's what I did. Occasionally I go into the office for a meeting (once a month) but leave immediately afterwards.

The reason I mentioned unionised workplaces is that workers are stronger there and it's a pain to sack people.

Same. Hotdesking makes a clown out of anyone in our office who claims attendance helps "build teams".

Most workplaces were getting people back in the office at least 2 days a week.

@MrsRobinsonsHandprints , personally I’ve inducted new starters over covid virtually and it’s been fine. If anything it’s worse going into the office 2 days a week and getting used to working patterns and working together.

It’s tough being a sole parent but your ex will have to step up and luckily your DC are old enough and near school enough that they can walk by themselves.

Errrr get a new job or go self employed if you don't like your employers terms?

Employers need to be flexible too. They aren't doing staff a massive favour - they need workers to exist.

100% this.

Going back to pre-pandemic norms just because "thats what we used to do" is completely regressive. Thats before even thinking about the climate emergency (if its an emergency, let's treat it as one).

If its about productivity and team cohension, if you can't trust or motivate your employees to work productively and collaboratively from home (if the job allows), then your problem is with your management style & culture, not your employees.

Treat employees with respect and as adults, and they'll act as such.

As a side note, I once worked for an international organisation where all team members were based in different locations (countries in some instances), but because we had management that motivated us and treated us as adults who could manage our own working day, Ive never worked in a more dynamic environment.

No it's not, but many do, so why not support them to continue their careers whilst juggling family life if its at all possible to do so?

I don't think there's much you can do about it apart from look for a job that offers full wfh.
Personally I think companies may start to move away from wfh in the future.
Of course, there have always been fully wfh jobs.
Wfh is so convenient for mid career people. DH loved his 3 months wfh, but has been full time back in the office since September 2020 now - coming up to 3 years!
He could do much of his job at home, but the people he manage can't and he needs to be there for them.

Treat employees with respect and as adults, and they'll act as such.

There are always some that won't, though.

Yes but these people are not much better in an office environment...

Chancers are exactly that - chancers

Someone i work with leaves the office for school pick up then logs back on at home to finish up, her manager is fine with that as she's still making the effort to go in to the office.

And those people also know how to take the piss while sitting in an office too.

Find ways to manage and motivate those people rather than demotivating the ones who do work well regardless.

And another thing I have noticed since having children - I always feel the need to 'prove' myself more than the others who are child free.

It's strange but I do worry all the time people think parents take the piss more when most of us are trying to do our best and stay in the work place whilst balancing childcare needs.

Agree with a PP that if we can make things easier for parents (mums mostly) to stay in a work force surely that is a progressive move in general.

Oh yes, agreed.
In fact we had to get rid of one recently, who seemed to think actually sitting down and doing any work as a low priority. At least it could be seen in the office though. The few times he wfh it was difficult to communicate with him - didn't reply to emails or Teams messages for a couple of hours, etc.

I see what you mean, in my job it shows when someone has been 'away' for a long time and also we have work that needs doing every day individually so a lot easier to pick up on people who are not achieving this,

Appreciate this isn't the case for everywhere

No...but there are good reasons for being in the office. Face to face has advantages, team building, learning, working together all have advantages. If it was better for productivity to have everyone wfh it's what they'd do and save a fortune on office rental, equipment and utilities. Do you really think that businesses are asking for return to office on a whim?

You can't work, and do child care at the same time. Yes, everyone's been doing it, and yes everyone always thinks they are super productive despite having their kids running around, it doesn't make it so.

Well I'm not in the UK but whenever office jobs are advertised here there are lots of applicants, so surely it can't be hard to find other workers. It's not just a one-way street where workers hold all the cards.