Why do companies seem to hate wfh and flexible working?

[numenor]

I really don't understand it so many companies bringing in stringent return to the office policies and curtailing flexible working.

I'm a single working mum and really couldn't work without these things and I don't think I'm alone in that.

What is it about these things companies don't like 🤷‍♀️.

Surely it's a good thing to encourage work and to be able to hire the best candidate

Control

Too many piss takers perhaps?

They must have figures on work output that help to make their decision.

Micro managing!

Unfortunately many of my colleagues have completely taken the piss and so managers are now wanting more control - having experienced their behaviour I can't say they're wrong tbh 🤷🏻‍♀️

People take the piss, you see it on here. People brag they're looking after their toddler at the same time.

Because a significant proportion of people take the piss and don’t work the hours they are supposed to/in the way they are supposed to/ don’t take proper care of company information/look after kids whilst they are supposed to be working/ work multiple jobs etc

I think they’re over correcting post Covid and in response to an employer’s market, job wise. Hopefully we’ll reach a better middle ground soon.

Yep piss takers!!

WFH will soon be mostly gone

It's a skill largely missing in the leadership/management to be able to properly manage output (quantity/quality) and foster a good team feeling with a largely unseen workforce.

Therefore they implement strict policies as a substitute for great management.

Also one of the key differentiators of team performance is how leaders deal with poor performance. With a remote workforce, even if the leader is great at this it's often not that apparent to the rest of the team how things like skiving, lack of productivity, backbiting etc are being dealt with

I would agree with this. It’s not everyone and my DH mainly works at home and works hard and never takes the piss, but I have friends and colleagues who blatantly are looking after their kids etc when they’re being paid to work.

Because some people abuse it. I've been out to lunch with people who are working from home. Equally over time it's not so productive, in some areas at least.

It's interesting, because everyone who works from home claims they work harder...it's all the others that take the piss...

Obviously, some people take this piss with it.

Some companies need the more experienced and established staff to be present to properly mentor the young ones.

I once rang the IT department at work and the guy was having a full on argument with his wife, about the dog pissing in the kitchen, as he was remotely accessing my laptop 😳

I had to ask him if he was aware I could hear every word.

Too many taking piss. We all know you can’t work properly and effectively all day whilst looking after a toddler but some refuse to pay for or use childcare and claim they are working but are rarely available and make a piss poor work contribution etc.

We have some staff who are still riding high from covid. Don’t use any summer holiday cover and have young children and always have to nip out or log off then others during term time claiming they have to finish early to pick child up from school (most days) many of these children are actually teenagers and they might log on later.

Definitely think they're taking things too far back. It's ridiculous.
A friend of mine worked compressed hours 10 days into 9, had one non working day every two weeks, had done it for years. It worked really well but he, and many others, are no longer able to do that. They did eventually draw the line at stopping any non 9-5 working arrangements.
The irony being said bank won an award for their flexible working practices after Covid!

It's 50:50 in my team. Half are so self motivated it doesn't matter where they work. The other half are piss takers and absent a lot. They don't even bother to manipulate their teams status. I really resent them.

I'm sure companies can monitor activity on laptops etc and how much time you are spending logged on at least. Still doesn't mean you are working.

I read somewhere that individuals were more productive when they WFH generally but teams, overall, were less productive. I think it's had quite a damaging impact on some junior staff and their development too.

To keep the workers in their place- down trodden, beholden !

It probably depends on the individuals to be fair.

I get really distracted at home, even just the dogs claws on the laminate floors as they walk around distracts me! 🤣

So even when I can WFH I go in instead.

My job could be done completely remote, as could almost everyone in the office. I can go all day & speak to no one outside of breaks.

They won't allow it because 'although we know you'd work, some of the others don't & we have to have the same rules for everyone'.

Except the manager is remote because she moved & has too much power of company knowledge of lose.

My SIL works remote & is constantly messaging DH with research about their DF & popping off to her DS's school or looking after him on holidays etc. I don't think she works much fh.

A few ruin it for all.

My company want us in the office more but some weird habits have crept in I'm not sure how he's going to get rid of them. One works at least a day whilst watching her toddler at home as childcare is too expensive. Another works nights, like until 2am and starts somewhen much later in the day. Another is moving his mouse every 30-60 mins some days. Some routinely start an hour later than the official workday. I have a weak boss though.

It’s because they don’t trust the workforce. They also don’t know how to manage teams remotely and they like the familiarity of going back to office presenteeism.

They are really comfortable with the fact that that old fashioned office culture with its commuting and long hours is a game that is typically won by men who are being supported at home by unpaid female labour.

Too many piss takers abusing it!

Too many taking the piss. Levels of service in so many things is now abysmal, no doubt in part due to these shirkers- tax, passports, probate, welfare, customer service in general. So it's needs oversight. Of course there are some who are responsible but I would think they're in the minority.