WFH, suddenly taken away, are we really just going back to the old way?

[80caloriesofbiscuitplease]

Today my (public sector) employer announced we were all expected to be back in the office, full time from a months time, with home working only to be used in emergencies.
I know that response to WFH has been mixed from other professionals and some employees have frankly been less productive from home. I would have been happy with one day per week from home as a compromise.
My argument is that there should be a consultation period where we could put forward our rationale for being able to maintain an aspect of home working. Also are we really going to go back to the old way, packed buses, packed trains, traffic, pollution, all for presentism?
I feel that we've seen another way, with happier employees, healthier employees and an improvement in the environment. I work in a grey concrete wasteland where I regularly sit at my desk all day without a break. At home I can open my doors, hear the birds, stroke my cat. My mental health has improved so much and that makes me a better employee. Today two of us were in the office and four were working from home. They really want to go back to six of us coming to work all day, every day to answer emails and input data which we could do from home?
I know I could look for another role but I like my job and I'm quite good at it. I don't want a role which is completely home based, but I feel saddened by the whole world going back to the way we lived before.
And yes I know some have worked out the house the whole way through. It's not a 'my life is harder' competition.

I agree wholeheartedly . Getting everyone working in the cities, paying for their travel, pay for renting buildings , keep big businesses rolling at a cost to our lives. We need a work / life balance . Wfh does not suit all but there should be flexibility for those that it suits. But it’s too much against big business , unfortunately it’s not going to happen .

I hear you OP. Tbh I am dreading this happening too. A lot of the time I was in an office room alone with a view of the carpark. Not only do I feel happier wfh but I am more productive at home, not least because my home broadband is faster! I've also really valued the hour I save travelling each day and it's meant I've been able to do school drop offs and gained that extra bit of time for housework so I feel more on top of it!

I agree. Plenty of employers have woken up to the fact that more flexible working results in happier, more productive staff. If your employer isn't one of them then you should look around.

The days of micro managing and clock watching are over - the pandemic has proved the workforce can operate virtually or in a hybrid model, with the right investment in technology and strong leadership.

Ultimately, the companies that prioritise this kind of working - along with staff wellbeing - will attract the best talent and see the results on their bottom line. And of course, they will also invite a greater diversity of employees, which again, is the right thing to do and good for business.

The companies that haven't been able to adapt to the new normal are doomed to failure - and you don't want to be left working for one of those.

Why not approach HR in the first instance and ask for a consultation? Find out how your colleagues are thinking and if they're willing to back you up. And good luck!

Today's customer and client WFH experience.

Called a company this morning with a very simply query. I was following up from last week, having not received the call back I was promised (last week).

Person who answers phone didn't know the answer.

I was put on hold for 45 minutes whilst they called a colleague. Or tried to. They couldn't get hold of them.

They couldn't put me through to the voicemail or anybody else for some reason either.

I was put on hold for another 20 minutes whilst they tried to find the information.

Eventually they told me they would have to pass the message on and the manager would call me back in 20 minutes.

7 hours later nobody has called. It was an urgent issue that needed dealing with today. I've gone elsewhere now and they've lost a client.

Since widespread WFH this sort of experience has become commonplace.

I'm so sick of substandard service due to Covid. I'm still paying through the nose for my commute, it takes hours out of my week and there is no regard for my health; yet if I want to go to the bank I can't (Covid), see a GP it's a no (Covid), phone a council department no again (Covid) and the latter can't even be arsed to respond via email.

I really want decent service to resume now, and by and large I think that means getting back to the office.

@Figmentofmyimagination

The only reason why public servants are being forced back to their desks now is political - to ‘lead the way’. Who cares that thousands of civil servants have wfh effectively for many years pre covid. It’s ‘not fair’, so suck it up, basically.

These civil servants then will be able to continue working from home then, if they had done for years beforehand. A) likely written in to their contract And if not B) then there would be grounds for employees having worked from home for years before the pandemic but then that being abruptly terminated for the employee to go to HR with a very strong case as to why they are being treated unfairly

So a poor example

Completely agree with you, makes no sense in terms of people's quality of life to have everyone in an office, they all have to travel wasting time stuck in rush hour. The impact on the environment and the climate emergency isn't being considered, it's just economics. I recommend gathering opinions and present your boss with persuasive arguments for flexibility and the option to home work 3 days a week.

@SaltyAF

I'm so sick of substandard service due to Covid. I'm still paying through the nose for my commute, it takes hours out of my week and there is no regard for my health; yet if I want to go to the bank I can't (Covid), see a GP it's a no (Covid), phone a council department no again (Covid) and the latter can't even be arsed to respond via email.

I really want decent service to resume now, and by and large I think that means getting back to the office.

Where in earth do you live that your banks are not open?!

My bank is open 10-3 on weekdays and not at all at the weekend, because of Covid. That's fuck all use to me.

Once employees realise you can work from home perfectly well 100 miles away, they will realise some guy can work perfectly well from India 5,000 miles away for about a fifth of what they are paying you. The upshot of “working from home” will be the same thing happening to the middle class that happened to the working class with globalisation in the 90s. Welcome to the race to the bottom.

@nannykatherine

Oh dear You actually have to leave your house and go to work .. Commute Not stay home chilling Reality check !! Some of us worked the whole damn Time not staying home !!!

As did I! WFH does not equate to "chilling"! I've worked no differently, just a different work place

Ultimately, the companies that prioritise this kind of working - along with staff wellbeing - will attract the best talent and see the results on their bottom line. And of course, they will also invite a greater diversity of employees, which again, is the right thing to do and good for business.

Greater diversity of employees. Yes definitely if work from office. Otherwise the company would be limiting themselves to only the privileged minority of people who can afford a suitable work from home environment.

Agree too about staff wellbeing. It needs to be for all employees. Not just the affluent settled in life group. It has to also extend to to the large numbers of staff who can't afford a spacious comfortable home, and who have been stuck WFH in cramped overcrowded houses and flats, childhood bedrooms, or shitty HMOs.

Sorry, I mean employers.

I'm public sector and so is DH. I am local government and he is NHS. Neither of us got to work at home at all through the whole pandemic. I'd count your blessings that you have had a nice time away from the office. It was always going to come to an end.

Put this to your employer, see if they will compromise

@SaltyAF

My bank is open 10-3 on weekdays and not at all at the weekend, because of Covid. That's fuck all use to me.

You need to change banks

In fact, name and shame

We'll see a stark increase in inequality with WFH.

So somebody comes from a deprived background or has escaped domestic abuse or experienced ill health or had caring responsibilities limiting their ability to earn. They're ready to apply for/return to work. Talented, skilled, lots to offer employers. Yet they can't apply for the job. Why? Because they can't afford a suitable WFH environment.

They can't try to move to a better home unless and until they're in the job. And even then, many entry and even intermediate level jobs won't pay enough to immediately fund a move. Plus family commitments etc.

It's Lloyd's and I was wrong, it's 9-3. Still useless to me. Barclays is worse 10-2.

I completely agree with you. Sad that everything goes back without consultation. I will miss it terribly

The impact on the environment and the climate emergency isn't being considered, it's just economics.

Public transport can't afford to run without the office based industry. So goodbye trains and buses (and definitely forget new routes).

Separate from the environment. Goodbye what's left of public services - nurseries, libraries, parks, disability help, mental health support, social services, street lighting etc.

Mass redundancies for millions of often low income workers too. So many livelihoods rely on the office industry.

The office based industries contribute hundreds of billions to the national economy. We can't afford to lose that income.

@Tealightsandd

Today's customer and client WFH experience.

Called a company this morning with a very simply query. I was following up from last week, having not received the call back I was promised (last week).

Person who answers phone didn't know the answer.

I was put on hold for 45 minutes whilst they called a colleague. Or tried to. They couldn't get hold of them.

They couldn't put me through to the voicemail or anybody else for some reason either.

I was put on hold for another 20 minutes whilst they tried to find the information.

Eventually they told me they would have to pass the message on and the manager would call me back in 20 minutes.

7 hours later nobody has called. It was an urgent issue that needed dealing with today. I've gone elsewhere now and they've lost a client.

Since widespread WFH this sort of experience has become commonplace.

Of course those sorts of things never happened to customers before the pandemic

Shame on those people who slacked off and took the piss while pretending to work from home. They ruined it long term for those of us who did work hard while working at home (harder in many cases since we had no commuting time). Such a pity so many of us have to go back now, endure hideously crowded public transport and see less of our children

It's like some people are being deliberately dense.
I also worked out of the house for the whole of the pandemic, on actual ward in a hospital where we had multiple COVID cases. It does not make me special, or have the nerve to tell people to get back to the office.

Infant it was much easier when my kids were in school with their key worker bubble and I had access to Covid tests and LFT's whenever I wanted them. Not to mention the free Krispy Kremes!
Still very little response from the 'get back to the office' brigade about what they actually do for work and why it makes them so sure that the WFH'ers do fuck all.
My mum is council, bestie is bank and both worked full time throughout the pandemic in customer facing roles. I don't recognise this work shy U.K. that others are describing. Everyone I know has never worked harder or persevered to overcome so many obstacles. This is our blitz and to be honest I think the U.K. has done brilliantly. Not you, Boris, but the rest of us.

A hybrid would be ideal 1.5 days wfh and the rest in the office, but quite frankly as a consumer - I am sick of hearing on calls - I am working form home so can not access that data right now, sick of hearing the dogs bark, doorbells ring and kids scream and accepting half arsed apologies for the crap service I am paying for.

That just leads to me having to waste more of my time phoning again - getting new person same issue and if I am lucky 4 phone calls later it might get resolved.

If you sat at your desk all day and did not take a break, then more fool you. You now realise you can get up walk around and still get work done so why not at an office aswell.

Hybrid working but am sick of poor service and excuses - cant travel, risks etc but come a bank holiday the tube is packed and everyone is out and about.

Sorry sore point and am done listening to people moan that their employer expects them to actually work

Have seen two social care roles advertised where the criteria includes you have to live in a certain (affluent) town. Because they want you to work from home but also do home visits to clients. They were roles I would have liked to apply to but couldn't because I live in a different (nearby town).