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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Are your employers still making you go into work?

97 replies

PardonMyFrancais · 18/10/2020 09:32

For people who could work from home - AIBU to think responsibility lies with your employer to allow you/encourage you to do so?

I’m in an area which has just been put into tier 2, however I have quite a few friends who are still being told they have to travel into work - on public transport - every day.

All of them spent lockdown working from home with no issue.

It’s annoying me far more than it should. Reports have shown there is a greater number of infections in the workplace than in pubs, yet hospitality is the sector which seems to be demonised the most?

Page 16 of this report

OP posts:
WipedoutMama · 18/10/2020 15:47

You're not being unreasonable. It's absolutely up to the employer to encourage people to work from home where they can and be as safe as possible. My offices of over 300 people have been closed since March and the latest staff brief said there were no plans to reopen before January. Everyone is working from home just fine.

nephrofox · 18/10/2020 15:54

Yep. My ex-shielding highly vulnerable DH is going into office every day due to controlling CEO.

Okbye · 18/10/2020 15:56

Yes I have to go into the office. I was wfh since early March (was told to wfh by my boss before anyone else had to as I’m at risk due to asthma) and only went back about 4 weeks ago at the insistence of my boss for 2 days a week. The whole team are on a rota, however I am livid that he’s making me go in and have tried to argue it with him but he’s a utter twat and still insists I have to go in.

I work better at home, have proved that I can do my job perfectly well from home and am in an ‘at risk’ group but alas. My DH says to go to HR but to be honest I don’t think it’s worth the hassle - it’ll be more hassle than it’s worth. I’m keeping an eye out for other jobs as I hate the job and team anyway, unfortunately it’s slim pickings at the moment :(

gwenneh · 18/10/2020 16:00

We are definitely not being encouraged to work from home. Our CEO is brilliant in so very many ways but she just doesn’t believe in WFH. I’ve managed to get 2 days per week at home for me, and I’ve given my team permission to WFH (some do, some don’t.) I think that’s the best it is going to get for me.

DH has WFH full time since March. His employers support it fully.

BritWifeinUSA · 18/10/2020 16:05

Interesting that people who in August were telling people to “crack on with life, shielding is over” are now bothered about going to work.

Original poster
PardonMyFrancais · 18/10/2020 16:08

@BritWifeinUSA Of my friends who are being made to go in now, there was only 1 who wanted to in August, but after seeing the figures of where infections are spreading and also with the knowledge those infections are going up across the country, they no longer think it’s wise/safe.

I think people are allowed to change their minds based on scientific evidence.

OP posts:
Rhubarb01 · 18/10/2020 16:09

I agree. Some employers just can't get their heads round it and want people present even though many worked successfully at home for months. I think they were initially proud of their ability to function well in difficult circumstances and patted themselves on the backs, but it hasn't changed long term attitudes in some areas. I had to ask to return to wfh (which was permitted although I felt as if I was asking for special treatment) but I think the suggestion should have come from them. It seems to depend upon what sector you work in.

Original poster
PardonMyFrancais · 18/10/2020 16:12

@Rhubarb01 one of my friends actually works in the health sector! In a role which can be completed entirely from home. You’d think they’d want to keep their staff as safe as possible, but apparently not.

OP posts:
Rhubarb01 · 18/10/2020 16:21

Yes, crazy isn't it! It smacks of lack of trust despite people doing their jobs properly. It's strange how businesses like finance and insurance can just adopt it for the foreseeable and even plan to expand wfh in the future and others just hang on to the old idea of presenteeism despite the risks.

DollyDoneMore · 18/10/2020 16:24

@BritWifeinUSA

Interesting that people who in August were telling people to “crack on with life, shielding is over” are now bothered about going to work.
Which people are these? Maybe these are different people.
vanillandhoney · 18/10/2020 16:24

I suspect a lot of people don't work as well from home as they think they do.

backtothefuture · 18/10/2020 16:24

I have to still work from the office/lab space. Working in tech area, many people think everyone can work from home, but that is not the case in all areas. Yes, I also have use public transport for part of the journey too. It would be more convenient for me personally to work from home of course, but to be honest it is not really practical. Company doing all the appropriate precautions, including shift work to allow more space, managing OK so far, fingers crossed!!

movingonup20 · 18/10/2020 16:26

Depends on the business type, the office arrangements, whether wfh caused a drop in productivity/standards before etc. It's not a simple situation. Dp's company are mostly working from home 50% of the time to reduce the number in the offices but they have enough space for everyone to be 2m plus apart and no more than 2 in any one area anyway - whilst some have managed to wfh successfully, some are not doing as much work and do not have adequate work space at home to be professional on video calls. They have free parking (always have) so public transport isn't an issue

Tanfastic · 18/10/2020 16:28

We've been fighting for it since March. Only just got it but nit allowed more than one or two days a week. It's working well so not sure why not allowed more tbh. We have to wear face masks all day at our desks on the days in the office (nhs).

ItsBeyondMe · 18/10/2020 16:31

Yes. I have a friend who works for the NHS, office role. Expected to be in at least 50% of the week.

Comefromaway · 18/10/2020 16:35

Yes, my husband is being made to go on public transport from a Tier 1 area into a Tier 2 area, even though he could easily work from home.

In fact at one point he was teaching zoom classes from his office in an empty college on his own personal device using his own personal data as college WiFi wasn’t working, even though there were no students on site.

userxx · 18/10/2020 16:35

I suspect a lot of people don't work as well from home as they think they do.

It's been a painful experience trying to get the most basic tasks done. I've been office based throughout and all this talk of being so productive wfh just hasn't been the case as far as I can see.

JaceLancs · 18/10/2020 16:37

The months we spent WFH proved to me that we were less effective, new staff struggled and we lost money
Went back in August on reduced days which we have only just increased
Now in tier 3 I have worked out a reduced days rota again - to minimise number in at any one time (everyone is 2m+ apart anyway and mostly in an office on their own)
People are not happy and want to come in more often
If this is going to be a long haul winter I also prefer the routine of going to work and leaving it there as much as I can when I walk out the door
We are lucky as none of use public transport or car share

tigger1001 · 18/10/2020 16:41

Our office has never closed abs always had people working in it, we have a mix of some working at home etc, but majority are in the office.

Am happy to be in the office. I personally would hate to work at home as have no space to set up a work area and the times j have worked at home I found it really hard to switch off as work stuff there all the time.

I will say though I don't use public transport and if I did I might be less keen to travel into work.

DaftyD · 18/10/2020 16:41

We're in on a rota basis, all well distanced and well set up so can't fault that side of it but yes public transport is a problem.

Senior management aren't in at all and haven't been since March. Hmm. At least we're allowed to use their parking spaces now, but a lot of us can't afford to drive. Hmm

Florencemattell · 18/10/2020 16:42

I’m a nanny , had to work all day though the pandemic. Employers are suppose to socially distance and put in measures to clean surfaces. But none in my household. Obviously children are not going to socially distance but the household I work in has other staff members sharing areas. Plus school runs are a nightmare, no social distancing or masks worn . I have just accepted I might die this year. Checked my funeral plan and life insurance and will leave my family able to move on. It’s a class divide in the UK manual workers don’t matter it seems.

nosswith · 18/10/2020 16:43

No we are not, indeed for the very rare times someone has to collect something, an appointment has to be made several days in advance.

The OPs friends I expect could achieve all the upsides of being in an office going there one or two days per week. Perhaps more often for the minority who do not have a suitable private space at home to work, or are in poor/nasty relationships for whom the office is an escape. If social distancing can be maintained.

Like the OP I want to see more people wfh to reduce social contacts. And I would like all university and HE to be online only at least until Easter (I realise a separate topic).

Waxonwaxoff0 · 18/10/2020 16:46

@Florencemattell bit dramatic. Are you vulnerable? I can't WFH, I'm in a factory environment of about 100 people plus doing the school run every day with my own DC. I certainly don't feel like I'm going to die. The vast majority of people who catch Covid don't.

Theonewiththecandles · 18/10/2020 16:49

All the regional offices are closed unless you have requested to go in and have been risk assessed.
There's a large handful of people at head office who go in on a rota basis to handle post etc. But everyone who can, including our call centre, is working from home and is actively encouraged to do so and discouraged from going into the office.
We have been told it's WFH til January, potentially into next spring

Ethelfleda · 18/10/2020 16:49

No - had the opposite. Employers told people to WFH until at least Jan 2021 (but told people to try and get in for meetings occasionally to stay in contact with their team - who office building is Covid secure)
I hated WFH full time and managed to get permission to go back in a couple of days per week back in August on MH grounds.

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