Be honest… what do you really do if working from home?

[Wffhh]

Just that really.

I often have a bath at lunchtime. Go to shops. Clean. Last Friday watched a Christmas film in the background in bed while doing some online training. Made a pie.

Sometimes I have to work very late. Sometimes on a weekend. So I think it balances out. Anyone else be honest? Do you ever have almost a day off doing life admin?

I work Tuesdays and Thursdays from home. I find working from the office on Monday sets me nicely as I’m energetic and get lots done. I use my wfh days to consolidate my learning and to complete low priority / less urgent tasks. But yes, I also do life admin and t have a few more coffee throughout the day.

I think this is a good change too.

i don’t do the school run during work hours and pay for childcare. (I don’t work from home every day and there’s no consistency of when I do or don’t.)

However…I think workplaces starting to take demands that families face into account is extremely positive. Something I have always believed they should and home working has started to allow that.

I get up and start work around 6-6.30am so I can have a break to go to the gym and to walk my dogs. Apart from that I work, until late some days. No time for cleaning or watching tv! Just having a laptop open isn’t working.

i work..... up at 645, kids in school by 8am, on the computer by 830am. Break at 1130-1230 for lunch, I'll put on the dishwasher or clothes. Back at the desk until 4pm, pick kids, work till about 530pm, dinner etc, then kids down at about 8pm, and ill pick up any leftover emails etc.

Erm… sit at my desk relentlessly. Get up at 6am to feed farm animals and get daughter off to school then begin work anytime from 07:30 to 09:00 and usually make calls while preparing my lunch. Read emails/reports while eating it and then stop in time to cook an evening meal around 7pm (usually) but sometimes work well into the night.
I am rewarded sometimes with days off if I’ve been doing 19 hour days to get a project over the line.
I find this all preferable to commuting into an office and this allows me to be home to let the dogs in and out 800 times a day as well as get a few household chores done here and there…in theory. But, 9-5 work comes first.

It won't.

We tend not to spend those hours skiving at the shops or the hairdressers while claiming to be at work (and getting paid to be at work), though.

Wishful thinking. It already is starting to.

Different jobs though - doesn't sound like the OP is on the shop floor where clearly you cant take it easy, sounds like they are computer based when WFH. I'm certainly jealous I've got to be honest, would love to be able to watch a film and work ;)

I honestly think some people are just quicker/better at their jobs and can chill on their home days. I was in a job a couple of years ago where I couldn't believe how long it took people to do their jobs.

I shut myself in my home office and work. I wouldn't dream of reading a book, watching telly, or leaving the house, but that's just me. I wouldnt be happy if a member of my team was doing housework when they were being paid to work and I wouldn't do it either.

This, it might reduce down from their current level but it’s not going away, there was remote roles long before Covid and will be going forward. The last two companies I’ve worked for are remote only, there is no office to drag us back into.

work. and a shitload more than most self important millennials who commute to an office, spend the morning browsing the web before going out to buy their pret sandwich and latte, ready to spend the afternoon reading every bullet point on their powerpoint slides in the boardroom because meetings make you feel important don’t they?

Wow 😅 that took a turn. You sound like you have at least one complex…..

You've gone several miles beyond wishful thinking if you actually believe a few high profile examples of companies making a song and dance about policy change mean its going to end.

More remote working is a trend that's been a long time coming. It saves huge amounts of money on premises, which is why the public sector were doing it as part of the austerity drive in the 2010s (and wait until Labour's cost saving plans really kick in- worth thinking about why they've been so keen on the right to request flexible working). It's an efficient way to access a larger recruitment market, which is especially important when you need niche or in short supply exercise. It's a way to get otherwise unpopular and low paid roles like call centres filled. None of this is going away. Have a think about all the organisations who aren't in the news claiming people are going to be back in the office.

And people wonder why companies want employees back in the office……

Lots of companies who aren’t in the press are calling people back in. I’ve recently been looking for a new job as I’ve been made redundant and the majority were either hybrid or full time in the office. Very few fully remote. And the new job I have got is full time in the office.

what world do you live in??

Is that because they’re lazy and stretching it out so they don’t get asked to do more though?

Sure, and lots aren't. That's the whole point. It's a huge job market out there and most of it goes unreported.

There's also substantial variation by sector, even within the context of computer based jobs. In my role, there's simply not enough of us for any organisation to be able to limit themselves geographically. In others, there's a surplus of talent so employers are better able to dictate. The one doesn't cancel out the other.

I haven't seen anyone say they are doing their work in two hours! I'm actually a little bit shocked that people go to the gym, or get their nails done or what have you. That just wouldn't fly where I work but so what, if people are producing the required outcomes?

Nobody would be doing only 2 hours a day if they were being managed properly.

I don't think WFH will end. My organisation is currently looking at rationalising its estate. There's not even room for everyone who was previously in the office FT.

We're not in school any more, "you need to be set more work and managed more effectively"!!

So what's the excuse in the GPs' surgeries? I mean, they aren't wfh!

I don't think WFH will end. My organisation is currently looking at rationalising its estate. There's not even room for everyone who was previously in the office FT.

This is the bottom line, in a lot of cases. Premises aren't cheap. It's an obvious way to make savings.

It's entirely possible to be an effective manager without micromanaging. It's soul destroying being micro managed.

I get up at 6.30am, get DD out the house by 7.30am for breakfast club at school.. back by 7.50am and I tidy up and put a wash on, log on at 8.15am, work up to midday. Hang washing-up and have lunch. Log back on at 12.30 and work till 2.50pn and then leave for school pick up. Once I collect we quickly come home and get changed and I ferry DD off to whatever club and log back on for another hour or hour and half.

I've been extremely fortunate to get my job that's remote working as a single parent with no obligation to go into the office it allows me to be around for DD, I just wouldn't dream of taking the piss and doing nothing and taking advantage of my employer.