To not want to work in the office with all the windows open?

[Ygritte84]

It's bloody freezing outside. My work can be done from home, but we have been called back in the office for three days a week min.

To be "safe", they are asking us to keep all windows open. My desk is next to the window. When I complained it is not comfortable and I have already got ill twice in November, the response has been that I need to layer up more.

Should I make a formal case to WFH in these circumstances?

Ugh. Another one very thankful that I work in a hermetically sealed office block.
I don't know how employers (or schools) expect people to concentrate when it's uncomfortably cold.

Can't open the windows in my office, just pump around covid / flu / any other germ you like around internally.

Just hit a messages from my kids' school they need to wear base layers, because the windows and doors are open.

I'd see if you can work somewhere else definitely, whether that's at home or on another desk. As a PP has said, there are others (like me and others on this thread) that prefer the fresh air and are probably jealous of your window desk!

I saw something the other day that said windows don't need to be open all day, but just opened regularly to allow some new "fresh" air to be brought in.

My office is cold in this weather and I have a big wrap that I keep on the back of my chair that keeps me warm, as well as some fingerless gloves but I do prefer being on the cold side as it's much easier to warm up than cool down.

My work have our windows open, but the heating on also. It's going to cost a fortune and obviously not good for the environment either, but if it saves a virus sweeping around the place then we live with it. It's (hopefully!) only temporary.

It's a policy that's worked well for us so far as we've had no covid cases amongst our staff that are working in the office (so far, touch wood!)

That said OP, you don't get viruses from being cold. You get them from breathing air that's infected with virus particles that have been expelled by other people. I suspect if your windows had been shut you'd have been more ill than you have already been!

I'd rather work in an office with all the windows open than one with them all closed. Being uncomfortable is less bad than getting Covid. It's stupid though that some countries have ended the "work from home if you can" message (England I think) - home working for those who can (and want to) should continue for as long as people are dying everyday.

@husbandcallsmepickle

Sitting by an open window won't make you ill!

Well it can if you catch a chill but I'd rather have a chill than covid. And you can wrap up against the cold.

When I was working nhere was a minimum temperature but no maximum .Hence we could all sweat our guts out and not ask for a fan.

Totally nuts when working from home is possible and would do far more to reduce Covid risk anyway. No way I want to schlepp into the office to sit and freeze for the sake of presenteeism.

@Starcaller

Totally nuts when working from home is possible and would do far more to reduce Covid risk anyway. No way I want to schlepp into the office to sit and freeze for the sake of presenteeism.

This is my point. I can do the same work sitting comfortably at home, next to my radiator. It's safer for everyone to WFH as well.

If your employer wants you to come to the office they have the right to tell you to do so.

Offices need to be well ventilated.

You need to layer up or work with management to be seated away from the window.

Layer up? How on Earth can you work, layered up like the bloody Michelin man. A draught from a window can be very uncomfortable, ask to move.
Fan heaters are not allowed in some offices, depends on the manager.

My window in the office is shut but there's a draught somewhere and I sit next to it.
I always have a jumper on, scarf, sometimes gloves as my hands go numb, oh and last week I wore a coat (my toes were going numb probably poor circulation and I underestimated how cold it is getting so didn't bring my scarf in!)
It sucks you have my sympathy.
I prefer wfh as I get to wrap up in my dressing gown.

@ColinTheKoala cold weather doesn't make you ill. Viruses do.

Lol. Try teaching. Windows and doors wide open for the last nearly-2-years. I wear thermals, 2 layers of socks, wristwarmers and sheepskin insoles plus loads of layers.

My classroom is freezing. It's how it has to be at the moment

Can you bill them for the extra layers required? If so I'd suggest
www.lakeland.co.uk/63621/Lakeland-Grey-Electric-Heated-Poncho
www.lakeland.co.uk/62822/Lakeland-Soft-%26-Thick-Star-Heated-Throw-
and demand hourly access to a microwave so you can keep reheating these. www.lakeland.co.uk/73823/Navy-Faux-Fur-Microwavable-Slippers
I think you need to search outdoorsy shops for heated fingerless gloves, and get one of those Russian fur hats with massive ear flaps that can be tied underneath your chin.

A bit like when my school insisted that the hem of girls skirts must not be higher than three inches above the knee, back in the early 70's, when the fashion was to wear them more like wide belts than actual skirts that hung below the bum cheeks. A bunch of us came in wearing regulation knee length skirts, lifting them up at the most inappropriate times to display our ridiculously huge, regulation, thick flannel, school uniform knickers underneath, to demonstrate our willing compliance with ridiculous uniform rules for girls. After a few weeks of being flashed the sight of those godawful, baggy, flannel bloomers, nothing more was said on the subject of girls compliance with the uniform standards, when we got bored with it, and went back to rolling up our skirts into thick sausages around our waists, to make the remaining bit of skirt look fashionably short.

The schools are all doing it too. The kids are freezing and constantly ill 😢

So then they threaten fines for absence.