To wonder how we ever did 5 days a week in an office?

[OptimismvsRealism]

I work hard and love my job (legal). Spent a day in the office today for the first time in months and honestly feel sick. The people flu! I couldn't go back. All those blokes in the City saying WFH was an "aberration" are deluded.

I get that some people love it and there's enough diversity in this world for everyone to find their niche but Oh My God am I glad I don't have to do the daily traipse any more.

@Sahara123 was going to say exactly the same thing. Must be lovely to wfh, some people are very lucky.

Working on a special needs school (at all levels - Teacher, TA, Physio, SALT, OT, admin, cook, cleaner, caretaker, - cannot be done remotely!! It’s not about flexible employers. It depends on the job. NHS medical staff can’t work from home. Bus drivers, shop assistants. The world would come to a stand still if everyone worked from home. OP wouldn’t have half her home comforts if wfh was the the main way to work. Your house wouldn’t be built, you’d plumbing, electricity, WiFi et wouldn’t be working.

See I think it's more lucky that people are physically able to do 5 days in the office

Yep. Far too many of the comments on this thread show no awareness at all of what a barrier the expectation to work in person can be. Some privilege checking is in order.

@K0OLA1D honestly I would love to swap, I wish I could do a couple of days from home. It’s such a struggle going in.

But what exactly are we talking about in terms of different disabilities.

A lot of people have different mental and physical disabilities.

Yeah I also wouldn't mind doing a few days from home, for a rest.

My employer doesn't offer work from home

Ultimately, WFH can only happen if it works for your employer. If it does... Great.
If they need you in person sometimes... then that's what you need to do. Its not just your personal feelings, its how the team fits together.
If it requires you in all the time... then you have to accept it.

Employers will be flexible if it works for them. All jobs are different.

So I wouldn't be able to work for your employer.

I wouldn't mind not living a life in pain. But, lifes shit.

I'm in pain too all the time. I have a bulging disc in my back . I'm on painkillers every day

I changed roles. I had to. It was either that or not work.

Any disability, neurodiversity or any other factor that means a person can't or struggles to work full time in person. There are a lot of them.

Eh, no.

The missing part of this is that an employer wanting people there in person doesn't mean those people have to do it. There's also the option of them leaving. Lots of workers either don't have to accept this or wouldn't be able to even if they wanted to. It all depends. The laws of supply and demand apply.

You make a good point. I have just realised how little illness I've had since working exclusively from home (one day per month in the officer). I'm not picking up bugs from fellow commuters or workmates.

I am also much more productive when working from home than when in the office, with all the associated distractions.

And as my working hours are 7am to 3pm with 30 minutes for lunch and two 10 minute breaks a day, I can crack on with household bits (e.g. quick clean of the bathroom on one break, run the vacuum round a room on another), and relax a bit after finishing work before getting on and getting dinner sorted.

I could return to office work, but I absolutely don't want to.

No. Employers need to flex for employees. If they don't, they lose skilled workers and then can't continue to operate.

I was talking about the company being unable to function properly if people insist on wfh. Not personal preference. If projects aren't completed and the company goes bankrupt you will be out of a job anyway, wfh or not!

But you can, I went for two interviews over the last month and got offered both jobs! Declined them both as they wanted me in the office more than I am now.

I honestly think that WFH is a bad development. It’s not so much about your choice or enjoyment of the job but what it says about the way our society is being restructured. We were already quite atomised and isolated from one another and now we just relate through screens. Private life dominates over public. I don’t think it’s a healthy balance. I do work from home sometimes but don’t have the option all the time and I’m grateful that I’m forced to get out there, get public facing and mingle with my fellow humans. It’s like we are all voluntarily living in the Matrix. No wonder mental health issues are going through the roof. Humans are social beings, we need each other, even the annoying ones.

It isn't what you said.

People fundamentally do not need to accept employers insisting on them coming in. It depends. Also, there are instances where remote or hybrid doesn't 'work' for the employer but it's all they can get.

Surely you are not expected to be productive in your lunch hour? That time belongs to you not your employer.

You can't really assume that because this is true for you it's true for everyone though. A lot of people had lengthy commutes, and now have time freed up from that to use for actual social interaction or something else of more value.

Some of those anxiety suffering gen z-ers would benefit from a little social interaction rather than spending their working life in a bedroom of a shared house only interacting with colleagues via a teams chat room. And to be honest that goes for people of all ages.

Some people, not all before words are twisted

Annoying post.
Lots of people don't have the choice due to the nature of their job or their employer's decision.
For me, the jury's out when there are massive delays when it comes to someone picking up the phone in councils or other public orgs.
Is it because of WFH? Is it because there are too few people employed to do the job?
Either way, it's fucking annoying

They other employer benefit of having WFH available is that I've picked up something rough from my kids. If I was office based I'd be calling in sick tomorrow. Instead I'll take my laptop to the sofa and carry on working. My threshold for calling out unwell is far far higher because I can wallow at home and not have to worry about a commute or spreading it