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AIBU?

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Original poster

To ask where all those who said that WFH would be good for business are now?

489 replies

ChampagnePuppy · 16/02/2023 17:38

Sorry, sort of a rant.
I work in a small local foodie business in the South West. I know there is a cost of living crisis, but I also feel that WFH culture is killing us.
So many said that they would spend more in their local high streets now they were WFH but that seems to have stopped.
People are online food shopping and then not leaving their houses. Three local businesses announced they were closing this week, two bakeries and one restaurant. I can count five since Christmas which have folded.
I know a lot are feeling the pinch from gas and electric but a lot of people are just WFH, squirrelling their money away, saving and then saying 'oh that's a shame' on the Facebook posts when a business announces they're folding. Why not support them? I'm not talking about those on the breadline but those who are financially comfortable.
If you want a diverse high street, you have to support local businesses or we won't be here in a years time.

OP posts:
LimeCheesecake · 18/02/2023 09:07

Pension funds have a range of investments and tend to move money if one sector isn’t doing well. I wouldn’t assume your pension will be worthless because commercial rents in some parts of some cities are falling.

LimeCheesecake · 18/02/2023 09:11

Basically OP - if businesses relied on the poorer to middle end of middle class people continuing to have lots of disposable income to spend on non-essentials, then gas and electric price rises, inflation and interest rates rises have fucked that up and their budgets wouldn’t be any different if they worked in an office.

Hubblebubble · 18/02/2023 09:15

I was hired, post covid, as fully remote. It means my employers get talent from all over the UK, not just the tiny radius from the city their offices are located in.

BashirWithTheGoodBeard · 18/02/2023 09:16

Benjispruce4 · 18/02/2023 08:55

Of course it’s great to have flexibility if you are unable to get to work premises for all sorts of reasons. That doesn’t mean that’s good for all.

Yes, which is the point that those of us who refuted your claim about young people were making. Circumstances, mileage and preferences vary. Which is why you shouldn't be generalising about what's good for young adults when what you actually mean is what's good for young adults who happen to be similar to your DC.

Hubblebubble · 18/02/2023 09:16

It was good for their business.

Jedsnewstar · 18/02/2023 09:16

How dare people squirrel their own money away and not waste it on junk food…..

BashirWithTheGoodBeard · 18/02/2023 09:22

ConfusedNT · 18/02/2023 08:45

Unfortunately like a lot of posters on this thread apparently they only care about able bodied NT young people, the others apparently can get left behind 🙄

Show quote history

People don't necessarily realise they're doing this, but yes. There was no real societal understanding, during the period when the pre March 2020 model held sway, of all the people who it excluded. They just weren't there, and that wasn't noticed.

That's how people can come out with statements like being present in person is so much better for learning opportunities. Because the people who can't be present in person and the people who'd learn much less if they were simply don't figure. The people talking about how being in person is so beneficial are likely to be people who found it helpful themselves, ie the winners in the previous system.

ThunderRolls88 · 18/02/2023 09:25

You are not entitled to anyone's spending money.

Although it is sad when a small business closes, it really only means a handful of people out of a job. Whereas, if somewhere like Tesco shut down, there would be a lot of people jobless.

Benjispruce4 · 18/02/2023 09:30

I met my DH at work and most of my friends are from workplaces. I do think it’s concerning that the opportunities to meet others will be drastically reduced for many.

RattlewhenIwalk · 18/02/2023 09:39

Do you do home or even office delivery? WFH I don't have time to hoof it up the high street. I didn't have time even when I was in the workplace come to that.

Equally, I live in an area where there aren't any cutsey little cafes or deli's so if you want my money you have to come to me.

CastleCrasher · 18/02/2023 09:39

OP, what have you done or changed to help tackle the issue?
I see lots of complaints about what other people are or are not doing, but no evidence of you actually making any changes yourself.

I mainly WFH and eat out/shop in general far more now than I did before. It's reduced a bit recently though because COL has made that necessary, but there are some positive changes I've seen from local businesses that make a difference and mean I shop more than I would have done otherwise:

  • changes to menus to include lower priced options than previously available. Similar in other shops, eg clothes shop selling pretty (and cheapish) scarves etc that work well as impulse and gift buys that they never stocked before
  • local retailers linking up with taxi firm to offer delivery service for (non food) shopping
  • retailers making more of an effort to get to know customers, build relationships and learn what they actually want
  • better use of social media to advertise business, goods and special offers etc
Benjispruce4 · 18/02/2023 09:41

Coffees and teas are so expensive in cafes these days. I was charged £4 for a green tea last week! A flat white requires some skill and a few ingredients that I can’t replicate at home necessarily but boiling water on a tea bag?!?

GinUnicorn · 18/02/2023 09:43

WFH has been great for me although I did before the pandemic. I do spend less at the high street now though because all
my bills have increased. If it’s a choice between a warm house or a treat from a bakery then warm house wins.
Blame the government for not implementing a windfall tax whilst oil companies make millions not the people working from home.

Untitledsquatboulder · 18/02/2023 09:45

@Benjispruce4 that's true but whether it's concerning depends on how people/society adapts to counteract that.

When lockdown struck dh's employer moved everyone to working from home and they've stayed that way ever since. That made dh, who previously got most of his social contact from work, very isolated - not so much in 2020 when we were all home too but through 2021 and into 2022. Last year though he (w a bit of a push) decided to change things. He took up a sport and plays socially, he's joined a choir . So now he has not-through-work social contact and, because he doesnt have 3 hours of commuting a day, he has time and money to do these things and we get to see more of him.

So yes, social isolation is a real risk with the shift to wfh but it doesn't have to be the inevitable result.

ConfusedNT · 18/02/2023 09:52

Benjispruce4 · 18/02/2023 09:30

I met my DH at work and most of my friends are from workplaces. I do think it’s concerning that the opportunities to meet others will be drastically reduced for many.

I met my DH at scouts, should we make that mandatory for everyone too?

Benjispruce4 · 18/02/2023 09:55

No need to be so hostile. I think it’s a fact that a high percentage of people meet their partner/friends at work.

Jewel1968 · 18/02/2023 10:02

Have not read all the messages..

It's not WFH that is the issue it's cost of living.

I do hybrid working and when I go into the office I bring a flask of coffee and food from home. I never ever did that before.

So in their drive to keep inflation down or their attempts to lower it your business suffers. Pay people more and they will spend on a few treats. But apparently that will drive up inflation.

User18936572 · 18/02/2023 10:39

Why would people want to go to some random food place anyway even if they were in the office, they are mostly overpriced

Bellalalala · 18/02/2023 11:00

Benjispruce4 · 18/02/2023 09:30

I met my DH at work and most of my friends are from workplaces. I do think it’s concerning that the opportunities to meet others will be drastically reduced for many.

Cool. You make your social connections mainly through work.

That doesn’t apply to all or most people. I met my Dp in my best friends kitchen. I don’t believe that it should be mandatory to hang out in your friends kitchen.

I made friends through certain hobbies. Don’t think it’s beneficial for all people to do those hobbies.

Bellalalala · 18/02/2023 11:03

Benjispruce4 · 18/02/2023 09:55

No need to be so hostile. I think it’s a fact that a high percentage of people meet their partner/friends at work.

Why are you assuming it’s a benefit?

I, as an example, have more time to do things outside work now I don’t commute everyday. I have an exercise class that I couldn’t have fitted in when I was in the office. Now I can. Met some great people from there.

Alot of people make friends at work, because that’s where their life is focused and they often can’t fit in other things between work and family life.

I would argue that work should not be your main source of social interaction.

ConfusedNT · 18/02/2023 11:25

Benjispruce4 · 18/02/2023 09:55

No need to be so hostile. I think it’s a fact that a high percentage of people meet their partner/friends at work.

You think I'm the hostile one?

You think disabled and ND young workers should be forced into the office because its "better for them" and it might get them married off. You are the one trying to argue for a more hostile workplace environment for some people

TaRaDeBumDeAy · 18/02/2023 11:29

You need to find ways to diversify or change with the times. During lockdown my local coffee shop started selling coffee beans and blends and came out of lockdown doing better than before.

Now they have a range of beans in the local supermarkets and are looking at supplying nationally.

How you fare in life is down to you, ultimately 🤷‍♀️

Turtleegg · 18/02/2023 11:32

Benjispruce4 · 18/02/2023 09:55

No need to be so hostile. I think it’s a fact that a high percentage of people meet their partner/friends at work.

Historically yes as work/commuting/being forced to spend lots of time physically around these people mean of course people meet people they get on with. With a better work/life balance I've had more time to spend with my actual friends, I've met people at the sport I've finally been able to join as I don't miss training due to commuting. The majority of my friends met their other halves online to be honest, I think the days of meeting someone at work have been fading for a while. Of course some people don't really have much of a social life outside of work so I feel bad that now they're not forced to spend time with people they might be lonely, but for others it's opened up many more opportunities.

makingarunforit · 18/02/2023 11:40

When I started work many years ago I worked in town, went out at lunchtime and clocked off on the dot. I often bought a sandwich at lunchtime.

Fast forward, work got busier and it was a mad dash to try and grab lunch.

Fast forward a bit more and the time factor/fact my salary hadn't risen meant that I started taking lunch to work.

Fast forward to now I work from home in a community role. I literally have time to stop for a very quick lunch and then back to work. I dream of the days I had time to go out for a browse around town and get some lunch.

I shop locally because I get much better service from small businesses but time and cost is a big factor for me these days. I think it's where most people are at. Business is driven by demand not the other way around. You need to change your thinking.

Benjispruce4 · 18/02/2023 13:54

@ConfusedNT ARE YOU OK? I have said nothing of the sort. I have simply said it’s a concern for a lot of young people.. I have two young adults and know lots of parents of that age group who feel the same . You can’t say anything on MN without being accused of forgetting those with special needs. As I said upthread of course there should always be flexibility so as not to discriminate.