New manager want me in the office. I wfh-help!

[Stressedgiraffe]

We've changed management structure so my new manager wants me in the office. Ideally once a week but might settle for every month.
I've been there over 2 years. I wfh permanently but my contract says HQ.
I live 5 hours away always have done. They knew where I lived when I started. I go into the office about every 3/4 months for a few days .
Could I push for a change in location in my contract or do you think I'm screwed?

So your contract doesn't say you WFH?

Contract also includes "custom and practice", and I believe there's case law to support this. Are you in a union?

The best you can do is negotiate a compromise. You agreed a contract to be office based.

Gosh, that’s a long commute! If you pushed for once a month, would they supply travel costs and accommodation? Is the office anywhere nice that you could use as a mini break? Sounds frustrating.

If you don't have a WFH contract maybe you will need to go in once a month?

What is their reasoning - clearly it's not cover or anything as they may agree once a month.

Has the manager worked with you under the status quo arrangements and if so for how long?
They can probably enforce it technically under your contract but would need to show why the change is needed from a business perspective. Is everyone being asked to go in once a week?

UABU. If your contract says you don't wfh then they could ask you in every day and you couldn't say no. They have agreed to you coming in 1x a month- sounds ideal. I would snap up their offer.

There seems to be a recent push by the C-Suite to get people back into the office. This is being cascaded down now and managers are asking people to show up more.

You may be caught up in this generalised net.

I would negotiate given that you live so far away 1x/month seems reasonable to me while 1x/week does not in your case.

I’d consider it lucky if they only ask for once a month.
pish too hard and you may find they enforce your terms and conditions much harder

What is 'the C-Suite'?

Sounds like WFH was a COVID contingency and they are reverting back to BAU?
Why did you apply for a job which was 5 hours commute away? Was the job offered as WFH or Hybrid?

When you applied for the job that you knew was a 5 hour commute away, was it advertised as a fully WFH position?

DH's colleague was forced out of his job because of this - had always WFH but it wasn't in his contract, and they starting insisting on him being in once a week.

I think you will have to negotiate. Maybe two days in every fortnight and stay over to minimise travel?

@Coolblur

Corporate Executives

CFO
CEO
CRO

Etc..

I think you posted about this a little while ago didn't you- did you end up going to the team event day thingy in the end?

Have to say, it doesn't sound like this issue is going to go away anytime soon, you probably need to get an arrangement sorted and documented.

Unless you are contracted to wfh then you have no choice but to go to the office when they say you need too. They would be fully in their rights to sack you if you refused to do so!

It just seems stupid. The team I actually work with are global.so teams meetings in different timezones. At best I could do 1 day a month it would mean 2 nights in a hotel every month. Which if they don't pay expenses I can't afford. I'm the sole earner for my family as I have a disabled dh.
She seems to want bums on seat.

Once a month is pretty generous but I wouldn’t imagine they will pay your travel or accommodation if your contract says you’re based there unfortunately

What’s the business rationale?

Are you a registered carer for your DH? If you are could that be used as a reasonable adjustment for you to continue WFH?

I'd push back. 2 years of WFH is a change in contract, regardless of what your manager thinks. How big is your company? Might be worth trying to speak to other colleagues in the same position (if any) to agree a common position.

If you're contract states your place of work as HQ you're on a sticky wicket. I would try and come to a compromise agreement.

I think you’ll need to do the sums. If you cannot afford to lose this job then you cannot afford not to go in at least once a month.

Start job hunting ASAP.

@Stressedgiraffe When you started working there 2 years ago what was the communicated working position? They recruited you knowing you worked 5 hours away so there couldnt have been the expectation you would be in a commutable distance from the office.

Your contract may say your HQ is your designated office but if you have something to say you can work from home and can show they knew your distance from the office was 5 hours then i dont think they can enforce you coming in. I could be wrong but i would be doubtful it would stand up if you went to tribunal if you could sho / prove the above.

Are you in a union, or does your home insurance cover any legal costs? You need advice from an employment solicitor as to whether there's been an implied change in terms and conditions through custom and practice, before you do anything else.