to be annoyed with companies that employ WFH consultants complain about WFH

[BlackKite]

I work as a consultant for a big company at home, and it suits me quite well.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, with everyone working from home, the company has been sending emails about how difficult it is to WFH, from unhealthy it can be and how it isn't optimal.

While I quite like WFH and it has advantages and disadvantages. I'm not complaining about WFH. However, AIBU to find these emails a little annoying? If the company genuinely thought WFH wasn't a good thing, why employ so many WFH consultants in the first place?

I would say YABU purely because you’re making it about you when it’s not.

You are used to WFH, and they are advising people who aren’t. There may also be an additional edge that they are trying to discourage people from wanting to WFH once the office is open again, leading them to be leaning towards highlighting the negatives.

Either way, it’s not aimed at you, so don’t take it personally.

Because it's the consultants choice in most instances and depending on the consultant they may have more than one job on the go at once. Theres a huge difference between being a consultant who is in and out working on a project and a member of staff who is part of an ongoing team and culture.

the company has been sending emails about how difficult it is to WFH, from unhealthy it can be and how it isn't optimal

Are you sure they're not more 'we know this can be difficult' rather than 'this is awful and nobody should do it'? The fact is moving to full time WFH if you're normally office based can be a really difficult transition, not everyone is motivated in the same way and like to separate work and home, some people are also managing childcare, if you're quite extroverted it can be difficult to lose that regular contact in the office etc. Is the wording maybe more about trying to support and reassure those people who are finding it hard?

It suits you, great. Doesn’t mean it has to suit anyone else

I think the current situation is difficult in many different ways for different people. People have different wants/needs and while those able to WFH and be paid as usual should be grateful to be able to do so, it's not their choice. We're all coping with a completely different structure right now that has also taken away support/coping mechanisms (seeing family and friends, going to the gym, going to the cinema etc.) and means people are juggling much more than normal (childcare on top of work, schooling etc). While it's certainly not the worst, it's not the easiest either, depending on people's mindsets and situations.

Are you sure they're not more 'we know this can be difficult' rather than 'this is awful and nobody should do it'?

Many, if not most of the emails have been along those first lines, and I'm fine with that - I'm on board with the idea that this is stressful for a lot of people, but one recent email stated that "our homes are not well designed for office work" and similar. If that were the case, why employ so many people to do it?

Did it ever occur to you for a brief moment that not everyone else is fine with it or indeed even fairing well with it during this time?

Isn't this like wondering why despite the fact you dislike chocolate you always see it sold out in your local shop

I find the fault finding, blaming and moaning associated with the current situation annoying. But I at least appreciate that complaining about the complaining is just turning up the volume.

You don’t need to engage with. There in lies your solution.

Are you saying all employees at your firm work from home all of the time and that's why the emails are unnecessary?

If it's the case that there are office based employees who now have to work from home every day, surely you can understand that would not suit everyone?

Not everyone has a spare room for an office with a desk. Not everyone will have a dining table to work on. Some homes will have two adults plus kids at home so very difficult to concentrate.

I would agree most people have not got a home set up for office working because they usually work away from their home. It costs money to buy a desk, chair and other equipment too.

I work from home on a self-employed basis. Usually it's fine.

At the moment it's not fine because I'm still trying to do my usual at the same time as putting up with a WFH husband in the loft and three children demanding help with various pieces of school work. And I can't even work in the Waitrose cafe witth a coffee and a scone.

It's shit.

Did it ever occur to you for a brief moment that not everyone else is fine with it or indeed even fairing well with it during this time?

As above, I think it can only be a good thing that they both:

A) recognise that people who don’t usually work from home may be struggling

And

B) Recognise that even people usually set up to work from home may be juggling childcare/other partners also WFH etc.

But you have chosen to be a WFH consultant and are presumably set up and supported to work like this, have a job that can be properly done from home, have a proper home office, decent broadband etc.

Employees who normally work from the office may not have any of this and are, in addition, likely juggling looking after children.

I saw a useful thing the other day. It pointed out that we are not "home workers" . We are people working remotely from home. There's an important distinction.

But not everyone is set up to work from home like you! I don't have an office, office chair, printer, scanner, 2 monitors or anything like that and i suddenly had to start working without all of these in my kitchen! Do you not get that loads of other people are in the same position?? And lots of people enjoy the human interaction in the office and do not like sitting behind a monitor and not speak to anyone for weeks at a time other than via video call.You may be set up for it, you may have the routine, you may enjoy it. But surely you can recognize that many don't and are finding this very hard?

My home isn't set up for home working, and that was before I was trying to juggle work and small children. I like my office and can't wait for 'normal'.

If you like it and it works for you, that's great, but I don't have the space or the equipment for this to be a long term thing and no desire for it either.

I definitely get a lot of what people are saying, but I'm making a point that is somewhere in the middle, and I'll use a few comments to make the point.

But you have chosen to be a WFH consultant and are presumably set up and supported to work like this, have a job that can be properly done from home, have a proper home office, decent broadband etc.

I'm doing the same job as everyone else, but my point is that the company has actively chosen to employ consultants, rather than take them on as employees, and give them a desk with IT infrastructure, as a cost-cutting measure over the years. If the company were to offer me a desk and a role in the office, I might like to work in the office.

And lots of people enjoy the human interaction in the office and do not like sitting behind a monitor and not speak to anyone for weeks at a time other than via video call.

I think that's my point - the company has chosen to have WFH consultants who also like human interaction.

I'm trying to make the point that it is a little jarring that companies have chosen to employ WFH consultants, and now that managers have to do it themselves, they realise it is difficult.

I also get that a lot of people are finding it difficult, that's not my point.

But you’ve chosen that OP. You can’t choose to be a Consultant (with all the freedom that entails) but then complain when your company doesn’t treat you like an employee. If you want the benefits of being an employee (working in the office, being included in company culture) then become an employee.

But you’ve chosen that OP. You can’t choose to be a Consultant (with all the freedom that entails) but then complain when your company doesn’t treat you like an employee. If you want the benefits of being an employee (working in the office, being included in company culture) then become an employee.

I think the point that perhaps I haven't made very clearly, is that the company has set up its operational model that around 1/3 to 1/2 of its staff are consultants. What I'm trying to say is that while I make it work, it's not completely my choice to be a consultant.

How bizarre a thread in which posters and the OP have totally crossed paths. What is the problem then OP?

What I'm trying to say is that while I make it work, it's not completely my choice to be a consultant.

But they're not the only company you could work for.

I dont get your point, consultants can put things against expenses for tax purposes etc, and its permanent so they are far more likely to be set up well - Iif they're not then that's their lookout?

People who haven't made the choice to wfh often DON'T have their homes set up for home working. This isn't about you op, it's about recognising the many people who didn't ever ask to wfh and now find themselves in a situation where they don't have a designated area to wfh and are stressed and struggling.
It's really good that your work is recognising that

But they're not the only company you could work for

I get that. I'm not really complaining about being a consultant, and I recognize I'm in quite a fortunate position.

I'm doing the same job as everyone else, but my point is that the company has actively chosen to employ consultants, rather than take them on as employees, and give them a desk with IT infrastructure, as a cost-cutting measure over the years. If the company were to offer me a desk and a role in the office, I might like to work in the office.

I'm not sure why it's so hard for you to understand that the company might want to employ consultants in the way that best suits them, rather than the way that suits the consultant. Of course they have different considerations for their own staff. If you want to be an employee, you need to go and look for an employed job.

I'm not sure why it's so hard for you to understand that the company might want to employ consultants in the way that best suits them, rather than the way that suits the consultant

I think that's my point.

It’s a little bit tone deaf if you have a workforce that is already working from home permanently. Wfh has changed massively though. When I used to work from home it was a gloriously peaceful time to get work done and I was able to do the stuff that was hard to concentrate on in the office. Now wfh is noisy, dotted around childcare and lots of people are calling me for a discussion so I don’t have any time to do any bloody work as I’m on the phone all the time.