To think people are over looking the benefits of going to work

[Poptart4]

I keep hearing about how great working from home is. No commute, saving money, more family time etc.

But I think people are over looking the benefit's of actually going to work.

• Getting out of the house, personally I dont think its healthy to spend all (most) of your time within the same 4 walls.
• The social aspect of working. Alot of people make friends or at least acquaintances through work.
• I know alot of people who met their partner through work. And alot who just had fun casual hook ups with co-workers. Either way there will be less chances at romance because you will have less social interaction.
• As a mother I find going out to work gives me a life outside of being mammy. It gives me a little independence for myself. If I was working from home all of the time I would never be away from the children. Never get a break.
• No after work drinks, office xmas parties etc.
• I've also read some threads on here about couples fighting because one or both of them is working from home and there getting on each others nerves. Couples need time apart.

I really think once the novelty of working from home wears off alot of people are going to miss the hustle and bustle of office life. And alot of people are going to end up depressed. Especially for people who live alone. The lack of social interaction will impact them the most.

But you have a husband Pelleas. Did you meet him online?

Although it depends what is meant by connection I suppose. I think there will be a need for half and half a mix of office and home in different proportions. You can’t totally get rid of the office.

@Pelleas exactly like me. I moved away I get along with people at work now but on a superficial level. I have DH and I have friends I’ve picked up along the way. My best friend I met on the commute to work. I have 3 friends I spend any effort on and that’s fine. I don’t want to socialise with workmates as I spend 8 hours a day with them and it’s a lot for me.

@Ginfordinner

But you have a husband Pelleas. Did you meet him online?

No, he was a friend of my sister's boyfriend.

Not sure how that's relevant!

Each to their own. People are not overlooking the benefits of working in the office, they just have different priorities. None of the points listed in the OP is an issue for me.

Not sure how that's relevant!

It's relevant beause you managed to meet him in a semi social situation, not online. Many people meet their life partners in social situations, hence the question. I get that you aren't a people person.

I don’t see any disadvantages personally.

My office is awkward and cliquey, it’s great for my wellbeing not having to commute in every day and be fake to bitchy people. I’ve still been out for a lunch with the colleagues I like, we have made an effort to get together regularly.

I’m already married so don’t need to meet a partner.

I actually get out of the house way more now because I don’t have an hour long commute both ways and walk the dogs or go for a run most lunchtimes which is fab.

DH is police so hasn’t stopped working outside the home as usual so we aren’t on top of each other.

The kids will be back at school soon so won’t be here.

Plus saving on petrol, the environment, not buying coffees and rubbish meal deals in Tesco etc because I didn’t bring my own lunch etc.

The time I save is positively luxurious. I finished work at half four one day last week, dh was on rest day and the kids on summer holidays and the four of us went to the beach for a swim. That would never have been possible on a week night before. I felt very lucky.

Lots of gripes and touchiness on this thread! This is one of those subjects thats going to attract a very wide range of opinions. Some people seem determined to think that their way is the right way and anyone who disagrees is wrong.

My best friend I met on the commute to work

The irony

@Ginfordinner

Not sure how that's relevant!

It's relevant beause you managed to meet him in a semi social situation, not online. Many people meet their life partners in social situations, hence the question. I get that you aren't a people person.

But you don't have to work in an office to find social situations. I understand that it's a good source of friends for some people, but if you're a social sort of person you can join clubs or do volunteering - or if you're WFH there's nothing actually stopping you meeting up outside working hours with other like-minded colleagues (local lockdowns permitting at the moment).

Totally agree with IrmaFayLear about the Smuggy Smugs! Also love DementedMa's comment "otherwise known as living at work"
I'm not young, or particularly extrovert, but I am going nuts working at home all the time.
I miss putting on an outfit that I love instead of just being "comfy".
I miss sitting on the train, walking around the city in my lunch break, chatting to random people, flirting (when I was single).
Most of all it's the sense, when you are OUT that unexpected things can happen. You can end up in a conversation with someone that becomes a friendship, or a beneficial work connection, or yes, even a romance.
The feeling of total predictability and the sameness of each day at home makes me really depressed. I miss the world!
Yes, I can go for walks in my neighbourhood, or drive to the gym, but I feel very isolated.
As for the environmental impact, well the roads around here are absolutely chocka, every day, all day, so maybe rather than people getting the train into work they are using their breaks to drive to the shops or visit friends? I don't know, but there has been more traffic than before lockdown since the non essential shops opened.
And if I hated my tiny, shabby, cluttered house before, I just want to burn it down at this point!

I hate working from home, it's lonely and crap, and the lines between work and home have become blurred. Don't get me wrong, I feel very fortunate to be in a position to be able to work from home, but it's still crap. Thankfully sense is starting to prevail, and the office is slowly reopening.

Yes, I chuckled when I read that BashfulClam met her best friend on her commute!

I don't think anyone is being "smug". They are just giving the reasons why they personally like wfh. The anger and defensiveness from some people who don't enjoy wfh is frankly bizarre.

I think some people love it and some hate it! And obviously it all depends on what life stage you’re in too. We’ve been told our office won’t be opening back up in the same way as previous and most of our work will now be from home or local hives. I’m obviously pleased with this but if I was a 20 year old in a junior position and hoping to network or someone with less hobbies and friends outside work or someone with very young children who valued the time away as an adult then I probably wouldn’t be.

I had zero work/life balance when in the office and I'm dreading going back. My commute home was approx two hours due to unreliable public transport. I can only see this getting worse with the strain covid has placed on the transport infrastructure. Prior to wfh my life was literally sleep, travel, work, travel, sleep rinse and repeat. I have an extra 3 hours in a day mow and I'm not constantly shattered from getting up early to catch the first bus which is the only bus which ever runs on time.

@SunsetBeetch

I don't think anyone is being "smug". They are just giving the reasons why they personally like wfh. The anger and defensiveness from some people who don't enjoy wfh is frankly bizarre.

Yes, exactly. I completely understand that some people prefer being in the office and that's fine - we are all different.

But the OP, which is what I responding to, asked whether people are overlooking the benefits of being in the office, and gave a list of things which I don't personally find beneficial.

As far as I am concerned, the sole benefit my office has is that it's air conditioned, which my house isn't, so it's more comfortable in a heatwave. Given that heatwaves account for about five days of the year where I live, I don't see that as overriding the benefits of WFH.

Anger and defensiveness? No - surprise at the refusal of the wfh evangelists to appreciate that some people - particularly the young - have been shafted. And the hypocrisy of trumpeting that they don’t need any company because they are just fine, thank you - completely forgetting that once upon a time they did go out and manage to find friends and a mate. But anyone wishing to do that now is sad, apparently.

I'm planning on doing a few days in the office a month. I keep my oar in with people but I've found a work life balance I love.

"Some people seem determined to think that their way is the right way and anyone who disagrees iswrong."

Because their way is the right way..for them.everyones different.

@MistressMounthaven

There will be heating bills and maybe less things to do out of doors in the winter. So the novelty of wfh might lose its shine a bit.

1. Make sure you claim the £6 per week/£26 per month from HMRC which will help towards heating.

www.gov.uk/tax-relief-for-employees/working-at-home

2.What does "Less things to do outdoors in the winter" mean?
Aren't you working? Why do you need to do things outdoors?

I think what needs to come of this is flexibility. Companies have realised people CAN work from home and often just as effectively (let’s sidestep the parents juggling home schooling etc which is a completely different issue)- people who are just working are often as if not more productive.

The ideal would be offices people could go into if they preferred or needed to meet people or use equipment etc. But the ability to wake up in the morning and wfh if they wanted to that day. For example heavy colds when you don’t want to go off sick but equally people don’t want you in the office sniffing and sneezing everywhere let alone now! Or if you’re self isolating pending a covid test result you can still crack on with work.

My role I always did both- work in HE so teach but otherwise can WFH. I enjoy both as it’s a balance and if I go stir crazy at home I have an office to escape to. On a practical level it doesn’t work for every job but it does for a lot. I think when everything goes back to normal particularly graduates etc who potentially live in flat shares and may benefit more from the social aspect will still prefer to be office based while parents etc may prefer to wfh. The key is flexibility.

completely forgetting that once upon a time they did go out and manage to find friends and a mate

I didn't do anything to find my husband that I couldn't do under current conditions and I've never been bothered about acquiring friends.

I get that some people are and it's shit for that type of person, but it's not hypocritical to point out that something works for you.

I've had no choice but to work in an office for 25 years, tolerating it/disliking it/hating it depending on who I was forced to work with.

All the people on this thread who can't get enough of office life have had it their way since offices were invented, FFS. Why are those who prefer to WFH expected to humble themselves because, for a bare six months after years of office nonsense, we have actually had our preference for a change?

*s far as I am concerned, the sole benefit my

One of the benefits of WFH for me is that I don't have to sit in an arctic air conditioned office

To be fair I don't mind working from home, but am glad that when we can go back to the office we will be doing a mixture of WFH and going to the office, so I get the best of both worlds.

surprise at the refusal of the wfh evangelists to appreciate that some people - particularly the young - have been shafted. And the hypocrisy of trumpeting that they don’t need any company because they are just fine, thank you - completely forgetting that once upon a time they did go out and manage to find friends and a mate. But anyone wishing to do that now is sad, apparently.

Again, I agree with you @IrmaFayLear.

DD is an only child and hasn't kept many friends from school. I would hate to think that when she leaves university she will confined to sitting at her desk in the bedroom 5 days a week and never meet her workmates, and have no-one to socailise with outside of work because she hasn't met her workmates to socialise with. What a dismal future.

YANBU. Same applies for people who could work and don't.

Neil's ExW says she can't get a job because 'When would she do the food shop' and said there is no benefit to the kids whatsoever with her working.