To think there are different 'types' of WFH?

[LittleRedRidingHoody]

Every thread we have on here about WFH has varying opinions on what you can/cannot do when you're working from home - and people get quite heated in their beliefs! But AIBU to think sometimes it's comparing apples and oranges?

Some people WFH and the expectation is they work their set hours - same as you might do in the office - and obviously work the whole time. Not do any childcare at the same time etc. These hours are often tracked in some way.

Other roles (like mine) are much more flexible, but demand more at different times. I end up doing 40 hours or more across days/evenings/the odd weekend, but flex this around household tasks/school runs. My boss is fully aware of this and it's accepted company practise across the board. I was aware of this when I started, and it suits me well.

Obviously some people abuse either system, but I feel on MN even a whiff of doing anything other than work during a day WFH is evil and you're pulling one over on your company, which in turn becomes a bun fight. Am I alone in thinking this?

I have set hours but completely flexible within those hours. If I want to go for a dog walk, go to the gym, take a longer lunch nobody cares or even asks, as long as I don't miss meetings (which are maybe 1 or 2 a day) and complete my work, nobody is logging the hours I'm available online or cares. This is how it should be imo, but I guess my career just allows more autonomy than most.

I think most assume it is replacing going to an office with the same role at home, same job just without colleagues sat near you. YANBU to observe not all wfh jobs are like that.

In theory my job is fairly flexible, and as long as I deliver the results I’m supposed to, I can manage my time as I see fit. In practice, I have to fight to carve out time away from back to back conference calls to actually get any work done, or to take a break for lunch, and if I didn’t say no there would be plenty of people happy to do more conference calls before I want to start in the morning, or well into the evening. Not sure which bucket that puts me in.

I really think that depends on the child, the type of work and the type of child. DD is 4. If I'm sending a few emails or writing up a report, it makes no difference to my efficiency if she's sat next to me, playing a game on her tablet and occasionally asking me a question about something. It's no different to being sat next to a coworker in the office who is getting on with her own job and occasionally exchanging a few words with you, but officially I'm looking after her. If I'm in an important meeting which requires my full concentration then that's a different matter.

I worked from home when my daughter was at primary school. I'd take time out of my day to pick her up from school, fix her a snack and talk about her day, then I'd get on with work while she entertained herself or had friends over. So, yeah, that's childcare while working from home.

I agree OP. My job is outcome based, and it takes (in theory) 40 hours a week to get my tasks done, so as long as they get done my time management is down to me. I suppose I could nap all day and then work late into the night or do all weekend if I wanted.

In reality, sometimes I do the school run so don't log in until around 9.30, sometimes DP does it so I start around 7.45 when the house empties. I sometimes finish early to help with DC homework or chat to them when they get home, sometimes I work late, sometimes I finish at 5.00 but log back in for an hour around 9.00 at the kitchen table with a glass of wine and some music on. Who gives a shit? Not my manager because my results are fantastic. I appreciate it may seem odd to people with more traditional jobs though.

Yes, it totally depends on your role

Dh is literally talking on the phone, all day, on his computer, in meetings

I have two 30 minute meetings per week

It's all relative

What gin monkey said

We're all adults

Don't infantilise your staff!

The problem with the WFH discussion/argument IS that everyone job and employer is different .

My situation is difficult to describe, but I'm hybrid working in H.E. 3 days in the office and two at home.

I would say it doesn't really matter where I am, I am just judged ( if that's the right word) on whether I have done my job well . A bit of productivity checking maybe, but really I'm in an environment that doesn't care much for presenteeism or micro management.

It would become apparent reasonably quickly if I wasn't doing everything I was supposed to be doing, but apart from that, the when and how I do it is left up to me.

Do I have the odd days where I'm just not ' at it' ? sure I do, but to be honest it doesn't really matter if I'm on campus or not when I'm having one of those days.

There are definitely different types of WFH, that is obvious due to the many, many different employers and roles there are..

I wish people would say what all these super flexible type jobs are as I'd like to career change into one.

Sometimes I think it's just that further up the tree in "management" you cna get away with having a kid around or doing the school run in a way you can't lower down. Bit like in the olden days senior managers would take days out to play golf etc. But those on the ground couldn't.

I work for a Finance Tech company, though I'm not in a role that directly relates to either!

There are, in my situation anyway, downsides to the flexible thing. I wouldn't think twice about putting in 6 hours work after DS fell asleep on a random Tuesday, for example, and it would never occur to me to try and take that time back anywhere in a block. And I'm currently in the US with under a weeks notice which took lots of personal jenga and money to find childcare/care for my DM/cancelled plans. I'm also probably on around 15% less than I could be (going on stuff I get sent by recruiters) if I were willing to be based in an office. But for me the perks are worth it.

I'm not high up, I'm a Housing Officer so totally on the ground spend alot of time on my patch most days but I can manage my own diary to ensure my work gets done and my manager would be able to tell very quickly if I wasn't.

@Teateaandmoretea that's my job - at a desk all day! I'm a customer service agent
So I can stand up, stretch etc but I'm limited by my headset wire and then also to my scheduled breaks and lunch

Everything is timed so we have the right amount of cover at the right time - so you don't end up with say 4 people all going for lunch at the same time

I think you’re right that much of it depends on your workplace. I work in a professional firm and have to record a specific number of hours each week. But absolutely nobody cares if I don’t do those hours in perfect consecutive order from 9am til 5pm.

I’m generally expected to be responsive and available during the work day, but if I leave 40 minutes early to pick up my child and then log on to do those 40 minutes later in the evening when he’s in bed, it’s absolutely fine. I can certainly take time to potter around loading the dishwasher etc. as long as I’m making up the requisite hours over the week (in fact, I rarely only record my required hours, it’s usually much more!).

I have a team of around 100 (in several smaller teams) and we allow staff to take a late lunch and collect a school aged child, then work from home the rest of the day. School holidays is similar, but staff are expected to meet their target, so as long as as they are around for meetings and not missing during the day and no-one can get hold of them, then i’m relaxed on this. I sometimes pick my teenager up, as does my own boss.

If people start to take the P, then things will change and they may be asked to make alternative childcare provision. When mine were young, we didn’t have as much flexible working, and I paid for the after school club. But I can see this approach works well, and as long as people don’t take advantage, we continue to be flexible. I find you have a much happier workplace and more likely to step up when the going gets tough, than putting strict rules in place which serve little purpose. Also not just those with children who can take the P at home, that can apply to anyone, and its on line managers to monitor productivity / time management. Our team says they are more productive on home working days. I personally prefer to go into the office most / every day, I am a people person, and it is part of my role too.

Yep, there's massive variation in remote roles. As in all types of work. But lots of posters seem to think their experience is the default.

I used to be a manger for a corporate company, and worked from home for many years, way before Covid and the mass move to WFH.

I now work part time in an adminy type role for a charity, working from home all the time, although I can pop into the office if I need to. I manage my day myself - I only get a handful of phone calls a week, most of my work is reacting to incoming emails, or carrying out tasks as and when they need to be done.

I work 9-5 ish, and can pop out to the shops, start late or finish early within reason. Basically my manager trusts me to get on with what needs doing, prioritise my own tasks etc.

My manager also works from home and we've had several meetings/ one to ones around her kitchen table.

I think there are roles in between the two types you describe. Mine is in between.

I have lots of meetings and within reason, am expected to be at them, child free.

I am also expected to be generally available to my team and to my colleagues and seniors in working hours.

Not chained to my desk but eyebrows would be raised if I just wandered offline for hours when I was meant to be working.

I absolutely can take some time out during the working day to do something, can nip out for a school event or something for example and make up the time later on.

If one of my children is ill, it's fine for me to work flexibly rather than take annual leave.

Having said all of that there definitely are people - I have performance managed some of them - who don't get in our organisation that WFH isn't simply being on call nor can the sort of work we do be done at any time because it involves collaboration. So I don't think everyone does always know their own organisation culture best.

I agree with you. I have fairly flexible hours and work towards goals, not set hours. Many people don’t understand this. Sitting there at the computer 40 hours a week doesn’t mean you are productive.

Obviously there are different types. My friend is a call handler so she can't get up and go out but I work in LA management so I can schedule meetings etc as suits me and go out and get things done if I want.

I think there's a number of things that change the playing field.

Level of role, deliverable based, known predictable work cycle.

My youngest is 11 in primary and it wouldn't be the norm to leave children that age unaccompanied here, so it suits me and doesn't impact my work.

I go to the office or conferences etc when required. I have access to very flexible friends who will keep him company.

If I am listening to a webinar I may get a few bits of ironing done because I take in info better doing something. Throw a wash on way to study, throw on airer at 11 another one on and hang at lunchtime.

I make appointments around lunch and work back extra..

I offer the same for my team. We have policies on childcare when working, mostly for child protection and their wellbeing because you can't work and supervise a young child. I did it during COVID and he is a pet but it was very unfair on them

I have to admit I have to set reminders to get up and go for a walk which we would have done automatically I'm the office. Head to a circuit of the park while talking aboya project etc.

So I have to engineer that in. I have to protect my diary, and encourage my team to set time to read, email, plan etc. it is too easy to end up in back to back teams meeting.

I wfh 2-3 days a week. As long as I attend meetings and get the work done, I can shove the wash on, walk the dog and take dc to the doctors. Other days I work late as the business needs. It’s office works. I work bloody hard and having that balance in my life is great. It seems some Mnetters can’t grasp this or are jealous it’s a thing they don’t have.

Oh I'm absolutely jealous a d actively looking to change job roles hence always asking what to look to!

I actually personally wouldn't want a super flexible job. I like having some flex for child illnesses and similar.

But I wouldn't manage my time well if I had no structure to the day and I really wouldn't want to try and fit a full time job around doing school runs and all the housework, so I am definitely not jealous of that. It's more expensive but I am happier using childcare.

I’m curious about this @redskydarknight, why do you object to people doing a hybrid of the two?