To be frustrated by my workplace

[ladybugsrock]

Been working from home since March 2020, originally it was, like many others, a 2 weeks thing which obviously turned into much longer. In September 2020 we were told we would go back in April 2021 for 1 set day a week and details would be released in October.
Come January 2021 nothing had been said - obviously we went back into lockdown and were then told on the 1 April that we wouldn't be going back and they were reevaluating how it would work.
Late April a survey comes round about ways of working and there was a choice of 1 day a week in the office or permanent remote working. The results were released with a massive majority asking for permanent remote (think hundreds compared to 25 people wanting to go in for one day). We were told the results of this would be used to determine the way forward.
We have chased a number of times of what the plans were in order to factor in childcare and various other concerns we had. This week we have been told we will go back in 1-3 days a week from September. This is non negotiable and no covid secure factors will be put into place (think banks of face to face desks in a large centre). They want everyone back on a rota system (days will be different every week and released the week before), they are asking people not to wear masks, there will be no distancing, screens, reduced numbers etc as they want to see how it goes.
They have stated 'they still don't have the details on what the plan is yet'. Obviously there has been a lot of push back. For reference the stats for the centre have increased massively and customer engagement is up! There is no logical reason that we would have to go back. This afternoon we were told if we didn't like it to look for other jobs.
AIBU to feel that this is a bit shit of them. They've backtracked on what they said, they are being irresponsible and they are not allowing people any insight into days, times etc and then to go from one fixed day to a rota no one will know until the Friday afternoon before is a right pain.

I wouldn't panic, it's weeks and weeks away from now, and the guidance may change (as it has done over the last 1.5yrs).

They don't know any more about what's happening than the rest of us - not sure what your AIBU is. They can't see into the future?

I share your frustration but ultimately they are your employer, they get to set the terms (unless you are in a union, in which case the employer "negotiates" the terms)

If you want to pick your own hours and location go self employed.

They are the employers; it’s up to them where you work and if they want you back in the office 1-3 days then you go back 1-3 days.

The survey they did wasn’t final - it was to gauge interest. They’ve decided not to go down that path and that’s their choice.

They’re right - if you don’t like it, you can look for another job.

YANBU OP but you’ll get the “lucky to have a job, shape up or ship out” boot-licking crowd along any second to tell you you’re a special snowflake and don’t you know some people are happy to work 24-hour days for negative salary while having Covid actively pumped in their faces, and how dare you want a little bit of information from your employer.

It has been, and still is, an evolving situation. Surely childcare is something which should be arranged regardless of where you are working. Everyone choosing to wfh was never going to be sustainable long term.

The bit that sounds annoying is not knowing what days need to be worked where until the week before. However maybe you need to think about it differently. You used to be fully office based, so maybe consider yourself fully office based but will be told what days you can work at home, rather than considering yourself to be home based and finding out what days to come in.

If this plan has been put in writing, then look at the options for reporting them to the HSE or the local council. Try to gauge support from others you work with.

That does not mean there should not be a plan to be in the office on one or more days a week, only that it should minimise the possibility of Covid transmission. Such as limited numbers in lifts, space between desks, screens and face coverings when moving about.

Reasonable to have some time in the office, but what is described is not a safe plan in my non-medical opinion.

YANBU, and it shitty to pretend they’ll listen to the survey when they clearly won’t.
Obviously it’s their prerogative, but don’t say you’ll listen to the survey if that’s not the case.

And it is annoying to be put onto a system where you won’t know when you’re working until the week before - I’m sure lots of jobs are like that, but the point is that this one wasn’t, and I’d be annoyed to be moved onto something like that.

Don’t see the problem. Working from home was never going to be a permanent thing for most people as there’s so many benefits of going into the office. They’re being good allowing a hybrid system with 1-3 days in the office, they don’t even have to allow that if they don’t want to. You should have childcare arranged whether you’re working in the office or from home so that is fine a factor in this. They’re correct, if you don’t like it get another job.

It does amaze me the "I need childcare for my office days" Erm unless they are year 5 or 6 then you need childcare for your working hours!!!

@LIZS

It has been, and still is, an evolving situation. Surely childcare is something which should be arranged regardless of where you are working. Everyone choosing to wfh was never going to be sustainable long term.

Depends on the age of the children, the length of the commute etc. A 10 year old may be able to sit in the house for an hour or so after school while you work upstairs, but you wouldn’t want them home alone.

And even for children in childcare, if your commute is an hour, and you live 2 mins from the nursery, you need two extra hours of childcare a day if you’re in the office.

All fair enough to expect parents to arrange childcare, but it’s understandable that staff want to know in advance.

It sounds disorganised and very annoying to have such short notice of whatever you're actually going to be doing. YANBU.

And even for children in childcare, if your commute is an hour, and you live 2 mins from the nursery, you need two extra hours of childcare a day if you’re in the office.
Yes, this. I’d need to book the early drop-off – which is cheaper if booked further in advance than just trying to bag a place the week before. It would cost a fortune to pay for different sessions each week at the last minute, but equally frustrating to block book it and be paying for days I didn’t need it. Especially if that’s not the work pattern I originally signed up to.

My biggest push back would be on the mixed days. The rest I could live with, have been teaching throughout and going back in September with no mitigation.

However the release of the days the week before isn't useful to anyone. Who generates the rota and why? Surely fixed days is much easier to facilitate for them and you. I'd kick up a big stink about that and say I want fixed or all days in the office. They can't change your T&Cs just like that.

Try being like most keyworkers who have had face to face close contact with minimal PPE throughout the whole pandemic.

We have to get back to some form of normal soon. YABU

@Russell19

Try being like most keyworkers who have had face to face close contact with minimal PPE throughout the whole pandemic.

We have to get back to some form of normal soon. YABU

And if any of those key workers went from taking a job knowing which days they were working, and it moved to a job where they only found out on the Friday before, I would think they were being equally reasonable to be annoyed by it.

Are you in a union? If not, perhaps you and your colleagues should consider it.

You can ask to see their risk assessments.

I also think it is unreasonable to put the rota out on the Friday before - as you say, it creates childcare issues.

Lots of questions.
Childcare - we need to know locations and days. DH works in the opposite direction to me and there is either the childminder near home which is more affordable but only does 9-4 or the nursery near work which is twice the price and pay extra for early drop off and late pick up. Obviously don't want to be travelling to nursery if I'm at home and pay the extra if not needed!

I am upset by the no covid measures and see how it goes approach. Please note that management aren't taking part in this experiment!

I am also annoyed that they said that the feedback would lead the way which it certainly hasn't!

I definitely think you need to push back on fixed days in the office or there is a minimum of a 6 week rota published a month in advance or similar.

Fixed location on fixed days is a completely different contract to their proposal. Sounds like they may have to offer redundancy - speak to ACAS?

It sounds like their proposal could be sex discrimination.

Since women, generally, have more responsibility for childcare and the proposal will likely hit people with childcare responsibilities harder it may disproportionately disadvantage women. If you have a union or other access to legal advice, or a strong HR team who are actually proactive about such things,, could you try following that route?

You're going to have to get over the no covid measures. Restrictions are easing everywhere from Monday.

Pick the battle you really want to win. In this case it would be fixed site and fixed days. The rest you can deal with later. Fixed days means you can sort things out for September. The childminder may not have space if you leave it much longer.

Dh has just had training on this. His company are taking the stance that Hybrid working means a certain number of days in the office but these are not fixed more than a week or two in advance nor regularly the same pattern. If an employee wants to attend on specific days longer term that would be a separate Flexible Working request. They can also be required to attend the office at 24 hours notice for business reasons. The aim is clearly that any caring arrangements should be organised around full office attendance.

@LIZS

Dh has just had training on this. His company are taking the stance that Hybrid working means a certain number of days in the office but these are not fixed more than a week or two in advance nor regularly the same pattern. If an employee wants to attend on specific days longer term that would be a separate Flexible Working request. They can also be required to attend the office at 24 hours notice for business reasons. The aim is clearly that any caring arrangements should be organised around full office attendance.

We have care arrangements but they will differ depending on location. I get the job straight off the back of mat leave which meant that due to the pandemic I was only in for 2 weeks before we shut (in which time my mum was having DS). When we started remote working we were told that it was very unlikely that we would ever return to the office hence finding childcare near home. Then when we were told it would be 1 fixed day a week we organised it that DH could work from home that day to pick up. Unfortunately without prior warning it doesn't work!