Working from Home

[Kitta]

I have a computer based job, and work with people all over the world. Because of this I work from home 2 days a week, to accommodate early/late starts etc.

Work are very encouraging of this, and have provided everything possible to allow/ease working from home.

However line manager seems to see wfh as some sort of skive (not sure how this works as all the work gets done and more).

Currently the weather here is nasty (freezing fog) and there are hour + delays on the trains. The local police are recommending that you only travel if absolutely necessary.

In view of all this last night I made what I think is the socially responsible decision to WFH, leave the roads free for those who really need to travel, i.e.: NHS workers etc

Just had to spend the last 10 minutes defending this decision to her on the phone, she's made it in to the office therefore so should everyone else.
She lives 5 minutes walk from the office; all of the rest of the team lives a minimum of 15 minutes drive on a good day.

AIBU?
Is it unreasonable to be sat here Mumsnetting working and have been here since 7am and will carry on till six-ish instead of spending hours trying to get in to work, and then leaving early to make sure I get home?

I think you have answered your own question re mumsnetting during working time

No, I don't think this is a problem. I worked from home last year during the snow (had an hours commute).

Be careful though, your line manager may make trouble.

YANBU - but then I am doing the same as you! Luckily, my bosses are doing the same, I am closest to work and my drive is 45mins on a good day. No way any of us are risking an accident when we are just as, if not more, productive when wfh.

Of course YANBU. If you can wfh, and the work gets done, then it's the most responsible thing you can do.

Ignore line manager, she is a twat.

YANBU as long as you get off MN!

Thank god I am based from home and therefore never have to have this fight.

Although I do realise that even if you CAn work from home, employers often force people who are office based to try and get it.

In terms of time wasting, they have no argument. You cannot be effective at your job if you are stuck in traffic or at station trying to get to the office when you could be being more effective sat at home on your computer. Unfortunately bosses often see this as you not making the effort which ridiculously they see as more important than actually getting the job done!

It's all about justifying your existence and what I call "presenteeism". You may have to just suck it up though, annoying as it is.

Send her the intranet statement by way of reminder, also remind her of your reimbursement for broadband/office furniture etc., etc. And then don't take it personally - she's being an arse.

I work in a similar environment and don't often go to the office unless I've got to visit a client.

(Although I did drive through 8" of snow this morning due to annual appraisal. But then I'm hardcore. And smugly have winter tyres! )

Tell her you are being a good green and are helping to save the planet. Suggest that she should do the same. Sounds like she is the sort of person who would believe that.

Thing is, you could be sat in the office mumsnetting anyway?!?

You've done the right thing. It would have taken me a total of 4-5 hours to get in and back from the office today. I decided to save that time and work from home instead.

Luckily, it was my line manager that suggested it!

YANBU...sounds like she is jealous. Is her work the type which cannot be done from home?

I also work from home and find some people go when I tell them.

I reckon they think I'm sitting in my PJs eating biccies all day. Which I am which I only do sometimes.

YANBU What a cow your boss is. There is no reason to complain if all the work gets done.

YANBU - Provided that you can provide results and complete projects/objectives whilst working from home you are not skivving. When I worked from home I gave a bi-weekly report of my work/objectives completed. That was a damn sight more than anyone who worked in the office.

I also found that I tended to work some longer hours to match international time zones, getting projects done by being at home.