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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:
StillWantingADog · 18/02/2023 13:59

I’m sorry your business is struggling .

but I think it’s a cost of living crisis rather than wfh that’s causing this

wfh has been hugely game changing for my industry. We go in once or twice a week and are at home the rest of the time, are more productive and it helps enormously with childcare costs.

ConfusedNT · 18/02/2023 14:10

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.

I'm disabled not stupid I don't need the caps lock

zingally · 18/02/2023 14:16

I'm not sure why you're surprised?

At the end of the day, no business is owed any custom. And if the current business model isn't meeting the needs of the local population, then it either needs to be changed, or accept that the business has run its course.

ConfusedNT · 18/02/2023 14:24

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.

I wasn't going to say any more than my last post because yours was so offensive with the caps but I am wondering if you have even realised what you are doing?

You have made several posts on this thread, to which many posters have responded pointing out that you are forgetting people with different needs to your own

You have responded to me twice, once to call me hostile and once to patronise me. But not anyone else

So the only poster who is specifically responding with their experiences of being disabled is the only one you are calling names and being patronising to. Like I haven't see that behaviour before...

WalkingOnTheCracks · 18/02/2023 14:37

Couple of things here...

First, I don't understand why you feel that somehow people are letting you down when they WFH. When they worked in an office, they didn't buy lunch at your place. And they still don't. So it's not as if you've lost trade.

Second, much as I'd like people to support local businesses - I owned a small business myself - it's difficult to persuade them that they should buy things that they don't want or that they can't afford.

Third, it's not at all contradictory to, on the one hand, decide against buying things you don't want and, on the other hand, feel it's a shame that local businesses go under. A yarn shop near us closed down recently, which I think is a pity because it was a colourful and unusual place, but I have to admit I never spent a solitary tuppence there.

Fourth, free market capitalism, mate. The rewards for starting up your own business are great if it's successful. The downside - the risk - is that it won't survive. That's the gamble anyone makes when they start a business, and absolutely no one can be blamed if it doesn't work out. It's bloody brutal out there.

DonnaBanana · 18/02/2023 14:45

As PP have said this is the reality of running your own business. In the good times you can earn big and be paying almost no tax as a small business compared to an employee but in the bad the business dries up and you need to use those savings from the good days.

Benjispruce4 · 19/02/2023 09:15

@ConfusedNT you are definitely confused. I have no idea who is disabled on this thread and have said repeatedly that of course employers need to adapt their working from home rules to include all. My original post was about a general concern that social contact is important and there is a danger of isolation. That’s it. My opinion is as valid as yours. You decided to hone in and highlight my post in particular by saying I was being discriminative so yes I will come back at you and defend myself.

lieselotte · 19/02/2023 15:03

OneEnchantedEvening · 17/02/2023 19:38

A lot of pension funds are linked to commercial properties and that duck will be coming home to roost in a couple of decades if this shite of pissing about at home continues.

Given the amount of ££££ fund managers earn, I'd hope they'd be diversifying the funds.

lieselotte · 19/02/2023 15:10

ConfusedNT · 17/02/2023 23:41

Well then the economy will have to change instead of staying stagnant

Show quote history

Exactly this. It was designed for men to work in offices. Time for change.

lieselotte · 19/02/2023 15:11

My original post was about a general concern that social contact is important and there is a danger of isolatio

Why does everyone assume (I saw similar on a Times article yesterday) that working from home means that you are socially isolated. Do they think people never go out? Apart from face to face work meetings, people have hobbies and they meet people that way. Work is not the only way to meet people.

lieselotte · 19/02/2023 15:13

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.

Well I met my DH as a student and my closest and longest standing friends as a student. And most of my current local friends are from my running club.

As I said above, work is not the only way to meet people.

LookingOldTheseDays · 19/02/2023 15:16

I agree. The friends that I've made in adulthood have almost always not been through work. I'm not guaranteed to have anything in common with my colleagues, whereas when I meet people through my hobby we have shared interests in common.

I don't know anyone who only has work-based friends tbh.

LookingOldTheseDays · 19/02/2023 15:18

Having said that, for people who have a tendency towards introversion and isolating themselves, WFH can exacerbate the negative aspects of that as they don't have anything prompting them to get out and interact with people.

OutofEverything · 19/02/2023 18:43

I found I met friends at work when I was very young. But now the women my age are all rushing home to kids and time is precious.

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