to be annoyed we are still required to go into the office

[Ceci03]

So, nothing has changed in our office. We are still required to be in 50%, which works out at 2 or 3 days per week. I mean, does the government really mean 'work from home if you can', cos my place is taking no notice. There is no reason I have to be in, I can do everything needed from home - worked from home through all the lock downs. We even had a 'skeleton' staff last summer, so everyone wasn't coming in. We closed all the offices, and just kept 1 open for queries - not that there were any. So it meant you were only in once a fortnight, or 3 weeks. I did ask the question today, but was shut down pretty quick. I actually didnt' mind going in at all, but with the government saying dont go in unless you have to, I'm getting nervous again, going on public transport etc etc.

we are required to be in all 5 days a week, as according to the management we are 'more efficient' in the office.

People are done with it and are putting their business back as priority.

I've been kn the office every single day since the beginning of covid. At one point I was the only one in the building. It didnt bother me and still doesn't.

We’re basically alllwed to please ourselves I think! Our work is officially following the government line of wfh if you can, but the list of reasons why you can go in includes a very broad definition of mental health and business need. Which I agree with!

I've never been allowed to work from home during this pandemic. Commuted in every day, 5 days a week. Millions more like me too

Even on the very first night last year when Boris said don't leave your homes unless you are a key worker and absolutely have to. No communication from management just told to come in as normal when I queried it

Companies would allow people to wfh full time again if it really worked well for them, but presumably it didn’t, and they have good reason to want their employees in the office.

At least you only have to go in half the time, you’re still winning if you like being able to wfh.

So if I say “I need to use the photocopier” or “I need the support of seeing colleagues” I can come in, and someone else could say “I’ve only got the kitchen table to work at” and that would be ok too.

We are in Wales so the guidance never changed. We have all been back in full time since May. Unless they reintroduce the furlough scheme they can’t enforce any company to make their staff WFH, so it’s entirely down to the employer.
Can’t see that changing, they aren’t going to reintroduce furlough.

Employers are setting their HR policies: their prerogative barring ‘stay at home’ regulations.

@GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing

We’re basically alllwed to please ourselves I think! Our work is officially following the government line of wfh if you can, but the list of reasons why you can go in includes a very broad definition of mental health and business need. Which I agree with!

Same here, it's basically 'do as you like' in my office. Most people are choosing to WFH but there's a diehard group of about 15 of us who've been in most days since last summer. Most of us are single and live alone, or who live in cramped houseshares where the logistics of WFH are quite difficult.

I'm quite happy with the arrangement.

Presumably they found people were less productive when at home so don't want to go back to that?

DH's company have been more than happy for everyone to keep the same working pattern permanently as they did for the last year or so (50/50 office and wfh) as they found the results were easily as good as having everyone in fulltime. Perhaps your company had the opposite outcome?n which case no one would blame them for not letting staff wfh again.

We're letting everyone do what they're most comfortable with: some people begged to be allowed to come in as soon as possible because they hated WFH, and they've asked again not to be forced to WFH. Others have been at least partially WFH since the start and are going to full WFH now because they'd prefer that, we're just rolling with whatever makes everyone happiest.

As long as the work is done it's no big deal - although I know we're very lucky to have a business model where that's a possibility.

Unfortunately OP as it's only guidance I'm not sure what you could do - your business can argue on the grounds of 'business need' that they want you there and unless you were prepared to really start a fight about it, there's not much you could do.

Whats the problem.is your work thinks its better for the business is ppl are in some of the time. Before covid you would have been and still have been doing 5 days in the office now its half of that. Your still better off. And even long after covid its likely this will remain.

I'm rather grateful thay this is one benefit of this whole pandemic.

I understand your thoughts and I agree with you. However I still think you are lucky to be in part-time when many of us still have to go in full-time.

I’ve not been allowed to wfh. I could. And half of my team do, some for 3/4 days a week.

We do the same job, but are line managed by different people. Great fun commuting then logging onto teams to see Wendy in her Pj’s

Very close face to face contact role in my job and can only be done that way.

Currently all staff and clients wearing masks and sanitising between clients however I feel very uncomfortable again like I did the first time

Unless we get locked down I will continue to go in daily.

My area has it really bad and the hospitals here already have ambulances queuing for 6+ hours to get into a hospital and the current a and e wait is over 10 hours so it's hit our area hard.

Il be glad when we close down on 23 rd for a week.