To think people who work from home don’t get it?

[Wfhwhat]

It’s not just the reduced stress as no travel, but it’s also the reduced sick days as it’s easier to wfh than go in if unwell. It’s being able to have a contractor at your home instead of booking a day off. It’s cheaper. You have more time with family.

I work in the nhs so there is literally no scope for me to work from home. I do love my job but had I known office jobs would turn in to work from home, I wouldn’t have gone into the nhs. I know I could change if I wanted to… but it’s not exactly realistic. I’m 48, two kids, trained in what I do.

just having a moan really after seeing so many wfh photos on Instagram out in the garden today.

Of course they get it, it’s why most of them work from home.

My boss on the other hand (just to give a contrast) is a massive extrovert & loves going into the office so he can see people. He could never WFH - he needs people

Yep, I agree, OP. As a teacher married to someone who now works from home 100%, I can see the massive positive impact on his work/life balance (as well as an extra £450 a month and 4 hours day available). It’s great for him, but I am so jealous leaving the house at 7am in the dark and scraping the ice off my car, when he gets to wake up at 8.45 and commute across the landing!

OP- If you come back, and give us an idea of your job role, we might be able to recommend something WFH for you.

‘How do you know someone works for the NHS?’ is beginning to become like that saying ‘how do you someone went to Oxford?’

Answer: They tell you.

I used to live in a large town in the south and worked FT in the city with a 2 hour commute each way. Now I live in a rural village in the north and WFH FT, so I do get it.

That said, today I sweltered in my home office all day (I can't sit outside, how can anyone read a laptop screen in that glare?) trying to stay on top of my workload, and I still got shouted at by an angry client for 20 mins at 5.30pm as my husband sat outside sipping beer under a giant parasol. It's not wildly different, just infinitely better without a long commute!

I work for the NHS and work from home?? Go in the office once in a blue moon.

Oh I get it, trust me.

Ive WFH full time years before covid was even a thing and I will never not be grateful!

what makes you think we don’t get it?

Yes, people from abroad might be happy to get a lot less money, but the majority are not well qualified/experienced. When I call a company and get someone based abroad, my heart sinks. Generally they read off a script and are totally useless if it’s something they don’t have a script for. Firms are now pulling back from offshore hiring, because it doesn’t work.

My boss keeps pointing out that you can great English speakers from X country to work for pennies compared to what we pay for staff here. I say yes, that's because they have zero qualifications and zero experience...luckily he reluctantly agreed but he still brings it up sometimes.

I do get it and that's why I chose a job that means I can wfh!

I’ve had both experiences. And YANBU at all. I worked as a nurse for ten years. There is no job as hard in my opinion. If you are 5 mins late for work they will be phoning you. If you don’t answer they will phone your next of kin. If your next of kin doesn’t answer they will eventually phone the police. I know this because it happened to a colleague who read her roster incorrectly and had her phone switched off when she was meant to be working. There is just no leeway at all . Everything is strictly monitored. Now I have an office job and it is so much easier. I work from home sometimes and while I still have to work hard it’s nowhere near as hard as NHS staff in frontline roles have it. There is time to have a cup of tea and chat when you get into work and no one bats an eyelid if you are a few minutes late. Even more so working from home. People don’t realise how lucky they are. Frontline staff should be paid more.

It also never considers that nearly all remote jobs have been that way for at least four years now. If they've not been offshored by this point, there's a reason for that. Especially as the UK has real skills shortages, so the incentive would be there. But apparently that reason is going to magically evaporate at some point over the next decade or two because reasons. It's a mixture of copium and some early 00s belief that there are oodles of well qualified, English fluent professionals hanging around poorer countries just waiting to be badly paid for their skills.

Can spin that in a more positive way that you have got very lucky. Good for you! My husband works for a global company and I work for a small CIC, we've both also worked for small-mid sized businesses whilst working from home and have never been offered desks/chairs/energy cost cover and certain not a coffee fund!! Actually to be fair when DH moved to his current role (promotion within the same company) they asked if he needed any equipment but we were set up by then as we've been wfh for years. DH can claim printing expenses, that's about it. No way I'm getting anything in the charity sector.

So, count your coffee beans and lucky stars my friend!

You think the people who wfh are lucky? Well, I've heard that some people don't have to work at all—and don't get me started on the fact that some people earn vastly more than others do!

Life's not fair, but if you're not happy with your lot, you can either make some changes or accept that there are good and bad things about every type of job. People who wfh know the pros and cons of wfh better than anyone else, because they're living it.

Most wfh people have worked both in person and remotely/hybrid.

i totally get it. I am so thankful to wfh. I’m particularly grateful in the summer holidays, less commuting = more time with my kids. It’s priceless.

I worked in the office for 15 years, and now I have DD I specifically applied to a fully remote role so that I could be more available. I 100% get it, and that’s why I chose a remote role.

*.
The sun must be going to ny head.
and why are they all out in the garden? Unless it's a lunch break they should be concentrating on their job.
I'm reading that as why are people out in their garden, they should only be out on there on their lunch break. I thought it was implying that you can't concentrate if you are in the garden. I was saying that actually I'm in my garden but got tons of work done

Erm I don't know, it wasn't my comment mate
Sorry my mistake, I referenced the wrong person.
What's with the 'mate' comment?

You do realise that most people can work just as well sat at a table in the garden just as well as sat at a table in a kitchen or bedroom. Indeed even at work some managers have been known to conduct meetings on roof terraces or outside on occasion.

Indeed concentration may be better I'm the privacy of their garden than in a bustling open plan office.

I'm not sure why you think people who work from home don't 'get' everything you say in your OP. Sure some people have always worked from home but I would imagine that most admin staff who now work from home (or more likely hybrid) did not do this until lockdown . I worked for 36 years in an office, and 4 from home ! And yes 50-odd-year old me preferred to work from home . Don't think that would have been the case in my 20s though - I would have hated to miss out on the social interaction office life gave me, so perhaps it's not quite as simple as it may seem .

When you work from home you have to pay to heat your home during the day, unlike those who work in an office etc. it's not just about saving on commuting costs.

I did work in an office for 20 years and never WFH before covid!

I get it. YABU to think we don't.

Pros: flexibility (not necessarily wfh related but often come hand in hand). I can do the school run at 3pm but I can also do a customer piece of work at 5am. I can start late one day or work reduced hours because I've got tradespeople in and make the hours up. I can wear a blanket and hot water bottle in winter without worrying about looking weird. I can get the dinner on or nip to the shops at lunch time. Because home is closer to dc school than an office would be, I can do the school run and still be at work in time in for business needs. I can hang washing out knowing if it rains I can bring it in. I disturb colleagues less and feel less self conscious having phone calls than I would in a silent office (I lead remote training sessions and workshops that last all day). I'm more part of the local community because I am here all day.

Cons: it can be lonely. You can't just turn and ask a colleague for help, or glance to see if someone is busy before disturbing them. In the office I felt no guilt about chatting in the kitchen for 15 mins but if I stick a washing on while making a cuppa I feel bad. My electricity and heating bills are higher. I'm lucky to have a home office but it was equipped by me and doesn't meet the ergonomic standards of a business office. Leaving the house is harder so I'm less fit. I commuted on foot to my last job so I miss the exercise. Opportunities to see and be seen are limited.

It's just another way of working. We know we're lucky to have the choice.

My DP has a 100% WFH job. I think he has only met his colleagues once in the couple of years he has been in his role.

He does little in his actual home, and prefers to work in cafes as they eventually close and he has to stop. He is autistic, and can go into hyperfocus to the point he works well over his hours (salaried, so not paid for the extra). He would not cope in an office with all the politics.

Then there is my BiL, who was forced to WFH during Covid, and really struggled with it. My sister also WFH, and de to the nature of his work, he had to be in a separate room... so he was working from a laptop sat on his bed.

But yeah, some people thrive with WFH and the work life balance it brings. I would hate it... you are essentially living in work if you work from home.

Certain disabilities for example. Crippling agoraphobia, social anxiety, panic disorders, physical disabilities that made the normal commute to work and ability to freely move in a regular workplace no longer possible, "embarassing" side effects of chronic illness, read the thread other examples have already been given.

Some WFH jobs do take the hit on wages too, eg call centres will pay fully WFH jobs less than in house staff by using agencies.