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AIBU?

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Original poster

To wonder why people work so far away?

127 replies

rustlesinthehall · 10/02/2022 12:55

So many people upset about going back to the office which I do understand but I have seen so many posts bemoaning that they had to commute for hours and hours.

Didn’t people realise this before applying for the job? Why were people working hundreds of miles away and hoping for a pandemic to come and sort out the problem?

OP posts:
WindyState · 10/02/2022 13:30

@rustlesinthehall

That’s true in some cases but not all, I don’t think!

Fair enough if you work in central london but if you work in central Manchester you really don’t need to be living in Leicestershire!

But you might want to for any number of reasons. Fairly obviously.
Calennig · 10/02/2022 13:30

House prices near work being out of range.

Job changes but have working spouse/other half not changing jobs and/or settled kids in school/childcare/exam years.

Buying selling take time and money - even when renting moves take money.

Sometime despite commute and inablity to move it the only job in field or means to advance career.

Sometimes work isn't near needed ammentities - sometime work is the one moving locations.

GladysAndFred · 10/02/2022 13:36

@PleasantBirthday

House prices. I work in the city centre of Dublin, I don't have over a million to spend on property. But I do have to live somewhere, so I do live somewhere. In my house, which has a commute to work because I don't get paid the kind of money which would allow me to live closer.

I don't think you have to be especially astute to understand that that's the case for most people. People aren't generally so thick that they get a job and a house and then, only at that point, does it strike them that one isn't within walking distance of the other.

This.

I almost forgot that I also actually work in the city center of Dublin 😂( well, worked before the pandemic, now fully remote). I live about 2 hours away from the office, because house prices in Dublin are crazy.

Lokipokey1 · 10/02/2022 13:39

A bit different as I have worked throughout the pandemic as a teacher, but originally I was only supposed to be short term and then I was offered a long term position and I loved the place so much I decided the expense and travel was worth it. My house is nice, in a larger city and near family so I don't want to move to the backend of nowhere where my school is. Up until recently it has been occasionally annoying but mostly fine - I just listened to podcasts/audiobooks/sang badly, but I did moan a lot just recently, though as my car was broken and trying to get lifts/taxis was a pain/expensive!

maddening · 10/02/2022 13:42

Nowadays you job search further afield, when I look I do look at a 30 mile radius, I am lucky to have a short 20 min commute.

Also, you may have dc settled at school and moving house is expensive so if you lose you job it may be a choice to take a job with a commute or uproot your family or have no or substandard job

springette1234 · 10/02/2022 13:51

Because people's circumstances change!!

Used to live in London, worked in London. Then DP had to apply for a job after a trainee post, applied for several in London, didn't get any, so had to apply for job outside London. Now living within a 1.5-2 hour commute of my job which is a good job so not looking to change jobs which would be difficult anyway. Commute was very expensive and time consuming pre-Covid, WFH has made it SO much better!

Canaloha · 10/02/2022 14:03

Probably either necessity ie need x wage to stay afloat/only the vacancies I'm qualified for or want to do are there/can't afford to live closer or choice- like me! I love where we live but I also found a job I love and so makes sense to commute in rather than move or settle for a job closer. I don't mind the commute though.

Suretobe · 10/02/2022 14:09

My partner needs to live in a certain town because of his daughter. There’s zero job prospects for my profession in the area. Thus my commute is massive. Pandemic and home working has been a godsend for us, but that’s coming to an end, so forgive me if I have a little moan or even the occasional cry when my commute gets too much for me.

mrsm43s · 10/02/2022 14:18

@Gwenhwyfar

"Its equally valid to say that if you aren't suited to working from home and need colleagues for social interaction or support or need a change of scene then change job/ career to one which cannot be done from home!"

That's totally NOT a valid argument. It's not that easy to lines of work, is it? Much easier to move house.

Really? I've changed job far, far more times than I've moved house, and its a much easier process without massive financial costs attached! In fact, changing jobs every few years as you progress your career is pretty normal, no?

Changing jobs doesn't mean changing your career path! Just moving to a different employer (or indeed moving to a different role with the same employer).

MorningStarling · 10/02/2022 14:20

What a daft question.

People have to work where they can find a job. My office is about 45 minutes walk away or a 30 min bus ride away (when it's on time). I don't have a car so it's one option or the other. That's several hours a week that I'm not travelling while WFH.

I don't think the Jobcentre people would be too impressed if I told them I'd only consider working somewhere within a 5 minute walk of my home.

DoctorSnortles · 10/02/2022 14:21

I have real sympathy for people who have successfully worked from home during the pandemic and now face going back to commuting. My DH used to commute 2 hours each way at one point - it is exhausting and wears people down. The constant train delays were hard to cope with- anyone who used the East Coast Mainline ten years or so ago will know what I mean (no idea if it has improved).

It must be so hard to gear yourself back up to that sort of lifestyle. I have worked in school throughout the pandemic but have nothing but sympathy for those facing going back.

Inspectorslack · 10/02/2022 14:21

When I worked in an office (I wfh now) and was coming off benefits, I was expected to apply for jobs up to 90 mins away each way of a commute.

Rrrob · 10/02/2022 14:23

Had to move from our 2 bed 1st floor flat as I was pregnant with twins. Moved from zone 3 to Kent and my commute has almost doubled but my role is a specialist role at a city law firm, that I wouldn’t find outside of London. I am dreading going back to the office and plan to resign, move further out (to reduce mortgage) and be a sahm instead.

Gwenhwyfar · 10/02/2022 14:24

"Changing jobs doesn't mean changing your career path! Just moving to a different employer (or indeed moving to a different role with the same employer)."

If all office jobs are wfh then changing to a non-whf would mean changing to a totally different line of work. I thought that was what you meant.

daimbarsatemydogsbone · 10/02/2022 14:24

@rustlesinthehall

That’s true in some cases but not all, I don’t think!

Fair enough if you work in central london but if you work in central Manchester you really don’t need to be living in Leicestershire!

Depends on job/industry. I am lucky as I can WFH (have for 10+ years) but pre-broadband all the good jobs were in London/SE. I used to do a weekly commute to most. There was simply no work here of the kind I do and I not only couldn't afford to move to the South East - I really really didn't want to live there.
Rrrob · 10/02/2022 14:24

Oh and I should have said, my role can be done 100% remotely. Even when I’m back in the office, everything will be done over Teams and my team are based abroad.

Gwenhwyfar · 10/02/2022 14:25

@Inspectorslack

When I worked in an office (I wfh now) and was coming off benefits, I was expected to apply for jobs up to 90 mins away each way of a commute.
When was this? Because it wasn't so far away when I was last looking. Their rule was still further than I would have considered in reality because with commuting costs I would have been better off on benefits.
aftonwater · 10/02/2022 14:25

DH has an hour long commute. He moved to his current company when our children were still at school - very good state schools. I work very close to home. It would have made no sense whatsoever to move house at that point and disrupt all our lives just so that he could have a shorter drive to work.

Gwenhwyfar · 10/02/2022 14:26

"My office is about 45 minutes walk away or a 30 min bus ride away (when it's on time). I don't have a car so it's one option or the other. That's several hours a week that I'm not travelling while WFH."

What a strange way of looking at it. Those 45 minutes walking are good for you!

nagsarse · 10/02/2022 14:26

I had a 1-1.5 hour commute each way for years. In my case, there was no demand for my role outside of large cities and I married someone who was helping to care for his terminally ill father so I took a job in the nearest city and we lived half way between work and his father. By the time his Dad passed away we had children who were settled in the local school and our own friends/hobbies where we lived so we didn't want to give that up to live in a smaller, more expensive house in a city.

I moaned about the commute because Iike most people I'd have liked to have the cheaper accommodation/nicer area without the down side of travelling to work. I don't think commuters are 'hoping for a pandemic to come and sort the problem' as OP suggests- but I imagine quite a few have seen that actually it IS possible to do quite a lot of the job from home so they'd prefer to save the time and money of the commute

Lindy2 · 10/02/2022 14:30

Both DH and I have had long commutes in the past which were down to our workplaces relocating.

My office actually changed location 3 times in the time I worked for the company. DH's changed twice.

We're both in different jobs now. I work from home and DH has a 15 minute commute to a location that is very unlikely to change. We're both done with sitting in traffic or on a train for hours on end. It was never what we wanted it planned and I hope never to have to do it again. You don't realise how detrimental a long commute is until you stop doing it - which is probably the situation that a lot of people are in right now.

Inspectorslack · 10/02/2022 14:33

Approximately 5 years ago.

According to the citizens advice it’s still current advice www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/help-if-on-a-low-income/jobseekers-allowance-jsa/help-with-your-jsa-claim/preparing-for-your-jsa-interview/

Lockheart · 10/02/2022 14:34

I don't think it needs covering again, but house prices, for most people.

If I wanted to buy a house tomorrow I'd have to look at least 2 hours away from my job. Even with a good salary and a decent chunk of savings, no-one would give me a mortgage for even a tiny studio around here.

No-one wants to get up at 6am every day to spend hours on a crowded train for fun. Similarly, no-one wants to get home at 8pm every day for shits and giggles.

galacticpixels · 10/02/2022 14:34

I currently rent an okay distance from my Dublin city office, but we're buying at the moment and will be buying quite far out (not even in County Dublin) because that's what we can afford.

I moved to Dublin because that's where the jobs are, not in my hometown. But despite earning a pretty good salary I will never be able to buy here. There literally is no other option but to move out and commute. Dublin is where the jobs are but it's not where the affordable housing is. 🤷‍♀️

And even if on paper someone works somewhere with affordable housing, there are SO many variables in personal circumstances.

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 10/02/2022 14:38

Personally before COVID I had never worked from home and always had about an hour's commute each way. Always been the case so was built into my norm. WFH during COVID gave me time. Suddenly I could sleep until 8am. I could pick DS up from school. I could give him his tea. I could play with him after school. It changed my life and it was such a loss to lose that again when we went back to the office. I love my job so have settled on a hybrid but now I realise what a waste that morning commute it.