To be furious at my DPs boss

[sticksandstone]

DP works in an office environment and after today's new guidelines & restrictions have been announced, he should be working from home which is perfectly doable.

He worked from home since the beginning of lockdown and has recently went back to work, he worked every day (mon-fri) and had daily meetings (as usual) with his colleagues.
We are based in the north east, currently in a local lockdown, as cases are rising rapidly.

However, his boss quickly sent an email around which states

"We will not be changing the current situation in that we require people to be in the office. For now the priority is getting the latest project finalised along with planning a road map for ongoing work.
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Currently the general position is that going back to the time of lockdown where we all worked from home with have serious potential personal impact on some employees."
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AIBU to be quite peed off that he is prioritising work (which has been done from home for a period of 5 months) over the potential cost of lives for his employees and their families? We have a new baby and a couple of high risk people in our household (including myself).

Is he actually allowed to make this decision for his employees? Shouldn't they have a choice in the matter?

Guidance is work from home if you can. It’s not law. And it’s up to a business. Business that went normally geared up for home working May have realised that office working is more productive. Therefore unless it’s law, the business has the right to insist you work in the office.
However ... they must have the place Covid secure and they should listen to needs of employees. And be aware that there policy may demotivate staff also.
As you are vulnerable I would allow your husband to work from home.

The 'work from home if you can' could definitely be translated a few ways. If the boss feels his employees cannot get their project finalised from home then he may feel it's justified that they go in. You would hope his boss would be a bit flexible though, especially where people have vulnerable relatives at home.

Our boss has given us the option to work from home again, as we all can, but everyone is planning to carry on in the office as normal. What does your DP want to do?

Is he actually allowed to make this decision for his employees?

Of course he is. It’s his business and it’s up to the business to decide how it will run.

Shouldn't they have a choice in the matter?

No. It would be compete and utter chaos if employees all started choosing their own work situations.

They do have a choice though: follow how their employer wants them to work, or quit.

It depends, if the office is 'covid secure' and it's reasonable that the project cannot be delivered as effectively from home, then yes, it seems reasonable to expect him in. Once the project is done would expect them to change their stance, but I doubt they've said it just for fun, securing the project delivery might well save jobs. I guess though he'd be at home a lot more if they have to make cuts.

What PPs said. Also remember your new baby is more at risk of being struck by lightening than dying of Covid. Perhaps more importantly remember that there are other people for whom working from home is seriously affecting their mental health and working in the office is very beneficial to them.

I've been WFH since March, started site visits a fortnight ago a couple of days a week and it's been great. Had an email today to say back to WFH for the foreseeable. I'm gutted, it's driving me mad being at home

This is another one where Scotland have said they'll take a tougher line. They are asking employers to ensure anyone who can work from home can, but Nicola Sturgeon said if enough companies ignore the request they'll put legal obligations in place.

Interesting Scotland said something about mandating home working.

Expect in England they can get away with it.

with have serious potential personal impact on some employees

that's absolute bullshit, I would be fuming.
If the need of the business demand it, that's one thing. If everything worked perfectly well, the boss is being ridiculous, but there is not much you can do unfortunately.

The personal impact nonsense means he's just can't be arsed to WFH himself.

It never had to be all or nothing.

Perhaps more importantly remember that there are other people for whom working from home is seriously affecting their mental health

sorry, but that's a ridiculous argument. There are plenty of people for whom working in an office is seriously affecting their mental health (and physical health). Why should they be ignored?

Businesses like this should be VERY careful. If anyone test positive and put everyone at risk, it won't be without consequences anymore.

My take on it is some employees are struggling with their mental health working from home?
Based on his second paragraph.
At my old place of course employment a few people came back due to mental health implications working at home.

I know where you are coming from. I started back working from the office and have found that I am so much more productive from home. No distractions, no disruptions or listening to inane conversations about football, the weather, tv, etc. I am currently waiting to find out what is happening as the business is discussing what they should do and will let us know tomorrow but I know that as most of the managers want to go back into the office (they all socialise together and enjoy having meetings throughout the day with each other face to face) they will want to stay in the office. I know that there is little chance of catching Covid (although someone tested positive in my office this week) but I dont think it will stop them returning and that will annoy me.

Unless it’s absolutely essential for people to work side-by-side all day then people who want to work from the office for MH reasons could be allowed to do so without an outright “no-one is WFH” statement

My take on it is some employees are struggling with their mental health working from home?

If that were true, how would it help making EVERYONE go to the office?

Is he actually allowed to make this decision for his employees?

Of course.

I guess it depends on whether or not you want your husbands company to survive. Just because he can work from home doesn’t mean that it is sustainable for the business.

I think YAB a bit U. Lots of people have carried on working all through and have just had to get on with it. I doubt office work is particularly dangerous.

I think managers who run a business should be able to call people in to the office if they feel that the team operate better on site

Imagine if shop workers, bin men, nurses, bus drivers etc all decided they couldn't go in to work. Many people have not had the luxury to wfh even back when the pandemic was in its early stages.

What is the expected timeframe for the project? E.g. if it ends this week and the times we is really tight, then I can easily see how working in the office may be essential.

I think it does also depend a bit on the sector, some office work is easily doable remotely, other projets are much easier in person.

Currently the general position is that going back to the time of lockdown where we all worked from home with have serious potential personal impact on some employees."

This is a valid concern that should be considered. An employer has far more responsibility to their employees than they do to their employees wives and parents etc. It’s fine for companies to decide how they want their employees to work, that’s what they pay them for.

He can always leave his job if he doesn't wish to go back on to work as his boss has requested. I'm sure his position would be quickly filled.

Are you particularly anxious about the virus, op?

Did you see the actual email his boss sent or did he tell
you what it said? If he's told you, then maybe he just wants to work at the office instead of at home and is using that as an excuse?

Just because he’s successfully managed to work from home so far, doesn’t mean it’s an effective approach for the stage of finalising a current project and developing a road map that’s presumably going to see them through continuing to stay in business?

Rather than the longer you are WFH, the more obvious it is you can be WFH, I think the increasing length of time is more likely to mean a return to the office is needed.

However, the company should minimise that and work towards being set up to manage a new phase of WFH.

I think its irresponsible to ride rough shod over guidance if dp can wfh easily. hppe office is coxid-secure. i expect the climate will turn against his boss and he will have a rethink.

then maybe he just wants to work at the office instead of at home and is using that as an excuse?

That's a good point.