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

We can but hope (for miracles).

🤞🏼

DVLA backlog isn't due to people WFH.

@ididitsocanyou

Have wfh for 16 years and it’s had a negative affect on me in many ways as I am less connected and confident with people. You also have less opportunity to learn from others. In the end I think it is not a good thing. But the upside is convenience. I got to stay home with my children and there are fewer politics to deal with. I have time. But I also get demotivated. Plus you are not seen so you don’t get people elevating you and you miss out on countless opportunities because you are not exposed to life. I am glad as wfh suited me but my career has suffered. I wonder how far I could have got if I had been seen and present and met people with influence. In the end the people who work from home will erode away I’m afraid. 80 percent of success is, after all, just showing up.

100% agree. Some of our team have not come back in yet and they are already less involved and it leaves a bad impression re their interest in their role. We are loosing interest in keeping them "up to speed" and have asked them to come back in for a minimum number of days from October on. irrespective of how much someone gets done at home it is just not the same as being present and you will get left behind.

Someone further back said they will be encouraging their children to do a job that isn’t from their bedroom. My sister earns a 6 figure salary from her bedroom.

@Polkadotties

Someone further back said they will be encouraging their children to do a job that isn’t from their bedroom. My sister earns a 6 figure salary from her bedroom.

So....? How is that relevant to anything at all??

@Polkadotties

Someone further back said they will be encouraging their children to do a job that isn’t from their bedroom. My sister earns a 6 figure salary from her bedroom.

Good for her, but most people don't. Random special cases aren't really relevant - it's the masses that impact on public transport, city centres etc.

Someone further back said they will be encouraging their children to do a job that isn’t from their bedroom. My sister earns a 6 figure salary from her bedroom.

What’s the point of this comment?

I don’t think anyone is suggesting you can’t earn good money wfh. But there’s more to life than a high salary.

I wrote a long post but it doesn’t look like it posted it all.

*I think 99% of people arguing in favour of wfh just enjoy the creature comforts tbh

• e.g. roll out of bed at 08:50 and switch laptop on and chill out in your dressing gown.*

And that is a problem?

Well, not really. But most won't admit it and try any blag that it's better for the company, makes them more productive etc.

So I think we can take from this thread that forward thinking companies will offer hybrid working as there's clearly strong feelings for and against WFH.

I've done hybrid for years but when I moved home to Australia it was not readily accepted. We live over an hour out of Melbourne so I could be closer to my family who live regional.

The commute was killing me so I took a boring local job that was soul destroying. Thanks to the changing work environment I've now just started in a fantastic new role that is 100% remote.

Hybrid working will give companies such an edge to hire the best candidate, not just the one who lives locally.

I didn't like WFH at all after the first few weeks- felt like home had been taken over and I wanted it to be just home again. Changed to a different job and now home is just that. I hope I never have another meeting on Zoom again! Meetings now are socially distanced and it's so nice to see people and be out and about.

Many of them had really been looking forward to working in an office in central London and networking and meeting people from different backgrounds. Now they're stuck in their parents' council flat doing everything on Zoom, feeling cut off and lonely.

The young people I know in London fairly fresh out of uni are going into the office two days a week with three at home and they are loving that mixture. They can’t imagine ever having to do that five days a week. They get the best of both worlds.

For those losing interest in keeping people up to speed then they best work out how to make hybrid or remote working work as I feel there will be a lot of lawsuits if people are seen to be promoted just because they’re in the office more. Presenteeism at its best! Imagine global firms who have long connected with teams around the world well before Covid came along saying the same thing about keeping people up to speed! They’d have folded long ago! It’s possible if teams are well managed and have regular check ins with teams and managers.

@ColorMagicBarbie

*I think 99% of people arguing in favour of wfh just enjoy the creature comforts tbh

• e.g. roll out of bed at 08:50 and switch laptop on and chill out in your dressing gown.*

And that is a problem?

Well, not really. But most won't admit it and try any blag that it's better for the company, makes them more productive etc.

But that does make people more productive! In your example they've either started work earlier than they would have done while commuting, or they've slept later and are well rested for the day ahead.

I agree. I think it's time to move to a balance of both for most workers. eg 2-3 times a week or whatever suits. Commuting, working long hours in the office every day with not much time at home relaxing have been long time stressful and detrimental to our health and I don't personally want to go back to that full time.

Living and working in a flat without outside space has taken a toll on my health in that I've sort of settled into my routine and only go out when I absolutely need to. I'm definitely lacking in Vitamin D at the moment despite taking supplements. I can't wait till I can go back to the office at least 2-3 times a week, just for some forced exercise and a change of scene.

Agree. We all need to go back to the office.

amp.theguardian.com/business/2020/aug/30/no-return-workers-offices-could-cost-uk-economy-480bn-pounds-cebr

The 460 billion bandied about, the estimated loss to the economy of a shift to WFH, is an estimate from last year and based on the assumption that nothing changes with WFH. When obviously it will and needs to be estimated in. This is the article I found.

@ColorMagicBarbie

I think 99% of people arguing in favour of wfh just enjoy the creature comforts tbh - e.g. roll out of bed at 08:50 and switch laptop on and chill out in your dressing gown.

😂 DH gets up at 6.30 showers etc, has breakfast and is at his desk at 7.30. At around 12.30 he either hits the little gym we’ve set up or walks to the local shops, if it was the gym he’ll then shower, a bit of lunch and back at his desk by 1.30 at the latest. Sometimes he’ll have a meeting that runs through lunch but not as often as when he was office based. He will then work until 5pm most days but sometimes later. He does grab coffees once or twice during the day but if I’m at home I make it and take it up to him. When office based he would arrive at the office at 8 and leave at 4 because of the train times.

He is actually working MORE now but is also so much happier. We are pretty sure he has ASD, he definitely has social anxiety and is prone to depressive periods. His mental health has been so much better since March 2020.

I started a new job a year ago, wfh. It was hard getting to grips with it all. However I made a very good work friend, entirely remotely. So good that I wnet to visit her 300 miles away for a weekend. She's one of my closest friends now. That was done entirely over text and Teams.

You don't have to meet people in person to socialise and make friends and network.

Young people face starting their working lives stuck in a childhood bedroom or a shitty houseshare.

Young people are only in house shares because of having to be within commuting distance of work. With remote work moving to cheaper areas without needing to share becomes an option.

In all my years of spending £5000+ a year to commute to and fro to work, I must admit that it never crossed my mind that I was somehow morally obligated to do this in the public interest

I know right, clearly everyone who doesn’t commute on public transport needs to pay a £5k levy towards it like us otherwise they’re selfish

I was really enjoying wfh every day now starting to get a bit fed up of it and v lonely, I am starting 1 day a week in an office soon and I'm really excited. Im not going back to pre pandemic office most of the time, but hopefully 2 -3 days out

But that does make people more productive! In your example they've either started work earlier than they would have done while commuting, or they've slept later and are well rested for the day ahead.

Plenty of people use the commute to catch up on emails etc. Wfh made me a bit lazy tbh.

When you're in the office you tend to use the time between meetings productively. My mates tell me that any spare time is now spent watching tv or on the iPad as nobody can see what they're doing.

I think a standard 4 day working week will evolve out of this. Productivity will not dip. People will obtain a better work /life balance.

When you're in the office you tend to use the time between meetings productively.

I’ve never found that the case - I hate having an awkward half hour between meetings because it isn’t enough time to rebuild focus so I normally would just spend it making tea really slowly and walking a few laps around the floor! I don’t watch tv during the day but I can’t be any less productive during those awkward gaps than I was in the office.

On a related point, meetings for us are much more efficient over Teams. No more waiting for the lift/running up and down stairs, if you have back to back meetings they can actually start on time. And our office has a chronic shortage of meeting rooms, so no more wasting time wandering round looking for a free one.