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