to think it doesn't really matter what you do when WFH as long as you get the job done?

[workyworky1]

When I WFH, I get most of my household tasks done in the day, I will do top up shops, pop to the library to return books etc.

Occasionally I have been to IKEA.

The work gets done. I just do it between life admin and tasks.

I have won an exceptional performance award in the past and my manager told me last week that he wants to nominate me for another.

It depends on the nature of the job of course but it works for me.

No my job can't be outsourced to India because it involves some face to face work along with expertise.

Surely the face to face stuff has to be done at a certain agreed times, which is different from fitting in your work around your household chores....

Same. The sort of job I do, sometimes I’m rushed off my feet and sometimes it’s a bit quiet. I just do my work as needed and that’s that really.

Same here

It will be job dependent.
If other people don't need you to be available at certain times, then YANBU
If other people are not able to their jobs as you are painting the kitchen when you should be answering calls, YABU.

Same. More than make up for it in other ways/at other times and at this level, they’re paying for my knowledge/experience and not hours per se.

There has to be give and take. Personally I wouldn't go to IKEA in working hours, but then it's about an hour's drive away. Would I nip to the local supermarket if I needed to? Yes - but not for a full shop. This might not be at lunchtime depending on what I'm working on. I'm trusted to get my job done and I don't abuse that trust. Where there's potentially a problem is if you're called on to do something urgently. What happens if your browsing the Market Place and need to have a response on something within the next 20 minutes?

I agree with you although I wouldn't go to IKEA! I get all my work done and more. I will do jobs around the house and pop out locally (but usually used as my lunch break). I work more than my contracted hours a month BUT I have a good work ethic; I have worked/work with people who take advantage and never seem to be at their desk!

That rarely happens but if it does, I check my phone and answer on there.

That is usually on my office days so I wouldn't be doing my household chores then anyway.

Not really in my job, because I have to be available all day. I get a lot of ad hoc calls and Teams messages needing a reply straight away, and some days I spend most of the day in meetings, plus there are things I have to monitor, so I can't be away from my laptop doing housework or shopping. I can see it might work if you have the kind of job where you have tasks to complete with little unplanned interaction with others.

I mean, technically, i agree with you. As long as the work gets done, it shouldn't matter. But I think this kind of attitude is the reason a lot of jobs are forcing their employees back into the office. Most managers would see someone going to Ikea in the middle of a work day as taking the piss.

But someone taking an extended lunch break from the office to go to ikea would be ok?

Illogical

My manager is happy with my work and no talk about forcing people back to the office at my organisation. Hybrid is here to stay.

Why do you think that would be OK? It wouldn't be anywhere I have worked. Extended lunch perhaps for an essential appointment, and make the time up, sure, but not to piss off to Ikea, whether it was a WFH day or an office day.

I agree. I do all my house work and do food shops, dog walks and have also been to ikea! I also prep dinners and do laundry. All the work gets done. I have also just been nominated for our business's most prestigious performance award. I think it's because I really want to be able to get on with my life admin so I really focus on work for 2-3 hours in the morning and then spend the rest of the day doing what I want and checking back in on emails (often I'm waiting on people to get back to me anyway).

I love this work-life balance. And our work has never done as well as it's doing now so I don't feel bad at all.

I wouldn't go to IKEA in the working day, but I see daily exercise and some fresh air as essential, so I will often nip out to get milk or do something necessary at the supermarket or post office which is 15min walk away. And i will hang out laundry etc. I'll also get the kids tea started. It's very bad for you to sit at a desk for hours anyway.

I always struggle with situations like this.

On the one hand you are doing the work and they are happy.
On the other hand you could obviously do a lot more in your work time.

It depends whether you believe you are being paid for your time or the tasks completed.

At my place people get high performance awards and their targets are shifted upwards (knowledge work) , so they would need to do better next year to get another. . This suggests the employer thinks you should be doing your best work for the whole time. This feels unfair to me, someone contributing less to the business than you next year could get the award.

I've listened to a fair few conversations about how people s pend working time and it is often rather sexist tbh.

During a 7 hour day 2 people could do 4 hours work and 3 hours non work. Those chatting to colleagues, going to the canteen and making leisurely cups of coffee for their 3 hours will be judged very differently to those getting a load of washing on and cleaning the kitchen.

I sometimes watch an hour of TV in the morning while cleaning my kitchen. Then I'll have a slow breakfast. However I also work 8-11pm after DC are in bed. My brain just works better at night, and I hate cleaning after dinner. So for me it just makes sense to use my hours that way round. I'd feel very bad just doing my chores without putting the hours back in later though.

What kind of work do you do? It sounds like a very nice way to live. Thanks

I think it is great and much better for work life balance including people with disabilities or caring responsibilities who wouldn't be able to work in a traditional office set up or for traditional office hours.

I am a teacher so when so am at work there is zero flexibility in how I spend my time but the long holidays create the balance for me.

I can't move from my desk but if there's no calls I can use my phone, MN, read a book etc

It's role dependent. I have very much a task based role rather than working to a clock. The whole team does tbh. If tasks aren't done we spot it asap as we all rely on one another getting stuff done in time.

But as soon as its done, crack on with whatever.

I've had two wfh roles now, and have had times when I've had to be online at set times, answering calls and service tickets within set timescales. So in that role I wouldn't have been able to go.and do the laundry or walk the dog etc.

In my current role though a lot of what I'm doing is document drafting, testing software, recording bugs etc, and that doesn't have to be done at set times. In fact sometimes it's better to be working outside of the 9-5 because it's quieter, and there are less disruptions. So now I do walk the dog, do the laundry, go to the school play during the daytime. Which my manager is aware of and fine with. But I also make myself available at 8pm for a client call in a different timezone, travel overseas when required, etc, so it's a give and take situation. I hugely value the flexibility I have in this job though, it's one of the reasons I have remained in the job.

And you are exactly the reason working from home should not be allowed.

You’re just taking the piss.