To ask if you would want to wfh full time?

[LadyCatLover2]

The thought of going back to work 5 days a week seems excruciating, but I'm unsure I would want to wfh five days a week either.

I recently had a job opportunity, but turned it down as it was 100% remote and I thought that would be bad for my mental health. I don't have many friends so work is my main interaction. But maybe I'm mad - wfh has benefits like no commute, privacy, more time in the evening etc.

Would you want to wfh full time, permanently?

I've wfh for nearly 3 years full time. I love it and hate it in equal measures. It's great because if the kids are ill it takes me 10 mins to get to them and not hours. I do tend to spend my much needed lunch breaks doing housework though which is not great.
I used to have a 3 hour commute and I certainly don't miss that.
I will now talk to random people in shops as I don't get much human interaction haha.

I want to carry on wfh. Thankfully at the min there is no plan to go back to office working so fingers crossed I keep my wish!

As a non driver that would be a disaster for me!

No doubt! we would like to move out of London but the fares are already expensive so are waiting to see what happens when the dust settles.

I hope trains are nationalised. I think the enforced WFH has bought home to a lot of commuters just how extortionate fares are.

They are so expensive & often a shoddy service but I can't see them getting cheaper. I just think they will reduce services. If they used to run 4 trains a hour but capacity is now 50% they will cut to 2 or 1, no escaping the crush!

If it was a choice between wfh full time or going back full time, wfh would win by a thousand miles. But ideally I’d like 3 days at home, 2 in the office or something.

I love working from home and can do it 100% if I want to. However, I like my colleagues and only gave a 15m commute so I'll probably do 50/50 when we return, although that probably won't be till late in the year.

I would hate it, I love working in a busy environment with a great team of professional people. Thankfully, wfh wouldn't be an option in my career so I'll never have to worry about it.

Personally, no. In fact if my firm went fully WFH (which they won’t) I’d probably look for a job elsewhere. I’m looking to do 1-2 days a week from home, 3-4 from the office once everything is back up and running.

Three reasons:

1. Some aspects of my job are practically speaking more difficult to do from home.

1. I miss ad hoc collaborative working with colleagues, that can’t be replicated electronically.

1. From a career perspective, in a firm where some are at home most of the time and some are in the office, I think those who are visible will gain an advantage.

I'd happily WFH forever - in fact, once my current business no longer needs me, I'm aiming to go freelance so I never have to work in an office again.

From a career perspective, in a firm where some are at home most of the time and some are in the office, I think those who are visible will gain an advantage.

Yes, this is pretty obvious, but not being taken on board fully right now.

As most offices move to a blended model, it will be advantageous to have as much office time as possible.

I somewhat agree with the visibility, makes it a lot easier to get recognition.

@Asthenia

If it was a choice between wfh full time or going back full time, wfh would win by a thousand miles. But ideally I’d like 3 days at home, 2 in the office or something.

Yes if I had to choose one or the other then wfh hands down. It’s worked well for me. But a mix with the majority wfh and a minority of time in the office will be ok.

It’s interesting that the things people say they miss (chatting to colleagues, being sociable) are the non-working things that don’t really benefit employers directly (I realise happier staff often means more efficiency but most employers don’t seem to care about this).

DH and I have both been working from home for years - I could never go back to a 9-5 office job, would drive me absolutely insane.

I like wfh but occasionally miss social interaction and I feel more remote from the business (mentally not physically - I hear less of what is going on elsewhere). For me, the perfect option is wfh unless you need to come to the office then it's hot desk plus maybe a quarterly team meeting in person. Best of both worlds for me. Less easy for property to figure out what space/ amenities are needed though.

It’s interesting that the things people say they miss (chatting to colleagues, being sociable) are the non-working things that don’t really benefit employers directly (I realise happier staff often means more efficiency but most employers don’t seem to care about this).

I disagree that employers don't care. A lot of places DH & I have worked out very much encourage socialising via wellness days, bars, pizza Fridays etc.

The problem will be is that the people who are making the decisions around this for organisations are those where wfh probably works well - established in career, likely reasonably well off if they are in management so potentially have space to wfh, potentially older so have a family.

I hope they remember what it was like when starting out their career as we have a whole generation who are starting their working life in a very different way and not having the same experience/opportunities

No. I miss the office and am quite happy to do a mix of home working and office working but wouldn't want 100% from home. I also think it's unfair on new starters and graduates if everyone works from home full time as they will miss out on networking, gaining knowledge and office socialising.

And yes, agree with @Womencanlift, working from home doesn't suit everyone and not everyone has space at home. Lots of younger people house share. Managers should make sure the office situation is fair for the team and works for everyone.

Went homebased back in 2019 so only thing that changed for me workwise during covid was a couple of nights away a month with work.

We’ve got a fab communication/team dynamic so I don’t feel I’m missing out on much in the office, but it would be nice to see folks every couple of months.

Its really nice to not lose time doing a commute every day and being able to fit in errands/chores in my breaks to free up the weekend.

Also it’s interesting on these threads where this topic comes up (not necessarily this one) where people say they want to wfh as it will save on childcare or wrap around costs

Over the last year employers have been flexible around the fact that kids are in the background of meetings and that people get interrupted. As life returns to ‘normal’ it will become less acceptable for little Tom or Jane to suddenly appear on a Teams call asking for a biscuit

Yes, and I am. I find being near most people highly disagreeable so I love it.

This. I love being away from office politics.
I love not feeling ‘watched’ all the time.
I love not commuting.
I love not wasting money on a separate work wardrobe.
I love not spending time organising above work wardrobe.
I live wearing my slippers working,
I love not having to straighten my hair and not wearing make up every day.
I love being able to walk the dogs at lunch.
I love being able to do house tasks while listening to mundane meetings.
I love not making small talk.
I love not having to listen to talk about other people’s lives.
But... I am self motivated and get more done working from home.

Yes, I don't miss anything about the office. The commute, the Pret sandwiches, the constant exhaustion, the open plan noise and interruptions. Nah.

It’s interesting that the things people say they miss (chatting to colleagues, being sociable) are the non-working things that don’t really benefit employers directly

I think there are plenty of advantages to working in the office that benefit employers. They may not be the same things that the employees value. They may not even be tangible to them.

I think everyone is different.

I feel like my work life balance has been destroyed by WFH. I'm always on now and never get a minute to myself

I would kill to wfh full time but I'm really not a people person. It was heaven not having to listen to my colleagues' pointless wittering for several months. I'm back in the office now and finding it really hard to adjust.