I don’t want to go back to the office

[Dontmakemegoback2office]

Certainly not most days. I’m enjoying the improved work/ life balance and I can do my job perfectly well at home. Meetings, research, reports, emails. The lot.

I’m angry at the thought of being forced back on to that horrible commute for no reason other than cannon fodder for the city centre economy. Just no.

AIBU?

Also, I don’t know about other people but I am saving nearly £400 a month on train travel alone by not working in the office. I know my situation isn’t everyone’s but surely if hundreds of thousands of people are saving huge amounts of money on travel, that’s a good thing for consumer confidence overall?

Me neither. I don't miss a single thing about my old way of working, except the hot guy on the train every morning.

Also saving money and getting extra sleep on a morning and extra time on an evening to relax without the commute.

I'm the opposite. Used to WFH one day a week but have been office based 5 days a week since lockdown. It's saved my MH. I can think of nothing worse than being stuck at home - we are all saying (21 offices) that we are so happy to have been at the office as it's kept us sane and not terrified of the real world.
I will go back to WFH one day a week when I start travelling again as being on the road the other days I need an admin day.

But not good for the rail companies. Will I those who have annual tickets get a refund?

I think if shopwere open later in the evening, say until 10 like in Spain and Italy local economies could really pick up and the Regent St stores will also get the tourists and West Enders.

It is possible.

Have you actually spoken to your employer about this? No point getting angry until you get their response.

They’re already concerned about sending a message that city centres are back in business and want some of us to return.

Yes, no point getting angry yet that’s why I’m holding off from saying anything. It’s on a voluntary basis so far but made clear it’s going to ramp up.

@Pinkyandthebrainz

Also saving money and getting extra sleep on a morning and extra time on an evening to relax without the commute.

Christ yes

I feel exactly the same so don’t think you’re being unreasonable at all.

I previously worked five days a week in an office but since March worked from home and could do all of my job effectively. As this was working out so well I asked if I could continue to work from home, even if not for the full week could I split the week. I have been told a flat no, the company want it to be as it was before. For the past few weeks I have worked at the office for three days and home for two days but have been told in no uncertain terms that I will very shortly have to return for five days.

I now have some thinking to do and decisions to make. I’m not sure if sitting in an office all day is for me anymore. I can’t afford not to work but as my job isn’t fantastically paid there are other options for around the same salary.

Maybe your employer will allow you to carry on working from home, fingers crossed.

Yanbu. I have been going in to work two to three days per week and wfh two or three days a week. It works really well. I'm expecting that longer term I'll be expected in the office three out of five days.

I miss the camaraderie of being in the office. We bounce ideas off each other and I think we all benefit from that. Being at home can be a bit isolating but I like the peace and quiet of working at home too. I think I'd like to work in the office about 50% of the time.

It's difficult. I can see why many people want to work from home. But it's largely white collar jobs - people who can work from home using technology. And will save money on commuting, lunches, get more time with family, to go to the gym etc. The jobs that will be lost will be the people who work in cafes, newsagents, in train stations, restaurants, shops. These jobs will not easily be replaced. The middle class and rich will get richer but the less fortunate will suffer. I don't have answer, but I don't think it will be good for society in the long term.

I know how you feel. Except I’m due to start a new job! As much as I need to money wise, I really don’t want to and my anxiety is flaring up massively. I’m trying to sell some crafts I’ve been making but realistically they would take years to become successful if at all. I’d kill for a purely at home job.

@Stellakent

I see what you mean, but without wishing to seem melodramatic, to me, the office and commute set up is predicated on suffering.

I have to get up, dress a particular way, travel to the office and back, and organise feeding myself out of the home. Now it's hardly a concentration camp, sure.

But my office isn't on the high street. It's in a fairly dingy suburb. The only food options are supermarkets where I now buy ingredients for lunch instead of lunch. The extra time that I spend at home is valuable to me. I find it easier to do midweek socialising with my actual friends because my energy hasn't been sapped by work people. All my staff drive to work, so that's eight cars worth of pollution a day dropped. I nip out for a nicer lunch on a nicer high street.

The service industry is needed because people are too busy to look after themselves, and too tired to take care of themselves easily because they are on the treadmill of the commute. I've employed a new staff member this week. That's me doing my bit for the economy, and I did it from home.

Stuff the office.

Why do you feel like cannon fodder?

I work in a care home (thankfully covid free so far) but we seem to be the scapegoats. It benefits the government if my residents die at the end of the day. I still wouldn't compare us to being genuine cannon fodder in the world wars.

I work on a business park and the only food we get is the odd sandwich van that visits. A lot of those have been delivering round their own neighbourhoods now and making a killing.

My company have always looked down on wfh and although I've made a case to allow me to do so now and then they ask me what I'm working on at home and I'm in no way a junior member of staff - they'd never dream of asking me that question if I was in the office. It would be an absolute travesty if they made us all go back into the office 5 days a week.

Canon fodder? Really? Pretty much all office workers have been sitting pretty at home for the last few months, and you think you're the one who is being treated like cannon fodder? Not the nurses, care home workers, shop staff, delivery drivers, porters, doctors, police, teachers ... You know the people who have had to work throughout this, outside the home and with inadequate ppe?

Cop onto yourself. You're being asked to go back to work in a cosy office, not go over the top into no man's land for gods sake.

Yanbu. City centre businesses must learn to adapt. Nothing stopping Pret or Upper Crust (for example) identifying residential places with a high WFH contingent and opening up there (if agreed by councils). Clothes shops, toy shops, book shops, pet shops ... all these can sell online. Anyone who can work from home and whose mental health allows it, should do so.

Major events like pandemics and wars change societies. That’s life. We must all adapt to the new realities.

Manipulating people to service the economy was wrong last year and is wrong now. The economy should exist to serve humans. Not the other way round.

I want to continue WFH too. I would prefer going into the office as little as once a fortnight but would settle for once a week then twice the next week.

Unfortunately my boss who is the lead on covid h and s and ops has a shit attitude to wfh so will do her best to block all the many requests there will be.

I've been in the office throughout all this you are definately being unreasonable you have had ages off (yes I'm jealous I want a break)

YANBU

We have been told that from 1 August we are back doing 2 days a week in the office.

I cant see the point except presenteeism. We cant all be in the office because it isnt big enough. So if we cant all be there what is the point in any of us being there?

It isnt voluntary. We have to be there, an industrial estate in the middle of nowhere. There is no benefit to local economy as there isnt one, we wont be buying coffees or sandwiches because we dont normally.

You nailed it there when you said 'cannon fodder' Opie 👀

The economy should exist to serve humans
Indeed but what we seem to have is: most humans exist to serve the economy which exists to service the desires of elites

I definitely don’t want to go back . I work in one of the most ugly uninspiring towns with no nice food places or anything in a dingy office with no windows and harsh overhead lights . I’ve loved wfh and cutting out travel and not having to deal with office politics etc has been so good .

@Crystalcrazy

I feel exactly the same so don’t think you’re being unreasonable at all.

I previously worked five days a week in an office but since March worked from home and could do all of my job effectively. As this was working out so well I asked if I could continue to work from home, even if not for the full week could I split the week. I have been told a flat no, the company want it to be as it was before. For the past few weeks I have worked at the office for three days and home for two days but have been told in no uncertain terms that I will very shortly have to return for five days.

I now have some thinking to do and decisions to make. I’m not sure if sitting in an office all day is for me anymore. I can’t afford not to work but as my job isn’t fantastically paid there are other options for around the same salary.

Maybe your employer will allow you to carry on working from home, fingers crossed.

I think this will be the big change. People vote with their feet as people say. Companies will find they struggle to retain/hire people because they don't offer flexible working when other companies are offering those perks. And when that perk can save you £100/£200/£300/£400 a month, then suddenly that's a huge pay rise. If you do choose to leave, make sure you put this reason in your exit interview. It's important companies know where people stand!

My job can't be done at home, mores the pity. My DH however has been working 4 out of 5 days at home, and 1 day in office. It has really changed his life for the better. He's much less stressed, much less tired, more productive.... He's desperately hoping for a 2/3 days WFH policy going forward.