Turn down job offer that requires 4 days a week.in office?

[Greenbootgrass]

Hi All

Offered a new role at a different company, salary increase and better pension however....

I currently wfh 2 days a week, new job only allows 1 day a week wfh

Am I mad to say no to this?

Really enjoy my 2 days a week at home, comfy clothes, no commute ( hour each way) and doing errands etc at lunchtime.

People have different needs and health conditions etc and nobody should be feeling resentful. If they need to work from home more often, they should make a case for it, and not be resentful someone else has.

Yes. If more people turn them down, they might decide that they need to review their policy.

Or they won't care. But it's worth telling them nonetheless.

I would not take the job. Flexibility and work life balance is more important to me.

That, however, is not the reality. It’s down to favouritism and not transparent. In the OP’s situation, there is no need for an additional day at home. It’s just desirable. What she can do if she opts to take the job is ensure it won’t go up to five days a week in the office.

It's not right for your or your circumstances. I do think companies lose out by not being flexible...

I couldn't - i was someone who drove over an hour each way every day to work. I was knackered every weekend but thought that was normal. To be on this constant roller coaster of rushing all the time. When Covid came and we were allowed to wfh - it was a real eye opener. I actually had time. I actually could exercise, i wasnt falling asleep every eve at 8pm. A big plus was money, less diesel expenses car didnt need servicing all the time, tyres was another thing i didnt constantly have to replace them. It was a world unknown to me. Now i go into the office once a week and honestly i am exhausted after it, its also my least productive day aswell. I actually have a life now and can go out for a walk exercise etc in eve if want to, don't fall asleep on sofa - the constant cloud of exhaustion is no longer there plus house tidier and eat better. I still do a 39 hour week sometimes more , have progressed in my role aswell. However if they asked for mandatory return to office more days i would be gone. My work life balance is far more important than any money

no point in asking other people as it what suits you
some people wouldn’t thank you for working at home others love it

I’d turn it down. When you factor in most places annual pay rises, and the fact new starters don’t often qualify you’ll be even closer than 10% soon.

I’d decline and let them know it is because if the office requirements. They might have a rethink-or if the struggle to find an as qualified candidate then they might rethink later down the line.

Yep - I could have written this post. I am no longer exhausted all the time, and its priceless.

Aint it unreal - i just thought it was normal
Plus always got sick when took time off
I knew something had improved when my ,mother said to me gosh your face no longer looks grey 😂

This. If you say ‘no’ to the recruiter, and that you would say ‘yes’ if the split was 3/2, then the ball is back in their court.
Are you unhappy in your current job, OP? Would you be devastated if they withdrew the offer?

I think negotiating can often be a good tactic, but this sounds like an organisation who really think office work is important and beneficial. There's a mismatch in approach. If you're happy where you are, I'd be careful about moving to an organisation where your preferred working pattern would be felt as a significant concession.

The thing is that this is entirely personal. For some people, the additional money is more important. for others, the flexibility is more important. It sounds like you would like the extra money and pension contributions but they aren't absolutely essential, in which case, the fact that you're leaning towards saying no makes sense.

When we had a similar decision to make for a new job for DH, we went with the new job because the additional money and some other benefits were really needed, and were worth the pain of the added commute and less flexibility on work hours.

Let us know how it goes and if you decide to negotiate

Have you had a pension forecast from your occupational pension provider based on your current position and at what age is it payable? Is it ample, coupled with the State pension (from age 66 or 67?), to give you a comfortable retirement, or is it a bit of a pinch or just enough?

How much difference would the increased employer pension contributions from the prospective new employer over the next five to seven years make to your occupational pension?

How much extra could you add to your savings or expenditure from salary if you took the new job?

How do you weigh the financial gains against the commute, which is probably what tires you out as much as the work? But it is only four days out of seven, giving you three days at home, which is a near equal balance, which isn't bad.

I haven't read the full thread, but I turned down a role that was a £13k year increase in salary with £25k bonus, because they wanted a minimum 2 days a week in the office.

When I factored in the following:

• 40% tax payment
• the 2 offices were further away - so train was quicker but expensive,
• the hours (12 hour days are normal, and they are tied to your desk no break)
• the wear and tear on my car, if I took the car,
• loss of child benefit.
• Extra costs like lunches out and coffees
• I love the firm and the team I am in and I have real flexibility where I am (12 hour days are rare) and I average 1 day a week in the office

I think it only equated to around £185 extra a month. I can't count the bonus in that because that may not materialise. All in all it didn't seem worth it.

Turns out I am glad I didn't take the role as a lady who worked there committed suicide a few months ago and it was due to the pressure at work and the expected working hours plus mum guilt on not seeing her family. Can't underestimate company culture on your work and home life.

Good luck OP

OP I smiled and thought of this when the advertised as hybrid with a four day attendance requirement

Are you likely to gain a promotion or 10% pay rise in your current job?

If not, for just one extra day in the office and with your pension now on the horizon I'd work out the difference that 10% could make to your pension and lump sum.

On a serious note if it’s four now it’ll be five in 18 months. I wouldn’t personally unless you have a strong financial need, as 10% will be eaten up in commuting costs.

Also really resonating with posters who now have time to exercise, aren’t constantly replacing tyres, aren’t at the petrol station every five days.

You like working from home because you can slob around, do other things and generally not work as hard as you would if you were in an office with other colleagues.
I'm sorry but WFH is lazy, lazy, lazy which is why so many public sector workers want to do it

Yes, that's why I've worked from home in some capacity since 2005, because I get paid for doing nothing, by multiple sensible employers who don't pay people for doing nothing,

For goodness sake.

I bet half the people who comment on here don't work themselves.

Quite apart from your prejudice against public sector workers.

If you were 25, and the new role had more potential for development/career path, I'd say look beyond the current limitations and go for it. But you are getting close to retirement, so that's less important to you.

I'm personally conflicted on the WFH aspect. Currently I do hybrid (2 office / 2 home), and whereas I love falling out of bed and into my joggers on a WFH day I do feel a bit of a hermit, and really miss the office atmosphere. And I'll be honest....I get more done in the office.

I'd turn it down. I do 3 days in the office/2 wfh and it's perfect. 4 days would be exhausting!

Yes I did do 5 days a week pre-covid and it was exhausting and I ended up taking sick days here and there because I kept getting sick from the tube/gross people in the office. I'm less sick nowadays and I love it.

Are you mad? I am so monitored I can't make a brew without someone knowing about it My screen is recorded, my phone is recorded, every time I go on lunch or break it is timed I can't even put a wash on because someone would hear it Getting sick of people saying WFH is lazy