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?

My husband’s public sector employers positively encourages WFH.

I'm self employed.

Guess what my answer is?

It's obviously not the WFH itself. It is some of the individuals.

After the initial lockdowns when the world went 'back to normal' but WFH continued, I became much less productive at home. Some days I was fine and got as much done as I would have in the office. But some days I just couldn't properly concentrate or motivate myself, which came with guilt because I actually have a really strong work ethic.
It will always be a mixture. But I think a lot of companies are realising that even with those people that are more productive, there's not enough of them to make up for those that are less so. And obviously it's not fair for the WFH productive people to have to pick up the slack. Because I am certain there is plenty of slack, but a lot of it will not be visible to everyone although it is obvious to managers!
Hybrid seems to work and feels like a fair compromise, so I get frustrated when people complain about it if they weren't employed on a 100% WFH contract 🤷

I do best with a mix.

I find 100% wfh allows me to a certain extent to dodge or hide from some things (or people). whereas going in 2-3 days a week is perfect - I have the energy, headspace, interruption free time and motivation to get loads done when wfh but can't avoid that difficult interaction with colleague a, have opportunities to collaborate well with colleague b etc.

I manage a team of staff including some 100% remote, some hybrid and some 100% in the office and the hybrid ones are doing the best.

I think it depends what you do - my work has a quantifiable output that has to be delivered by a specific deadline. So it doesn’t matter if it’s done in fits and starts across a longer period of time than your regular 9-5. It just has to be done and delivered on time.

WFH is much easier as there are fewer distractions.

But lots of people were not productive in offices either.

It's a really individual thing-several people I know with WFJ jobs that were not particularly well monitored set up another enterprise 'on the side' that they were spending their other employers paid time on- so I am a bit cynical in some cases. Whereas my H has always worked from home in last 23 years and is incredibly productive

As a manager sometimes I can only fill a job by people doing it remotely. We’re in an expensive part of the country so I can get better staff (and in some cases it was the only way I got any applicants) this way. I’d rather I could work in an office with them more often, but the alternative to them WFH is an unfilled vacancy, so we would definitely be less productive as a team.

I'll happily admit some days I'm productive when I wfh, and others I do the bare minimum. Obviously wouldn't say that to my manager though.

Depending on the work I am doing I can be more productive at home. However I also value the time spent with colleagues face to face, bumping into people I have not seen in a while and catching colleagues (and vice versa) while in the office.

I’d be less productive in the office or warehouse as I’d have people to talk to and take lunches with. As it stands I don’t bill work for toilet breaks, lunch or chatting. Where as in the office I’d be doing it on their time anyway.

I have to record all my work in 6 minute intervals and have to record 7 hours a day so it really doesn't change for me of I'm st gome or in the office I still have to record the time. I'm productive at home and in the office!

In my team I see a different type of work in the office than at home.

new staff dont learn as quickly working from home and people aren’t as aware of what is going on in other teams. People spend longer trying to work things out for themselves rather than asking.

but tasks that require concentration and independent working (drafting and proof reading for example) are better from home.

I think that’s why hybrid works so well.

YABU to say that on here everyone says they are more productive when working from home.

I think WFH is great and I always got all of my work done. I could start work early by cutting out all of the faff of getting ready and driving to work which meant I had extra time to help others or do extra tasks! On the other hand it was really nice to go into the office to see everyone but I worked with a brilliant team of people before I went on maternity leave. I am pro WFH and pro work at the office. I think a hybrid way of working would be a good balance.

I don't have a dog in this fight as I have worked from home for over 10 years and don't expect that to change - not least because not many companies have offices doing my kind of work where I live and I can't afford (and have no desire to) live in or near a big city or do a long commute.

Some people are more productive at home, others are not. Some are less productive in the office. It is entirely role and person dependant.

Even a medicore managers should be able to manage their teams remotely with targets to measure they are productive whereever they work, home or different office, and deal with it is they are not.

Someone who can't or simply doesn't like WFH opinion is irrelevant.

I don't think I am more productive, I know I am more productive, my stats speak for themselves!

At home, you don't get roped into the general office banter, just get on with my work, help people over teams calls but no chit chat, so yes, definitely more productive!

I think as PPs have said, now the novelty has worn off productivity is down. It also massively impacts ad hoc conversations and team work. Training is definitely far less effective on Teams - can’t bear it. We’re going back to f2f a lot more now thankfully.

The quality of my work is better at home, after 3.5 years wfh and now back in the office one day a week I find the office (open plan and noisy as fuck) is so difficult to concentrate in, it’s hard to stay present and focused when people are having loud phone conversations around me, managers are having conversations close by my desk, people walking past on breaks laughing and chatting. It’s all so bloody distracting. Every day I’m there I go home with a headache and with ringing in my ears from the volume.

It doesn’t help that we’ve closed part of the building and everyone is now crammed a lot closer together than we used to be pre covid. And don’t get me started on losing twenty minutes at the start of the day trying to find a desk where all the tech works correctly, hot desking sucks. Give me my quiet, peaceful home office any day.

Obviously some types of work lend themselves more to WFH than others. Mine is just about ideal for home working as far as I'm concerned: individual professional casework requiring focused concentration on a task for a day or two at a time. All on screen, with only brief communication with colleagues needed.

My organisation has about 200 people doing similar work. Our outputs and productivity are measured in detail. Overall we have apparently been 17% more productive over the financial years 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23 when we've been working 80-100% from home than we were over the previous three financial years when we were 100% in the office. This sounds about right based on my personal experience.

My husband extremely productive as he knows if he were to come down for a skive he'd actually have work thrown at him from me and the kids. So he just works his backside off as that is easier

I go once a week to the office. We get half the amount done that day. When it comes to productivity , going in is the worst thing we are doing

This.

I am undoubtedly more productive at home, at work there is too much chatting (that I join in with). At home I am on my own most of the time and I am disciplined. Not saying that I don't put a wash load on or anything, but I certainly don't sit watching tv.