Sorry, not sorry, but wfh really is much easier

[Jeannie88]

I know it's become the norm, especially post covid, but do those who wfh realise how much easier their lives are?

Sorry, but I have found it a bit pathetic and embarrassing that there has been a big defiance of 'going into office' once a fortnight to be such an horrific ordeal?

Don't you all realise how fortunate you are? No commute, time at home to do things those of us have to do after a day of being on our feet, all frontline and retail etc then look after our children?

Sp my point from.personal experience. We are a group of 6 friends (f) and go out regularly together. When we have been to midweek gigs, comedy nights, meal, the 4 who wfh joke how they can roll out of bed and be online within minutes to show present, then have breakfast and just work at their own pace and even during teams meeting they can sit back and contribute what they have to.

Then, the 2 of us who have to get up at 6am, dress for work, ready to drive so sensible of alcohol intake the night before and buy ourselves soft drinks in rounds or even drive and give lifts. Then do a full intensive day with full on human interaction and check e mails on the evening when we get the time to do so.

Of course childcare issues come into this. We who don't wfh have to take our DC to breakfast club or childminder then go on to work, the 3 of the 4 who have DC drop them off at school and rush back having been seen to log on early but not really working as getting them ready.

Ok so my observation and opinions based on this. I guess all the moaning on MN about having to go into the office (which really isn't so hard is it?) had incited me to raise this point.

Oh and I do have DP who wfh and he totally agrees with me. He's hardworking and doesn't do the slob thing, but agrees, in his own words. 'It's a piece of piss compared to going to the office and even that was so easy compared to your job'.

So please those who have the privilege of wfh stop moaning! Honestly, how would the world work if everyone wfh? It wouldn't.

I don't understand your point OP. If people are complaining about how awful it is to go into the office, surely they clearly DO realise how lucky they are to work from home?

In my job we have had the option to work from home full time for many years. I've done it since 2011. But I have quite a few co-workers who choose to work in the office at least part time because they don't love working from home. Well I prefer it, there are certainly are cons.

Excellent point.

The increased availability in remote working has massively expanded opportunities for various groups who suffered due to office based being the norm. Disabled people are a great example of that.

There isn't a way to whinge and bitch about remote working that doesn't contribute to this hostility. There are no caveats and oh but I didn't mean you that will neutralise the effects here.

Wfh was a very deliberate choice I made to allow me to have many of the benefits you listed. You are most welcome to change your role and make a similar choice - as are all those who work in a f2f position. I recognise the privilege and make the most of having my usual commuting time to work as well as doing small chores between meetings.

As I said on another thread, society needs to wake up and pay those who work in inflexible f2f positions a premium before they have no one to do the work. I look forward to that day happening as people deserve better. In the meantime, feel free to move roles like many of us have done

So why can't you just be happy that people do what suits them??

Yes I do agree with this. So would you say wfh from say 9am til 5pm you would do as much as in the office? You have managers breathing down your neck there (ime and not beneficial in any way) but at home you can put things off and do at leisure while having lots of breaks? Xx

There's a third option. Some people do more.

Not jealously at all, we love our jobs as we help people and the social interaction on a daily basis is so rewarding. Yes my choice, I could've chosen a different career but it wouldn't sit well with me, personally I've always enjoyed those moments of making a difference. X

Er - you know you can help people and wfh, I presume ?
I "make a difference" in the job I do. What it doesn't matter to the people I support, is if I am phoning / e-mailing / video calling them whilst sitting in my workspace at home, or sitting in a workspace in an office elsewhere. Indeed, they don't know where I am.

Does anyone moan about it? It’s glorious OP, the lockdown trauma of having to work with two under 5 was (almost) worth the new way of working. I work compressed hours and don’t feel like I’m doing anywhere near my actual contracted because like you say I can potter about, do washing, run errands in between.

I've done retail and care work and now do office type work. It is SO much nicer!! Sociable hours, able to sit, no dealing with the public... Wfh is the icing on the cake.

I'm not sure of the point here. If you want a wfh job, go and get one.

For me, personally, hybrid is a better option and I'm happy with what I have right now. But each to their own.

@Jeannie88 I do the same in the office as at home, basically I do what needs to be done. The one thing about at home is that I can decide to some extent when that is. Do I want to take a half hour lunch and do half hour cleaning in the morning? Then subject to deadlines, I can. Do I want to have a two hour lunch and watch a film and do another hour in the evening? Yes, subject to deadlines I can.

I do exactly the same amount of work (and I chat less at home than in the office!), but it’s much more on my terms.

One thing I would say though is that my laptop is never really off. If I hear an email pop through at 9pm I would without a doubt check it and deal with it if needed at that time.

Don't you all realise how fortunate you are?

Yes, and all the things you've listed as the advantages of working from home are precisely why I only go into the office if I need to.

Deadlines are deadlines whether you’re wfh or in the office. I work hybrid and have days where I’m non stop in both environments, and others that are a bit less crazy. Like many jobs, I imagine

You would think so, and I guess they do realise it, hence the jokes being totally pissed last wed and being able to roll out of bed and login? They found it hilarious we had to get up at 6am and said the one day a month they had to go into the office they wouldn't actually come out the night before! X

I wish more people worked from home these days to keep the roads clear for us driving instructors 😊

Better for the kids

Better for the environment

Saves money

No commute

Better for women: can do laundry during lunch hour/pick up kids from school etc.

Better for local businesses, rather than big City chains.

We have all this awesome software: let's use it!

All the reasons to go back into the office are in the interests of the business: NOT the employee.

And all this talk of mental health? WFH contributes enormously to better mental health.

You can work from home feel stressed and overwhelmed. I work from home 99% of the time, don’t go to the office unless absolutely necessary. I’m a chartered accountant and whilst I agree working from home is easier than going into the office, my husband goes into the office 4/5 days and his job is a tenth as stressful as mine. I never switch off because sure just pick up the laptop all the time. I feel bad for taking a sick day because sure I’m working from home. There’s an expectation to do housework and groceries on a Lunch break because sure I work from home. People who work from home are actually working from home!!

Sorry but I disagree, the human present element makes a huge difference. Talking to a vulnerable person on video is not the same as sitting in a room with them. I assume we're talking about different types of jobs here? Xx

So would you say wfh from say 9am til 5pm you would do as much as in the office?

I do more, less people distracting me wanting to "just say hi"

Of course, i totally agree, being able to integrate family life and household chores is a positive. My point is do people who wfh realise they are fortunate to do this? This was to post to question of having those benefits and realise not everyone has has this luxury yet still moan about it. Xx

If you ACTUALLY work from home then your kids should still be at breakfast club / after school club. Otherwise you’re parenting with some emails on the side.

it’s boring as hell though. I miss people.

Why are you comparing retail to office jobs? Being on your feet can be hard physically, that doesn’t mean anyone with an office job isn’t working hard, it’s just different.

My partner works from home. Its obviously easier in terms of no commuting as he doesn’t spend 3 hours a day driving to and from the office. He tends to work one of those hours but still gains 2 hours a day which is great.

He definitely doesn’t roll out of bed and be at work within minutes. He’s a fully functioning responsible human so he gets up, showers, eats breakfast, sometimes takes the dogs out or takes our teen to school before he starts work.

As for sit back and contribute what they have to? My partner and others I know that wfh are expected to do exactly the same as they would if they had been in the office. It’s the same job, same meetings, same outputs expected. Are you just bitter about people that get to sit down to work, in office jobs compared to retail?

Sensible alcohol intake again is part of being a responsible human. It’s very rare that he’d drink the night before being in work the next day. He wouldn’t perform well with a hangover.

Friends who have younger kids still have to take their kids to childminders/breakfast club.

Everyone I know who wfh loves it and doesn’t moan at all. They do think it’s pointless when companies decide to have a blanket rule of 2 days in the office or something as they often get there and still have to do all their calls on teams etc and could do exactly the same at home.

As I’ve mentioned, some of your complaints seem to be retail specific. Lots of jobs have downsides. My partner works for a global company and sometimes ends up needing to work both English and US hours, resulting in an 9am-10pm day. If he doesn’t like it, he has the choice to move to a different company or industry.

Maybe your friends are just irresponsible rolling out of bed minutes before work, getting drunk the night before and not taking their job seriously? Maybe you should consider getting an office job instead of a retail one if it makes you so unhappy thinking what others have that you don’t?

Absolutely and good for you, I'm aspiring to this. Xx

Most people on this thread have said how good it is and how fortunate they are.

You don't seem to have a point other than to be insufferable about your own job.