To think colleague shouldn’t be on permanent WFH due to his DW’s Covid risk?

[oober6]

As in the title really.

The world has opened up, social distancing requirements have gone, vaccines have given us all plenty of protection.

We are key workers who have worked throughout, coming into work every day. I would love to be able to WFH! It would be a lot less pressurised, and of course, no commute etc.

AIBU to think management should now be telling our colleague that he has to start coming back into work? He is healthy and fit.

Your work have no obligation to do this - official shielding has ended and there was never an obligation to extend wfh to ppl who lived with those shielding anyway. Therefore, your work must value your colleague very much and want to keep him. As has been said though, you have no idea of his exact circumstances.

Your options are either to put in a flexible working request and ask for wfh yourself or to look for a new job that allows wfh. One good thing that's come out of this situation is a lot more job adverts tend to include a wfh element, certainly in my field, as employers are realising ppl will expect this and therefore they need to look attractive.

Do not put in a formal complaint - you will be told decisions are made on an individual basis and its none of your business.

@Hankunamatata

If his kids are going to school then he can come into work

The kids NEED to be in school. He might not NEED to be in the office to do his job.

*celan:

OP, if your colleague were self-employed, he wouldn't still be WFH. He's only doing it because he can get away with it while everyone else has to crack on.*

Really, you know this for certain? I am self-employed. I've changed my business model so that I can remain working from home rather than going into peoples homes or spending time with them in a seperate venue. WFH does not = slacking!

Great 👍 now they can find a good flexible employer

They really are to be honest. This person took the piss royally and then sabotaged things when she wasn't getting her own way.
Some people ruin it for everyone else.

The idea that everyone MUST physically traipse to an office to work is outdated now some jobs are entirely computer-based and everyone has home internet, it will just take quite a while for the world to catch up.

If your colleague is slacking at home then thats an issue for his manager but its naive to think that someone who slacks at home works flat-out simply because their bottom is sitting in a chair in your office.
If it's just that you feel its unfair because you also want to work at home then make your case for it to your manager! Don't try and crab-bucket everyone down from what works for them just out of reflex and habit, work towards a better normal for yourself.

I don't think I would be bothered by his personal circumstances. They are his business.

I would be annoyed that he is effectively being paid more because he doesn't have the expense of a commute.
Or that he has more free time which I would have to spend commuting.

This post is so sad - bottom line is, its none of your business.

I am a chronically ill person and I am extremely clinically vulnerable to covid.

Your comment "I would love to be able to WFH!" well, I would much rather swap my terrible health, poor quality of life and not have the risk of dying from covid but you know, we don't all get what we want in life do we.

If you have workload issues then surely you can discuss this with your management, without bringing up his partners poor health...

@Redkatagain

I don't think I would be bothered by his personal circumstances. They are his business.

I would be annoyed that he is effectively being paid more because he doesn't have the expense of a commute.
Or that he has more free time which I would have to spend commuting.

That doesn’t make any sense. Loads of colleagues will have more expensive or less expensive commutes, some will have free commutes. Same for time, some people have long commutes, some very short. Do you also resent the people who live a two minute walk away?

I’ve got a very rare illness which means any bug. Could kill me

Do you realise the stress of living with something like that? That a sickness bug could mean my life grow up without a mother

Sheesh. Open your eyes. The world isn’t just about you. We’ve forgotten in all of this to look out for others. I’d for sure look out for someone if they told me that.

• Do you want to be able to work from home - are you jealous?
• Or are vulnerable people hampering your fantasy that everything is fine and back to normal despite the Covid figures?

^^ which is it OP?

Because all your posts say much more about you than they do about your colleague.

@Overthehillandfartaway

I think those saying ' What's it got to do with you' and ' you're just jealous' have a point to some degree , but it's not as simple as that.

Many industries are now suffering with an unequal seemingly random WFH policy that is causing resentment.

If this colleague is not being as productive as their colleagues because they are WFH, then it's an issue and it is the posters business.

I work at a university and it has transpired that colleagues who are fighting tooth and nail to WFH are doing the bare minimum , so effectively doing their jobs, but at this time of year colleagues in work are putting in a huge effort to get students registered and started on courses , which is what is needed for whole process to function.

Put it this way their are two scenarios playing out in work places across the country.

1. People working from home, doing what needs to be done as bare minimum, then doing childcare, house stuff, taking the dog for a walk etc.

1. People in work, doing what needs to be done, then helping colleagues, being proactive and basically doing what most people did before lockdowns and WFH for roles previously not done in that way.

And in many workplaces, there's a third scenario playing out:

1. People WFH, managing the same workload as before and very efficiently.

Presenteeism is a load of nonsense. I've been able to more than double my caseload by WFH and not travelling to F2F appointments.

Mind your own business, really.

If you think you are doing more work than you're contracted to, take it up up your manager.

I agree with you @oober6

The fact colleague us wfh has an impact on you and your colleagues.
Neither them or DW are shielding (they wouldn’t go in day trips etc…)

He has no reason to still be wfh.

The other fair way would be to allow you and your colleagues SOME days wen you can wfh too. And see him back in the office with the same entitlement as you (let’s say one day a week?)

Have you tried minding your own business?

You have no idea what is going on in this person’s life. I’m currently absent with very poor mental health and my colleagues have to cover for me. I would hate to think they are making negative comments about why I am off.

@LakieLady but the OP is not working in that sort of environment when you have loads of meetings and can wfh just as well if not better than in the office.

That’s a different situation altogether

But it’s still unfair if one person is allowed to WFh and others aren’t

It's not unfair unless their circumstances are the same, and in this case, they aren't.

I can understand why it's annoying for you. I think a lot of people have milked things during the pandemic so they can enjoy perks such as working from home for longer. I know a few.

It sounds like they are a kind and supportive employer to this person, taking into account everything that may affect their wellbeing. It's a great shame more employers don't look at the full picture in this way.

However if other team members are suffering, then that is a separate issue to to be addressed by redistributing workload and tasks.

I'm glad you got a pasting OP. I seriously dislike people that spend their time worrying if a colleague got slightly more than they did and they usually do it in cases where it is absolutely no skin off their nose.

YANBU OP.

Management need to sort something out because picking up extra work in those circumstances long term is not fair and I wouldn't be happy.

You have no idea what his circumstances are. It's only in the last couple of weeks my Mum has been told to stop shielding but not to have people in the home, get anyone she's near to take a LFT etc. It isn't over for everyone

@dannydyerismydad how are they going to redistribute work that can only be done f2f though?

Actually, it's definitely not a good idea to draw attention to your colleague's shortcomings when WFH if you want to WFH. That just means it's less likely you will get to WFH. Maybe even say how well your colleague seems to find it. Maybe put together some evidence that people are more productive WFH.

Is it even necessary for people in your industry to be in the office? I get there might be places like Job Centres, high street travel agencies, banks etc that need a core staff to deal with people walking in, but not that many.

And can you redistribute the added stress and pressure?