To think WFH permanently is a game changer?

[MiaMarshmallows]

For working parents as it saves on childcare costs as well as commuting etc?
DP been told he can wfh indefinitely and it's going to improve his lifestyle so much more. For everyone saying he will be outsourced, not a chance. He is very specialised in what he does and earns a very good wage for it.
One good thing to come out of all this at least.

[Turnedouttoes]

Our company is implementing a very flexible wfh policy so essentially as long as you don’t have client meetings, you can wfh.

For me it’ll be a game changer as we’re trying to buy a house and currently live in an expensive part of SE London. If I only need to be in the office a day or two a week I don’t mind being further away from a train station or having a longer commute which means we can afford to move further out and prioritise different things.

In the next few years we’ll likely have children as well which will be much easy to coordinate childcare if I’m at home rather than having to find the time in the day for a long commute.

I work in a role where I have 4-5 virtual meetings a day so I definitely don’t miss social interaction. For me wfh is only a positive thing

[poppycat10]

There’s a lot of research which concludes that employees who aren’t seen in the office aren’t perceived to be as hard workers as those who are and are more likely to be passed over for promotions and picked on when it comes to redundancy time

Being more likely to be picked for redundancy is an issue, but lots of people aren't worried about promotions, they like what they do, earn enough for their lifestyles and don't care about office politics.

If you do care about being promoted and think you need to be in the office to be seen and appreciated, then that's a different issue entirely.

[AlternativePerspective]

I think that we need to be realistic.

While some people do manage to stay productive while working from home, many absolutely do not. It takes a lot of self discipline to work from home and that’s something an awful lot of people just don’t have.

You only have to look at the reduction in service by e.g. banks etc where staff have been working from home to see that it’s not a long-term workable solution for all.

I have a disability and I agree that jobs where people can work from home do present benefits. But equally I think that it’s not for everyone and that employers who require people to come into the office aren’t wrong for doing so.

I also think we need to look at the wider impact on the economy. The coffee shops, cafe’s, sandwich shops etc which rely on the office trade every day for their business will no longer be receiving that business, and that in turn will impact on them and increase the unemployment rate.

I also think that socialisation is an important aspect.

Always being at home with no actual colleagues and only your family is going to take its toll at some point, both on individuals and on relationships.

And what of women who are in abusive relationships? They will be forced to spend even more time being isolated than they already are if they are working from home rather than being able to come into contact with others outside of their relationship.

[EnoughnowIthink]

I'm not sure it is the right option for all business all of the time but certainly it has shown that people can work effectively from home and that does bring that option more into play than it ever has before. It certainly will make it harder for some businesses to say their staff are needed in the office 100% of the time. That can only be a good thing for working parents, I think.

[bluebeck]

We have already been told our employer is giving up the lease on all but one of our regional offices which will be used as a hub for anyone who doesn't want to wfh, meetings, training, photocopying and post etc.

The rest of the time we will be out and about seeing clients or WFH.

I am so bloody happy I could scream!!!

[OnlyTeaForMe]

I think WFH is a terrible option for young people. The office (or other place of work) is a huge source of social interaction and potential relationships for the 20-30 age group. We know so many people who met their partner through work.
My DS has been doing a work placement this year as part of his degree and has been gutted not to have been able to join the other 20+ students in the plush city-centre office!

[Todaytomorrowyesterday]

I don’t see it as a child care savings cost - when they in school I still use breakfast club and afterschool clubs.
I have saved on petrol costs - but with everyone home my shopping & heating bills have gone up slightly.

[TheReluctantPhoenix]

I think that working from home can work very well for some people, especially the middle aged who already have plenty of experience and contacts.

However, it is terrible for younger employees. And, if a substantial amount of potential mentors stay at home, it will be hard for the young to make fast progress.

I think some flexibility in where to work from in terms of home or office is a good thing. Never going in to the office will not be good in the long term.

[unmarkedbythat]

DP been told he can wfh indefinitely and it's going to improve his lifestyle so much more. For everyone saying he will be outsourced, not a chance. He is very specialised in what he does and earns a very good wage for it.
One good thing to come out of all this at least.

Shame the vast majority of people are not getting very good wages for very specialised work that can easily be done from home and that this enhancement to your DH's life is irrelevant to them, really.

[SomeRandomerOnBumsnet]

[quote AnnaSW1]@TheLostDiadem I'm sure they'd love to be your neighbour. You sound lovely [/quote]

[LindaEllen]

@HollowTalk

It can be great if you have the space, but tons of people have been WFH locked in a small bedroom.

And how will anyone make new friends?

I've always WFH, literally never worked outside of my home. I have plenty of friends through my hobby :).

[shinynewapple21]

Nokidshere I've heard that said before about it being more like living at work .

We have found that it is taking longer to do our particular roles whilst WFH. I only work 5 hours per day but normally have an hour each way commute . It was brilliant for me last summer as by starting a little earlier than normal and no commute I was finished by 2 pm to sit and relax in the garden so I felt like I was on holiday . However colleagues who worked full time were having to work evenings and weekends to get their job done so for them it was like living at work .

[ragdoll700]

Im working from home at the moment and I love it, my children are old enough not to need constant care, the youngest is almost 8 and I only have 2. Id be here to leave them to school and Id be finished in time to collect them.

When I was working in the office I had to leave the house at 7.30 drop the girls to MIL who dropped them to school and my mother picked them up, Id be home then at 6 to do dinner and homework, and put them to bed.

We have so much more time together now I start work at 7 now and take a break to get them breakfast, set them up with some school work and break again for lunch. I finish at 3 so have the rest of the day to spend loads of time with them.

Granted it was easier when they were in school but its not so bad now. My mum would have them in the summer again post covid.

Work have said productivity is up from the people working from home and some of our other offices have said people can work from home permanently if they wish. I hope ours follow suit it will be very much a choice though, my DH works in the same place and cannot wait to get back to the office but given the choice would pick a blend of office and home.

[BustopherPonsonbyJones]

The government will also have a view. If they feel the economy needs boosting by people returning to offices in towns, then I am sure they will find their ways. I’m guessing they will raise taxes for those who remain at home in some way (rather than providing tax breaks) or do it the other way and give tax breaks for employers where staff have returned. The economy is shot to pieces and they will need the money earned from travel, parking, business lunches and Costa coffees.

If it continues, I hope the London allowances disappear and people are recruited for jobs from anywhere in the country. The danger is outsourcing to countries with an even cheaper workforce.

[poppycat10]

I also think we need to look at the wider impact on the economy. The coffee shops, cafe’s, sandwich shops etc which rely on the office trade every day for their business will no longer be receiving that business, and that in turn will impact on them and increase the unemployment rate

That's the tail wagging the dog. Yes they may close, but they'll open in other areas - last summer I saw my local pub garden packed at 6pm on a Monday - because people had finished work and could go there, rather than having a drink after work in London. We had this last year when the government told all the "lazy" homeworkers to get back to the office to spend money at Pret.

And what of women who are in abusive relationships? They will be forced to spend even more time being isolated than they already are if they are working from home rather than being able to come into contact with others outside of their relationship

Or having to put up with their abusive husband being home all the time and being able to exert even more control on them. This is an issue I've thought of, but you can't tell everyone they've got to commute five times a week because of this reason.

[emmathedilemma]

To be completely honest I'd rather pay my commuting costs than sit in the corner of the spare room on my own all day every day!!

[Brainwave89]

I agree WFH can be advantageous, but I am a little more cautious/cynical. I think that at some stage very soon home working jobs will be offered to us at cheaper rates as we do not have the costs of commuting. This will be particularly true for jobs currently based in large cities. We all might suffer if firms use home working as a way of cutting wage rates and therefore costs.

[poppycat10]

I hope the London allowances disappear and people are recruited for jobs from anywhere in the country. The danger is outsourcing to countries with an even cheaper workforce

Being able to recruit nationwide is a massive positive of home-working in my view. It may reduce the need for so many houses in the south-east (although to be fair they are building houses everywhere) and it also opens up jobs to people in an area too. It depends on the job, but if you only need to go into a London office once a month you could easily live somewhere like Cardiff. If it's only quarterly you potentially don't need to be in the UK at all. However, none of this is new, I've worked for companies based in London where I had colleagues based in the north of England, Ireland and Australia and one of my current colleagues lives in France.

[Macaronirabbit]

What's the legal basis for that, given that the work at home order is staying in place until (at least) 21 June?

Maybe the poster works in a school?
Or another sector that is allowed to open?
My DH has worked (in a physical workspace) throughout lockdown. He is not a critical or key worker but some sectors have been allowed to open.

[LeaveMyDamnJam]

One point to consider is that pension schemes ( if you are fortunate enough to have one) are heavily invested in corporate property, so if companies pull out of office use, pensions will suffer.

[Vepul]

I have wfh for my past two companies that were both completely wfh no offices.
It has meant I have been able to move back to my home village but still have a career.
I think wwre always going to see a huge mix of flexible working, part time wfh rather then purely working from home and the flexibility of that choice will be good rather then just pushing people who don't want to wfh to wfh.

[GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing]

It’s a game changer but not necessarily a good one all around.

Some positive aspects, but I think it could lead to people being very isolated.

[sonnysunshine]

I will be working from home permanently. Love it!

[CharityDingle]

If you do care about being promoted and think you need to be in the office to be seen and appreciated, then that's a different issue entirely

Exactly.
Plus those doing the selecting of people for promotion, may be wfh anyway.

Ideal balance for me would be, say, two days in the office, and three from home. Cuts out a horrible commute, and still get to attend meetings if necessary, and see and mix with colleagues, when that's allowed, of course.

[mainsfed]

He is very specialised in what he does and earns a very good wage for it.

This just sounds like bragging, OP. Not everyone has this luxury.