To refuse to go into a hot and sweaty office

[Floofydawg]

I've been WFH full time since Covid but we now have a directive of two days a week in the office. I can do my job fully remotely with no problems. I've been going into the office as directed but last week the air conditioning in the office wasn't working and we weren't allowed to open any windows to let some air in. The office was very very hot. I ended up going home because I felt ill and had a headache from the heat (I did work when I got home). Manager is expecting us in the office later this week even though the aircon is not fixed and we've been warned it could be warmer due to the heatwave. AIBU to refuse to go in?

I would also add that I am struggling with menopause and not being able to regulate my body temperature. Not saying I should get special treatment however I do struggle with it. I'd rather be home where I can open my windows and let some air in.

my workplace has helped people stay working when they otherwise would have had to go on the sick. WFH has helped loads

@Mamadont of course I don't walk him in the midday heat. It was an example.

The madness is real on this thread.

I would query the open windows policy. Often in certain offices your aren’t allowed to open windows due it making the air condition less efficient as it being a closed system makes it easier for the air to remain cool (same principle of heat pumps always being “on”). However, if your aircon is already broken then that is stupid.

@Fannyfiggs yes, of course I work and full time. I just think if you're only going in for two days you're just going to have to deal with it! Yes, I get they still have to do work but can fit it around their home life - take kids to school, walk dog, peg washing out, cook tea, collect kids, run the vac around etc etc I just think the perks of "wfh" outweigh two days in an office.

Is menopause a disability?

My old office was a 6 storey 1960s building and the windows swivelled open meaning you could jump or fall out if you really wanted to hence they all got bolted shut for safety. There was however swing windows at the top which we were allowed to open but it made little difference.

Much easier to WFH where you can control everything and put your feet up.

And I don't have any kids to take to school. Nor do I run the Hoover round. I have a cleaner to do that.

@Floofydawg you should have special treatment. Because there is a reason. Will women ever learn they don’t need to be a martyr?

Go in, feel unwell and leave again.

I was heavily pregnant during a long heatwave and our office at the time had full afternoon sun but no air conditioning, no fans and the windows were faulty (someone had a hand crush injury from trying to open one so it was not something I was risking). Despite this, my bitch of a manager (who had kids of her own so had experienced pregnancy) refused to allow me to work in an empty office on the other side of the building where it was much cooler as it was ‘bad for team morale’. I stuck it out for a day and really paid for it when I got back home. After that, I went in daily but left when the office got warm because I was feeling faint. With hindsight, I should have got the union involved because that heatwave went on for weeks

Hi OP, I don't believe it's jealousy; it just epitomises the diversity between those WFH and those who don't. Amplifies the division between middle class workers and 'ordinary' workers in some case. I know cleaners and porters( as some examples) who have to clock in and out of work who get pay deducted for being a couple of minutes late (for whatever reason). Then, I have met people who WFH on school runs, hairdressers, allotments, nailbars, caring for GC etc, whilst they are 'working'. I also have a friend who WFH who admits to 'moving the mouse' at periodic intervals. So, I am sure there are people who work full on WFH but my experience supports that a significant number of people don't. There was a recent AIBU thread on MN re an employee who was WFH whose workload only added up to 6-7 hours for a full week. Their enquiry was whether he should be honest and tell their boss? I rest my case

OP this sounds like a ridiculous situation, you do right you stand your ground.

Pre pandemic I worked full time in an office with no airflow and no aircon. It was a very old building and during the London heatwaves it used to get so hot I’d actually start to feel drunk. All of my colleagues would wander around looking completely out of it. Temperatures in the offices regularly exceeded 30 degrees. Looking back it was shocking and I highly doubt employees would put up with those types of conditions. I’m surprised in this post pandemic the these types of weird and damaging demands are still being put in place .

Surely it's for your boss to decide whether you can be more productive WFH? 'm not anti WFH but I get tired of so many WFHers self-declaring that they are 'more efficient'. It's not up to you to decide that; it's up to your boss.

OP is entitled to hang out her washing on her break and she is already AT work.

I meant that, as a society, we have moved on in the recognition of menopause symptoms being a real factor in work performance.
No, we are not in a hatting factory or the 19/20 century cotton mills which is my family's background and life expectancy was barely above 50.
If companies want people to work effectively, they should provide the conditions to do so.
I hate air con - environmentally awful; great at spreading disease; and never the right temperature for anyone.
I would expect my colleagues to use their judgment: if the Central Line is going to wipe you out before you even get here, don't bother. If you feel more comfy at home with no bra, the ability to waft around and feel comfortable (and therefore focus), do that.

Out of interest which country is this? And what is your max temp?

What kind of management team are sending people in during a heat wave (assume you’re down south) with no air conditioning? I’d ask my team to WFH until it’s fixed. Especially as no impact on performance. Yes we have a 60% attendance rule, but there’s flexibility for this kind of thing, and train strikes etc

A fair few WFHers are trying to find ways to make it look.like they're working when they're not.

Laziness is a very unattractive trait

And you don't want anyone to have those perks? Why? Is it because you don't get them?

@Despair1 there are even "mouse jigglers" you can buy so your boss thinks you're still "working"! I think it's the mickey-takers who ruin it for everyone and make people doubt people who "wfh".

@Despair1 I don't doubt that there are people like that. But I'm not one of them, nor are many others. It's a bit like assuming that all dog owners don't pick up their dog's poo.

@Fannyfiggs I'm self- employed, I have a great work/life balance, thank you. No jealousy here just no time for flakiness.

https://www.hse.gov.uk/temperature/employer/index.htm

employers must stick to health and safety at work law, including:

• keeping the temperature at a comfortable level
• providing clean and fresh air

And it doesn't matter whether you're in menopause or not

Knowing work regulations, I don't know why people are saying that you just need to go into work whatever the conditions and just suck it up??

But I feel this is the way the world is going nowadays on MN:

e.g.
if you want to raise an issue it's seen as a YOU problem and you have no right to say anything
if you want to help someone out it's seen as 'none of your business, so why are you sticking your nose in?'
if your neighbours are making an unreasonable amount of noise/ disturbance etc then YOU'RE the one with the problem, why can't they make as much noise as they want - it's life innit!

Apparently YOU'RE always the unreasonable one - it's not that other people may be being unreasonable, or disregarding neighbours, or disregarding legalities - apparently other people these days can do whatever they want, whenever they want, without having to think about anyone else ............

..................and I should probably breathe now ! ...........

but ffs there are so many posters on MN who just don't have a clue about how life actually works and what rights and responsibilities actually mean.

You will find that questions about remote working arrangements tend to inspire an absolute parade of idiocy on here OP. Some good advice too, but unfortunately a lot of posters who must know they have no understanding of employment law will nonetheless tell you that you've got to go into work because they do. Do try to filter out the stupid and take the helpful stuff on board.

I know I look like a WFH hater but I did it for years as soon as covid hit and I can assure you its a massive benefit for employees and there was a huge kickback when employees were told to go back to 2 days a week on a hybrid model. EVERY reason going was given for not being able to return to the office.

You name it, it could be done on WFH.

I've known people pop out for a whole manner of beauty treatments, school run x 2 daily, childcare, general housework, even DIY, I even managed to re-silicone a shower once. Speakers were full volume on the laptop so you could hear any incoming Teams calls, work mobile never left your side. Lunch was as long as it needed to be, teabreaks were more frequent than the office. This was public sector by the way and even managers didnt care as they were in on it as well. One even fashioned a cardboard box contraption for putting the laptop in so you could comfortably work outside without glare. This is where your taxes go folks!!!

They'll [sic] be people doing all sorts of jobs that other people wouldn't be physically or intellectually capable of doing. So what?