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

I'd check on that driving licence, DH sent his off and it was back in under a week.

But who is paying for the extra bedroom? Certainly not the employer. So you either work from a tiny cramped space or you find somewhere with an extra bedroom, at your own expense, effectively taking a massive paycut so you have somewhere comfortable to work.

I don't have an extra bedroom but do work comfortably from the corner of my own bedroom.

However, if it doesn't suit you to wfh you can work from the office. Of you company has decided to enforce wfh, you can look for work elsewhere.

Isn't that what people say if posters want to remain at home? Find another job, if this one doesn't suit anymore?

No one is forcing anyone else to buy a bigger house. And again, just because it doesn't suit some people doesn't mean no-one should be able to do it

Utter bollocks. The problem with the DVLA is that those poor sods were forced into the office when it was unsafe so a huge number of them got COVID! The amount of people who were made ill is why their ability to carry out the work has collapsed.

The DVLA should have taken serious action to make the workplace safe or sort out viable WFH, they did not and that is why their productivity has collapsed.

As for going on public transport and going to coffee kiosks to create jobs, you must be demented. Next thing you’ll be telling us to take transatlantic flights to keep the poor pilots in work. FFS.

I don’t want to spend money on public transport when I can do my job 100% from home. It’s better for fuel emissions for a start and that is really important to me. Far less cars on the road is a positive thing.

@Bootikin

Utter bollocks. The problem with the DVLA is that those poor sods were forced into the office when it was unsafe so a huge number of them got COVID! The amount of people who were made ill is why their ability to carry out the work has collapsed.

The DVLA should have taken serious action to make the workplace safe or sort out viable WFH, they did not and that is why their productivity has collapsed.

As for going on public transport and going to coffee kiosks to create jobs, you must be demented. Next thing you’ll be telling us to take transatlantic flights to keep the poor pilots in work. FFS.

TBH the last idea isn't that ridiculous. Do you want to go back to flights costing thousands, even in economy? I certainly don't. I'm aware it's bad for the planet etc. but some of us have friends and family overseas, and if people don't start using the airlines again, they won't be there when this is 'over'.

TBH the last idea isn't that ridiculous. Do you want to go back to flights costing thousands, even in economy? I certainly don't. I'm aware it's bad for the planet etc. but some of us have friends and family overseas, and if people don't start using the airlines again, they won't be there when this is 'over'.

So you want the rest of us, to take flights we don't want because you live away from family and want cheaper flights?

Well, I lost weight because I have time for excercise instead of sitting on a train for an hour doing nothing.
Transport in London pre covid was really not coping well with the number of people using it and it is really expensive at 10£ a day. Have you been on the tube standing for half an hour under someones armit in 40degree heat?
Trains cancelled at least once a week, queueing ouside stations just to get in and so on. It was just too busy, so as most businesses are going for hybrid model (in my industry at least) commute will actually be more pleasant and I am sure the prices will keep going up anyway.
And starbucks will survive, what is good to see small independent cafes locally doing pretty well.

@PosiePerkinPootleFlump

It's shit for young people who have no middle management to learn from properly because they are all sitting at home. And really selfish on the part of people who learned loads from interacting with colleagues when they were more junior, but now can't be arsed to go in to help develop more junior staff.

100%

I'm just fed up of dealing with people at home. If I want to engage with a professional service / accountant / lawyer etc I don't want to speak to someone dressed in civvies on zoom . I want a serious face to face discussion that's not being recorded

@Rhinothunder

I'm just fed up of dealing with people at home. If I want to engage with a professional service / accountant / lawyer etc I don't want to speak to someone dressed in civvies on zoom . I want a serious face to face discussion that's not being recorded

Then pick new accountant or lawyer?

I have had face to face meeting with accountant this year, in their head office.

If you don't like the way their work, move your custom.

Rhino what is it that you do that you can’t cope with a lawyer in a hoodie?

It seems like those who object to being micro-managed don't want to return to the office.
It's obvious why, let's not be stupid.

However, working from home doesn't give employees carte Blanche to take an hour out to go for a run/pick the kids up and not pay for after school care (so that they can half an eye on their actual job) .

WFH is an enormous privilege which many folk are actually abusing which is why many companies are starting to demand working from an office.

So many people are complaining about customer service now. It's no surprise.

I would absolutely hate to WFH every day. Due to the nature of my job, I have worked at my workplace throughout the pandemic and I'm happy with that, although I probably would quite enjoy WFH one day a week and be able to multi task and get a few loads of washing on, groceries delivered etc.

DH had periods WFH throughout the pandemic, but thankfully he's back in the office again now full time. Our house just was not big enough to accommodate someone WFH when others were also in the house as it's a small house and we only have one open plan room downstairs plus a galley kitchen, so I hated it on my days off work when I was at home. I don't think people realise that lots of people don't have the luxury of having an office or a spare room that they can convert into an office, and that they have partners or kids who also need to share the same space every day.

If I want to engage with a professional service / accountant / lawyer etc I don't want to speak to someone dressed in civvies on zoom

Dear God imagine giving a shit what someone wears 🤣

I am a lawyer in an international practice. If we insisted on in person meetings instead of conference calls no deals would complete. I am absolutely baffled that any one seriously trying to achieve things doesn’t think Zoom/Teams meetings are a mega bonus.

So many people are complaining about customer service now. It's no surprise.

You do know that not all of us who WFH work in customer service, don't you.

I haven't got a problem with any of my team members picking their kids up from school and doing dinner etc, then logging back on later to make up their hours if they want to. They're grown ups. I treat them like grown ups. As long as the work is done well I really couldn't give a shit.

I think choice is the best way for some wfh is great , for others the office is preferred and for others a mix
I would love office job with ability to wfh as if ill with a cold or isolating for covid etc i could still work and not loose money or be frowned upon for taking time off

@DroopyClematis

It seems like those who object to being micro-managed don't want to return to the office. It's obvious why, let's not be stupid.

However, working from home doesn't give employees carte Blanche to take an hour out to go for a run/pick the kids up and not pay for after school care (so that they can half an eye on their actual job) .

WFH is an enormous privilege which many folk are actually abusing which is why many companies are starting to demand working from an office.

So many people are complaining about customer service now. It's no surprise.

Why would anyone want to be micromanaged?

@Thesandmanishere

So many people are complaining about customer service now. It's no surprise.

You do know that not all of us who WFH work in customer service, don't you.

I haven't got a problem with any of my team members picking their kids up from school and doing dinner etc, then logging back on later to make up their hours if they want to. They're grown ups. I treat them like grown ups. As long as the work is done well I really couldn't give a shit.

Exactly. And in fact, because our service has gone remote, we have more access to the anxiety sufferers that people care about only when it suits them.

I must admit i don't think its right people are wfh with young kids in background now , fine in the midst of it all when childcare wasn't available, but as a customer I don't want someone half dealing with me and also dealing with their child which I had the other day, wasn't a brief interruption either

If I was an employer I wouldn't want someone looking after a young child and working at the same time, fine if a job that can be done around the childs schedule but not in tandem as either work or child will suffer

@Hekatestorch

TBH the last idea isn't that ridiculous. Do you want to go back to flights costing thousands, even in economy? I certainly don't. I'm aware it's bad for the planet etc. but some of us have friends and family overseas, and if people don't start using the airlines again, they won't be there when this is 'over'.

So you want the rest of us, to take flights we don't want because you live away from family and want cheaper flights?

No, dear, I'm making the point that a lot of people are going to be very upset that they can no longer go on holiday abroad or see loved ones abroad once the dust settles. The routes won't be there. The affordable. flights won't be there.

@kingat

Well, I lost weight because I have time for excercise instead of sitting on a train for an hour doing nothing. Transport in London pre covid was really not coping well with the number of people using it and it is really expensive at 10£ a day. Have you been on the tube standing for half an hour under someones armit in 40degree heat? Trains cancelled at least once a week, queueing ouside stations just to get in and so on. It was just too busy, so as most businesses are going for hybrid model (in my industry at least) commute will actually be more pleasant and I am sure the prices will keep going up anyway. And starbucks will survive, what is good to see small independent cafes locally doing pretty well.

Why couldn't you incorporate the exercise into your commute? That's what I used to do. I despite having to make special plans to go and exercise rather than just having a commute to do and somewhere to actually get to.

@worriedatthemoment

I must admit i don't think its right people are wfh with young kids in background now , fine in the midst of it all when childcare wasn't available, but as a customer I don't want someone half dealing with me and also dealing with their child which I had the other day, wasn't a brief interruption either If I was an employer I wouldn't want someone looking after a young child and working at the same time, fine if a job that can be done around the childs schedule but not in tandem as either work or child will suffer

Yes, and that's what's happening. It's gone from an essential emergency situation where people were just trying to cope to something that's now the 'new normal'. I'm also sick to death of phoning people to sort important things out like council tax or a medical appointment and hearing them try to feed their toddler or answer children's questions. It's totally inappropriate.

It’s really a difficult one— I can see it works if you have a young family, no marital issues etc— but for my son who had 18 months with up to 25 laptops in his room at one point for an IT services company in London in a shared house it really, really didn’t work — he is back at the office with a different company who offer flexibility and is so much happier. Tends now to have 1 day at home. Also if people’s relationships aren’t 100% , last thing you want is compulsory 24/7 with your partner. I have also found customer services at some companies have completely gone to crap— May or may not be related to those on here posting they can keep their laundry up to date or pay less childcare etc— sorry if it sounds blunt but I am being honest and I really have been there— back in 1999 I had a job that was 3 days in office, 2 at home with a young baby and to be frank when at home I certainly wasn’t 100% as productive because there was always stuff that needed doing at home— if you can be 100% disciplined at home then good on you- but I wasn’t if I’m honest

We should of learned over the last 18 months what works for ourselves as individuals. I used to sit at my desk at hone and not go anywhere. Now I walk on certain calls and have time away from my desk.

I've save hours commuting that I spend with my DS and I exercise daily! I wouldn't have the time so much working in the office

But others are different so each to their own