If employers were mandated to allow employees to WFH unless there was a clear reason to need someone physically in a workplace

[OptimismvsRealism]

All the trains and buses at commuter time would be so much less hideous

Infections would be down

Diets healthier

Work life balance more serene

Why do humans always work against their own interests?

And this is what I mean. A lot of us have social lives for this stuff. Work is draining forced contact with people we often completely hate.

It's an opportunity from heaven to WFH. So yes because I and millions of others say so.

I cringe when women extol the virtues of working from home. ‘I can just pop on a load of laundry in between calls!’ How many men say this???

Sounds like you chose the wrong career for 20 years, and now as a manager you are dismissing your staff's genuine feelings and experiences because your way is the only way.

You really don't sound like someone who should be managing people.

So everyone suffers because you do?

Just because you did not get on with your colleagues, does not mean that others don’t.

It is possible to have friends in and out of work.

You are looking at life through a depressed and possibly anxious lens. You might want to get some help with that.

For jobs where people don't need to be physically they could already do this. My role was made fully remote after COVID and continues to be for UK employees only. Would be cheaper to hire people in India but they don't have the knowledge of laws/culture/processes in the UK so my employer continues to hire people who live in the UK. Same for all the office roles that people go to a physical office to do, but could just as easily do from home.

That said, I do wish I had the option of occasionally going to an office as it does get lonely WFH, and it does mean we all end up working more from home as it's more difficult to switch off.

I know I'm a weirdo but I actually prefer being in the office. When I'm in the office, I'm in work mode, I can have face-to-face chats and collaborate without people mysteriously disappearing during the day or dropping out due to constant 'wifi issues'.

I just find it better for worklife balance. My house is for relaxing and chilling out, not for working. I live in a lovely 2 bedroom house I bought before lockdown. I don't want a 'set-up' with 3 screens and chair that looks like it's out of F1 in my house, I want to keep it for relaxing.

I know WFH works best for some people who have roles that are more about putting your head down and getting the work done. But if you have a job that involves managing projects and interacting with a lot stakeholders then it's frustrating.

But you’re not recognising that what you want isn’t what everyone wants. So you’re also asking people to suck it up to convenience you.

And this is what I mean. A lot of us have social lives for this stuff. Work is draining forced contact with people we often completely hate.

I have a very active social life. I also enjoy the social aspect of my job. I chose my job because I enjoy working with people.

It's an opportunity from heaven to WFH. So yes because I and millions of others say so.

But you don't speak for everyone. You need to realise that!!

My work lease my office and it's like 5 years etc so it would be a waste if everyone WFH. We do hybrid, office closed Friday. Can't speak for everyone else but it's a perfect balance for me. I enjoy being home 3 days and then at work 2 days.

I do eat better at work and move more through. At home the kitchens always open 😂

So everyone suffers because you do?

Yet you want everyone to suffer by forcing them to WFH 🤷🏼‍♀️

I'm saying everyone should have the choice by law. You're saying I need to have a shit working life and retire early because... No one in your personal life wants to go to the pub after work?

I totally agree with this. I honestly think it is a regressive step for women.

It is making women retreat back into the domestic sphere, unquestionably.

Completely agree!

No... Sigh. I want the employer to be forced to offer a choice.

Conversations like this are why I hate office people.

I don’t know how hard this is for people to understand.

Not everyone is the same. They never have been. Even pre Covid and wfh I had more than 50% of my team working hybrid. Because I know how to accommodate differences.

Equally I as a manager am in most days (3 or 4) because I understand that for some of my team that F2F contact is vital.

It’s not a universal solution and anyone who thinks it is is probably a bit unempathetic. Or thick.

But you have by law already 🤦‍♀️

No one in your personal life wants to go to the pub after work?

What are you talking about?
When people talk about the social aspect of work they aren't talking about the pub!!
It's the day to day interactions, getting to know people and working together.

Everyone should have the cboice to WFH by law? Mr Monkey manages a shop - how would that work for him and his colleagues - he can't sell shoes from home.

No... Sigh. I want the employer to be forced to offer a choice.

And if it's detrimental to the organisation?
As a university academic I have a feeling there would be issues if I decided to WFH 5 days a week.

Conversations like this are why I hate office people.

I can imagine you're quite difficult to work with. You seem unwilling to see other viewpoints.

OP, you have said recently that you feel like your life is over. Yet you are only in your forties I think. Why not try and connect with people instead of being angry and unhappy alone at home?

And I stand by the fact that young people benefit from face to face mentors. I know you don’t have kids so maybe that influences your view. But I promise that face to face contact really helps young adults learn.

Ideally I'd like no one to "suffer"! It would be great if we were all happy in our work settings, and if productivity etc was as it should be.

Completely agree with the comments re a step back for women.

I hated WFH, however now with health issues I feel it could be a great option for me, but it's not possible in my role.

I'm just fed up with people who don't understand

• not everyone can wfh
• nor everyone wants to
• it's not always the best for the businesses /employers!

And as I said the general sneering at the people who don't wfh

By law? Give over man, that's not practical for millions of roles. How would a nurse or a fire fighter work from home?

Look, I get it, there are huge benefits to WFH, especially for women and in certain sectors and organisations it does work really wel. I WFH mainly (team meetings in office once every 1-2 months) I enjoy working from home BUT my role and most of the roles in my organisation lend themselves to WFH. If WFH is so important to an individual you will seek out a role that allows that.

It's a weird stance to think everything should run the same though and you're being weirdly aggressive about it.

Peoples argument is they can do their job just aswell at home. They forget about those people starting out, the things you learn from those conversations you hear when colleagues are chatting. Hybrid working is a good happy medium and I don’t know why people can’t be content with that as a good work life balance. So many want more and more of their own way, forgetting they are the employee and essentially do what the employer wants.

Hybrid is best I think, and most office based places offer hybrid now.

Depends what sort of job you do really but my job involves a lot of team work, never coming into the office would be detrimental to that.

No, I definitely don't. Unless you have a remote working contract or make a case for a disability you can be forced into an office.