To wonder why companies are mandating RTO during cost of living crisis

[Roxinabox]

I don't understand the timing?

It's mor expensive than ever to live in cities. Rent and mortgage costs are way up, public transport prices are ridiculous, local places to eat lunch are more expensive, and salaries are down in real terms.

And now more companies are asking workers to spend more money returning to the office.

Why now? I half suspect it's a conspiracy to keep cities going as people are increasingly getting priced out of them!

That’s poster is regularly doing 10-20 hours unpaid overtime a week. I would suggest the crisis management isn’t the best of that is happening nearly every day of the week.

Oh honey. You have no idea.

Also lots of train services haven't resumed the same frequency pre covid

@WrongSwanson must be jealous!

Completely agree, I find it really odd that people are balking at the notion of returning to the office!

Those that bleat on about childcare costs should take it up with their ovaries and the fathers of their children… not their employers! It’s a ridiculous statement and synonymous with a growing number of people who don’t want to take responsibility for their decisions.

As a country, we rely on an awful lot of service/systems being available 24/7 many of which have complex dependencies.

People go into that type of role with their eyes open. I am sure @WrongSwanson could switch careers to a nice 9-5 job if she wanted, but presumably she thrives on what she does.

I suspect it feels like RTO is happening all of a sudden now but that is becuase some people have not read the room. Companies have been making noises about returning to the office since early 2022.

At our place we were told to aim for 60% office time from early 2022 (those who wanted more WFH were told to use the normal flexible working/resonable adjustment request system) . It wasn't strictly monitored or enforced BUT I know those not making the effort have been noted and things are getting a bit stricter.

It would be a bit sad if those who refuse to come back to the office fuck up (very valued) hybrid working for the rest of us.

Exactly.

Did you get the job after the pandemic?

So much time seems to be spent on Teams for people when a quick conversation as you're passing their desk would suffice.

And a lot of homes are not designed for home working. There isn't the space.

So you have people trying to work while their partner is managing the babies/children or they're working in the bedroom without the right desk/chair

Although you might be saving on transport you're not saving on wear and tear in the home and heating costs

Our company (large multinational with offices all over the UK) has always had WFH even pre-pandemic - but a couple of days a week.

Post pandemic the situation has reversed office working was mandated 2 days a week. There were mutterings about it being a 'soft' way to get people to leave and sure enough at the end of this year redundancies have been announced. Luckily I'm not impacted but you never know what may come next.

Being one of the larger employers in the North West we have always had people live further away and commute so unlike, say London there hasn't been a mass exodus of people during Covid now questioning their life choices.

Personally during busy periods I'm sat in the office on calls with people based all over the country but I still enjoy team interaction. I feel sorry for the people who have a tiny team though - only 2 others. Not really worth coming in for.

Although you might be saving on transport you're not saving on wear and tear in the home and heating costs

Depends - if you have someone else at home anyway, it makes no difference. My husband is retired, so the house still needs heating when I am at work.

It's probably the case that big business/commercial property owners have pushed for the return to office work as they are losing money on their investments.

Nothing is ever done for the wellbeing of workers these days, it is all about money and the rich ensuring they make a profit.

I work from home and go into the office once every two weeks. I went in last week and actually cried it was so horrible. we were suppse to have training that required face to face which was then cancelled that morning. it was OK for people leving nearer to the office but I live 2.5 hours to the office. before people jump down my throat I did move further away during the past 2 years but it's due to rental not avaliable nearer. something beyond my control and a fact of life at mo. none of the people i deal with are not in my office anyway so ended up sitting on a teams call most of afternoon. I couldn't hear anything due to other people on their teams calls too. plus my desk was not comfortable. I was sitting beside someone I don't like and it was irrating me ( he is a cocky little shite) the noise of people walking in and out of office was annoying plus the printer nose and the noise of people coming in and out fo meeting rooms was also annoying. it's my least productive days too. tool me three hours to get home cost 60e in diesel as well. but what I hate most of office days is the rush yoi are rushing to get ready in morning get dogs sorted dress properly get out before traffic hits pray no crashes. then home rush walk dogs sort house get dinner on etc. that drives me mental. I am wrecked I feel like the house is out of synch and i spend the next few days at home catching up on work I have missed from being in the office. it you ar ebeing productive and work is being done what is tye harm in working from home.

Because like it or not, its not your workplaces problem that there's a COL crisis happening. If you worked in an office pre covid then of course workplaces have the right to expect you back. You have the right to say no and find another job.

I have about 70% less internal emails now I'm back in an office because in general you know about things happening around you and don't need to be cc into things. I can also be asked to do something and do it without needing an email to request this. Its faster in that sense for everyone. As a manager I can verbally discuss and train hands on rather than spending ages writing instructional emails to colleagues about which button to click next and what option to select after etc... So for me, the job is actually easier when I'm in the office - yes I might be travelling to work and back but I'm done a lot earlier than I would be if I'm WFH.

My DH was still WFH last winter. He saved money on his few miles of a commute but and we had to have our heating on until 11am and back on at 2pm every day in order for him not to freeze to death, even with a fleece on (Scotland). The rest of us were out for the day so the heating would have gone off at 8am and come back on at 3.30 if he hadn't been at home. How is that saving money in an energy cost crisis when households are doing this up and down the country instead of being in one office building?

Because like it or not, its not your workplaces problem that there's a COL crisis happening.

Most workplaces play a significant part in perpetuating wealth inequality, so it may not be their problem but it's partly their fault.

maybe the WFH has contributed to inflation/COL crisis as everyone had more money through reduced commuting fares, home made lunches etc

Which in turn keeps us all employed...

Interesting. My employer has gone the other way entirely. They are selling off all our regional offices and just retaining the central London HQ.

So most staff, including myself now have our home address as our workplace. I anticipate going into London between 4 - 8 times a year. The train fare will be paid and travel time comes out of my working hours.

My job involves a lot of travel around the region seeing clients, so I won’t be stuck wfh every day. It suits me really well and is a very popular move with colleagues.

If they said everyone had to go back to the office, people would just leave in droves. Very low levels of unemployment in my region and in my sector, so getting a new job fairly simple.

It's a good point about new employees, although I'd say it's helpful even if the new employee is happy to work from home. Every workplace has different ways of doing things, and being surrounded by the rest of your team means you'll get up to speed quicker.

I also think I would find it very lonely, working solely from home. I enjoy interacting with people, and face-to-face is better for me.

Imo its ridiculous that people are being priced out of cities when there are plenty of central office buildings that could be turned into flats which would be more likely to support a thriving high street. I'm sure o saw a study on it somewhere.

The real reason people are being forced back is because a lot of money and investments are tied up in office rentals and people responsible for those investments want to keep them going, hence they talk in the right ears to get the little people back back into the office so they can keep milking the cash cow.

Society doesnt benefit from central offices, wealthy people and investors do.

The people upset with RTO aren't those who live nearby like your DH. It's those who used to, and spent a fortune doing so with high rents, and then moved away but are now facing spending fortune commuting on trains and whatnot. Also, wraparound childcare!

Personally for me (no DC yet) the difference is minimal. DH works from home FT, we used to live 20 mins away from the office but now live 40. Still doable.

Yes, but I have been there for less than two years and am not convinced they think wfh is working out for them 😏 it's a minimum wage admin job though so hopefully would be able to find something local.

I work hybrid and that suits me and the type of work I have to do, but I find it really annoying on the days when everyone is supposed to be in and only half the team turns up. In those situations my instinct his to crack on with the team in the room but I get flack from my line manager saying "You didn't consult X, Y feels sidelined, you have disrespected Z's position."

So what do I do? Waste the time of those who did turn up by not actually deciding anything and putting anything into action? Waste my time and delay everything by repeating everything at a convenient time for those who couldn't/ didn't make it in?

Hybrid works if people respect that some activities are done best alone and some in a team. I also hate coming in for a meeting which is essentially one person talking at us. Put it in an email, record a voice note, do it on teams. Everyone is too busy to come in just to be talked at.