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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Has anyone refused to go back into the office?

841 replies

GreenPepperRed · 27/02/2022 00:12

Just that really. Have a job that can easily be done working from home. Company is now saying compulsory 3 days in the office. Has anyone just not gone in and carried on working from home? How did that turn out?

The majority of my department is insisting they are not going in. Can confirm they are serious because I went in to the office a couple days back and there was probably 10% of the people in.

Intrigued what my company will do. Fire us all?

OP posts:
Gwenhwyfar · 28/02/2022 17:31

"What do you call a long commute? A lot of people with ordinary jobs travel on trains and/or buses which can cost quite a bit."

I said in my post. I wouldn't commute more than 45 minutes. Local bus and trains for that kind of commute definitely don't cost more than having gas and electricity on all day and unlimited internet and an office chair.

Gwenhwyfar · 28/02/2022 17:35

@Belladonna12

In the dark and cold in February then? How is that good for anyone except your employer's building rent?

It isn't dark until 5.30 and at the moment not cold. I won't put the heating on until the evening but I would do that if I was work. Do you seriously need it on all day at the moment?

I need to have the room at 20 or 21 degrees because I'm sitting down all the time so I need the heating on all day. I need the light because I live in an old place and the windows don't allow enough light in for me to work otherwise.
Belladonna12 · 28/02/2022 17:36

I said in my post. I wouldn't commute more than 45 minutes. Local bus and trains for that kind of commute definitely don't cost more than having gas and electricity on all day and unlimited internet and an office chair.

The local train to the where I live certainly costs a lot more than I spend on heating and lighting each day. I have internet anyway. Do you only have it to work at home?

SilverGlitterBaubles · 28/02/2022 17:36

I don't think the WFH argument is a one size fits all argument, it very much depends on the individual, their job role, the organisation and their requirements. I can do most of my job WFH, although pre Covid it was not an option and frowned upon. Being forced to adapt has demonstrated to my employers that it is possible but I can see that it is also necessary and beneficial to be in the office some of the time for many reasons. It is about give and take, in reality many of us would never have expected to WFH permanently pre Covid so we need to at least meet employers half way on this.

nopenotplaying · 28/02/2022 17:37

This has been challenged and they lost at tribunal I'm afraid. It's shit. I'll see if I can find a link for you so you can see if the circumstances are the same

LifesTooShortForYourNonsense · 28/02/2022 17:38

I wasn’t allowed to work from home - ever, not even at the height of the pandemic, even though it was perfectly possible. Have since quit, self employed and go into clients office about twice a month. Company I left is not fairing well.

Hmm1234 · 28/02/2022 17:42

It depends if you have a flexible working arrangement and any caring arrangements. I’d push for atleast one day at home but your employer doesn’t have to let you continue wfh full time

Belladonna12 · 28/02/2022 17:42

I need to have the room at 20 or 21 degrees because I'm sitting down all the time so I need the heating on all day. I need the light because I live in an old place and the windows don't allow enough light in for me to work otherwise.

A light in one room doesn't cost that much. I'm not sure what the temperature of my room is at the moment but I sit down to work too and I certainly don't need the heating on all day. Perhaps you live in Scotland or in a house with no insulation but I don't think you can assume that everyone who works from home has the heating on all day, every day.

ExcuseeeeMe · 28/02/2022 18:13

Look for another job if you don’t like the one you were hired to do

prawntail · 28/02/2022 18:16

I loved being in the office before the pandemic and I like not being in office now. But it’s really not all about me. An office is more than a place to simply execute the work. For some these are the defining years of their social life and just because I don’t rely on work for that, does not mean that my presence doesn’t make the office seem more vibrant and interesting (not me personally but me making up a collective). When I think how I learned my job skills, so much if it was through osmosis. Looking and learning. sharing problems and solving tricky issues through discussion and laughter (sometimes tears!) Yes all of that can technically be done remotely but that doesn’t mean it should. The ones who will progress quicker now will simply be the ones who are seen. Seen to be working, seen to be integrating, seen to be part of the team.
I will end up back at work 3-4 days a week and whilst it might make me a bit sad, it feels like commitment to the company is an important part of the culture and commitment goes beyond just getting the work done .

Puzzledandpissedoff · 28/02/2022 18:26

Hilarious that someone actually tried to claim fear of Covid was a "protected belief" - thank god they lost or there'd have been a lot more of his coming down the line

Hard not to wonder if it's just work she didn't want to go into and whether she's still been mixing elsewhere ...

agentpeggy · 28/02/2022 18:33

There are people who have had no choice but to go out to work during the entire pandemic, shop, factory, engineer, travel, childcare, medical workers and many more, office workers working from home was never meant to be permenent. So many businesses have had to close and people have lost their jobs because of a lot less footfall/people being in offices and it makes me really sad that people are complaining about having to go to the office a few times a week when so many People would love to return to their old jobs but can’t because there’s no customers.

slaybell · 28/02/2022 18:37

Oh I would love to have this problem. I can't work from home, never have and didn't during the worst of the pandemic either. Working from home 2/5 days would be an absolute luxury for me.

August1980 · 28/02/2022 18:39

@Whitefire

Oh and before I get all the "it's not a race to the bottom" comments, well no it isn't, but moaning about a perfectly acceptable middle ground is very annoying.
This. My company had mandated 2 days in the office for now going to 3 at some point. I am okay with this. Feel really grateful to get 2 days at home to not commute and to do some work uninterrupted. However, they have mandated which days which doesn’t work for me, or other employees in that the days they have decided on, doesn’t take into account collaboration days or client visits. If we take those days plus the mandatory days I am in 4 5 days a week anyway! My preference is they say attendance 3 days a week is mandatory and people just pick whichever 3 days… leaving them in charge of their schedule and the ability to prioritise workload. However I do think the company is being fair. OP, initially there will be no action against employees I think they said 3 months for those who don’t do the mandatory attendance and thereafter it’s HR action. 2-3 days is a great balance overall it’s bloody better than 5 days. I must add, the days I am in the office, I am struggling to start/leave work on time. My phone starts ringing from 7am ish which means I get late for work. By the time I get home, I don’t have the mental capacity to work after hours….which I do once dinner is sorted, dog is walked , kids in bed etc…
slaybell · 28/02/2022 18:39

Having said that, people that can work from home I support and think hybrid working is a great idea. It would certainly reduce emissions and most importantly for me, less cars on the road for people who can't work from home!

Belladonna12 · 28/02/2022 18:45

@agentpeggy

There are people who have had no choice but to go out to work during the entire pandemic, shop, factory, engineer, travel, childcare, medical workers and many more, office workers working from home was never meant to be permenent. So many businesses have had to close and people have lost their jobs because of a lot less footfall/people being in offices and it makes me really sad that people are complaining about having to go to the office a few times a week when so many People would love to return to their old jobs but can’t because there’s no customers.
Not sure what do you mean when you say office work was “never meant to be permanent”. Some of us have worked at home for many years. Even if it wasn't “meant to be permanent” at the start of the pandemic that doesn't mean that everything has to go back to how it was before the pandemic. Things have changed and you need to accept that.
withoutawordofalie · 28/02/2022 18:55

Of course you can work from home, there again a person in India can work from home doing your job for less pay.

Hellsbells35 · 28/02/2022 18:55

Yes stick to your guns. If you can do job from home it’s not needed. It’s a candidates market at the moment so they would be foolish to sack anyone

Blooboi · 28/02/2022 18:57

By the same token though if WFH was more beneficial to the employer , they would of worked it out and not be asking employees back in.

Jeannie88 · 28/02/2022 19:06

Would you expect all other sectors to do the same? A lot of us haven't been able to wfh so it does sound entitled that some office workers are being arsey about going back to what they used to do, also days at home still. What's the problem really? Just convenience? Yabu.

Gwenhwyfar · 28/02/2022 19:17

" I have internet anyway. Do you only have it to work at home?"

I had internet before but for wfh you need more/unlimited.

Mandyjack · 28/02/2022 19:29

@GirlInACountrySong

I thought WFH ended?
A lot of companies have realised they are saving a fortune with their staff WFH. Many have given up leases or sold buildings and are also saving thousands on electric, water, printing etc. I'm now classed as an anywhere worker and got evicted from our workspace/had to empty locker. Most of us WFH daily unless theres a business reason to visit the office (not many people need to). I much prefer WFH , as do most of my colleagues. We get a far better work/life balance and many of us save on commuting costs plus more time with family etc. Its difficult to scive because you often work from an inbox and the work wouldn't get cleared if we sat there doing nothing all day.
DungballInADress · 28/02/2022 19:35

Raise a flexible working request.

That said, I work in HR and people are leaving companies who are mandating return to office to move to where I work because we are promoting more flexible ways of working - agile working and/or hybrid available to all office based, most desks now hot desks and we offer 9 day fortnight. Companies need to move with the times or employees will go elsewhere.

Livelovebehappy · 28/02/2022 19:50

I’ve been told I can continue to wfh full time, which I’m happy about as I’m ‘older’ so I’ve done all the social work stuff, and have some strong friendships from it. But I think my mindset would be totally different if I was 20 years younger.