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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Not sure if I want to work from home full time - would you?

123 replies

GymGirl23 · 14/05/2020 19:00

I work in a big office environment and most of us in my department have proved during the lockdown that we can work just as well from home if not better in some cases.

Heard today that we will be offered the opportunity to choose if we want to work from home full time, we'll be sent a memo about it soon. A lot of us aren't sure as it was fine when we thought it was for a certain amount of time before resuming our usual routine of commuting, looking around the shops at lunchtime, quick chats at the coffee machine and just having proper social contact. We've all worked together for years so have become good friends in the process. We also work effectively together as a team in person rather than on Zoom.

I spend 2 hours commuting each day but I actually find it relaxing as I read or listen to music. At the moment I'm working an extra 2 hours instead of commuting and working the other hours fully whereas in the office we tend to work 50 minutes out of each hour. I would miss the social contact and general banter. I think the novelty has worn off even though we do have a proper home office set up. There won't be an option to work 1 or 2 days from home and the other days in the office btw, it's basically home or office! Also I'm not getting paid for the extra 2 hours which I don't mind (and they haven't offered either) but if I was to work from home full time should I negotiate extra pay going forward as it's an extra 10 hours per week? What would you do? Really need advice on advantages and disadvantages! The one advantage is during the winter months not having to deal with cancelled trains due to a bit of snow and ice! DH works from home part of the week and kids are teenagers so not really distracting like small kids for context...

OP posts:
Lenny1980 · 15/05/2020 08:08

Hot desking or desk sharing is now not recommended which makes a mix of office and wfh more difficult

HelloMissus · 15/05/2020 08:24

I WFH anyway but I wish the other fuckers in this house would go back Grin

Solina · 15/05/2020 08:26

If those were the two options I think I would go for WFH. Get much more done without distractions when I need to plus don't have to pretend to be busy if you are not.
But if I could do my ideal working I would like to do 50:50 wfh/going to the office for the social aspect.

CloudsCanLookLikeSheep · 15/05/2020 08:27

I did a field based role for 5 years when everyone else in the team was also field based/wfh and just went to head office for the odd meeting.
Then took a role where I was the only field based one and everyone else office based. It makes a massive difference... although I still enjoyed wfh I was massively the odd one out, eg didn't get invited to colleagues leaving do etc.

Now the whole team is wfh I've felt less left out as we have daily teams chat etc, but it's made me realise I don't want to go back to that set up again and will look for something else once the market picks up

bigbluebus · 15/05/2020 08:33

DH has been working from home 2 days a week and in the office (on a rota) 3 days since lockdown. He hates WFH and says he works much better in the office. He is the boss so can decide how he and the office works in future. I think he'll be encouraging most people to go to the office although he already had some staff who WFH some days before lockdown as a lifestyle choice - but it doesn't suit him and our circumstances (no young DCs) don't necessitate it.

crustycrab · 15/05/2020 09:23

You're working 2 hours a day for free?

Insane Confused

russetbella1000 · 15/05/2020 09:29

This is where big organisations/government want us. Easily controlled and captured. The fact that the virus means people are asking for this is all just part of the process 😬Same with school situation...They want families to demand homeschooling etc. Teachers support this atm as much easier to manage really BUT soon one teacher will be serving a lot more children, teachers will be redundant. Schools can be repurposed and think of how much many that will all save...

Kljnmw3459 · 15/05/2020 09:36

Ideally I'd get to do both, part of the week at the office and part of the week wfh. Previously this was not an option, even though our company had infrastructure in place to allow wfh. But I was told it was not allowed, and never given any other reason than "can't do it, nobody's done it before in this job". Now we know it can be done. So I will request to wfh on a regular basis.

russetbella1000 · 15/05/2020 09:59

Again business will be fine with this. Saving rents/utilities etc...But only big business and soon those will be reduced...Until no real market as such. One bot in charge of everything! Of course this will take time but while everyone’s distracted by their fear an individual’s control over their life will be slowly given up.
Obviously, this is a long term view. Don’t worry now though-it’s lovely getting those Amazon packages isn’t it?And amazing, I saw yeast in Tesco yesterday. Aren’t we lucky?...😬

opticaldelusion · 15/05/2020 10:02

Three colleagues who live on their own and lead very introverted lives love WFH and want to continue it. They will literally be totally isolated then and I really can't see how that can be appealing? Surely in their situation it would be good for their mental health to interact in the real world a little?

You don't understand introverts. It's bad for their mental health to be forced to interact, not good!

It's horses for courses. If you want to work in the office, do so. Others will have different needs and desires.

woolyrab · 15/05/2020 10:47

Introversion is not a marker for mental illness @opticaldelusion

VenusOfWillendorf · 15/05/2020 10:51

Where on earth has @opticaldelusion suggested that Introversion is a marker for mental illness?!?!?!!

HunterHearstHelmsley · 15/05/2020 10:54

I work from home full time. I'm very lucky in that I have a local office near to my home so can go in whenever i like.

It's... OK. I like having the option. I've found it hard work the last couple of months as I feel trapped. But there are massive upsides too. Being in if I need any deliveries or any work doing. I went for a lie down as my lunch break the other day!

One huge negative is that I would have to be literally dying to take any time off sick. It's not easy saying you're not well enough to work when you're at home.

BirdieFriendReturns · 15/05/2020 11:33

If I can work from home full time, why can’t my job be outsourced overseas for somebody to WFH for a fraction of my salary?

Well not my job specifically as you need to be a British National and have security clearance.

LindainLockdown · 15/05/2020 11:34

No not full time, but half the week at home and half in the office would be a good balance. I think working for free like you are doing is a bad idea in any situation.

Tc83 · 15/05/2020 11:37

No. One day a week yes. Maybe two at a push but it’s boring as fuck being on your own all day. Not for me.

TW2013 · 15/05/2020 12:47

Opticaldelusion hasn't said it is a marker for mental illness. They have pointed out that being forced to interact doesn't help introverts. I think that this lockdown has shown that actually the world is generally geared around extroverts and when extroverts are forced to be introverts they don't like it. This is what introverts experience all the time. I love working from home. I love the freedom to get enough stimulation but not too much. I love having my family around but I also love the feeling when they go back after a holiday and it is just me left on my own. I can totally appreciate that some people can't handle it and for those people fair enough go back to work. I also think in the longer term probably a mixture of wfh and office would be good - obvs not now with infection control.

Outsourcing isn't really an issue though as companies will do that if they decide to anyway. This time has shown that many jobs can be done at home but just because a job can't be done at home it doesn't mean that it is safe from outsourcing- look at call centres, clothing manufacturers they are generally not wfh but still often located overseas.

motheroreily · 15/05/2020 12:51

I would.

I find my job very isolated though. I share an office with 1 other person who works part time. And I have no face to face contact with anyone else. It made me very unhappy and before Lockdown I was looking for a new job.

Working at home for me is much nicer than being in that office. However I think being part of a proper team and having colleagues would suit me more.

TokyoSushi · 15/05/2020 12:55

This has just this week happened to me. We're a small company anyway and have given notice on our office this week in favour of permanent WFH with a one day face to face team meeting each month. I'm delighted to be honest. I WFH 2 days per week anyway and in normal times, I do the school run, see friends and have a chat then anyway, Then walk home to my lovely peaceful house and start my day. I love it!

cologne4711 · 15/05/2020 13:01

I've worked at home since 2013 other than a short interlude where I was going into London 3 days a week. No way would I ever go back to full time or even 2-3 days in the office again. It's such a waste of time and money for the commute, and I hate hanging around until 5/5.30 for the sake of it if I am not busy. At least at home I can go off and do something else and answer an email after hours if necessary.

I think there is an issue as far as "scope creep" is concerned - ie working beyond your hours. I was working until 9.30 on Wednesday evening! But I don't do it on a regular basis and it was because I wanted time in the day yesterday to do other things. So in the end of the flexibility works much more for me, than against me.

I was only doing 1 day in the office before lockdown and I can't avoid public transport because I don't live in London, otherwise I'd be happy enough to cycle to work, but 35 miles each way is rather too much, even if I had an e-bike!

I'm not actually concerned about getting on a train, but I don't want to have to queue to get on one, and what happens if there is a problem with your train and your booked train doesn't run? I don't think the plans are workable and we just need to wash our hands and wear face masks on trains.

OP why are they saying it has to be all or nothing? Why not ask for a mix, FT in office, FT at home and various mixes of other combinations?

OneandTwenty · 15/05/2020 13:06

I love working from home, I am so much more productive and efficient and really look forward to reduce days spent in the office to once a week at the most.

I save so much time, can pop a load of laundry, be there for deliveries so my whole schedule is easier to manage.

I have hobbies and friends for the social aspect, work is there to pay the bills. I can still see friends from work if I wish, and I very much pushing for WFH.

I don't have a job for the social aspect, that's where I waste far too much of my day when I am in the office. WFH is saving me time to actually have a life!

megletthesecond · 15/05/2020 13:09

I wouldn't. I like my walk to work and seeing people (lone parent). And I have two big screens at work.

However I would like to WFH regularly during school holidays or if a DC is sick.

goodwinter · 15/05/2020 13:13

Yes, definitely. My team are all in other offices anyway, so I go into the office to try and find a desk (yay hotdesking) and then not speak to anyone all day, when I could be comfy at home with the TV on in the background and get just as much done!

Luckily I get to WFH about 60% of the time anyway, and hopefully after this is all over I'll be able to make it more of a permanent thing.

Allington · 15/05/2020 13:15

I have gone from 100% office based pre-lockdown, to 100% WFH. Luckily we have enough space, and as DD is secondary age the child care demands are not huge (and anyway, will be back at school at some point).

Personally, 3 days WFH and 2 in the office would be perfect.

I hope that, so many people/organisations having had to set up the systems and work out how to WFH, in future there will be a lot more flexibility for employees to create the right balance for them.

SoloMummy · 15/05/2020 13:24

@KeepWashingThoseHands
In our organisation, social events still occur.
Regionally teams have the options of team/f2f support events, Christmas parties etc. Plus other social events like regional weekends away to coastal locations, theatres, spas etc.
I think it's more about the team having the inclination to make these things happen.
We also have organisational "tea breaks" together online.

Not all organisations are the same re wfh. 😁