To think it’s daft to make big life decisions based on WFH without checking it’s permanent?

[GoldenOmber]

My work used to be office-based. We’ve all been WFH since March 2020 because of government rules (not in England).

This week the government lifted that rule, and later that day our employers told us what the plans were to start bringing us back. This is pretty flexible - not starting for a month or two yet, will still allow a lot of WFH for people who want it (like 9 days a fortnight with one in the office). Most people are ok with this. Some people really aren’t.

Now we are having drama over email with a small but vocal group saying how angry/upset they are, because they have made big changes based around getting to WFH and it will now be difficult for them to go back at all. Even 1 day a fortnight starting in April. Changes like moving house far away from office; getting a dog and not wanting to leave the dog alone; selling car and not wanting to get public transport b/c germs (not just covid, all germs).

Work have ALWAYS said WFH was temporary though! I have some sympathy for how long it’s going to take you to commute from your new house in the middle of nowhere, but SURELY you’d factor that in when you bought it?

YABU - no, after 2 years of WFH working fairly well it was reasonable to expect it to continue without checking.

YANBU - yes, they should obviously have checked.

[gwenneh]

YANBU. I'm an enormous supporter of WFH, but until and unless the employer makes it permanent it's ridiculous to make life decisions based on the ability to do so.

I get that it's problematic at times, particularly if an employer has hinted at the idea of making it permanent and then chooses not to. But without concrete discussions and amended contracts, the situation should be considered temporary.

A friend of mine is HR for a major US organisation and this has been an issue for them -- especially as there are places in the US where her organisation is not authorised to conduct business, and there are employees that moved there without telling anyone.

[purpledagger]

Agree.

I also wander what all the people who have moved to the arse end of nowhere are going to do in the event that they have to change jobs, as they may struggle to find an employer who will let them work fully remotely.

[FindingMeno]

I cannot believe people thought they could just assume! Their problems are their problem, not works, and they need to crack on with the job or resign.

[StrongSunglasses]

Yanbu!

[catfunk]

Yes I'm dealing with this at work and it's the bane of my life at the moment. We're not going back to full time yet people are acting like it's extraordinarily unreasonable to want them in 2/3 days week.

[Luckystar1]

YANBU. I know people whose work is in London who moved to Herefordshire and Gloucestershire during lockdown. Just upped and moved as though it was a permanent state of being. I’ve absolutely no clue how they propose getting to work.

I’ve heard a lot of chat about staying in hotels during the working week… that sounds not ideal.

[forcedfun]

Yanbu. Our work were always clear it was temporary too. I'm baffled by the people who are panicking