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

[shamelesschocaholic]

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!

WFH isn’t as bad as I expected but I’d still much rather be in the office with my team.

What a bleak picture of the society we’ve created if you were right, OP. That people’s lives are such unfulfilling, stressful drudgery that they would welcome the horror and grief of a global pandemic just so they could have a break.

If I was still in the job I was in last year, a job that made me ill with misery and despair, I know I would be glad of this monstrous situation. Every day I am so grateful I made my escape.

If people really do long to be free of their working lives that badly, maybe we should all be reassessing what makes those lives so intolerable rather than rushing back to normal. The U.K. has extremely long working hours and fewer holidays compared to the rest of Europe. Rush hour traffic and packed public transport is a threat to public health and the environment as well as heaping on additional and unnecessary stress.

If people really are so unhappy as you think, OP, I hope the result of this is more flexible working practices, more appreciation of work-life balance, more opportunities to have time with family, less presenteeism, less rigidity and a happier and healthier workforce.

I love wfh and would happily do it for the rest of my life, however I appreciate it's not for everyone. We have younger more ambitious people in our team who cannot suck up to managers in the same way.

My husband is off and has no desire to go back. He's shielding though but will probably have to go back in July anyway (or risk his job). I'm on maternity leave so luckily d don't need to make a decision.
I'd like my husband to go back when he can though, I'm worried about his job and his health but we've been stuck together for 10 weeks now and need a break.

I think some will lose their jobs and furlough is just delaying this outcome. I think many businesses are taking advantage of the scheme and don't need to furlough all their staff.

There will also be staff taking advantage of the scheme who refuse to go to work (teachers etc) "it's unsafe!"

The government need to be tough but we have a shitty government so.

80% of a low income is not a lot despite have a few savings. It's been nice being at home but its definitely time to go back now.

DH is WFH on full pay. He normally WFH 1-2 days a week. He isn’t having to do much home schooling stuff because I am off.
He says he’s missing having separation of work and home and misses his commute - 30 minute drive. He’ll go back to the office but his company are in no rush so may be 2021. He gets more done at home I think.
I am off work but self employed so no pay. I don’t want to go back and may not but I have been unhappy with my job for ages. My job will also have changed beyond recognition and I’m scared.

The country’s tax payers cannot afford to pay people 80% of their pay any longer, people need to go back to work

Well, you asked us to be honest. And if I'm being honest, you are absolutely right, I don't want to go back to work again. I have been furloughed and I have loved it, the only downside was not being able to sit in coffee shops or visit family. I haven't missed work one jot.

However, I'm not far from retirement and actually left full time work a year ago. I am not driven by career needs and, although I don't have much money, I no longer live from pay cheque to pay cheque (which I have done in the past). My current job is only 3 days a week but even that is too much. I would love to work from home, I don't have any problem with mixing home and work, happy to be on the computer and take calls but such jobs are hard to find. And I'm not juggling small children and/or a partner like many are, so it's easy for me to say.

To be honest, I am thinking of handing my notice in when I go back anyway; my workplace needs to save cash and it would probably help them in the current situation....

Really, really don't want to go back to the drudgery and routine. No DC and DH has been WFH but now back at work some days. I don't enjoy my job at all but can retire early in about 5 years so I keep telling myself that the end is somewhat in sight.

I would be enjoying WFH if the kids were at nursery, it's hell with them here. In the future I hope to do a bit of both. I walk to work usually and I really enjoy it, 30 minutes listening to music and daydreaming, and I like being in the office. My colleagues are nice people and I miss them.

I can't wait to get off furlough. I like my job.

it’s not as hard as being at office especially as have to make compensations for fact looking after 2 kids

What rubbish. Yes, it's nice not to have the commute. But it's just as hard work as being in the office. Sometimes more because even with all our technology there are things that are easier and better done face to face. And nobody can work properly and also look after children. In fact, although our rules are relaxed on that for now, it is specifically against the rules of home working for us (and many others)! You cannot give your undivided attention to work when trying to supervise children; and it is a health and safety risk for the employee, for their work, and even more so for their children.

I'm WFH, home schooling too, but y5 and y8 so it's a case of pointing in the right direction and reminding them to stay on task.

I'm enjoying WFH broadly, but am working far more than I ever did in the office. I'm on leave next week but I'll be dialling into a meeting on Wednesday and I've worked most of the weekend. Same as over Easter. It's the same for most of my colleagues.

When I'm in the office I leave and forget about it.

Those on furlough are literally on holiday.
I'm expected to do training / professional development while I am on furlough.

I am one of the lucky ones that finds wfh with the kids, a better standard of living than constantly being on the go.

The few weeks where my whole teqm were furloughed were extremely difficult. Early mornings, late nights etc.

We have bene told to expect to be at home until new year at least. Which suits me. Once the kids are back it will be so much easier. No breakfast or afterschool club.

I dont want to go back but I've realised how much a dislike my job not because I think furlough is a fantastic holiday. I will go back when asked but equally I'm now training to get out of that job.
My ultimate dreams would be to be a sahm but dh and I are realistic and know we would never be able to afford that. Currently I'm loving being at home but every night I'm ill worrying about money, it's not fun

So come on peeps be honest!

Ok.

I'm sick to the back teeth of reading about how I need to go back to work - when I'm in an industry that's been shut and until the government give the go ahead, there isn't a work for me to go to.

I'm sick of being told how I'm having an extended holiday and am just lazy and a scrounger when I had zero input into this decision. No one asked me if I wanted this, I was given no bearing over this decision except to accept furlough and have some money to live on and a chance of a job to return to, or refuse furlough, have fuck all to live on and no job to return to, meaning I need to try and find one that's not temporary, when the industry I work in and have skills and qualifications for, is shut. I do wonder how many people faced with that choice would have chosen the latter because they're sooo socially responsible.

I'm sick of hearing how furloughed workers should be out there fruit picking or doing care work and we're just lazy feckers who don't want to, while ignoring the fact that a lot of companies have written into furlough contracts that employees may not work anywhere else. That fact is just being completely ignored in favour of name calling and skewed judgement. Why aren't people who are angry about furlough, angry about that?

I need to work to live, I'm missing the social aspects of it and a sense of purpose. I am not missing being treated like shit by some people and am not looking forward to the inevitable arseholes that are going to step up a notch and start bleating about how tax payers paid my wages and therefore I should lick their boots if they so desire.

I'm finding it hilarious that people are jealous of hospitality staff, and think that 50% of the problem is that the majority of hospitality are furloughed and some people think we're not worthy of any support at all and should just crawl under a rock or something to appear again when all this is over and serve them humbly.

A holiday for me does not include only leaving the house for exercise and shopping. Nor having my every move policed by my neighbours, not going anywhere, doing anything or seeing family and friends. And not having any money to do more than survive.

And I don't think we'd have had half these problems if we hadn't had nice weather. If it had pissed down I think the mood would be very different.

If you don't go back then you won't get paid and eventually it will be assumed you have left your job and they will replace you.

I can’t wait to go back to work.

I've been wfh since beginning of March. Its great in some aspects- less commute - easier to do early morning/late evening calls ; feel a lot more part of my family (SAHD and child) than I did before .But I do miss the social side of work- just chatting to lots of different people - I'm also finding it harder to be motivated now (I am fine with urgent deadlines but not so good at less urgent stuff) ; everything is merging into one and I miss my work based social life- seeing people who work nearby but don't live nearby. I'm getting cabin fever and I'm finding my partner even more irritating than normal.
That said I thought we were going back in about 3 months but it looks like it might be sooner and its sent me into a bit of a panic!

Teachers cannot take advantage of the scheme.
They are not furloughed in the first place
They should be working, typically a day or two in school with key workers as well as teaching their classes remotely ..setting and marking work and responding to queries using technology like video calls where possible

They are also stating the obvious, they will be at a higher than average risk of catching the virus , a particular problem probably for around 20% of staff who are older or have vulnerabilities

And really, no one should be going back to work until levels of the virus in society are low enough that test track and isolate is effective at keeping R and cases very low . Otherwise we will be back to square 1 choice of lockdown or overflowing hospitals.

I work in gyms and am getting £180 a month to live on from SE scheme as I went SE part of the way through the relevant tax year. I can't live on that and my sector will be one of the last to return so once open, I'll be back for my mental health & my finances. I love my job. I looked for work during the lockdown but the only thing was in care and I had grave reservations about that. We also do not know if the SE will be extended beyond the end of May.

^ We need to start getting back to work. By October I think some people will be out of a job, the Country cannot sustain this long term. The virus could be around all year are we expected to sit at home and also get funded? How does this work if we all stay at home and there’s hardly anybody out working.

I’m a primary teacher WFH with an 18 month old. DP self employed so managing for now to work around my weekly rota day looking after key worker children in school.

I’m desperate to go back. Toddler is too active to be very productive in the day, and she only has a 30 minute nap. I spend most of my day chasing her round whilst simultaneously feeding back on work submitted online through an app on my phone. When DP comes home I then work through planning, resourcing, filming videos till after midnight.

Yes teaching does normally involve working every night, but usually only until about 10, and not at the weekends too.

(Yes I’m aware that I’m lucky to not have to be on calls/in meetings all day, work for the NHS etc - I’m NOT trying to say my job is harder than anyone else, before the judgy pants brigade come out).