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?

The clear benefit.of WFH is the environmental one, much less commuting around the world.

As I said in the op....unless the employer can show a reason

Why
Can't
Anyone
Read
Any
More

The single biggest complaint we had about return post Covid was that there was no post work social stuff.

Like I said. Lack of understanding that you are not all people.

Why is it so shocking to be asked to go to work?

Everybody I know in the corporate world agree wfh is bad for skills development in junior staff. They need to be in the office observing and learning. Not 5 days a week, but minimum 3 ideally I’d say, so 3-4.

My work colleagues aren't my life long friends and work isn't my social life (although some former work colleagues have become close friends that over the years) but I do appreciate and enjoy sharing lunch or a pint with them.

Sometimes a little low level socialising does wonders for your mental health and wellbeing.

It is funny how net zero is the most important ONLY important thing but when this really easy solution pops up it's all no... The Thursday night quiz!

You just need a more humane employer and greater value to their business.

I’ve been hybrid for a long time pre pandemic.

It is funny how net zero is the most important ONLY important thing but when this really easy solution pops up it's all no... The Thursday night quiz!

Why are you assuming it's all about socialising after work?
That's not what people are talking about.

Because the office isn't necessary and makes a lot of people less productive. Work from office mandates are just control for its own sake.

It's what they actually want. The learning from being around people is nonsense. Office work happens in your head and on your desktop. Happy clappy "sparking ideas" is yank nonsense.

I mean try have you ever tried not making hating people and leaving your house your entire personality. You might be happier.

I'm saying everyone should have the choice by law.

WFH is not the best solution for many businesses. And that should be for the employer to decide.

If you want a wfh job, go out and find one. They do exist, but they aren't right for everyone.

Depends what industry you work in, surely?

Except I doubt you would survive in mine if you’re so dumb as to not understand that.

Or that you’ve had the right to apply for flex for many years pre pandemic. Which has been so beneficial for so many women.

Just had this discussion today, there are some roles that lend well to WFH and I have facilitated one or 2, but the majority of the staff I have nothing but concerns about the impact on the business and staff if we agreed for more people to work from home. Isolation and not feeling part of a team was the number one complaint from those who worked remotely over the past few years and it has been endlessly frustrating to try to get them to understand it is the remote working causing this feeling of disconnect.

The other issue is people in HR facing roles, it just doesn’t work, you need eye contact with people, face to face conversations that don’t have to be scheduled by teams. It is really bad for development of more junior team members. I could if I wanted to work from home a lot more than I do (I barely do anymore) as I just found it caused more problems than it solved, for me it would be to make my life easier - doesn’t mean it would make anyone else’s life easier

Yeah let me guess. You’re not doing that well in a very average career and just want to bitch about being made to actually do some work

It's what they actually want. The learning from being around people is nonsense. Office work happens in your head and on your desktop. Happy clappy "sparking ideas" is yank nonsense.

You're wrong. Really, really wrong.
I research and teach career development for a living.
There's a HUGE issue with young people not learning skills required to be successful in the workplace.
Collaboration, communication, team work ..... there are all important and are more challenging if you are isolated and only interacting through a screen.

The opposite is also true. WFH makes some people less productive. Someone in my team used to vanish for ages making out they had "laptop issues" they ended up getting sacked.

Maybe the London allowance should be stopped for those who work from home?
They could be taxed more and that money goes to help pay for essential services who for obvious can not work from home.
Not everyone can work from home.
They are usually on lower salaries as we know from the pandemic we can't do without them.

*they are

Probably because you're talking such utter guff it's rotting my brain.

I can see why you don't thrive in an office and you're clearly just spoiling for a fight and angry and the world.

And it makes many much more productive. I am much more productive in the office than at home as you can speak to people and get things done

When at home you need to wait for them to be available online/answer an email/pick up a phone. In the office you can just turn to them and ask them a question and get on with your day

So yes there are times when wfh is good and productive and times when the office is. That is why hybrid is the preferred option

I’m not sure what kind of job you have sorry but I am upper management and even I am still developing, it’s continual, and to do so I need to be around my peers and colleagues from different departments. It helps me become better at my job, I wouldn’t be able to just live inside my own head. Some jobs are stand alone, static and have zero development but most industries involve a degree of development in terms of adapting to new ways of working, being around other people and picking up skills is completely underrated. Also identifying problems is easier and faster if you are physically around other people

She was on the WFH thread earlier where she was becoming increasingly rude about other people and directly to them.

Ah yes the laptop issues. It was only when I challenged one of my direct reports that I was going to the head of IT to find out why her laptop kept breaking even after she supposedly had them look at it multiple times that it magically worked and hasn’t broken since. Funny that…