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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Do you like your job more or less, since WFH (if you are!)

59 replies

OneLeafHill · 08/08/2020 20:44

Like a lot of people, my company has been WFH for the last 4/5 months (crazy when you think how long it’s been!)

At first, it was a novelty obviously and everyone enjoyed wearing comfy clothes and didn’t miss the commute. There are certainly lots of benefits to WFH.

But does anyone else feel all the enjoyment has gone from their job? (If you did used to like it!) everything just feels such hard work, nothing motivating, boring but stressful, I am sick of being on Zoom calls all day barely getting a break.

It has made me think that, actually, maybe I’ve never really ‘enjoyed’ my work (corporate role) but rather I enjoyed seeing people, office interactions, getting dressed up and feeling confident, ‘me time’ on my commute etc. etc. If the only thing is the actual ‘work’, it’s awful!

It is making me think that if this is the ‘future’ maybe it’s time for a change! Even if I went back to the office I expect with all the restrictions companies would need to put in place it would be strange and somewhat cold/depressing.

Anyone else? I probably haven’t explained this very well....

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Sparklesocks · 08/08/2020 20:59

Personally I’m enjoying elements of mine more. I don’t miss the commute and I enjoy the fact it’s easier to keep on top of house work - can chuck a load of washing in first thing in the morning, do a bit of dusting during my lunch break etc. Not commuting means I can either sleep in a bit longer or get up and do other things like reading or chatting to a friend before I log on, which has been great for my wellbeing.

I do miss the social side of my role though, chats in the kitchen and the like. I very much speak to the same 5-6 people in my day to day role so have to make an effort to keep in touch with other colleagues.

In an ideal world I think I’d like a hybrid model of both.

EssentialHummus · 08/08/2020 21:09

Hmm. I'm in a funny situation, a bit upside down to everyone else. Pre-Covid I was self employed and working from home on a totally remote basis, behind a computer screen each day. Felt fairly content with my lot if a bit unchallenged. Since this crisis began I have found myself running an emergency response programme and leading loads of volunteers. I absolutely love it. I jump out of bed each morning and plough on with all sorts of things. My only worry/fear is that this job won't exist when things get back to normal!

wigglerose · 08/08/2020 21:13

I still enjoy mine. Miss the interaction. However, I find the duller parts of my job intolerable now.

LtJudyHopps · 08/08/2020 21:17

I get this. I miss the social side of chatting to people about the office. It’s so much easier to go and have a conversation most of the time compared to email/phone/teams. I also miss my drive home, it’s only 20 minutes but it was time to listen to music and zone out. Now I’m moving from the table to the sofa and it’s not the same!
I quite like a mix. I’m popping back in once a week ATM and enjoying it. I’m also enjoying rolling out of bed at 8 the next day straight on to the laptop.

LtJudyHopps · 08/08/2020 21:18

Sorry in answer to the question I enjoy my job less now. It’s largely due to a change in management though, not just WFH.

rosegoldivy · 08/08/2020 21:22

I hate working from home. My work was so sociable and the team had great banter and I'd laugh all day. Now I just stare at the 4 walls of my living room all day. I feel so alone.

Fatted · 08/08/2020 21:22

It's probably about the same. Looking back, I probably haven't enjoyed this job the entire time I've been there but it was full time, close to home and good for the school run.

I like being able to be left alone and not have to deal with my colleagues. But I feel like I am being a expected to work more at home. I get questioned if I don't answer my phone immediately, when I'm either on another call, busy doing something else or God forbid having a cup of tea. No one would question me if I made a brew in the office!

The problem is that without going into too much detail, the situation with lockdown and coronavirus has made all of the shit parts of my job much worse and more obvious than ever before. Basically it is poorly organised from the top level down and badly managed. I think it has helped me see the light to have my DH sometimes overhear what I'm doing and he's questioning why everything is so poorly managed!

RedskyAtnight · 08/08/2020 21:22

Much less. My job is possible from home but would be much easier if I was able to just go and talk to people. I miss being round other people and the office "banter". I dislike the way I now seem to just move from teleconference to teleconference and find concentrating on the phone for so long very mentally tiring. And with a work space set up in the dining room, it's so much harder to switch off from work mode. I am ruthless about not working silly overtime, but the demarcation between home/work has blurred.

My DH used to work at home for 7 years before changing jobs and loved it. So he's absolutely relishing doing it, which it makes it even harder for me to communicate how much I hate it.

Bosekct · 08/08/2020 21:23

I find it boring. I don’t want to be surrounded by family all day. I have enough of that when I get home from work usually so hour after hour and day after day is too much. Even the dog is pissing me off.

Whatafustercluck · 08/08/2020 21:25

I've found it much more stressful. Always 'on duty', more work to do, longer hours and attempting to home school and failing miserably. I don't miss the commute, but I do miss social interaction with colleagues. But the hours have been the worst to contend with while having the DC at home.

menofharlech · 08/08/2020 21:29

I dislike it more than I anticipated. Pre Covid I wfh 1-2 days per week. I miss getting out the house, seeing colleagues, going for a walk around town at lunch (I live semi rurally but work in the city centre), having a comfortable work station. Horror of horrors I need to find a new hairdresser too as mine was close to work.

I suspect I'll end up going back 1-2 days a week which suits me as a balance as long as I can catch up with my office mates.

Rose789 · 08/08/2020 21:30

I would be more productive without teams chat and video calls. I get it’s important to stay in touch but normally I’m the kind of person that just puts my head down and gets on with work. Have a chat in the morning before starting and on breaks and lunch and home time but during actual working hours I work. Now I’m getting constant notifications because someone has posted a meme on teams and everyone has to comment how hilarious it is. I wish we could go back to how it was when we started wfh when teams was literally just for questions that needed answering immediately. Now it’s like having Facebook open on my screen constantly with memes and gifs and people pouting because their good morning message only got 10 hearts and someone else got 12. I think I’m turning grumpy and even more anti social working from home though

BeingATwatItsABingThing · 08/08/2020 21:31

I’m a teacher so my job has been massively different at home.

I can’t say I’ve enjoyed being at home other than seeing my DD more than I did before. The workload was intense before and intense during the pandemic but in different ways. I miss my colleagues and my downtime driving to and from work. I miss actually getting to teach the activities I plan.

Lazysundayafternoons · 08/08/2020 21:32

I used to WFH one day a week before this and was happy with that.
I'm finding being away from the office full time really hard now. I'm finding so much of my day is now taken up replying to Skype messages, it's just constant interruptions all day long.
We have two new staff in the last few weeks who are also WFH and it's really made having new joiners a lot more difficult.
Our outsourcing team are facing technology issues, meaning their work is late coming over to us but we still need to keep on track with our review of their work which is putting me under huge pressure. My 8am-4pm days have now turned into 12 hour + days, I could start at 7am and not finish until 10pm.
And I'm finding it hard to get in touch with my manager when I need her - messages go unanswered, calls go straight to voicemail. It's just not the same as being able to get up and walk over to someone to ask a question.

Lazysundayafternoons · 08/08/2020 21:33

@Rose789 that sounds awful

GrolliffetheDragon · 08/08/2020 21:34

There are pros and cons.

I like working from home generally. On the other hand some of the things I get asked for help with, repeatedly, by the same person, is driving me round the bend. Especially when they then speak to someone else (male usually ), parrot some nonsense back to me that is wrong and I then have to patiently explain it all again... lets say the cat is now used to sudden loud swearing when I get off the phone.

JoleneExotic · 08/08/2020 21:38

Going forward I'd like 50:50 or 75:25 home to on site. I have liked to for the quiet and getting to concentrate but communication is harder.

VaggieMight · 08/08/2020 21:40

I much prefer WFH. I can tidy up, put wading on etc during my breaks although I find I'm doing more of the share of housework now while DH commutes.

Hardbackwriter · 08/08/2020 21:41

I like mine quite a lot less, and really dislike WFH full-time (I used to do it before but never all the time). But I've also read the return to work plans for the teams going back in September and it sounds even worse, so on balance I'm glad I'm in the tranche scheduled to return in January. I want to get back to the office but I want to get back to the office as it was - where you could talk to colleagues in the kitchen, have lunch with them, go to the toilet without queuing because more than one person can go in at once, don't have to wear a mask every time you leave your desk - and that appears to no longer be an option

BetsyBoo100 · 08/08/2020 21:43

@OneLeafHill I could have written your post! Feel exactly the same. Have decided to quit and retrain. I definitely think the lockdown/WFH has prompted this.

NiceLegsShameAboutTheFace · 08/08/2020 21:46

I hate working from home. My work was so sociable and the team had great banter and I'd laugh all day. Now I just stare at the 4 walls of my living room all day. I feel so alone.

Exactly. I hated it so much that I resigned and found a job where I'm not required to work at home. I'm happy again

Original poster

OneLeafHill · 08/08/2020 21:47

@wigglerose yes!

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Original poster

OneLeafHill · 08/08/2020 21:47

@rosegoldivy same

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Original poster

OneLeafHill · 08/08/2020 21:49

@Hardbackwriter yes! It’s not that I would want to be back in the office right now - I would like the ‘old’ office!

Don’t get me wrong I do appreciate the flexibility and would hate to go back to 9-5 (often earlier and later) in the office with a long commute but a mix would be nice...

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Original poster

OneLeafHill · 08/08/2020 21:50

@NiceLegsShameAboutTheFace Interesting - have you changed career or just company?

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