To feel WFH has had its day a bit?

[Seaswimminginwinter]

Bosses think workers do less from home - bbc article

My job doesn’t lend itself to WFH but I have noticed on nearly every thread on here about WFH, people insist that they are more productive. However, I have to admit that this doesn’t match with my experiences. But I am one person so maybe I’ve been unlucky, except this article is quite interesting about perceptions.

I also think it changes homes and areas. My own DH is WFH today and it is my day off, meaning I will spend it feeling as f I am I the way in my own home. Homes aren’t meant to be offices.

I get there are advantages but overall I don’t think it works well at all.

This!!

I have a 1, 3 and 5 year old. I also live in very rural Scotland. Wrap around care etc doesn't exist here. DHs job has very unpredictable days/hours and often requires him to be away for a week or two.

I left one of the worlds biggest Tech companies that prides itself on its 'flexibility' to work for a tiny bespoke consultancy after my second baby. They offered me part-time and working from home with an excellent salary.

If it hadn't been for that company I doubt I'd have made it back to the workforce.

WFH gives me the flex to start early, work late... but also allows me the chance to get a load of washing on (all of 5 mins while kettle boils) or do drop offs/pick ups.

The client I work for gets more than their pound of flesh but I am still able to maintain some level of sanity.

Please remember that WFH has made work accessible for many WOMEN before you suggest its had its day.

Its not for everyone but for some its everything.

Haha indeed! I asked my manager yesterday if a GP waiting room should be added into the FAQs.

Works perfectly for us. We are lucky to have 2 offices in our home so it doesn't impact family/home life, can close the door at weekend! It has enabled us to see our children so much more, do school drop-off and pick-ups, dishwasher and washing machine whilst kettle boiling etc. Utterly invaluable. I get way more done in my silent study vs chit chatter in office.

Works great for me, I do 3 days at home and 2 in onsite. My dh the same and we love it

For introverts it's amazing. Working without constant noise and irrelevant chatter and having No one talk at you when you are taking a break. I used to end very day at the office with a massive headache and now I feel so much better. The work wasn't the problem it was the constant enforced socialising.

From what I have seen, the people in my current and previous workplace calling for others to get back into the office are doing so for their own personal benefit. These are the people who want to socialise at work. They want to get back to informal chats over coffee, team lunches etc.

As a manager, I have clear, observable evidence that some people in my team are significantly less productive when wfh. However, that doesn't mean that everyone is less productive at home, and evidence actually shows that that isn't the case.

We are therefore managing our hybrid model on an individual basis. If staff are delivering what we need them to do while wfh, then they can carry on doing so. If they are delivering less than we expect, then we ask them to come back into the office so that we can monitor and support them more closely for a period. If performance improves, then they can trial wfh again to see if it can be sustained.

It's fair and it's transparent and it's flexible. Everyone is in the office at least 2 days each week, as there is some work that needs to be done f2f. Some people choose to be in the office every day because it helps their mental health or because they don't have a suitable space to wfh etc. I imagine a few might choose to do that in the winter if it's expensive to heat their homes.

I do wfh some days but actually prefer going into the office now...wfh is convenient but it's so isolating. Teams meetings just aren't the same as actually seeing people!

I’ve been working remotely for a year now, the whole team (in tech) have always worked that way so it’s completely set up for it and there’s offices you can go to if you do want to come in.

As a new person person coming in though, it’s made it really hard to forge relationships. Doing that remotely is just not the same, you can’t replace face to face contact. I honestly feel I’ve drifted slowly and slowly into depression because I don’t have that social element I used to have with work, that I didn’t realise until recently how much I needed it.

So no I’m not surprised remote working 24/7 doesn’t work well for everyone. So much learning and innovation comes from bringing people together in person, with all the tech in the world you can’t recreate it online and I balance is definitely needed.

It allows more disabled people to work. I would not be able to work from the office each day due to health conditions so I took a WFH part time job. Now they are pushing me to go into the office regularly and I’m having to push back, I do have a WFH contract . The alternative to WFH for me is not to work at all.

The effect of wfh on others that live in the house is something that is not always considered.

I'm disabled. I'm definitely more productive. I am less tired and even work more hours as I'm not wasting time commuting. I don't have bitchy colleagues to deal with or see every day. The only downside is that I don't get out as much so I'm less active and fatter!

Yes I agree. It's harder for young people who live in shared housing working off a laptop on their bed. Also could be quite isolating.

@Lulumo if your contract is wfh, that doesn’t sound right.

I disagree

at home I can get stuck in and finish a lot of work.
there are too many coffee with colleagues distractions and meetings at the office for that.

a mix of both is ideal imo. 2 days in the office and the rest from home.

WFH does not help new starters (ie our children) it only helps those that are already established.

It works for us but we have lots of space and both have our own office. We wouldn’t want to go back to working in the office.

Not commuting for 3 hours a day certainly helps my productivity.

How can WFH had its days when people did it long before the pandemic. People act like it didn’t exist. The truth is, lots of employers didn’t want to allow it when they could. There’s quite a few reasons. Some valid. Some not.

If someone isn’t performing in their job it’s the managements job to manage them, no matter where they are working. That may include the individual having to be in office for more training or similar.

WFH never worked for everyone. Even before 2020. It doesn’t suit all jobs, all people or all families and households.

We had teams that went back to the office within weeks because it didn’t work for them. Their job roles didn’t suit it. One team was brought back in the middle of last year, because their performance really dipped. My teams are back 1 day a week and it works. They are less productive on the day they are in. The office is distracting, people stopping by to chat or even ask a genuine question will chat for a bit as well.

The systems are slower at work and they don’t seem to be able to resolve it. Office politics piss people off. My team work with confidential information that we can’t discuss in an open plan office. Jumping on teams when we are all at home is so much easier than trying to find a free meeting room when an issue occurs and needs to be quickly resolved.

I think most Companies problem with WFH is that they have inadequate management that don’t manage. Either they have brought in and promoted the wrong people or don’t give the managers the support they need to manage behaviour.

The myth that office workers are productive is based on ‘if you can see them they must be working. If you can’t see them they must be slacking’. In my 23 years of working I have seen so many people waste so much time when in the office. Being in the building has never, ever, been an indicator of productiveness.

Absolutely works for me! Single parent with a school in the same road! No 1 hour each way commuting or wrap around care.
I am more productive at home by a mile! I do have space to work and have had to adjust several times but I never want to give this up!

We've found if someone is lazy in the office they are lazy at home. Provide the right work and check ins and those who are motivated and should be employed work hard.

We spotted those who don't very easily and all have had HR discussions and have been invited to attend the office full time now to help their performance improve.

Wfh is not dead for us at all very much helping us retain some valuable people.

@Sestriere apologies, that was a bit of a rant from me, not aimed at you!!
Just frustrated this week at trying to get things done only to have been told 2 more key people (and much liked colleagues) have handed in their notice, on top of the 3 from the last 2 weeks. 😔

I would say I am more productive, fewer distractions at home, I start earlier and finish later, log on again in the evening if needed. I think businesses have to want to make it work and build in ways to address the things that are less good. Like how new people are trained up and how informal learning is promoted between team members. I have a spare room I use and no young children at home. I think it does depend on the job and personal circumstances. Many people who skive manage to do that in an office in my experience, it is less annoying when I can't see or hear them doing it.

there are distractions in the office,
some people like to chat
and there is the comfort issue, too hot, too cold,
at home i can have the radio on, the light on, walk my dog at lunch time and before work. although i do tend to snack at home but at work we have biscuits that i dont at home

I think a mix is good. I’m more productive working from home but I don’t think it is the best environment for young people starting their careers. There is more of a buzz in our office. I wouldn’t give up working from home for the majority of the week- I just wouldn’t take a role requiring the office more than a day or two a week.

I love it, but DH and I both have dedicated offices away from common areas and he often goes out and about anyway. So much easier for childcare arrangements and popping off for appointments. I definitely prefer it and am so lucky my company has gone completely to WFH for all staff permanently.