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.

I still don't know what we're supposed to "get"

Is it that we're fortunate?

My DH took a day off work last week to go on a little day out with our DS. He couldn’t believe how many parents were in the park. Said that he must be a mug, going into the office.
I work freelance, so it’s all sorts of hours WFH behind the scenes & then super-intense when I’m on-site (events) but I guess I have the best of both worlds, as I can plan around DS, mostly.

I WFH most days (I go into the office 2 days out of 5 usually, sometimes maybe only 1 time) and I TOTALLY GET IT. I appreciate it SO MUCH.

Prior to Covid I was in the office 4 days, and WFH 1 day. 1 hour commute each way. I had a toddler in nursery and a husband who is a teacher with zero flexibility. It was hard, and I would genuinely really struggle if I needed to be in the office more now - that toddler is now at primary school and attends various clubs, and I have a younger child at nursery now too. We wouldn't be able to cope with multiple drop offs and pick ups if I was FT in the office.

I’d hate to wfh op. I like being with people and out of the house! But each to their own

Omg....I feel you 💯, due to the nature of their jobs.... people who can't WFH (majority) will not be paid as high a salary as people who WFH....but yet will have more outgoings....ie pay for transport and probably more childcare if have kids as don't have the flexibility with childcare. Plus it's the added stress of being out the house....etc etc. I don't know what the answer is unfortunately as WFH is something I would love to do and would help out my family life/mental health/ financial situation immensely bitbam in same situation as you... working for NHS

I mean, I WFH in the NHS, multiple days per week...

Also if you soldier on through being sick at home rather than call in sick that's a benefit to the employer lol

There are so many perks to WFH and they do have a much healthier work/life balance.

They are able to do household chores, work out and cook healthy meals from scratch, all in the time it takes me to commute.
So they are generally healthier too.

But I couldn’t think of anything worse than WFH.
I did it during covid and I absolutely hated it.

Disagree with this.
Does / Did your job require your physical presence by any chance 🤣

Sounds a lot to me like you need to change careers @Wfhwhat because you sound angry and resentful. As many posters have said, WFH was thrust on many people; they didn't actively choose it.

Although - many people do love it now, as it's much better than being in the office, where there are always a few catty and spiteful colleagues, and a load of forced chat and having to spend time with people you dislike, bosses looking over your shoulder and side-eyeing you to make sure you're not chatting to someone when you should be working... and the ever dreadful commute. Two and a half hours a DAY I spent commuting, now I spend zero seconds!

Being able to start work 10-15 minutes after rolling out of bed is the dream for many. 8.45-8.50am I set my alarm for, to start working (from home) at 9am. Quick shower, leggings and t-shirt on, coffee and cereal, and off I go.

Pretty much work on my own initiative, and the hours are flexible, so yeah I do spend several hours in the garden when it's nice. Been for a little walk, and spent 2 hours in the garden this afternoon, and am about to resume work til about 6.30pm. Then DH and I will do dinner and sit and watch TV. Some days I get up at 7am and start work at 7.15am, and work til 1.30-2pm, and then have the rest of the day off. Go for a walk, or sit in the garden, or meet a friend for a pub lunch.

As I said, it sounds like you need a career change - to something remote!

Of course we understand the advantages - that is why (in many cases) we do it!

And most of us have worked out of the home for years anyway so we know first hand what it is like.

You’re dead right. If only Wi-Fi worked in gardens!

Life is unfair.

You work for the NHS. Thats got great job security.

Are you sure that all these people who you look at on the internet a) show the bad side of their jobs b) are emotionally connected and supported when they dont have face to face time c) have job security.

Don't believe Insta. Its all fake.

Oh do piss off.

Why should I be paid less than the person in the office when I am doing the same job, same workload, same calls etc?

And why shouldn't I work in the garden? I have wifi and a lovely table in the garden I can work at. Still concentrating on my job!

If anything, the people in the office should pay the premium. They're costing the company money.

It does - you clearly haven't worked from home for the last 25 years like I have 😂

I put in place a ‘work when and where you’re needed’ policy.

The team knows what needs to be delivered and are held accountable for results and being contactable during reasonable hours - I’m not interested in monitoring or micro managing how they sort their day around their lives. I’ll only step in if there’s a results problem or I spot a burn out in the horizon. Then we’ll have a chat.

But free to decide if they need to be at home, in a park, in a coffee shop, walking the dog to think things through, working at 11pm because it suits them and they spent the afternoon with friends, at a client site, at one of our sites, in the office.

Or not working at all right now because it’s a sunny day, no urgent issues are coming through and decided to use Sunday as a bit of a work day instead. That’s what I’m doing anyway and they know it! Some lovely photos shared on our team chat day of folks generally enjoying their work / life balance choices. I love it 😁

There are downsides and benefits to both WFH and being in the office. A mix of 2/3 days of each is ideal imo - then you get the extra time, the relaxation of not having to commute the whole time, but you still have the human contact and energy boost that comes from working communally with others. I don't think you can replicate that in a fully remote working environment.

Why am I in the garden? Ummm heard of "mobile" phones? "Lap"tops? We can work from anywhere as long as there's a connection. That is part of the joy!

I think this every morning when I'm in the shower at 6am and dh is still asleep. I teach so wfh isn't ever going to work and at 60 will stick with the job I have. Felt it in lockdown too as we were in working with key workers and vulnerable children. My children have made much better work/life choices and I applaud them. Also better paid choices. I will be breaking up for 6 weeks on Tuesday so not all bad!

I agree, it's a very good point.

Definitely for people who are FORCED to work from home. I'm not sure about those who do it out of choice.

Personally I think it’s more stressful working from home.

I work from home and appreciate the fact that my life is a lot easier for all the reasons you’ve said so I do get it. However it’s hot in my house, I’m gazing at the gorgeous weather outside and if I tried to work in the garden I wouldn’t be able to see my screen properly. You also have to appreciate that as well as the benefits, working from home can be very lonely and isolating, I love my office days because I get to see people!

It’s a different world isn’t it! I have done both fairly recently - loved the ease of work from home but found being stuck at a computer all day quite boring and painful - bad for my neck/back!
Now I’m back teaching which is an exhausting whirlwind but I’m up and about all day and never bored. Quite the opposite and would quite like to be more bored sometimes rather than doing the job of about 5 adults at any one time!
I think for home life it works to have one person at home and one out - my DH is here all day and can do a few bits, parcels/contractors/dinner prep etc. He does get very defensive when I compare his daily hours worked to mine though!

We don't allow our staff to WFH if they're unwell. If they're sick they're sick, it's a sick day.

Also your job has purpose, a lot of people who are WFH employees are just making money for other people and that's it.