Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask what your employers are doing regarding wfh?

133 replies

Starwarslover · 05/03/2023 21:23

I’ve recently started a new job which officially has no set days required in the office, although I keep hearing things that imply they want people in more. It doesn’t bother me as I’m in 60% anyway but it made me wonder if most employers are like this now, not wanting to put in minimum days but actively pushing for more than people are choosing to do.

YABU - employers are being honest and open and putting in set days

YANBU - they are saying they officially don’t mind when really they do

OP posts:
CherryPieface · 05/03/2023 21:23

We’re three days in office. I’d rather we had more flexibility.

Nootkah · 05/03/2023 21:25

I think it depends entirely on the employer and the job role. I can work from home as much as I want, but a lot of my job requires me to be physically present.

Fireyflies · 05/03/2023 21:27

We're only in once or twice a week, but my boss is very insistent that that's not written into anyone's contact so there's no right to assume you can work from home. Means we can always be told we need to be in for certain things. But in reality we all work from home most of the time.

teaandtoastwithmarmite · 05/03/2023 21:27

3 days in office. Set days but can occasionally change if needed. Like when I was sick/child off school sick etc

Wait2see2 · 05/03/2023 21:27

1 day in the office but pushing for more. Why can't they just leave us to WFH all the time 😂

Badgerandfox227 · 05/03/2023 21:28

My employer is happy I wfh 100% but I go in once a month or less for team meetings. I’m much more effective working all day than travelling.
I had an interview for another company on Friday, they suggested 2 days a week in the office, for me that’s too much as would be 3 hour commute each way, so I won’t be accepting if I’m offered.

HollaHolla · 05/03/2023 21:31

3 days in the office if you’re usually 5 days. Not set days, but there always has to be cover in the office as we provide a physical service. I don’t (but manage a team who do) and find it tricky, as some days I’m driving in, just to have online meetings all day. Super frustrating. There needs to be a bit of common sense in it all

Comefromaway · 05/03/2023 21:32

We have all been full time in the office since October 2020 with the ability to work from home if you have a childcare etc emergency.

Changingplace · 05/03/2023 21:33

We do two days in the office, which tend to be set days, but if I need to go anywhere on my typical wfh days that replaces an office day so generally it’s two days not wfh whether that’s office/elsewhere.

KingofCats · 05/03/2023 21:35

we’re 60% in. Two fixed days and one flexible day of choice. That said we’re fairly flexible about the fixed days too

Withnailandeye · 05/03/2023 21:36

We have a hybrid policy which is 60% office or site based, it’s fairly loose and my line manager takes a relaxed view on my split, as do I with my direct reports so long as they are getting work done and coming in our our core team day.

It does sit separately to the employment contract thoufh, so whilst it’s here now, it isn’t a term of our employment.

Knitterofcrap · 05/03/2023 21:36

My employer doesn’t care how or where anyone works, so long as everything is done.

We have closed four out of five offices so most staff live too far from the remaining office to commute anyway.

Most people just go in every few months for a meeting, or if they need to do printing/copying. Some go in regularly because they prefer it. Suits everyone really.

Plenty of jobs available for people who don’t want to work from home. I love it.

chocolateisavegetable · 05/03/2023 21:37

We have complete flexibility other than any team meetings which only happen every few months. Other than that, we can choose to be in the office or at home.

WeWereInParis · 05/03/2023 21:38

Policy is 40-60% of your time in the office. The boss has made it clear his preference is 60% and he has "encouraged" everyone to do that. He is mainly ignored.

verdantverdure · 05/03/2023 21:38

Complete flexibility here.

Quveas · 05/03/2023 21:39

Public sector. Always made it clear that office working would return although some hybrid working was done pre-pandemic. Has sold off a lot of property to balance the budget, so hybrid being forced to a degree. In general, if hybrid is possible, then its a minimum of two office days unless.... for those who need to work in an office for health reasons, they can work as many days as they need... or for a few who are better working from home (usually disability related) they can mostly work from home but must be able to attend in person meetings. But our employer introduced an interesting variation. Anyone who moved more than 60 minutes drive from the office despite being told that normal working would resume is required to work from the office every day. No exceptions and no arguments. That was done because of piss takers who thought another county /country was commutable... then argued they couldn't be expected to get in

JusteanBiscuits · 05/03/2023 21:39

WFH apart from one day a month. Very very rare I am needed for face to face meetings, we just work together once a month for the social aspect. As others have said, as long as we get the work done, they don't care where we're working from.

chelle0 · 05/03/2023 21:40

I always wfh. I don't go in for meetings or anything. Everything is from home.

CodingWitch · 05/03/2023 21:48

Pretty much 100% WFH. We have a monthly team day on site somewhere (employer has several locations) but TBH if I didn't organise that it would probably be some months before my boss cottoned on. That said I do like to mix it up by going into the office sometimes just for a change.

I don't think I would accept another role now if they wanted me in the office regularly.

Girasoli · 05/03/2023 21:57

Pretty flexible - some people go in all the time, most people do 2 days in the office and three from home, some fully wfh.

The only thing is you need to tell your line manager if you want to swap an office day for a home day or the other way around (in case of fires)

iwannascream · 05/03/2023 21:57

I'm 5 days in thr office and have been the whole time through Covid. I would rather go to the office than work from home.

cocksstrideintheevening · 05/03/2023 22:02

Mandate is two days in per week. It's bollocks though, it's only the grads and a couple of key individuals who actually do it.

minionsrule · 05/03/2023 22:03

I still wfh pretty much full time.
My project team are spread over the country so we meet up in London about once every 6 weeks.
Line manager other end of the counrty so go to my local office when she visits for a F2F.
Other than that there is the occasional request to go to my base office now and again but even that isn't mandated.
Travel with a purpose is our motto

ThinWomansBrain · 05/03/2023 22:03

60% in the office - two set days, plus one that is theoretically set, but I'm happy to flex as needed.

OnTheRunWithMannyMontana · 05/03/2023 22:05

My organisation closed their offices permanently during covid. It's so relaxing to know I'm not going to be pushed to work from an office again.