To feel that remote working should be a right, not a privilege?

[AlertBird]

With the advances in technology, it seems outdated that so many companies still require employees to come into the office for jobs that could easily be done remotely. AIBU to think that, for jobs where possible, remote working should be a right, not a privilege? It could help with work-life balance and reduce stress, but a lot of employers seem stuck in their old ways of thinking.

There are also regulatory reasons why client facing roles in IB’s (& those that touch the market) cannot be remote. And as others have said, roles that are off-shored to other countries are generally not remote. And 100% be careful what you wish for - as someone else said, if it can be done entirely ‘WFH’, then there’s probably no need for the employee to be in a high cost location like the UK.

Depends on the work, our DD works for a American company with zoom calls everyday so she never leaves home

Of course it's selfish, most people are though so it's nothing out of the ordinary.

I don't think this will do much other than perhaps formalise some informal arrangements. Too much depends on the whims and views of senior managers, not what will work best for both company and employee.

I would prefer a right to say one day a week at home either in certain roles or if certain requirements are met.

I have some control over my diary. So as much as possible have zoom or teams calls when wfh, so when in the office I can actually talk to people face to face.

I've only voted yabu because of my jealousy in that my job cannot allow wfh 😅

Is that for all jobs or just office jobs you think that should be the case for?
So surgeons on very high wages should get paid an extra hour or two a day? Supermarket staff? Chefs? Waiting staff? Train drivers?
And are you saying that if a job is 9-5, you should only be in the office from 10-5? So a GP would actually only have surgery time from 10am rather than 9am Reducing the appointments available for patients? Trains would start an hour later each day? Or again is this extra money for commuting only for office workers? Those office workers who already save money on commuting on their work from home days, now work less hours/ get paid for commuting on the few days they need to go in?
What if someone is stuck in awful traffic one day? My commute normally takes about 45 mins each way. The other day it took 2 hours. If I only got paid an extra hour, should I demand 2 on that day as it was my personal time being wasted on the M25 rather than work time?

@Boxoo hear hear.

And what about those employees that only live 5 mins away from the office. Do they have to suck up their living-further-away colleagues doing fewer hours in the office for the same money? Or would they get an hour's travel time allowance as well, thereby getting paid for literally doing nothing?

Yabu, its down to the individual company. We had a grad scheme and it was really hard in lock down for the grads to be able to work; first time in a job, many were still living in uni house shares so working, eating and sleeping all in 1 room which was so bad for their mental health. Not everyone prefers to wfh but if too many people do it then working in the office can be a lonely/dull experience.

People can and should vote with their feet and choose a job with a company policy that suits their needs. Of course companies should be able to set out their preferences.

A lot of jobs can't be done from home. It's mainly office work (with no face-to-face customer contact) that can be done at home.

I worked mainly from home (during and after lockdown) in my last job. I worked hard and was happier and more productive than when in the office.

However, a lot of people take advantage of a WFH situation to do non-work related things...

Eh?

No, definitely not. Remote working causes so many problems in many businesses, face to face contact is important & often and much more efficient. Its got to be entirely down to the needs of the business and the individual role/team.

Companies should be required allow a minimum of 1 hour a day for commuting time

Because that policy won't be abused at all will it? 😂

I think it's likely to be the way forward with any job that can be done remotely.

Whatever government we have, there's going to be a push to get more people off long-term sick and into work and remote working will help some people to do that.

Companies should be required allow a minimum of 1 hour a day for commuting time, which could make an office day 6.5 hours in the office for example, instead of 7.5

Tell me you've never managed a team without telling me you've never managed a team...

I have commented already but I still think that WFH should be automatically offered to people with long term health conditions and disabilities.

Beyond that I do think that it is a good idea for employer to offer at least hybrid working which for most office-based jobs should have very little impact on business.

As for the employers who like mine lie at interview to attract staff and tell them that they can work remotely only to try to withdraw that after six months knowing they live 2.5 hour away and have a disability, the law should make a provision for the employee to have the right to refuse...

I assume you just mean office workers ,?
This is part of the problem ,office worker can only see things from their own point of views
How ,could ,Nurses, police ,officers, shop assistants etc etc be automatically given a rght to work from home. Many of whom will also have a disability, long term health condition, s .

I work in the NHS, am a nurse by background and have WFH since covid as a nurse. I'll be honest in that my job is pretty niche but i'm not the only one working in similar roles primarily WFH. In my niche role I also work with some Police and social workers, teachers who work primarily from home.

It's more common than you'd think and is undoubtedly helping to keep experienced, skilled workers in work who otherwise may leave or go off sick.

Of course, not all nurse/Police/SW/education roles could be done from home.

Obviously some roles you can work from home. But the poster said ALL disabled people should AUTOMATICALLY be given the right to work from home. You can't bring that in unless it applies to ALL disabled people. Some of whom will be in jobs that can't be done from home. If you are in one that can, then you can ask for it. Or if not, obviously you could look for one where you can. But as others have said, the issue is making it a RIGHT. You can't say some disabled people in certain jobs have the right but others don't. That can't be made law. You can say everyone has the right to ask. A shop assistant can have the right to ask. But obviously the shop has the right to say no that doesn't work for this role. And then the shop assistant has the right to look elsewhere if they wish.
A nurse with a disability cannot have a blanket right to work from home. She/He does however have the right to look for a job like yours where she can.

What poster are you referring to?

The OP?

"With the advances in technology, it seems outdated that so many companies still require employees to come into the office for jobs that could easily be done remotely. AIBU to think that, for jobs where possible, remote working should be a right, not a privilege? It could help with work-life balance and reduce stress, but a lot of employers seem stuck in their old ways of thinking."

That's the OP, the only post they made.

The OP made zero reference to disabled people at all. She just said where remote working was possible it should be a right, not a privilege.

Are you thinking about another thread? because what you're saying bears no resemblance to the OP..

You quoted a poster who was replying to another poster. So that's what I was replying to.
The first poster said all disabled people should be given the right to work from home. Another poster quoted them and replied saying what about nurses etc who can't. You quoted that poster saying you're a nurse who works from home. So I was following the conversation thread and referencing the poster you quoted and the one before them.
Unless you didn't mean to quote that in your response? But it seemed to follow on.

What tax issues?

No - it's definitely a privilege OP.

Remote working brought advantages for parents, people with caring responsibilities (both usually women), people with disabilities and the environment. It brought disadvantages to parents who shirked responsibilities (usually men), people having office affairs, and people who owned central office property. There are ways to mentor and support less experienced staff and to build workplace relations without making everyone go and sit in an office. Hybrid with some flexibility around personal preference can often work really well.

As a small business owner I'm looking forward to Labour's new employment laws as much as I'd look forward to drinking a bucket of cold sick.

They are utterly clueless about the reality SMEs and microbusinesses - they have no idea how they function and don't actually seem aware that they exist. And I'm already sick to death of apparently being classed as some kind of wealthy exploitative monster simply because I employ a couple of people part time. No they certainly can't work remotely! I need them with me doing the jobs I pay them for.