The future of working from home

[Maighdeann]

Before the virus there were campaigns pushing towards flex working/working from home. Do you think now where it's shown it can be done (for certain jobs) companies will allow it to continue and is that a good thing?

I’ve just started a new job and have been training and working from home. It’s very weird as I don’t feel part of the team yet and would like to work in the office at least a couple of days per week.

That said, WFH is lovely from the points of less stress, I can work varied hours and I don’t have to wear office pants

The holy grail for me is probably a mixture of office and WFH but I’m not sure how my new job will pan out regarding that yet.

I don’t have to wear office pants

I’m intrigued by the notion of office pants!

Ps our company already has workers in India and USA, if they wanted our roles in India they could have done this already.

Notably, the Indian offices caused a nightmare when they went to their dramatic lockdown, they effectively lost those whole offices so there is impacts to having offices in other countries with very different social and political approaches and challenges.

I WFH (actually field based, so half WFH half travelling) for 7 years before this, and loved it. I actually became office-phobic, tried to go back into an office environment and only lasted 2 weeks before going back into a WFH job.

I like WFH but I really miss the travelling around the country (mainly by train) that I did and seeing different people every day. I won't be travelling again this year at least. That's if my job survives at all.

Once you'v made the switch to WFH it can be hard to go back to a 9-5 office environment.

I can't wait to get back to the office. I like my work and home life to be separate!

I work for one of the big four. Been wfh full time since March...and wfh was always a massive NO until they were forced to shell out for laptops for everyone.

My whole site (2000+ people) recently received an email saying they’ve cancelled their contract with the local multi-storey car park (which staff use on rotation as overflow parking) - as going forward, wfh will be a permanent fixture for probably two days a week, permanently, so they no longer need to pay for the extra parking as everyone in will fit in the site car park.

And we’ve been asked for preferences for days so they can arrange a wfh rota well in advance of things returning to normal.

It’s the best thing to have come out of this - it will make our daily lives so much easier (for two days anyway!)

@EmpressLangClegInChair
I’m intrigued by the notion of office pants!

a serious trouser with no time for elastic. I’ve been strictly comfy lounge wear from the waste down for weeks (note to self - must remember to say trousers not pants)

I’m intrigued by the notion of office pants!

pants as in american for trousers maybe?
so something smarter than pyjama bottoms.
rarely out of my super comfy soft baggy elastic waist uniqlo jeans at the moment.

crossposted!

To be fair I don’t even know my offices true dress code yet I’ve been in a couple of days only for basic training but it’s been dress down so I’ve not seen it in full work mode. If it ends up all power dressing I’m heading back home to an elasticated stretchy number for sure

I’ve wfh for the last 10 years full time. I work for London company and get the associates good salary but live in North Wales. A similar job to mine working for a pharma company within an hours commute of my current home would pay me over 30k per year less. If I moved to live within an hour of work I’d swap my 3 bed detached house for maybe a 2 bed flat. To get really close to work I’d be paying double my current mortgage to rent a 1 bed flat!

I won’t go back to an office again. There’s no need. I’m well known in my industry and have a good wfh track record so shouldn’t ever be short of a job.

I’d like to see more of my team go wfh after this... they’ve proved they can be just as productive (as I suspected!)

I can't see the nhs letting me permanently work from home because of GDPR but I would love for them to offer me one day at home where I could catch up on invoices etc.

I’ll be amazed if I fit into my office pants after this lockdown is over.

I can’t wait to go back. Unfortunately we have hot desking and I feel pretty uncomfortable about sharing a desk, however sterilised they tell me it is.

How do you all you devoted homeworkers cope during the summer when The Sunlounger is calling? It was hard enough With a bit of nice weather last week.

Totally agree @SkelingtonArgument

I've got loads to do at work (Mon-Thurs, 9-5) but cannot get motivated. We don't have a spare room or study so I migrate round the house all day trying to keep out of the way of DH and the kids. I miss seeing colleagues face to face, I miss getting dressed for work, I even miss my hours commute!

One day a week WFH would be great but full time is just shit.

'I’d like to see more of my team go wfh after this... they’ve proved they can be just as productive (as I suspected!)'

Good for you that you enjoy wfh but unless you're the person responsible for the rent/overheads on the office and looking to reduce this why do you care if they rest of your team wfh or not?

I bloody hate wfh, I can't concentrate in the same way, there's no separation between my work and home life, I miss social interaction, my office clothes and my commute. Yes I am just as productive because I'm a good worker and value my job but it's straining my MH and I plan to return to the office ASAP and if my job goes wfh will he finding a new one.

I have absolutely no aversion to anyone wfh (unless it reduces their productivity) but I really dislike anyone trying to push it onto people who don't like it, shoving all the positives down their throat. I know the supposed 'positives' and am experiencing them all right now except to me they aren't positive at all.

Pleasebe.. to answer the sunlounger question, I'd probably go and lie on that sunlounger for an hour and catch up on emails later... this the joy of WFH.

I've been known to take the laptop out to some weird and wonderful places.. beach, forest, highest cafe in the city...

WFH doesn't have to mean actual home, if your employer is cool it can be anywhere you can get a connection.

We have always had some flexible working but I am discussing with my team moving to allowing a maximum of three days home working a week in the future. But it isn't as simple as just being more flexible. Some people don't want to work from home - two of my team don't want to, and there needs to be a right to separate work and home. And for those that do want to work from home more there will have to be proper health and safety and DSE checks, and that means they will need to invest in proper workstations and chairs etc - no hunching over the kitchen table.

Employers still have legal responsibilities for employees working at home, and it fills me with horror the number of employers and employees who think that just taking the lap top home is adequate preparation for working from home.

I never thought I would like WFH. But I taken to it really well. I really like my colleagues, so feel bad saying I am happier.

Having a room at home available for it is an advantage.

Much harder for people in lower paid jobs to WFH if they live in a bedsit or flat share where they can only work from their bedrooms.

My dh has an office in London but has enjoyed working from home too much to go back..great.. as the old saying goes, married for life but not for lunch...

I love WFH despite my 3 "co-workers" being annoying little pratts who enjoy walking into my room every 4 minutes and distracting me.

Be very happy to get back to the office. I miss people, I don't like work in my home environment as I find it hard to turn work off and find it hard to see when someone in the team needs a bit of support or guidance - I usually tell by tone of voice, who they are talking to or general behaviour and even multiple calls, messages and emails don't tell me that.

Not sure if it's been mentioned as still reading but if millions switch to wfh at the same time lots of other industries will be hugely affected.

I manage a small team of 10
We can all work from home when we want
Due to coronavirus we are all working from home
9/10 of my team want to get back to the office
I find managing them whilst working from home is less efficient
We miss the group situation
Lucky we have choices but I want to return to a structure that helps my life work balance

I've wfh for over 20 years.

I imagine a large number of jobs will be outsourced abroad. Why pay a British worker when it can be done abroad?

I work for a global company - while we do have offices in the U.K., India ... loads of other countries....the rest of the team I'm in is in the US. Why pay an American ...

It's not just the U.K. who are home working, most of my colleagues around the world are at the moment. If it continues to be supported (I'm a bit of an anomaly) then it may make hiring people with specialised skills easier.