AIBU to not want to go back to the office?

[shhhFFS]

I have worked from home solidly through lockdown. Due to the nature of my job I have managed to do this and well. I have kept up with my workload, not fallen behind etc although it has been challenging at times for the normal reasons due to lockdown like having to cope with kids, homeschooling etc whilst working 9-5. Even so I have kept on top of things pretty well work wise (home is another matter, the house is a tip, but I have learnt to position myself well in video meetings so no one can see the mess!)

My boss has now asked me to start going back into the office in shifts with other workers, one at a time but we share this out so there is a presence in the office so that it looks open as we are on a street where we get passers by and that looking closed could be damaging business. This I understand.

However, my job, whilst client based it isn’t imperative and as I said has barely been affected by working from home as I communicate on email. Others in the office have more administration based roles that also require more client contact or getting documents from them which mine doesn’t. We have a small office space which at full capacity would make it difficult if not impossible to social distance and only one toilet. We are only a small team of 9, 4 being in administrative roles, myself and others being in researchers roles and then manager/owner.

My issue with going back at the moment is that to do so I would need to use public transport. I can’t drive and whilst we have a car my partner uses it for his work, where he works alone. We live in a rural county and I live about 15 miles away in a different town, I usually car pool with others thst work at the local council, but they are really cutting back and aren’t expected back for another month or so if ever. Everyone else who works there lives within the town and is in walking distance of the office.

If I go into the office I will be doing exactly the same as I would at home. So am I unreasonable to tell my boss no I don’t want to accept the undue risk of using public transport? For the record I am not scared or paranoid about contracting the virus my main concern is our older parents being vulnerable, and having to quarantine for 14 days if exposed due to my partner being self employed and resulting loss of income when we aren’t well enough to take that blow right now after the initial one at the start. Also we are a blended family with 50/50 care, quarantining would result in the kids being held with one family, missing parents, both parties rely on this arrangement to maintain work etc. So these are my concerns.

Should I go back? If my job depended on it of course I will. But as I can do my job and others can get to the office to be a ‘presence’ should I risk public transport? Or am I being over dramatic?

Sorry was longer than intended

I think you can’t refuse. But YANBU for not wanting to and for making the case to your manager.

In this employment market I would be wary of making a fuss though. The job centres are filling up with people who thought themselves irreplaceable...

YABU. You don’t need to be shielding and work needs to start getting back to normal. Talk to your boss and see if there’s any flexibility, but I would expect to have to start going back in.

I'm not sure why its your employers problem that you live rurally and everyone else lives in town.

Well you can always ask but if he wants you to go then that’s it, unless you put in a flexible working request which they agree. The recommendation to wfh was to reduce social contacts due to the pandemic, not for the convenience of staff

Plus if you are only going back one at a time why does social distancing and only having one toilet matter? If you don’t take your turn, everyone else will need to come in and risk public transport more often. That’s maybe not fair either.

So often I see this on MN “I live rurally and I can’t drive”. It really baffles me. We live 23 miles from the nearest shop and 75 miles from the nearest town. We’d go crazy and hungry if we couldn’t drive. But we have no public transport and nobody delivers this far out. What would you do if you needed to take a child up the doctor and your husband was at work?

YABU. It’s not yet employer’s fault you can’t drive, have no car pool, etc. He has a business to run and he can ask you to come back to work. What’s it going yo take for you not to be scared? I know you said you’re not scared but you are - all of your reasons come down to you being scared you’ll come into contact with a virus and have to quarantine.

Of course you need to go back. Stop making excuses. Are you going to stay put for the next year or so if there’s no vaccine?

If your boss asks you to go back to work you go back to work.

YANBU. I would address it with your boss and explain you concerns. Go armed with reasons why you should be allowed to continue to WFH E.g I completed this many tasks this month showing my productivity is increased etc.
No one should feel forced back

No one wants to go back to the office.

You'd be going in shifts so there will be social distancing in place?

Your employer needs to keep you safe at work so if eveything is in place to socially distance, more cleaning etc then they have done their part.

You need to keep you safe on public transport.

Everyone has a situation which makes them not want to go back to work,myself included .

@dobbyssoc

YANBU. I would address it with your boss and explain you concerns. Go armed with reasons why you should be allowed to continue to WFH E.g I completed this many tasks this month showing my productivity is increased etc. No one should feel forced back

But where does it end though?

When do we go back to work?

@Tuemay people who can work form home effectively which does not have a negative impact the business should be given a choice. There is no reason employers should have an issue with this, lots of people have realised that they can and have been more productive outside of an office environment and do not want to return.
Others have hated it and that's ok too but people should be given the flexibility

It's not fair on the others in your team if you don't go back as it increases the frequency of the rotation.
I think you need to learn to drive. 15 miles each way on public transport from a rural area sounds horrendous. You've been fortunate in the past that others have driven you. I'm not sure how it's "car-pooling" if you never took a turn.
Maybe book some annual leave, take an intensive driving course and get your license.

I don’t understand how you think you have been so productive wfh if you were simultaneously doing child care and home schooling. It just isn’t possible. If you think you’ve done as much work at home as you get done in the office then you must be wasting a lot of time when in the office.

I feel exactly the same OP, if you have proven that WFH has been effective what is the need to go back into the office? I find it interesting that people are so quick to say you have to go back to normal at some point... why?? Could it not be that changes to the future of working have been brought forward by exposing effective home working which allows employees more flexibility and better work-life balance, whilst having no negative impact on the employer? In many cases, mine included, employees are actually doing more work by working in evenings and weekends to suit them rather than fixed office hours with so much wasted commuting time. Raise it with your employer OP, as long as you're reasonable with how you approach it I see no issue

Is the real issue childcare?
You need to go back and I agree that you need to learn to drive.

Could you ask for flexibility with start / end times so you avoid public transport at peak times?

I think your wanting to continue WFH is perfectly understandable, OP, but if your employer doesn't accept that, I can't see that there's really much you can do about it, tbh.

If they're reasonable and approachable, I'd have a discussion with them about the transport issue and see if they can be persuaded, but if they can't, then you only really have 2 choices: suck it up or leave.

It sounds like you’re fearful of the change back. Yes WFH has been great in some respects but in others it hasn’t.

I would compromise. Can you talk about wfh more often but some office time?

In the meantime you’ll have to sort out your transport arrangements.

YANBU to want to work from home but if your boss wants you back in, you need to go back in. Plenty of people have to use public transport, unless you are shielding for any reason then you need to wear a mask and get on with it.

I use public transport by the way as I don't drive. It's fine.

You could volunteer to stay Woking from home as you recognise how difficult it will be to make the workplace covid secure

You won’t be doing exactly the same as at home , I’m managing a large team remotely and the knowledge / best practice sharing and development has not been anywhere near as good during this period and in addition a huge part of my role has had to be dedicated to calling for chats etc to check staff wellbeing. Just go back to work and be grateful your job is there

You can ask but if employer wants you back you will obviously need to go back
In my company we have said everyone back by September

I think it’s fair to ask your boss if you can get the bus earlier/later so can you start at 10 instead of 9 to avoid the busy times On the bus (our work are expecting the furloughed to start working and have arranged for those who use the bus to work staggered times if they want) but I don’t think it’s fair to expect to be able to work at home for the next 6 months because you made a lifestyle choice to not drive.

I assume cycling is not possible?