Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think no one will want to go back to work

203 replies

shamelesschocaholic · 24/05/2020 23:04

Just that really, a high percentage of people are either working from home or getting paid 80% + of their wages to stay at home.

Those working from home have no commute anymore and having spent several weeks working from home it’s not as hard as being at office especially as have to make compensations for fact looking after 2 kids. Those on furlough are literally on holiday. Call me cynical but I wonder how many of those shouting loudest not to lift lockdown are just enjoying being at home?

I don’t want to offend anyone, I’m sure this doesn’t apply to everyone but I bet it does to a lot. So come on peeps be honest!

OP posts:
PrimeroseHillAnnie · 25/05/2020 01:05

If you can get just as much done WFH then you can save a lot of time and money, stress and hassle by not having to commute. Conversely, you’ll be using your own heat, light and power. However a lot of people enjoy the social interaction of being in the office and it is beneficial in developing working relationships. Furlough is about trying to preserve as much of the economy as possible and avoiding mass unemployment. Besides, a lot of people are feeling the strain of lock down and are looking for a return to some semblance of normal.

ttim985y · 25/05/2020 01:09

you don't really get a choice. I've just been brought back off furlough. I was quite happy getting paid to do nothing but when your time's up it's up! You can't just decline to return

MrsTerryPratchett · 25/05/2020 01:51

Some of us have never stopped. Perhaps all key workers should get a couple of weeks off at 80% pay when everyone else is back at work. We can go on about how bored we are and clap for the non essential workers.

This sounds great. I'm doing my usual essential job, while it's harder because of the covid nonsense. And then having to home school on the weekends because WFH DH can't do his job and home school for 8 hours so stuff gets missed.

DD is loving it though. She doesn't want to go back if that helps.

gumball37 · 25/05/2020 02:05

I always work from home... But take my kids to daycare. In the states, companies like mine were able to allow employees to choose to take time off at 2/3 pay for 12 weeks if they had no childcare. I'm doing that. I can't say I miss work, but also know I need to work because there's no such thing as free money. My only concern is how safe is it for my kids at daycare🤷

Eckhart · 25/05/2020 02:10

Is there a misapprehension here that people were enjoying going to the office before? That they enjoyed the commute? That they relished the office atmosphere and the air conditioning?

They didn't like it before and they won't like it in the future. Most people don't go to work because they like it.

Purpleartichoke · 25/05/2020 02:14

DH isn’t planning to go back. He is going to argue strongly against it and he is fairly certain he has the leverage to pull it off after proving that he really doesn’t need to be in the offer.

ClientQ · 25/05/2020 02:17

I was furloughed and now I'm back working from home Smile
It's hard, the job isn't easy from home and I have to be attached (literally!) by a headset to my laptop continuously apart from my timed breaks
Plus I'm still waiting on a desk so working standing up at a high table Blush

AllNewThings · 25/05/2020 02:24

We have 5 DC. DH is currently furloughed and I'm only this week receiving tech to enable me to work from home and have been on full pay. We've realised how burnt out we were and how much we needed a break. I don't miss the mad early starts making packed lunches, ironing school uniforms and wrestling with kids to eat breakfast, dropping off DH, kids at school and childcare, my long commute, picking everyone up again, kids clubs, school events, social invitations etc. So much to do all the time and such long exhausting days. I'm actually quite afraid of it all starting again.

highlander74 · 25/05/2020 03:26

Our office opened up last week (I'm in NZ) after being shut from the 22nd March and allowed 50 people back in (there's usually 350), there was only around 40 actually came in on any one day. Today they've opened up to allow 100 desks available, still only around 40 have come in! People are still enjoying working from home and no one is rushing back to work in the office. We have always had the option of working from home pre-lockdown. Not sure what will happen when we are back to no restrictions whether a half empty office is acceptable or not!

highlander74 · 25/05/2020 03:28

Sorry meant to add, i quite enjoying working from home but miss the social side of the office and also feel like i am way more productive in an office setting. I am easily distracted by mumsnet, facebook and the fridge at home. Kids are also back to school here so not so stressful trying to work and homeschool as lockdown was.

SuncreamInTheWinter · 25/05/2020 03:35

I want everything to safely go back to normal. I want everyone to be 100% safe from covid and for work to go back tomorrow.

As it stands I cant as I have significant health issues and am clinically high risk but I miss my job and my volunteering. I'm certainly not work shy.

Ludoole · 25/05/2020 03:36

I was furloughed early in lockdown. I can't say I haven't enjoyed being off but I'm so glad I'm back on Tuesday! After going to 80% pay and losing my shift allowance of 25% on top of that I really will be grateful to get my normal wage. It's been tight financially as the only earner in the family and I'm so so blessed to have a job to return to.

StirlingWork · 25/05/2020 05:30

You are DEFINITELY NOT being unreasonable!!

readingismycardio · 25/05/2020 05:34

We don't have any children and we have a nice home office (nothing luxurious, but we created a nice working space for both of us), so I have to agree with you. We love it and we quite dread going back..

Waxonwaxoff0 · 25/05/2020 05:42

I cannot wait to go back to work. I'm on furlough on 80% but I'm only on minimum wage so 80% isn't great! I am low risk and I'm not scared of getting coronavirus. I want to be back in the office with my colleagues, I'm fed up and losing motivation to do anything.

Unfortunately I need DS back at school first as I'm a single parent and I do a job that isn't possible to do at home. I'd happily send DS back to school too if I could.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 25/05/2020 05:44

Oh and furlough isn't a holiday. I'm stuck in a flat with no outdoor space, nothing is open, we can't see family or friends. This is not a holiday, this isn't even living to me, it's exisiting.

Oysterbabe · 25/05/2020 06:03

I know a business owner who is struggling to reopen, even though they are allowed, as the staff are refusing to come in, claiming it isn't safe. Some of them have got very comfortable being paid 80% to stay home.

PositiveVibez · 25/05/2020 06:11

Working from home longer and harder than I did in the office. I can't wait to go back. I miss my colleagues and I miss routine.

My commute is only about 10/15 minutes though so I can see why people with longer commutes wouldn't miss it.

I miss nipping out in my lunch break to go to bnm or pets at home. I miss having a laugh and answering a desk phone.

I just miss real life and normality.

Oblomov20 · 25/05/2020 06:22

Working from home has been a nightmare. I've been working non stop, every single day, double + my contracted part time hours. I've barely spoken to ds's let alone home schooled them. Horrendous.

I'm incredibly jealous of those furloughed workers that have had 3 months off.

WobblyAllOver · 25/05/2020 06:32

I am wfh but I used to do that on a regular basis so it isn't much different except now everyone is at home.

I think most people shouting about wanting the lockdown to remain are NOT those wfh nor those on furlough given that there is a massive risk to jobs. Some people and businesses might have realised the benefits of WFH versus cramped offices but that doesn't mean they aren't working now.

It seems to me that the threads on here where many people are calling for extensions on the lockdown and schools and businesses to remain closed are those that don't work and never did prior to the coronavirus outbreak.

BillywilliamV · 25/05/2020 06:36

Just want something approaching normality please!

copycopypaste · 25/05/2020 06:37

My dh is a hgv driver, he has not been furloughed, but a number of other drivers have been. He was talking to one that had been the other day and the drivers attitude was 'why should I come back to work for a 20% pay rise' he said he was going to hold off coming back to work as long as possible. Tell his boss he'd not return. Proper shitty attitude imo.

OhTheRoses · 25/05/2020 06:51

If anyone had told me last year that my team would be working from home well and effectively, I'd have laughed out loud. Two months into this they are doing a brilliant job and have managed everything we do at work from home, virtually on zoom or digitally.

I think this period has totally reset how we work in future and I don't expect any of my team to be in work 5 days a week in future unless they want to be.

redcarbluecar · 25/05/2020 06:51

You have no way of gauging how ‘a lot’ of people feel about going back to work- of course there’ll be people enjoying the unusual opportunity for a break and others who want things back to normal. The tiny amount of anecdotal evidence you can collect on an Internet forum to test your ‘cynicism’ doesn’t lend itself to any generalisations about the feelings of thousands of people.
I’m working from home as a teacher. It’s boring at times doing my job alone at home when I’m usually surrounded by people, but I don’t miss my long commute and there are some nice aspects to the days. I’ll go back to my workplace when I’m told to do so.

MoonBaby1 · 25/05/2020 06:59

I want my family to return to normal. My dh needs work to not go off the rails and his job can not be done at home. He is on 80% furlough. I have pretty much lost my small business (some trader) after working so hard to build up a client base. I receive nothing as I hadn’t been self employed long enough to file a tax return.

We are coping but not on holiday by any means. We also have two small children one of which is desperate for school to resume.