Anyone else struggling to feel engaged with work since WFH?

[Blankspace4]

At the start of the pandemic everyone just got on with it and we were so busy. But now I feel in a real slump and I struggle with enthusiasm and engagement and I can tell I’m not the only one. My work show no signs of getting us back to the office. I’m feeling really low. Anyone else?

[quote Blankspace4]@Window1 yes you’re right - I daren’t speak up for fear of being badged as ‘negative’

I have been in to the office twice but they made it very difficult with lots of forms to fill in and both times I was the only one there and the day was still full of bloody Teams meetings.

I really really miss the old days, grabbing a glass of wine with colleagues after work, genuinely getting to know people. It’s lonely now.[/quote]
Yes, absolutely. And the office is now - as it was in the bad old days - just a row of bookable workstations. Not a place that teams can work together.

Out of interest has anyone or anyone that you work with raised this as an issue?

Do you have any tips on overcoming the lack of motivation and productivity?

People are too scared to speak up as they then feel vulnerable if there is a round of redundancies. Admitting you’re not productive or engaged is a brave move. Suppose the colleague survey might flush some of it out but it’s only once a year. And it’s so polarised as there are some very influential voices who love 100% WFH

I think this is happening with us too. There is one strong voice for wfh and I think this might be preventing us from hearing other perspectives.

I am now beginning to wonder if I can take a sort of legalistic perspective on this. We were never really meant to work from home for this long and I would think that, had we really intended this long term scenario, other things should have been put in place in order to make it more effective and healthier/safer. Furthermore it’s becoming clear that the situation is not affecting everyone in the same way and I don’t think that’s really been taken into consideration. It’s putting some people at an unfair disadvantage. This hasn’t really been considered in the planning. There is nothing in our contracts. So I feel it’s possible to make a credible case that wfh can no longer be fairly enforced. I’m wondering how to bring this up.

Various bits and pieces on this website seem useful worksmart.org.uk/work-rights/family-friendly-work/teleworking/i’ve-tried-teleworking-and-it-isnt-me-can-i-go-back

Also I’m sure I’m not alone in that I think personally I’ve spent a lot of effort trying to make wfh work for me, through having a good set up, trying to ensure I get out for a walk and do all the things that prevent a person from going mad, managing my time and finding creative ways to stay productive. However, it’s still not working. I don’t think the onus for this should be on me, the employee, anymore. It’s not right and it’s not what I signed up to.

All these posts had nailed the problems with WFH long term. Yes there are benefits but real problems too and most organisations are not addressing it properly, usually because the pro-WFH voices are being heard more loudly.

I'd observe that people who lobby for full time (or nearly) WFH are often:

• doing so for their own personal agenda not the good of all staff/ the organisation (banging on about how much is being saved in commute time/costs, how nice it is sitting in garden for lunch and how much the dog loves all the company is not helping convince me of WFH argument. Frankly it sounds pretty self serving)
• far better set up for comfortable WFH (big house in nice leafy suburb/country location, spare rooms/study, good salary to pay the extra heating bills)
• older age group (hence above) and seemingly not very caring about those without big house etc...
• people who profess to be introverts but actually are just those who always hated people or being helpful and now are able to avoid colleagues on a more regular basis
• senior staff who can make unpopular decisions from a distance and hide behind email and the odd Teams meeting, rater than face staff to explain or defend it
• Finance directors who are blinded by the chance to save money on office accommodation costs and are oblivious to the social and mental health cost

And as for productivity - well yes some people may well be more so at home but many aren't and working in HR I can tell you the cracks are showing on that argument.

Nothing wrong with a flexible model but I fear we are in danger of throwing the baby out with bathwater and will live to regret it.

Oo yes absolutely agree managers are able to make unpopular decisions from a distance.

I would say that our managers are generally doing a fairly poor job at the minute - as you would expect since they are somewhat out of touch working at a distance - but what is also apparent is that more so than before they are prone to believe they are doing a fabulous job because they are more removed from
the impact of their actions. Beyond frustrating.

For those who have the choice but don't see the point of going to an empty office - can you try to persuade just one or two others on your team? I've been back a few times with just two of us there, but it still brings many of the benefits - a nice chat, some moral support, structure to the day, sharing ideas. Not perfect, but on the plus side the office is not distractingly noisy !

We've been forced to go back into the office three days a week and I hate it. I barely see my two year old those three days and I get nothing done at work. I'm looking for a new job.

It may suit some people to be in offices, but the rest of us would like the choice, thanks!

It sounds as though a couple of days in the office and a few at home is a good balance. Has anyone been able to do this and confirm this resolved the issues being discussed on here?

Yep, I’ve been back in the office 3/4 days a week and it’s been great.

@Blankspace4 could you explain how bad this is for you & look into an alternative coworking space like wework or similar. Perhaps you could see if there are other people who also feel like you in the company and a small group of you could ask if you could go back a few days a week together?? Xo

It may suit some people to be in offices, but the rest of us would like the choice, thanks!

I mean, that’s what this thread is about - people wanting the choice: but they don’t have the choice because wfh has been forced on them. It’s good to see people are finding better suited positions for them, perhaps you should look for something fully remote instead.

I am so glad to have read this thread. I cannot go on working at home five days a week, but in my company the pro-WFH voices are so loud, that those of us who want to go back into the office a couple of days a week are not being heard. It's great to read that other people feel like me!

I have also started looking for a new job - I miss people and am Teams-ed out. I want my house back. Yes, it creates logistical problems but getting out of the house is better for my mental health, so we will make it work (like we used to before). Hybrid is my ideal (50:50)

I agree OP. I changed team within our organisation earlier this year as I thought it was the job I wasn't enjoying, but it turns out it's the wfh and now I'm stuck in a new team with no meaningful connections or bonds.
I have started going in once a week, but stopped now as numbers here so high, and even being in an environment with others was so uplifting even if not working on the same thing.

But at our place once this is over ( Scotland) you're not going to be allowed to go in for work work, only for f2f meetings and collaboration spaces. They've getting rid of all the set desks - unless you need a special arrangement- and put in stools instead. If I work on a stool for more than a few hours I'll need physio for month.

I've been buying a lot more lottery tickets than normal.

Regular team catchup help I think

I'm back in the office 2 days a week - our place has encouraged each team/individual to make a plan that works for them within the bounds of reduced numbers of desks, so one of our team is in every day, one almost never and most if ys do 1-3 days a week in the office.
It is fantastic. I achieve so much more - not just in those office days but my motivation is up again all week on my WfH days as well. I feel more connected to what's going on in the organisation. I get to actually talk to some people face to face other than my husband and 2yr old.

We are going back hybrid, probably emd of November for me as my site are phasing people in from end of October, but bigger teams first

@RobinPenguins

It may suit some people to be in offices, but the rest of us would like the choice, thanks!

I mean, that’s what this thread is about - people wanting the choice: but they don’t have the choice because wfh has been forced on them. It’s good to see people are finding better suited positions for them, perhaps you should look for something fully remote instead.

I said in my OP that I was looking for a new job. Clearly not an office-based one!

(This is the sort of patronising stuff that our management team come out with - I wonder if you work with me )

(This is the sort of patronising stuff that our management team come out with - I wonder if you work with me grin)

Well since I’m currently dealing with a colleague who doesn’t want to return to the office at all because then she’d have to put proper childcare arrangements in place for her 2 year old, perhaps I do.

This most recent debate is case in point - people just wanting what works for them rather than what works for the workforce as a whole and achieves optimum morale and productivity, allowing people to tailor their working patterns to suit them but offering genuine flexibility.

100% WFH is NOT flexible working. It is as regimented and stifling as some people find 5 days a week commuting and office working

100% WFH is NOT flexible working. It is as regimented and stifling as some people find 5 days a week commuting and office working

This ^ - so true!!

Also I'm going to scream if someone tilts their head at me one more time and asks why I haven't investigated a co working space and SURELY I'm putting more money into the local economy now I'm home working?

I have to have a space where either all the people around me are people I work with or I can't be overheard, and if you think I've got time to be doing nice little trips to the high street when we are stretched to the bone because of Covid, you can think again.

I want people to have choice within boundaries that work for the business. Forcing people to do 100% WFH is not that.

In our fairly large department all who wanted to go back to the office (a minority) did a while ago and had the choice. The rest of us now forced to join them which isn't going down well, but as employees you're in thrall to the employer.

@RobinPenguins

(This is the sort of patronising stuff that our management team come out with - I wonder if you work with me grin)

Well since I’m currently dealing with a colleague who doesn’t want to return to the office at all because then she’d have to put proper childcare arrangements in place for her 2 year old, perhaps I do.

For some people, when you add the commute onto the working day that is the difference of core childcare and extended hours.

E.g at the moment we are able to pop DS in from 8:45-4:45 rather than 7-6:30 this is a massive massive difference!