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?

@crosseyedMary

Tories worried about commercial property prices Even so, surely they know that ship has sailed...there must be numerous companies who are now rubbing their hands at the thought of being able to sell off valuable commercial real estate?

The other factor is a lot of people involved in the government (And their donors) stand to make a killing from property deals over HS2 and they need to sell HS2 to the public and at least justify the huge fucking bill over 100 billion.

If most people are working from home then there's no justification for going ahead with HS2. Hence 'get back to the office'.

Alternatively scrap it and save 100 billion.

I can see it suits most employees better as it cuts out commute and gives better work life balance.

Managers get the benefit of working from home as well though which will encourage businesses. And unlike junior staff are more likely to have a nice house with a garden, and built in office space, rather than a flat share or whatever.

a lot of people involved in the government (And their donors) stand to make a killing from property deals over HS2
If most people are working from home then there's no justification for going ahead with HS2. Hence 'get back to the office'
That's got to be a very big factor surely, all those who stand to make a killing will be exceedingly peeved with Boris if he doesn't make it happen for them, they are the ones calling the tune and Boris is dancing away merrily 🧐

@Disneyprincess99 exactly the same boat as you with the long commute - I'll do my hours gladly however I'm loving not having the fuel expenses, the sitting in traffic, the bad weather...

We were told it'll be likely half the week in the office and half from home in order to accommodate for social distancing. I'm really hoping that this is the case. I feel desperately sorry for those who rely on physically being at work, but I don't see why those who don't 'need' to be there need to go back.

It also raises the question about face coverings - don't know about anyone else but our office in the winter is a breeding ground for germs. One colleague loves the window open all the time, the other loves the heating on, we don't have air con so as soon as one person gets a cough or cold it spreads like wildfire.

I completely agree OP. I’m so much more productive from home without the distractions of the office, and it’s lovely being able to have lunch with my toddler every day and always be around for bedtime.

It works for me because I’m fairly senior and have worked for my firm for a while, but I think the more junior team members who learn so much by osmosis and haven’t developed a reputation yet will suffer. I think the ideal for me will be wfh 3 days a week and in the office for 2.

But I’m pregnant atm and not going to use public transport if I can avoid it, which probably means wfh until I go off on mat leave in October.

Our office in winter is a breeding ground for germs
post covid this is what everyone will immediately see when they look at an office situation, everything is now viewed through a different lens

YANBU. For so many jobs there is no need to be packed into a building, suffer long commutes and have less family time when you can do the same at home.

Life is so much better!

Yanbu if you find a much better balance.

Yabu if you think it suits everyone who could do their job WFH. I will feel really lonely. I moved for work a year ago (though living with family atm.) With no family and no children where you often slot in by meeting parents. Activities I used to do such as evening classes stop, ditto meet-up groups. Work now one of the few places that may have F2F interaction. I don’t find zoom the same. I am counting my blessings to have a job where I am not in harms way especially sectors like care with less PPE but still not easy.

Depending on the number of job losses it will also impact the tax take so money for the NHS and council services.

@crosseyedMary

Our office in winter is a breeding ground for germs post covid this is what everyone will immediately see when they look at an office situation, everything is now viewed through a different lens

To be fair we always complain with ours. With the tall office blocks you can't open windows and the germs just circulate.

Offices and packed out commuter trains were a big part in spreading the virus exponetially before lockdown. London was the epicentre of the virus for this reason.

Why would you be forced back? Unless your workplace are stuck in the 90's most aren't planning to go back to full time in the office from what I have seen.

I'm glad to never have to go back unless I want to

Most big companies are realising this too and allowing it. Yes the city centre shops might suffer but the village pub is benefitting from people using it to work from & buying coffees/bacon sandwiches during the day.

@NoIDontWatchLoveIsland

Most big companies are realising this too and allowing it. Yes the city centre shops might suffer but the village pub is benefitting from people using it to work from & buying coffees/bacon sandwiches during the day.

The economy and direction of travel has been dominated around the big cities (specifically London) for long enough. WFH is the first pushback against it and the powers that be don't like it.

The new economy needs to decentralise.

@Rwoolley

Why would you be forced back? Unless your workplace are stuck in the 90's most aren't planning to go back to full time in the office from what I have seen.

I'm glad to never have to go back unless I want to

Many ARE stuck in the 90s / don't trust you at home (despite saying they do; their actions / attitude shows they don't).

My employer says that we're all back in the office, all together, from September. Given that I'm less than 1m from the people sitting behind me, I don't think it's safe.

Thankfully I've got a new job which is permanent WFH, but my notice period is quite long, so in theory I'll be back in the office in Sept, meaning a 90 minute commute each way, including 45 minutes on a packed train. I don't fancy that much.

We've been told we'll be able to WFH, but I think it's more on an as and when basis, up to twice a week. I'm not interested in the details of that policy, given that I'm leaving!

YABU it might be ok for the world weary who have been working for years but it's not ok for our youngsters to work from the kitchen table in pokey accommodation or in their mums dining room or even their own bedrooms.

I don't want my two boys (2nd & 3rd yrs at uni) stuck at home on a screen. It's exciting to get your first jobs, make new friends and colleagues, change jobs and move upwards out in the world, not from their homes. Not to mention the peer side of it, learning and growing alongside others. It will be disastrous if the majority of office jobs become home based.

And, once claims for injuries, stress and depression kick in from poor workstations, isolation and feeling out of touch with work kick in it won't save much for the businesses.

Voluntary basis for return sound good

And in reality the empty office blocks won't be repurposed for housing. If that was an option they would be doing it already. We will just be left with empty streets, empty buildings going to ruin and shops boarded up as they close down

Companies will discover that if they offer 4 day a week home working, they will be able to recruit the best people.

And they’ll be able to reduce their spend on office space and communications costs.

Management training will have to change or companies who don’t,will lose out .
About time.

Fine if you don't want to go back to work.

You look a knob claiming you're anything like cannon fodder though.

I've been in the office throughout all this you are definately being unreasonable you have had ages off

Being "off" is not the same as working at home.

Work should be what you do, not where you go.

You look a knob claiming you're anything like cannon fodder though

I think this is a little unfair. Forcing people onto overcrowded trains is potentially higher risk than a lot of the key jobs that have been carried out over the last few months. For example, I'd guess the risks for a post(wo)man (other than being bitten by a dog) are lower than being crammed up against someone's armpit on the tube.

The flip side of wfh is of course that your job is opened up to many more people. There is a chance that people from other parts of the country, or overseas, can also do your job. They may be able to do it more cheaply, or better, or both. We need to accept that this could easily happen. Even having to be present in the office say one or two days a week wouldn’t stop this

Well it would. I can't do a job in London from Scotland, India or South Africa if I have to be in the office that frequently. Of course if it were once a month then it might be feasible to do it eg from Scotland, Cornwall or continental Europe.

The sandwich shop argument does seem strange, as most are staffed by people from the EU, so why would this Brexiteer government be concerned

I thought that too! Clearly some of their cronies own lots of shares in these companies

Genuine question - for industries where it’s relevant how will the junior people learn/get trained/on the job experience if all the mid level and senior people are working from home?

As per #nokidshere ‘s middle paragraph

If more people actually lived in city centres.....

Very Jane Jacobs. We could build communities that work well within cities.

City centres would be good places to open supporting living facilities or care homes if they were affordable. Near good transport facilities and tend to have access to the larger hospitals or more specialist units.