To ask for a fit note to stay working in office

[Carinattheliqorstore1]

I’ve been suffering from anxiety, depression and migraines for a while. After being signed off from work, my GP said that he thinks that working from home and being isolated is contributing to this, He gave me a fit note advising my work allow me to return to the office. I’ve now been back almost a month and feel much better.

Now the the PM is advising WFH I’m worried that my employer will insist I WFH once my fit note runs out. . Would I be unreasonable to ask the GP for a further fit note recommending that i WFH for the foreseeable future if possible?

It's 'work from home if you can'. I'd certainly be having a discussion with your GP about it.

I don't think you're unreasonable BUT...if everyone else is WFH, will you be the only one in the office? In which case, won't the problem of loneliness and isolation still exist? Also, will your boss be happy at the prospect of having to keep an entire building open for one person?

Obviously if there will actually be a skeleton staff there anyway, just ignore me, none of my points will be relevant!

Its WFH where you can not you must WFH.

Just keep going in.

I've refused to WFH ever again. I didn't sign up to WFH and am simply not doing it.

What do you think your work will say? One of my team needs to be in the office for their mental health so we have a few people who work a rotation or who are happy to go in to keep them company. Everyone else works from home so the number actually in is very low.

There is a skeleton staff in the office: they were there during the entirety of COVID (it’s an essential service, and a small amount of people had to be in). It’s a massive office : so we are not near each other but we do chat when we pass each other. I think it’s the routine of getting ready and actually “being” in my workplace that I need

You should be ok. We have some staff in the office (a handful) because they live alone and have really suffered with poor mental health and isolation. As far as I’m aware they will be able to remain

I’m not sure what they will say. They are very risk averse when it comes to Covid (there is good reason for this). My line manager will be absolutely fine with it: we’ve chatted about it, and he’s incredibly supportive with MH issues: it’s more that senior management are running scared of staff catching Covid from being in the office

Thankfully it’s been confined that anyone who needs to work on the office for welfare reasons can continue to do so for the moment. So relieved: although sad that I won’t have any work friends around