Meeting: 'Working from home' - your vote needed!

[coxesorangepippin]

Got a meeting invite late tonight titled simply: Working from home'. Scheduled for half an hour. No additional info.

What are they gonna say?

Return to the office full time? Full time WFH???

Your guess is as good as mine. We're currently in once every two weeks.

Results posted in here tomorrow once the meeting has been held.

Yanbu = back to office
Yabu = WFH

I'm intrigued !

I don’t know so I’m only here to find out what happens 😂.

It's not about being bothered by other people's choices its about the piss poor service from numerous organisations since they stopped having staff on site doing their jobs effectively - HMRC, DVLA, passport offices etc

I don't want to hear "background noise" when I'm trying to resolve something on the phone, poor quality connections and long wait times

I think you will be asked to work hybrid

Ditto!

DM complains about everything working from home.

I think there are jobs involving paperwork arriving by post that really need office based staff.

Some smaller organisations seem unable to manage the staff that work from home, so there's a poor service.

DH and I work much better from home. They'd have to overhaul his job if they want him back in as it's physically impossible to do the work and attend the office.

I think they're getting rid of the office and you're permanently WFH

@VisionsOfSplendour the worst background noise I hear is in call centres where there are other people in the background and lots of crackling in and out. I've not had problems with people wfh phone calls. Perhaps they need to be issued decent tech.

More days

I think they're increasing the office days, I doubt they're going from once a fortnight to full time in the office though.

They may also be formalising/reiterating some ground rules eg young children must be in childcare, not at home.

Personally I don't remembe hearing any background noise with call centres pre COVID and I'd rather the government uses the tech it already has in buildings rather than countless millions on reinventing the wheel in homes

All WFH people are getting a pay cut because they don't need to pay for commuting.
All work in office people are getting a raise to cover commuting costs.

That'd cause a bit of drama I'd wager.

Background noise is worse in a call centre. Places like those are ridiculously understaffed so call waiting times will be the same with or without an office. Places like banks have huge wait times as everyone is skint so there has been a huge surge in calls.

Everyone I know ends up working more hours from home as we don’t have the dreaded commute and end up starting early or finishing later as we don’t mind giving some more time.

Maybe understand WFH does not affect your wait time on the phone

Are they also going to cut the wages of people who walk or cycle into work?

Anchor days and increase in days in the office but not fully back in

Formalising hybrid working I reckon

I reckon an increase in office days too.

I WFH permamently, no less productive than when in the office.

More days in the office.

Those who want to work more often in an office should always have the option in my opinion.

We had one a few weeks ago they decided we need to be in the office 3 days a week, other than the fact I have never actually been in the office more than once a week since I started I can’t complain it’s not in my contract. Prior to covid my role was a wfh role for 7 years I foolishly assumed that this was the same! I have managed to negotiate 4 half days and one full day so child and dog care is not too much of an issue. It’s the way of things now. No matter how successful a company can be wfh presenteeism is still deemed to be better then getting work done

Me too, I think increase in office days.

It will be a minimum of 3 days a week in the office imo.

Just about to start work early because I don't have to commute... thank goodness I'm not asked to trail into the city to stand shoulder to shoulder in our tiny office for no reason at all. But then our team has intelligent management.

Don’t be silly. Pay isn’t decided by what the employee needs to live on, but what the job is worth.

@VisionsOfSplendour I agree. I think it's to tell you all you're back in the office. Wfh-ers have enjoyed the perks for long enough and many are taking the mick now. Back to paying for childcare, the dog-walker, cleaner etc etc

How big is the office compared to the workforce? Is it essential to have some kind of office for the kind of company it is or way of working?

If they are paying for an office that is very under occupied they will want to either bring people in more often (if office is essential) or get rid of it all together. (if not). Most companies are bringing people in more often as they are finding that as there is a turnover in staff the new people are less likely to cope with being remote but some may still be closing offices.

Is it a big organisation? The government are quietly pushing big business to get people back into offices as the money spent on commuting and lunches etc will boost the economy. My neighbour works for a bank and dispite downsizing their offices they are having to go back 3 days a week

Maybe it's a discussion on how it's working for everyone?

Results please 😁