To keep trying to push against post covid arrangements which are sucking the fun out of work?

[wibblewobbleball]

2019 I landed my dream job. In the city 2/3 days per week, lots of national travel, WFH the rest of the time. Huge team split across the country so used to working over Zoom etc, but had regular opportunities for face to face interaction if we wanted. Lots of access to learning opportunities in my specialism through engagement with specialists, and conferences etc - plus exposure to senior members of staff across the org through routine office working. Covid hit and we all moved to WFH. We are only now just starting to return to the office. About 50% people have opted to come in one or two days per week, the rest now fully WFH and come in once per quarter. There's no national travel as we do everything by Zoom - which means there's no after work socialising which was the norm when you went to visit another office or supplier etc that was a few hours from home. No plans to stand up meetings that were previously compulsory face to face meetings. Whereas before conferences were 10 a penny and you were encouraged to attend to improve knowledge, now only very very senior members of the team go and the rest are discouraged. Those who come to the office do so when it suits them so it's hard to catch people to have a coffee or chew some work related fat/get peer support. Or they're on zoom calls all day so are just on their laptop. Its now next to impossible to get exposure to senior people in the organisation as you don't see them at meetings or around the office. I feel like all of this combined is summing up to a real loss and yet people don't seem to realise it. Yes there's lot of benefits to increased home working, flexibility etc - but we had all that anyway. Now it seems we've lost some key opportunities for learning, for career growth and networking, for building relationships and there being some enjoyment to work. I keep trying to push against this and encourage more of a return to how things were pre-covid, but I'm basically told "this is how it is now". AIBU to keep pushing it? Or should I just find another job?

I think (and this will be unpopular) that there will be a gradual drift back to the office. Not 5 days a week but 2-4 days will become more normal. People who want 100% remote will realise it's hampering their career opportunities. F2F conferences will also come back eventually.

Depending on what you do OP this is a good time to look for another job and/or negotiate on your current one, e.g. ask for better professional development opportunities.

I think a lot of jobs are like this now unfortunately. I don’t work now but would have hated this set up when I had a career. So lonely!! I fear for my kids having to work like this. The best part of work was having a laugh in the office, going out after work, even meetings.

I think talking to your line manager about professional development opportunities is fair enough but even they may be done remotely now

YANBU. Where I work we're noticed that our junior staff are underperforming across the board. It's because they are full time WFH with no opportunities to observe others working / have informal chats / teach ins with senior staff. It's very difficult to fully recreate those opportunities in a remote working environment.

What have you been doing to support them, and maybe some of us who have worked from home in dispersed teams for a number of years can offer some advice? There may be some things that require them to be in the office some of the time, depending on the role, but others that require a new approach to working which I know not everyone wants.

I moved in the end - didn't see any evidence my employer was willing to get people back to the office, so found a new role where there is true hybrid, and now I have the best of both worlds. I hated and detested WFH full time so in the end the change was worth it.

I'm afraid I'm one of the fun suckers that is much happier wfh, and I only go to social things if it's compulsory.

Most of my team are the same and we don't go to wider company social events. I've never liked the networking/face to face side of things. It doesn't effect my work whatsoever working from home. If I need to speak to someone/have a meeting I simply contact people on teams.

In our team of 30 odd people there are about 5 people always trying to encourage more social/in office stuff. Most of us don't want it.

@wibblewobbleball

I think the issue is that lots of older people or those with children are higher up the pecking order & can therefore decide how things are done. I don't think it's great for new and younger staff members.

I teach and hated wfh & being sat in my bedroom working. I much prefer going in to school. I wouldn't like to be told I wasn't allowed back in to do my job.

It seems to be the 40-50 age group that are reluctant to go in & seem to think that as it suits them best to wfh then that's what they will do & they don't feel the need to help the newer and younger staff out.

There are some benefits of wfh but I don't think it's healthy to turn homes into the workplace.

Did you intend your casual ageism?