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.

The thing that bothers me wfh (half the time the rest in the office) is people assuming it is a cushy number. I still have to work. I still have to get the kids up of a morning and drop them to school but now I also 'get the privilage' to collect them too. I do not get a lunchbreak cos i just work on and I probably work more hours too as I just get up and stuck in and the laptop is there to 'just' pop on for half an hour even on a weekend to finish something.

The workload is the same, I do not get to be out of the house having chats with colleagues during the day or having a coffee with another adult. People think you can drop everything at every time because some people are of the impression you do fuck all just because you are doing the very same job just in your house. I dont get money back for electricity, for extra heating, I have no work coffee and milk to drink only what I buy myself. I pay for the internet, phone bill cos now I use my personal mobile when not in the office to use the landline.

I know there are pros but currently I am cracking up as it is summer holidays and I am in Ireland where my kids have been off since the end of May. The stress of trying not to constantly ignore them for work and then also being there constantly with them is taking its toll currently. I am bloody exhausted but I parent alone too so that does not help.

I feel you OP, it must be really hard. I went on mat leave with my third and last child in 2019 and when I came back all the COVID stuff had happened and the transition for my job to home working had happened. At the time I was told it was likely to go on for a few months after I got back, and here I am 4 years later still WFH.

I was able to go full time solely due to the fact I WFH. I've been able to do school runs, I've been there for plays and assemblies. I've had dinner prepped (though not lately due to work stress!) for when the kids get in from school. I am grateful every day for WFH and I do feel it has been a so positive as to be life changing to be honest. I actually see my partner instead of being ships in the night. I've been able to be around for my DC in their early years and I am eternally grateful.

I don't think you're too old to retrain, you would have developed an absolute load of transferrable skills. If you are serious about it then go for it.

I put you are bring unreasonable because there are loads of healthcare jobs wfh at least part time. So if it's annoys you, change 🤷🏻‍♀️

I get it, as a teacher, no scope to wfh. Yes it's the career I chose, however the luxury of being able to wfh in recent times has been enviable! I know quite a few people who wfh and have been looking jobs. Absolutely they do have all the bonuses that aren't afforded to going out to work, especially high pressure areas as NHS and education, where you're lucky to scoff half a sandwich and go for a wee!

Im sure there are many who do work very hard, however, as some MNs posters say they have times when not busy and have so much time to do other things.

My sister is a grafter and gets bored if she's underestimulated and left her job in an office in NHS because she went above and beyond but still didn't up the whole day and was frustrated at how slow it all was. She then moved to council office, wfh most days and one project required minimum time so lots of free time, new project more needed but still so much flexibility.

So yes, having to go to a proper workplace and be active for the whole time has no comparison IMO and IME.

I'm aware some jobs wfh are pressurised and scrutinised, even so, being able to roll out of bed, login, sit in your PJs is a far cry from being in the workplace, having to dress formally, traffic stress etc. X

I think being sick gets blurred and I insist my team takes sick leave. During Covid two interns started and finished without meeting any colleague in person which was dreadful. You cannot mentor someone remotely and I still feel guilty about their experience. WFH from an apt on the 9th floor with the sun making your life miserable is way different to WTH in a big house with a garden and pets and I think people imagine the latter.

Oh yes, healthcare has been much improved since 2020 due to WFH

I WFH have done for years same as my husband and I hate it. In the house all day every day, no social life through work and I see my partner 24/7 pretty much which is not healthy, we don't have as much to talk about like couples who come together in thd evening.. How was your day? Well same as yours!. . I get that yes I dont have to pay for travel but as for less sick days I'm not sure that's accurate? My mental health has definitely deteriorated since WFH. The grass is not always greener.

It's also strange that since the WFH productivity boom it seems to take twice as long for many services I have to get anything done.

I am a florist home based so I basically live and breath work 24/7 7 days a week and it's draining the early get ups 4:30am to the late nights that I have to finish orders for early the next day, and god forbid I have a sick day the amount of abuse I get if I'm running behind e.g sickness bug I had one lady tell me how I am being inconsiderate, also trying to clean the house in between orders, food shopping, looking after my 3 children.

That's not really WFH. That's just being self employed.

The idea they’re all out in the garden is ridiculous. People need to stop comparing. I’ve worked remotely mostly since 2009 and I used to get the petty comments.some people working remote are working long days with a global workforce. Some just work long hours. Some travel a lot. Some are able to better manage children…

The premium idea is naive.Did people not work out their pay before taking a career direction. I work in my field to have a life and afford what I want. I made a pivot at 40. If you feel squeezed take responsibility .

That doesn't make it unfair that those people can't work from home. They chose to go into a profession where WFH was never going to be possible. That would be like me saying it's unfair that I don't get to work with animals all day, when I chose a profession that doesn't, and never could, involve animals

An aside, but it’s certainly having an impact on recruitment for those jobs. My kids are at the time where they are leaving university and job hunting-not one of them or their friends want to go into a job where the scope to WFH at least some of the week isn’t an option.

It's not naive at all, quite the opposite, it's one of the few things that would get the Country back on track. Economic policies are 30 years out of date and haven't caught up with automation.

Most people do work out their pay before taking a career direction which is why we're now in a situation where public services are on their knees because the automated services brigade get paid more than people who are key to the functioning of the Country.

"The idea they’re all out in the garden is ridiculous. "

I would think that most wfh people who have a garden could take their laptops out into the garden. I don't see why not if the weather is good as long as there's no glare from the sun.
As I've already mentioned, there are also offices who have gardens so some office workers can do it too.

🙄

What is it we don't get? I worked full time in an office for 30 years 8-5, five days a week. I got divorced and met Simone knew who lived 2 hours away from work. When I was resigning due to not wanting to commute four hours or able to if I'm honest in my late 40s at the time and I was already knackered with Perimenopause..my boss said he didn't want to lose me so I started WFH and cut to four days. Some days it's bloody hard going being on your own all day. I still work all day just the same as in the office. I still clock watch on slow days as I can't wait to log off and go out. I completely get that it's hard being out of the house all day I did it for 30 solid years! But, there's pros and cons to both. If you are really of the mindset it's better and can't contain your jealousy then change jobs.

It's really hard to work in the garden I find, I tried it once and haven't since unless I'm reading something hardcopy (not very often!) can't see due to the glare, haven't got my dual monitor set up, keyboard etc, it would be a twat move to take a call in the garden when I have close neighbours. Really not sure it's quite so prolific as people make out.

I think there are quite a few NHS jobs that can be done via Teams etc that are now at least partly remote. If you wanted to do this instead, am sure it's possible?. My org got rid of the large office we had pre Covid, as it was obvious we could be remote. After 4 years at home tho, as a single person with no family nearby, I can assure you, I have to get out each evening to do something with people otherwise my mental health would be much worse. Personally, it's always been hard to stay motivated in my role, but like you, that's what am trained to do, so it is much harder to move to an alternative without experience. I'm pretty sure if you wanted to move to the wfh direction, there's gonna be opportunities. Try doing it the other way! I look forward to retiring, then I can volunteer weekdays in something rewarding. This is no life tho. I've no office now, just some hot desks on an industrial estate that are always booked out. I envy your need to go somewhere and feel needed. I really do.

Actually a lot of good points above. I do have a garden although its rained most of summer so far but I also have neighbours so could not be on a work call out in the garden anyway due to gdpr and sounding like a dick while out there. Glare on the laptop would be bad and the connection possibly drop too so no I have never worked in the garden. The odd time I would have the door open but thats not much fun just to look out at the grass and hear neighbouring dogs/cars/humans making noise outside too.I might need to rethink my half week wfh actually as I think now I have had hybrid for so long that going to the office is better for me all round.

I work from home but I get it

I work from home 80-90% of the time. There are a few negatives but in my opinion they pale in comparison to the positives.

I know! Damn all us WFH people! How dare we not foresee that a pandemic would kill off a chunk of the humans on this planet! You would think the NHS would get this! Do the NHS not get it...?

Oh wait....

Seriously. This is a really ignorant post and you should be embarrassed.

Grow up.

but it does feel unfair because most jobs were 100% office based until covid. Then things changed. I would be pissed off if the world c changed around me and a massive amount of people received a benefit that I didn’t get. Of course it’s easy to say “retain” “it’s one choice” but realistically it’s much harder to change your entire career than you think. Especially if you’re older. I do think certain careers will be less attractive now. Who on earth will still want to be a nurse of teacher?

of course I know people who work from home are working! I’m just saying the perks go far beyond not having to commute.

Working from a part of your home that wasn’t designed to be an office: kitchen, bedroom, living room etc. Dining tables aren’t desks and don’t get me started on dining chairs. Ergonomically, working from home is a challenge. Not everyone has a spare room to house a desk and office chair.

Becoming that house that delivery drivers target to leave neighbours deliveries because they know you are always home.

People thinking that you’re not really working so feel free to interrupt you whenever.

Having to heat/ cool your home in the day, when at work that’s your bosses responsibility and cost.

Domestic Wifi!!!!!!!!

Becoming more of the de facto parent (this rarely applies to men) because you’re already home.

Those are just a few of the perks that I’m guessing Instagram isn’t highlighting, funny that.

I work for the NHS. I’m a trained biomedical scientist so literally no way I could work from home in that job. This year I’m on a secondment in admin and get to work from
home and it’s amazing! Really don’t want to go back to working at the hospital