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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not want to go to the office if it's not compulsory?

56 replies

nahhowaboutit · 08/03/2022 21:19

My employer has not made going to the office mandated/compulsory, we're allowed to choose what's best for us. My office is a 2 hour commute away and I struggle to concentrate when I'm there as it's open plan.

Despite this my manager is always asking me when I'm going into the office and I feel pressured to go in once a week.

AIBU to not want to go in at all if it's not compulsory and if there's no face-to-face meetings I'm needed in for?

OP posts:
EmmaH2022 · 09/03/2022 16:24

Definitely remind them what they said at interview. Offer essential meetings only.

SwedishEdith · 09/03/2022 18:08

Why do people who hate wfh always tell others that wfh is awful. It may be for you but it's not for other people.

DontLookBackInAnger1 · 09/03/2022 18:09

YABU. I've worked in offices my whole career without necessarily needing to.

Covid isnt a consideration anymore.

If your employer wants you in, you go in. There's nothing stopping you looking for a fully remote role.

SwedishEdith · 09/03/2022 18:11

@DontLookBackInAnger1

YABU. I've worked in offices my whole career without necessarily needing to.

Covid isnt a consideration anymore.

If your employer wants you in, you go in. There's nothing stopping you looking for a fully remote role.

My employer has not made going to the office mandated/compulsory, we're allowed to choose what's best for us.
Justkeeppedaling · 09/03/2022 18:12

The only part of my house that gets wifi is the front room

Have you thought about getting a WiFi signal booster?

RichardMarxisinnocent · 09/03/2022 18:26

@MurmuratingStarling

If it's not compulsory, I can't imagine why ANYONE would want to go back into the office now if they can work from home indefinitely!

Who wants to have to get up at 6am, get ready for work, and then have a 2 hour commute, when you can just roll out of bed at 8.30am, have a shower, pop some casual clothes on, grab a coffee and a bowl of cereal and start your job?

And who wants to have a 2 hour commute BACK, and not get in til 7.00-7.30pm, when you can finish work and be eating your dinner at 5.00-5.30pm with 'The Chase' on and your feet up?

I work from home and have done for 2 years. I will NEVER go back if I don't have to. I still see my colleagues socially occasionally (every 4-5 weeks) and am much more relaxed and happy working from home.

Like fuck will I go back unless I am forced to. I save a fortune on travel too, and hardly use any extra electric or gas.

YANBU @nahhowaboutit Anyone who thinks YABU is jealous because THEY can't work from home. Wink

You really can't imagine why anyone would want to go back into the office? Really? Not even if you try? I am very happy being back in the office. No horrendous commute here. I have a just under 15 minute walking commute. I leave home at 8.15 and get back home at 5.15. I absolutely hated working from home, I felt isolated, lonely and disjointed from my team.
RedskyThisNight · 09/03/2022 18:27

@SwedishEdith

Why do people who hate wfh always tell others that wfh is awful. It may be for you but it's not for other people.
I hate wfh but my reply clearly said I understood why some people wanted to. Actually I was replying to a poster who literally did say they couldn't understand why ANYONE (their capitals) wouldn't want to work from home. I don't think any of the hate WFH'ers have said anything quite so polarised.
RichardMarxisinnocent · 09/03/2022 18:30

@SwedishEdith

Why do people who hate wfh always tell others that wfh is awful. It may be for you but it's not for other people.
Perhaps because many who do like wfh seem to assume everyone loves wfh and don't seem to understand why some may want to work in the office. I could just as easily change your question to "why do people who hate working in the office always tell others that working in the office is awful."
millytint44 · 09/03/2022 18:45

I love WFH. However, I also manage a team of people. It is really difficult to promote a team spirit via 'TEAMS' (haha the irony!) /Zoom and I expect people to be in the office at least 2 or 3 days a week. So much of the role that we do is supported by peer relationships and collaboration - that happens in the kitchen and the 'have you got a minute' bobbing your head around an office door.

What's wrong with going in once or twice a week?

PonyPatter44 · 09/03/2022 18:52

I didn't really enjoy working from home when I used to do it (10+ years ago now!!). It was "easy" yes, and convenient when I had to wait in for deliveries or something, but I liked the people I worked with and found that I was much more productive in the office.

I don't really have the option now, although I could wfh one day a week if I wanted to. I work less than 10 mins from home, I love my job and my colleagues, and my workplace is a riot. I miss it a tiny bit when I'm on leave!

Taswama · 09/03/2022 18:53

@maddiemookins16mum we used to print loads but moved to Docusign in the first lockdown. So much easier.

SwedishEdith · 09/03/2022 18:55

Perhaps because many who do like wfh seem to assume everyone loves wfh and don't seem to understand why some may want to work in the office.

But that's not what the OP is about. It's someone who doesn't appear to need to work in the office and doesn't want to. But then followed by loads of "Oh, I hate wfh and only have a 15 minute walking commute to my office" type posts.

RedskyThisNight · 09/03/2022 19:16

@SwedishEdith

Perhaps because many who do like wfh seem to assume everyone loves wfh and don't seem to understand why some may want to work in the office.

But that's not what the OP is about. It's someone who doesn't appear to need to work in the office and doesn't want to. But then followed by loads of "Oh, I hate wfh and only have a 15 minute walking commute to my office" type posts.

Those posts were all in response to the poster who said If it's not compulsory, I can't imagine why ANYONE would want to go back into the office now if they can work from home indefinitely!

They were explaining why people might want to. As, is often the case with MN threads, they weren't referring to the OP's situation particularly.

BeckyWithTheGoodHair010101 · 09/03/2022 21:48

I'd worked from home with a few office trips interspersed in since way before covid. I got a new job where I had to be in the office an hours commute away, and I was really homesick. Definitely turned into a bit of a hermit. I'm WFH again now in a different company and much happier with my work life balance.

HELLITHURT · 10/03/2022 05:39

@MurmuratingStarling

If it's not compulsory, I can't imagine why ANYONE would want to go back into the office now if they can work from home indefinitely!

Who wants to have to get up at 6am, get ready for work, and then have a 2 hour commute, when you can just roll out of bed at 8.30am, have a shower, pop some casual clothes on, grab a coffee and a bowl of cereal and start your job?

And who wants to have a 2 hour commute BACK, and not get in til 7.00-7.30pm, when you can finish work and be eating your dinner at 5.00-5.30pm with 'The Chase' on and your feet up?

I work from home and have done for 2 years. I will NEVER go back if I don't have to. I still see my colleagues socially occasionally (every 4-5 weeks) and am much more relaxed and happy working from home.

Like fuck will I go back unless I am forced to. I save a fortune on travel too, and hardly use any extra electric or gas.

YANBU @nahhowaboutit Anyone who thinks YABU is jealous because THEY can't work from home. Wink

Anyone with a differing opinion is jealous? Don't be ridiculous!

OP given you were told you could work locally, I'd ask for that.

maddiemookins16mum · 10/03/2022 05:59

[quote Taswama]@maddiemookins16mum we used to print loads but moved to Docusign in the first lockdown. So much easier.[/quote]
I agree, we’re heading that way actually for some documents.

PAFMO · 10/03/2022 06:09

At interview was it clear that:
"Could work at the nearer office" = yes, we will allow you personally to work in that one.
Or = we have two offices, you could (in theory) be assigned to the team that works in the one nearer to your house.

Unfortunately, businesses can ask their employees to work where it suits them (the businesses) The fact that the line manager keeps asking when you are going in seems to indicate they're not happy with the fact you aren't, despite it not being mandatory (yet). Are you in a minority not working in the office? Has there been any indication of employees being phased back in to full time in the office?
You really need to ask for clarification- maybe it's no big deal but the line manager needs a list for insurance purposes and admin of how many people are going to be in the office.

For the office nearer home- again you need to clarify their interpretation of the word "could". Do you have anything in writing to the effect you were being assigned to the nearer one and then something saying that was changing?

SickAndTiredAgain · 10/03/2022 06:10

@maddiemookins16mum

I’m assuming all those who used to work in an office never at any point in their whole time there ever printed something to be posted? Just curious. I only ask ask as during the first lock down in March 20, our entire building emptied. We send documents to customers to sign. Overnight this task fell on two people (who needed to receive the post in daily) instead of the case handlers printing their own (as they always did). It was horrendous, imagine printing the docs for 45 claim handlers. Now they won’t come back and just expect others to pick up these tasks still.
No, I’ve never needed to print anything, or have anything printed for me. I’m back in the office two days a week now but I don’t even know how to work the printers.
CowsAreNotGreen · 10/03/2022 06:28

I'd go in once and see how it goes. It's much easier to build team relationships in person.

Moodycow78 · 10/03/2022 06:30

@NotTerfNorCis

Covid has shown that being in offices often isn't necessary or desirable. Working patterns are shifting. I'd lay a bet that in fifty years, offices will seem antiquated and a thing of the past.
This just isn't true, I work in HR and productivity communication has been badly affected in many areas. I think one day a week in the office is not unreasonable.
LolaButt · 10/03/2022 07:02

I think showing your face once every couple of weeks and engaging with people in person, builds trust and relationships between people.

I’m generally happy wfh alone and resisted going to the office. I now go sporadically and genuinely find that I’m able to help junior colleagues with things that they may not have asked wfh.

Sometimes it’s ok to compromise.

GnomeDePlume · 10/03/2022 07:14

@maddiemookins16mum

I’m assuming all those who used to work in an office never at any point in their whole time there ever printed something to be posted? Just curious. I only ask ask as during the first lock down in March 20, our entire building emptied. We send documents to customers to sign. Overnight this task fell on two people (who needed to receive the post in daily) instead of the case handlers printing their own (as they always did). It was horrendous, imagine printing the docs for 45 claim handlers. Now they won’t come back and just expect others to pick up these tasks still.
It depends on the type of work done. Before covid I was already largely paper free. Where documents need to be signed a lot of companies have gone to online docu-sign approach.

For the very occasional paper document or scan I have a home printer.

ClemFandangoo · 10/03/2022 07:17

See I go into the office around once every few weeks for a face to face meeting or to do something I can’t do at home and because everyone else does the same (but on different days) the social element has gone - I hardly see anyone I know, end up lunching on my own etc. Feels lonelier being in work than being at home on my own.

I’ve now got used to a better desk, chair and monitor etc at home and work in a cosy room, whereas the office is cold, open plan, the monitors are crappy and it takes ages to get all the leads in and set up because it’s hot desking. Last time I went in for a meeting, I drove back at lunch (instead of just hanging around in the office) and it was so nice to be at home, put my slippers on, sat in a comfy chair in a warm room and finished my work.

Libertybear80 · 10/03/2022 07:19

It's not compulsory for us and I go in about once a fortnight. It suits me and them.

FinallyHere · 10/03/2022 07:31

@Spidey66 I appreciate that this is a thread about WFH but I noticed this

The only part of my house that gets wifi is the front room.

Have you tried a WiFi extender or even the kind that works through power lines to make the WiFi available where you need it?

https://www.waveform.com/pages/wifi-booster-repeater-extender-differences

An updated link to a power line extender
https://www.amazon.co.uk/TL-WPA4220KIT-Powerline-Broadband-Configuration-UK/dp/B01LXOZ4EN

Whatever you decide about WFH, hope this helps daily life at home