If you can do your job from home then it can be done from India...

[Bewareoftheblob]

This is what my brother has been told by his employers. He works in a small office in a city centre and can work remotely. He admits that their efficiency, especially in terms of the quality of customer service, has been compromised by the team working from home.

They've all been told to go back to the office from mid September, which he is reluctant to do, mainly because he dislikes the commute and has enjoyed being at home with his wife and toddler.

When he (and, I think, some other team members) requested an extension to working from home, they were told in no uncertain terms to get back in to the office, and that they should be wary because 'if you can do your job from home, it can probably be done from India', which my brother has taken as a threat of redundancy.

They were also asked if they didn't feel guilty about the impact they were having on the economy and other people's livelihood - I assume they meant transport/Costa/Pret etc. They were asked to have more of a community spirit. It's a pretty informal place, not very 'corporate' which is why I assume it's been worded in this way!

What do you think? I'm torn to be honest, I totally understand why my brother wants to work from home, but whilst I don't think his company expressed themselves very well, I can see their point too.

So I suppose it's more are they being unreasonable rather than am I being unreasonable!

I bet you wouldn't be calling for each other for a chat if you'd never met in person

I do. I’ve not met in person the majority of my work colleagues. I don’t know what many even look like.

There will be issues with isolation but companies can try to address it in various ways - meeting up outside of work, for example, social activities online etc. I do think it’s a new reality for several years. It not my desired working environment but it’s here to stay.

And to bond.

Christ no. I don’t want a job where I have to worry about ‘bonding’.

If I did I’d join the army or become a foster carer.

The comment was inappropriate and verging on bullying.

As for the government's wish, perhaps they should start with their own central government teams who are largely working from home.

At the same time “they” are telling us that the the second wave will kill us all. Interesting.
Go to work in an office oh but here’s a second wave, it’s too dangerous to leave home.

It’s not about a second wave for me. It’s about a better work life balance, being able to tolerate my sometimes boring job, being in a nicer environment, not being caught in the daily rushed commute wasting my life, feeling mentally healthier and happier, eating healthier lunch and reducing my carbon footprint. All with no impact on my quality of work.

And being able to trump all day in peace. Yes I have IBS and I don’t have to worry about rushing out all the time or holding it in and sitting in discomfort!

It's ridiculous to force people to travel when they don't need to just so they can be provided with services and goods that they wouldn't need if they didn't travel in the first place
kind of the definition of a racket innit!

I think a huge amount of people who are WFH are currently working towards a huge spike in Health and Safety/ musculoskeletal disorders.

I am lucky to have a dedicated space with a proper set up with a monitor and keyboard etc and my chair was couriered to my house too. But I've seen my next door neighbour sitting at a dining table on a dining chair working off a laptop with no riser etc.

kind of the definition of a racket innit!

Yes.
Rampant capitalism. 70% of BIG PROFIT is driven by consumerism. They’re panicking.

But I've seen my next door neighbour sitting at a dining table on a dining chair working off a laptop with no riser etc

I’m sure some people will be able to buy a nice orthopaedic chair (£200 ish) with some of the thousands they’ll save from not commuting.

I’m on a dining room table and chair. I won’t be saving any commuting money as I normally cycle. I was worrying today about how much I’m going to need the heating on over winter!

I'm furloughed rather than WFH so have been out and about locally for walks. Have seen a lot of other local people regularly and some admit they should be WFH and are skiving a bit. Ooops
I guess that's a worry some companies have and might put 2 & 2 together, blaming a perceived lack of commitment for reduced customer service. I'm not suggesting your brother is like this at all, just that 'the few might spoil it for everyone...'
I'm not sure all roles that can be done from home could be done from India or elsewhere - people WFH now have spent time previously building relationships, learning the role, working face to face with clients etc and have been able to adapt. Not sure that would be as successful from abroad.

I agree with @chomalungma. Our team Zoom is about work, and our WhatsApp is for quick questions and funny memes. I miss the ability to manage my team through personal conversations, a touch on the arm or shoulder, sometimes a hug and a tissue when tears appear. I can’t ask the personal questions and relate the way I normally would via email or phone:
How did A’s kids do in their exams? How did L get on at the vet? Is she going to be ok?
Is S’s husband staying in post or taking early retirement? Is he getting treatment for those horrible migraines he was suffering?
How is A’s new baby? How is she coping coming back from maternity leave into this virtual world?
How are Sh’s kids getting on? has the eldest adjusted to secondary school?
Has R found a new house yet?
These are the conversations that would happen in an office, would keep me in touch with my staff, would show engagement. All of this has gone.

@Bewareoftheblob

To all of the posters talking about entitlement regarding his commute/family life, I do agree!

These are the only reasons he doesn't want to go back; he and his family enjoy good health, and regardless of what he says he is not that bothered about Covid as they've been socialising in bars/restaurants/friends and family's houses, and they've been to the coast on holiday for a week in July.

I also agree with the productivity issues. I've had some dreadful customer service from banks/utilities etc recently.

Well this sums it up doesn’t it- he’s not bothered about Covid as he goes to bars ect. He just wants to work from home (wouldn’t we all!?) unfortunately for him this is not something his company can offer outside of extraordinary circumstances. Why doesn’t he find a job that does offer this? In the meantime he needs to go back to the office.

I can’t ask the personal questions and relate the way I normally would via email or phone

Why can’t you? Email I get, but by phone surely all those conversations are possible and in fact need to be asked, especially if staff are working from home.

Why can’t you? Email I get, but by phone surely all those conversations are possible and in fact need to be asked, especially if staff are working from home

Maybe you just see someone in passing and have a chat - a phone call is different.

I can think of plenty of staff who I would talk to face to face but wouldn't ring up for a chat.

Different types of communication

I've seen a lot of offshoring and re-onshoring in my time so I am less freaked out about it. My current employer has offshored a lot to India and its not altogether straightforward. Yes they may be paid less but do they make things more efficient? NO. I also spent a couple of years living in Manila and would have a hearty chuckle about anything more than admin work going there successfully. They will be back.

I think we've all seen a glimpse of a better world and it won't be easy to go back. I particularly resent the idea that I need to go back to the office to save chains like Pret. What is the actual economic benefit of Pret? The vast % of employees (at least in London) are not UK nationals and are on minimum wage, which probably means the state needs to top them up with various benefits, so they can survive. Versus my local coffee shop, where people live nearby and my purchase stays local. I'm still putting money into the economy, I'm just doing it around the corner, rather than in the City.

personal conversations, a touch on the arm or shoulder, sometimes a hug and a tissue when tears appear.

Oh Christ office drama! Save me from it.

I can’t ask the personal questions and relate the way I normally would via email or phone:

How did A’s kids do
exams
husband
he was suffering?
new baby?
maternity leave

How are Sh’s kids

house

YAK YAK YAK YAK

These are the conversations that would happen in an office, would keep me in touch with my staff, would show engagement. All of this has gone.

I don’t like small talk.

Dontmakemegoback2office shhhhh.... you arent supposed to say these things!

personal conversations, a touch on the arm or shoulder, sometimes a hug and a tissue when tears appear.

That doesn't sound like a very professional working environment tbh. horses for courses I suppose.

@Heffalooomia

It's ridiculous to force people to travel when they don't need to just so they can be provided with services and goods that they wouldn't need if they didn't travel in the first place kind of the definition of a racket innit!

Not sure trying to avoid mass redundancies is ridiculous. We're looking at a potentially enormous unemployment benefits bill. Not to mention the social cost. The impact on the mostly low waged employees of the service industry. These people are already in precarious financial circumstances. They won't have the cushion of savings.

People dismissing Pret and the other chains. The owners won't suffer. They're already financially set for life. It will be the employees who suffer. And their lives matter - regardless of whether or not they're British born (despite silentpool apparently suggesting otherwise).

Full-time WFH will also be devastating for victims of DV. For many work offers their escape route. Somewhere to make vital calls and confide in a colleague. I bet employment sabotage will increase as it's far easier for an abuser to do this when their victim is working from home.

The compromise solution between coronavirus precautions and economic recovery is a 50/50 approach with staggered work hours. Less 9-5, more flexibility.

It's a terrible shame the UK government didn't take the same swift action that countries like NZ and most Australian states took. Had they done, we'd be living mostly normal lives with less economic damage by now.

• The compromise solution between coronavirus precautions and economic recovery is a 50/50 approach with staggered work hours. Less 9-5, more flexibility.

A mix of wfh and going into the office (or wherever) will be perfect for many I'd have thought.

Think the question for the longer term is is the whole (team) more than the sum of the parts?

You can't put the genie back in the bottle. The shift to some people working from home far more than ever before has happened. All we can do is wait and see how that actually translates. Of course it is sad for anyone who losses their job but I can't see lots of people rushing back to the office and commuting to save businesses close to their workplace.

Talking of adapting, had a leaflet through my door from Pret who are teaming up with Just Eat for home deliveries. Appreciate it won't work everywhere but hopefully will save some jobs.

And being able to trump all day in peace. Yes I have IBS and I don’t have to worry about rushing out all the time or holding it in and sitting in discomfort!

I've been in the office a few times, for me it is remembering to not sing along with my iPod or use my hands to conduct the music / drumming. The few people who were in last week nearly got an earful of me singing Easy Lover.

Talking of adapting, had a leaflet through my door from Pret who are teaming up with Just Eat for home deliveries. Appreciate it won't work everywhere but hopefully will save some jobs.

They're well behind the curve versus some independent businesses then.

Maybe you just see someone in passing and have a chat - a phone call is different. I can think of plenty of staff who I would talk to face to face but wouldn't ring up for a chat.

If you’re a manager of a team, surely you have regular meetings or catchups with staff individually every so often. You now have these by phone instead of face to face. I really can’t see the difference. You should be phoning them up and keeping in contact just the same.