To have completely changed my mind about WFH?

[MauvePinkRose]

I know there is a WFH thread but I mean this more generally than the specific things about it that are driving me to drink!

Pre pandemic, I would have said that WFH was a positive thing that employers should absolutely allow, reducing traffic and therefore pollution, allowing more quality time at home.

Now, I’ve changed my mind.

I think it’s having a negative impact on public transport, which in turn will lead to redundancies and reduced public transport, which is bad news for those who can’t drive. It is also having a knock on effect on things like coffee kiosks and sandwich bars.

Then, I’m not convinced that WFH is as productive as people think. I don’t know what’s going on with DVLA for instance but I am still waiting for a driving license I sent off for three months ago and you can’t get through on the phones.

It’s turned family homes into workplaces and thus impacts everyone. I’ve had some really stressful and unpleasant times because of it.

And I do think it’s not very healthy. Dp rarely leaves the house without me, has gained weight and falls ill all the time as I just feel he isn’t gaining any natural immunity.

I’ll probably be flamed by all the WFHers now

@Thesandmanishere

Love the empathy for people with depression etc.

You mean like all the empathy there was for me when I had to work in an office for 10 years because home working wasn't deemed viable?

I completely recognise a lot of people's mental health has suffered as a result of pandemic induced restriction, but you equally have to recognise that there were those of us who were drowning for years because we were forced to work in physical workplaces (plus other things), and if you complained you were told the problem lay with you and you just had to get on with it because, sorry and everything, but that's just how the world is.

But now you're doing exactly that to others. Forcing people to work in a way that doesn't suit them isn't helpful. BTW I initially started freelancing because I had a physical illness which made office attendance hard/impossible, so I do get it. I just think the option of being in the office full time should be there for people who need it.

I agree with you OP. On one hand, I think it's good that many of us are able to work from home if needed. But I have moved to a totally new area, and trying to start a new job remotely has been hell. The sense of isolation has really started to get to me, I've put on weight and feel almost like a shut in at the moment.

I would be happy with a hybrid schedule. I understand the appeal of working from home, but I just really miss seeing people, and having a support system away from the house. I don't think it's been healthy for me to have my home and my workplace as one in the same. I do appreciate a little more separation between the two. It's definitely harder for me to relax at home, knowing all that work is just up the stairs!

I understand WFH has worked beautifully for many, but I definitely understand where you're coming from.

Hybrid working with smaller premises and desks you can book. My husband's organisation was actually moving to this pre-pandemic anyway - getting rid of the large, expensive premises and having smaller spaces with docking stations with screens for laptops, and you just booked if you wanted to use one. He prefers WFH so only ever booked in when he had a meeting, but some of his colleagues are there 3/4 days a week.

My experience is some companies are very into the initial cost saving aspect of WFH but are woefully crap at having systems, processes and the culture to make it happen. Many posters are exclaiming “Just set boundaries and log off at X o’clock “ … when your job requires deadlines to be completed and contributions from others, then “just set boundaries “ is very naive.

There seem to be a few posters here who WFH has been genuinely life changing for and I’m really happy for you. Some empathy for others who it’s not working for and acknowledge that for some it’s actually shit, costs nothing.

I think people will have different preferences depending on their individual circumstances. And employers will have different preferences depending on job role and productivity levels.

I agree that call centre staff should return to the call centre, because evidently the service has been impeded by work from home.

If you have a defined place to work within your home, it isn't really much different to working elsewhere. I have an office and work stops when I leave it (aside from the odd email or teams message I might reply to later on from my phone, if I choose to - there is zero expectation). If you're working in a communal space then obviously it's going to be different both for you and your family. The people I work with are usually based all over the place, so in the office I'm not actually with them either.

I have dogs so we go for a walk every day at lunchtime. We often call into the bakery or coffee shop on the way back home, so I'm spending money locally rather than always at my office.

Commute time is often just dead time so benefits neither the individual or the employer. If you can reduce that without impact to your work then why not?

However, I do like being able to go into the office when I want to (currently a day every week or so), just to stay in the loop a bit and so my boss remembers what I look like! Its better for the team collectively too, as working remotely means you don't tend to have all the little conversations about people's lives etc. Our director has been really hot on arranging team get togethers for those who want them too.

So I think hybrid works best for me. But if others prefer fully WAH and it works for their employer then great for them!

Also our little town has come alive: the coffee shop, butchers, bakers. They are all way busier than pre-pandemic, because people are spending their money locally instead. Personally speaking, I prefer to spend my money where I live, not on the High Street or wherever I commute.

We have both WFH for years, way before Covid, but the key for us is a big house with two offices that function only as offices. It feels a lot less like work is bleeding over into home when you can just shut the door on it. In a smaller house with no discrete spaces or having to use the living areas, it would be a lot less attractive.

Also from a very selfish perspective, my husband works 2pm to 10pm. Me being at home means we actually see each other. We enjoy a walk together before I start work and then often we both go at lunch. We have a brew together in the morning etc too.

I can change the bedding in 10 minutes. In the office I can be sat listening to people prattle on about whatever celebrity show is currently on, or be sat in a meeting that drags on needlessly (whereas on teams they seem to be much more succinct!).

I just think the option of being in the office full time should be there for people who need it.

Please tell me where I disagreed.

Some empathy for others who it’s not working for and acknowledge that for some it’s actually shit, costs nothing.

You must be talking about the empathy that wasn't there when it was completely normal to just be in the office 5 days a week with no acknowledgement that it might be damaging to some people.

@Thesandmanishere

Some empathy for others who it’s not working for and acknowledge that for some it’s actually shit, costs nothing.

You must be talking about the empathy that wasn't there when it was completely normal to just be in the office 5 days a week with no acknowledgement that it might be damaging to some people.

I'm able to recognise that the set up you refer to doesn't work for everyone. And actually it's been quite bad for some people so I'm glad the change for many has been a positive one.

@Thesandmanishere I agree with you. No one cared one tiny bit that I was stuck at home a carer and unable to take a full-time job in an office. No one!

Even on mumsnet I was just told that benefits should ‘see me ok’ (no they don’t) and that it’s not that hard to get a childminder for a disabled child (it’s incredibly hard and for any sort of quality, costs a fortune, and you have to pray they stay as it usually takes weeks just to get used to the child)

It really felt like society had no empathy for people who are disabled or carers. Women like me who wanted to work but couldn’t.

Now at least there are some fairly decent jobs that are WFH. Hooray I say!

I take it you don't work AND have children. I don't know a single parent who does not appreciate being able to be at home, not waste time commuting and all the stress that comes with it.

By all means, anyone who wants to can crack on back to the office but please don't make assumptions for anyone else.

@Babymamaroon

I take it you don't work AND have children. I don't know a single parent who does not appreciate being able to be at home, not waste time commuting and all the stress that comes with it.

By all means, anyone who wants to can crack on back to the office but please don't make assumptions for anyone else.

I didn't realise people were forced to work and have children. When this did come in? I must have missed the memo.

I didn't realise people were forced to work and have children

@Rozziie eh? No one is forced but people who need to work were being forced to commute and head to an office and race around school drop offs and pick ups.

It's great that for many who don't want to do that, now have a choice.

[quote Babymamaroon]@Rozziie eh? No one is forced but people who need to work were being forced to commute and head to an office and race around school drop offs and pick ups.

It's great that for many who don't want to do that, now have a choice.[/quote]
But office work was the default. You surely knew when you chose to have children what you were signing up for?

The problem with 'choice' is it isn't a choice. We are now all being forced to WFH most of the time whether we want to or not. And that isn't what we signed up for.

We are now all being forced to WFH most of the time whether we want to or not. And that isn't what we signed up for

I only signed up for working in an office because there wasn't the option of working from home. Should I just have remained unemployed? . Catch yourself on.

Frankly I think that the pandemic showed an awful lot of people that some things about the old way of life weren't good enough. The status quo has changed. The default is no longer the default. That's happened multiple times through history. Societies adapt and they move on.

In any case I started working from home before I had DC and still preferred it. Plenty of people without DC prefer home working.

@Thesandmanishere

We are now all being forced to WFH most of the time whether we want to or not. And that isn't what we signed up for

I only signed up for working in an office because there wasn't the option of working from home. Should I just have remained unemployed? . Catch yourself on.

Frankly I think that the pandemic showed an awful lot of people that some things about the old way of life weren't good enough. The status quo has changed. The default is no longer the default. That's happened multiple times through history. Societies adapt and they move on.

No, you could have found a way to work from home if you needed to. Like I did. It's not as if nobody had ever heard of remote work or freelancing pre 2020, is it? Perhaps you should catch yourself on.

No, you could have found a way to work from home if you needed to

I did, but it took me ten years to find a job that allowed me to do so. Now I wouldn't touch any employer not open to home working with a ten foot bargepole.

Absolutely vile that you are basically saying people finding office work and children hard work should just not have had kids and have no right to WFH, especially when they've been doing so successfully for 18 months. Ridiculous attitude. You go back to the office if you want to. The rest of us don't have to.

We are now all being forced to WFH most of the time
There are lots of jobs that aren’t wfh. Go and get one of those, and stop trying to control other people’s lives and work.

There are lots of jobs that aren’t wfh. Go and get one of those, and stop trying to control other people’s lives and work.

Quite. Do what you just told everyone else to do.

@Thesandmanishere

No, you could have found a way to work from home if you needed to

I did, but it took me ten years to find a job that allowed me to do so. Now I wouldn't touch any employer not open to home working with a ten foot bargepole.

Absolutely vile that you are basically saying people finding office work and children hard work should just not have had kids and have no right to WFH, especially when they've been doing so successfully for 18 months. Ridiculous attitude. You go back to the office if you want to. The rest of us don't have to.

The point is I can't, can I? Because most companies have closed them, or or you're only allowed to go 2 days a week.

I despise people who use their kids as a justification for things or to get perks. No, I don't have to work AND have kids, because I made the choice not to have kids. Why should you get to have everything just as you want it?

@RosyPoesy

We are now all being forced to WFH most of the time There are lots of jobs that aren’t wfh. Go and get one of those, and stop trying to control other people’s lives and work.

Not in my industry there aren't.

Funny how people managed for years and now all of a sudden nobody can possible do a commute.

Just wait for the mental health implications to set in. You may well find that offices come back much sooner than you had imagined.

I don't have to work AND have kids, because I made the choice not to have kids. Why should you get to have everything just as you want it?

I don't know why you keep wanging on about kids, given that I WFH before I ever had them and would have wanted to even if I've never had them

It isn't just parents who prefer home working, you know.

Go and work at Goldman Sachs, they'd be happy to have you.