AIBU to think WFH will create new 'class' divide?

[Sallygoround631]

I've been thinking about this. Have done it myself for 15 years so the concept isn't new to me, but I am self employed, (paid per project not per hour) which is the only experience I have of it. I'm not wealthy.

Been reading a few articles/forums discussing this and I wondered if a future of WFH would create some level of resentment or division between those who do it and those who can't.

Those who 'can't' being many minimum wage jobs, etc.

I've seen people happily reporting have many more free hours per day to spend with family, breakfast in sunshine, etc. Whilst I think this is a positive thing in itself, I imagine those who will never have a hope in hell to WFH might feel depressed when comparing their situation? Is this more class based than many would admit?

(I'd prefer this did not morph into a willy waving post about how lucky and well off of you/me/we are)

Avon, selling shit on social media, stuffing envelopes etc etc.

It falls into you ether can work from home or you can't depends on the profession rather than the class

It also falls into what kind of CEO you have. I'm not convinced a great WFH revolution is coming tbh, simply because so many bosses think their employees will take the piss.

Our current CEO is only allowing it under duress at the moment, due to the lockdown. But, truth be told, due to the nature of my work (IT related) I could easily do my job from home 24/7. That I don't normally and have to usually commute two hours a day is completely down to the fact our CEO prefers to keep an eye on us - in his mind us being in the office means we're more likely to do work. Even now, I've discovered he's monitoring our home laptops and is claiming productivity is down - though, I'm not sure if he's factored in that a lot of us are having to homeschool as well.

One of said colleagues who cannot work from home due to having no internet seems to have fallen out with the rest of us because we can work from home and she cannot.

I think YABU. Very few people actually want an office style job; it isn’t something to be envied. Sat around all day on your own doing paperwork? Sounds, lonely, boring and tedious.

I don't think this is about some jobs being more attractive than others. That is is always subjective. OP is asking more about whether there will be a divide or resentment between those who can WFH and those who can't (if I have understood correctly).

WFH option, yes, great. Having to WFH - not so good. I’ve seen connections on LinkedIn cheering about how their companies are moving to full remote working, & then looking surprised when I ask what’s going to happen to staff members who don’t have the facilities for that.

Avon, selling shit on social media, stuffing envelopes etc etc.

Fairly niche & doesn't really disprove the OPs point.

I’ve got the Tesco Pay+ app and I’ve seen my monthly spending shoot up during Lockdown and a lot of that is due to not spending in canteens, cafes m, fast food etc.

what’s going to happen to staff members who don’t have the facilities for that.

It's a good point. Many employers are providing WFH equipment like laptops and other office equipment but some people simply don't have the space especially when there might be two partners working and then children as well.

My DH and I WFH and are lucky that we have the space to work in separate rooms and employers cannot hand out space to their employees as they can a laptop.

I get the benefits for people not commuting 2+ hours, effect on environment, especially in cities.

In the short-medium term I’m concerned about all those jobs that service offices and their staff. Also, who will pay for the underused tube, buses and rail? Will we end up with a system where for example a nurse is earning much less than an administrator on the same pay band, taking into account commuting costs (which will have to rise a huge amount) and time. And I’m sure that nurse will be resentful especially as their job contains unsocial hours. And nursing is an unpopular enough job...

@PablosHoney

Avon, selling shit on social media, stuffing envelopes etc etc.

Those aren’t jobs. You need to stuff 1000 envelopes with 10 different piece of paper to earn £10. Avon is an MLM. Are you taking the piss?

Do you think the divide will be greater from the millions due to lose their jobs when furlough ends.
You'd imagine those with a job will be happy to have one whether wfh or physically present.
I need a job we've lost almost all our income, I'm really past caring what other folk are doing and will be grateful for a job so we don't starve.

It also falls into what kind of CEO you have. I'm not convinced a great WFH revolution is coming tbh, simply because so many bosses think their employees will take the piss.

Some will and I think it’ll become apparent in those work places where there is no trust from senior management. There’s a lot of good CEOs out there though (ours is one) and I think people will start to realise a happy workforce is a more productive one and those that don’t value their employees will fall behind. (and that means giving employees more flexibility to choose)

Avon is advertised on job searches, you are expected to apply if receiving benefits, along with any mlm advertising.

Sat around all day on your own doing paperwork? Sounds, lonely, boring and tedious.

Office jobs don't have to equal the above. I wfh one day a wk anyway due to the constant chat (which I enjoy).

I definitely don't aspire to WFH. I detested lockdown when I was made to WFH instead of going into the office. Now started on my new career which is 100% not able to be done from home as it's not office based. I love going into the "office" everyday.

They are jobs, crappy ones but jobs none the less.

There were plenty of threads on here talking about how much money people have saved over lockdown due to no commuting, lack of incidental spends, limited childcare etc. We saved a considerable amount, the pandemic is not a equaliser.

Call centre jobs round here are wfh, estate agents, admin and office staff for lots of companies.
HMRC have people wfh. I've heard of quite a lot and their training usually takes 2 weeks so not highly skilled roles.
If you are looking, you need to get in quickly before furlough ends, there's already hundreds going for one job atm.

@PablosHoney I thought the point was the people most likely to wfh & benefit from that change will be in better paid jobs?

Those like me living in flats,doing Zoom calls in cramped kitchens or on your bed, with kids and other people also using the wifi,

Agreed. There are some young staff living/working in shared households and they don't have the privacy or resources to participate in high-security calls in a reliable manner. They're the ones who need a return to an office.

It's going to result in huge job losses for lower paid workers I know that much.

Office cleaners, transport staff, that cafe that would have sold a coffee and a Danish to hundreds of commuters will all be affected.......the list goes on and on.

Avon is advertised on job searches, you are expected to apply if receiving benefits, along with any mlm advertising

Well you'll obviously 'get' the job if you apply to be self-employed!

I don't doubt that this kind of madness is happening (in that jobseekers are expected to apply for advertised jobs and MLM promoters advertise on job websites).

But it would be concerning if jobseekers were being penalised for not purchasing an MLM starter kit and going self-employed.

Office cleaners, transport staff, that cafe that would have sold a coffee and a Danish to hundreds of commuters will all be affected.......the list goes on and on

As I said above, some of those jobs will be lost, but many will shift. I will spend money on other things that I might have spent in London so other people will benefit.

Will we end up with a system where for example a nurse is earning much less than an administrator on the same pay band, taking into account commuting costs (which will have to rise a huge amount) and time.

That's a good point, maybe they will get free travel like the police & taxes will be used to fund? Or significantly higher London weighting?

I think admin jobs that can be done at home will become lower paid - not the nurse who has to go in hospital to work. @KnobChops