To think that everyone WFH thinks they are more productive but this view isn’t necessarily shared

[Cucumbertomatoes]

On here, everyone who WFH insists they are much more productive than in the office. However, I’ve noticed this view is rarely shared by others, hence companies wanting workers back. It’s an interesting one as clearly perceptions vary. AIBU to think that while you might think you’re more productive you may not be?

Bingo

I think it massively depends on what you do.

I am definitely more productive WFH and I'm in an industry where that is easily quantifiable.

If I worked more with colleagues/customers I might be more productive in the office since regular interaction and conversations would help.

I also think a lot of managers have roles where they organise meetings and basically just check up on people, rather than producing clear output. So those managers want people back in the office for their own productivity. It became very clear during covid that a lot of our middle managers were unnecessary!

But it's true. During the first lockdown it was very obvious that one of our team members had to be micromanaged. Fortunately, he left and made life a lot easier for the rest of us.

I think it can simultaneously be true that an individual feels more productive working from home but it’s not more productive for the organisation as a whole.

For example when I’m in the office I get interrupted often because people need to catch me with quick queries. Individually they might take 5 minutes to resolve in person. This interrupts my work so may make me less productive than if I was at home getting my head down. But all those interruptions are work related and if it’s harder for other people to speak to me and resolve their issues which might be holding them up (which it is harder to do remotely, whatever people say about Teams) the organisation as a whole is less productive.

Wow what platform would you want to use instead of outlook? If it's Google you have all my sympathy

Without so much as a grain of facetiousness I genuinely think comparing WFH to working from the office, in every aspect including productivity is like comparing whether it's better to take an aeroplane to fly internationally or try to swim, walk and sail to your destination.

If only it were more normalised. Its reputation as a haven for the shirkers helps everyone else but workers themselves. The idea that the pitfalls of WFH are such that it's better to work in the office is so deeply rooted that even those it would benefit actively campaign against it.

I don’t believe there is a ‘one size fits all’ approach to wfh/flexible working. My husband wfh two days a week and it more productive as he is able to work for 2 hours longer than he can in the office (they moved the office during COVID so is now at 40min drive, 70min train, 10 min walk). He also just got voted ‘person of the year’ with the comments of ‘he always knows what’s going on’ and ‘it always available to work’. If he wasn’t productive that wouldn’t be the case. He is also much happier, has a better diet for at least those two days and a better work life balance.

Strictly speaking he’s not more productive in that example, he’s working 2 more hours. More productive would be getting the same amount (or more) work done in the same time.

Nail on the head there. Exactly my opinion and experience. You have to look at the bigger picture, not on an individual level. If an employee locked themselves in an office and took the phone off the hook, they'd be personally more productive, but their colleagues around them may be less productive. Same applies with WFH.

When I worked for other people (now self employed), I was often away from the office working at clients' premises (management accounting) and as a result, I didn't feel part of the team as I spent very little time in the office, working alongside my colleagues, so something was lost there - I wasn't there to help/support them and I wasn't there to learn from them as to the firms' other clients, ethos, etc. On the few occasions when I spent periods in the office (usually the odd week or two when I wasn't booked out on client visits), working alongside other staff really made me feel part of the team again, there was a far better exchange of ideas, support, which benefitted me, the other staff and the organisation as a whole.

Unfortunately there are a minority who take the piss when wfh, which then affects all of us. Our big bank is asking for people to go back in the office because it’s easier pulling in everyone rather than just focussing on the lazy workers, who generally would be the ones who would go ballistic if they were solely targeted. Taking it to HR etc.

I am busier in the office. I actually achieve more working from home.

I wfh permanently, I have taken on a far wider role as I am more productive. My boss recognises that we would need at least one more part time employee to do this additional work if I was commuting. I think that speaks for itself in terms of productivity. I do of course sometimes idle away the time doing non work stuff, Same as I would have done having random coffees, extended lunches, post work drinks, when I was in the office.

Some people confuse being productive and showing their face in the office. If the time wasters ruining a working day with endless gossiping, rounds of tea, inane small talks are even less efficient at home, they should be sacked frankly.

I AM more productive, I am not interrupted every 5 minutes with nonsense.
Much less catching up to do in the evening when I can actually get my work done during the day.

What we could do without is people taking the piss and not bothering with childcare because they are "home". Totally unacceptable with primary school kids, I vote for forcing everyone back in the office during school holidays only 😂

This is the part that fascinates me about wfh, or the management of wfh. If you're not contributing to the development of people coming through as you would in the office, are you being equally productive/making an equal contribution?

I really do think this is a time bomb. I think there's a generation of new graduates who've had barely any "learning with Nelly" and are competely missing all the stuff you pick up at "the water cooler"

In a very well run organisation with very strong management, it may be possible to compensate for that, but most businesses aren't that.

Most of my job requires a very high level of concentration, which just isn't possible against the backdrop of self indulgent never ending self important gossip and wittering going on non stop on site.

My boss (very new to the sector and even newer to actually managing people) likes to think of herself as a fabulous leader. This is self professed meetings junkie who volunteers for every extra curricular thing going. This is mainly as they don't know how to do the core tasks they should be doing (I should add at this point I have done their role but in a different location). They are currently hell bent on getting me back to the office more than the one or two days a week I can cope with and still stay productive. The rampant presenteeism is eye watering.

As a result I'm looking for another job and only looking at posts that are at least 80% WFH. So much energy goes on utter piffle on site (or wind and knickers as a wonderful ex colleague described it).

I'm not!

The disbenefit of wfh of face to face contact, informal conversations, and doorstepping those who don't respond or deliver, can mostly be achieved in one or two days a week in an office. The person who said the slackers can be more easily managed in an office I think was correct, and a supplier of ours brought those back into the office sooner than others in late 2020.

There will always be too many meetings, and some too long because a few talk more than needed (or a bad host/organiser). At least when on Teams or some other meeting app you can be doing something else whilst listening, especially if your contribution or item is only a small part.

I agree with this but I am glad about it in my place. I am a lower paid worker. In the past I would have to help new young higher paid staff with things because their managers did not train them properly. Its not my job to help new young high paid staff fill in the gaps on training their manager did not do. I am glad that working from home means I no loner have to do this and managers have to do their job properly.

I'm not more productive WFH. If I WFH I basically do nothing. Well.... apart from doing washing, watching TV and eating.

Useless meetings significantly declined as soon as we wfh. I think some people used meetings in place of actually working. A total waste of time.

I've WFH since 2006.

I average 50 hours a week, never take lunch, and am one of the highest performers.

It's not for everyone for sure.

You need to be self motivated and fairly driven.

And the idea were all shirkers is plain nonsense.

I started work at 5.15am to try and get on top of work. I broke at 7am to get kids ready for school, my dd has broken her ankle so has to have a lift so I wasn’t back at my desk til 8.59am. I grabbed leftovers for lunch and ate at my desk. I popped out to collect dd at 15.30 which took 20mins. I took a break 18.15 to 19.15 for dinner and now I’m working again (I’m just reading this while a report is updating). I’ll probably work until 11pm.

i wouldn’t be doing those hours in an office. I’m flat out.

I can imagine the same people against anyone wfh would also have been against the introduction of computers into the office. Some people do not like change.

I'm genuinely very productive at home, but I'm in a senior role and the type of person who always gets on with their work. 22 year old DS on the other hand...let's just say, if I was his manager, he would be back in the office!