to think some people think WFH should be a constant nose to the grindstone?

[Yodeloo]

I think some jobs are like that definitely. Heavy workload, helplines etc

Some people think all WFH should be like this and get horrified because someone hung some washing out or helped out a family member for a short time. Plenty of jobs have flexibility and it is about getting the job done not just being present in front of the computer non stop.

I get all my life admin done throughout the day around work. I do an exercise class most mornings and then start work later on the days I WFH. I will meet up with friends, work on my side business. Nobody cares at my work. All targets are met consistently.

Is it jealousy that people get so upset?

I definitely don’t want to physically see my colleagues so I can force them into pointless conversations… but ( when working on project based stuff as I do) it’s infinitely more efficient to be able to just turn your head and ask a question, or turn your screen to show someone something than it is to wait for their green light to come on, message them, ask if it’s ok to call etc etc.
At the same time as my employer championing flex working, on every project I work on there is a point at which the senior bods become concerned about “silo working”. They instigate more meetings, more formal collaboration, away days etc. It never really works, because at this point many people (as this thread shows nicely) are very happy in their silos, working to their own schedule with no annoying distractions from pesky colleagues, or any sense of connection or contribution to a wider goal.
If that suits you, fine, but it may not actually suit the people you work with or the project as a whole. But life in general has become more atomised I think.

do you actually have a job?

You don't necessarily go to the gym "while you wait", but because things can wait too😂You know it's also ok to pop to the loo, or even have a lunch break some days? If you can stop 1 hour for lunch, why cant' I stop 2 hours for my hair or my gym cession?

It's about managing your workload.

Sometimes I wonder how some posters survive in the real world.

Yes I do, do you? I love my job thanks. As mentioned before (a few times) I pointed out a lot of ppl take the piss, some dont, no need to get irate or try and be rude.

but ( when working on project based stuff as I do) it’s infinitely more efficient to be able to just turn your head and ask a question, or turn your screen to show someone something than it is to wait for their green light to come on, message them, ask if it’s ok to call etc etc.
And yet the person you and your colleagues are asking for advice is then getting their train of thought interrupted every 10 minutes, so it takes them more than twice as long to do their work. Rather than them scheduling 15 minutes to follow up on all 20 questions that turned up in the last 2 hours, while you work around the gap for a bit by doing something else (or even have a think for yourself!). It's enforcing a level of polite consideration that ideally would have been there to start with.

THAT!

People who are against WFH are either unable to do so - it's not possible for every job, obviously
or worst, those who confuse the work place with their social life and are an absolute nuisance for everyone else trying to get their work done.

If you have a job where you have a task or tasks you can complete and say "I'm finished for the day" then it doesn't matter how you space it out and you are not wrong at all. It sounds a nicer way of working.

However many 9-5 jobs don't have an ending so you are expected to keep working in working hours. In that situation if you take time out to do other things because you're WFH and they won't know then you're cheating your employer and you are wrong Unless of course you keep track and do the same number of hours.

Having said that things seem to have changed since I retired. I've seen people who work full time in offices post "I can't be expected to work all the time during working hours. I have to take time out to call friends, read, etc etc".

I WFH long before the pandemic, and there was deffo resentment from many office based colleagues. But I’m measured in targets, so clearly doing my job and well…
I love the flex. And yes, sometimes I walk the dog or do the laundry or exercise in the day!

Yes jealousy. I wfh and can pretty much do as I please providing my workload is done. It doesn't matter whether I do it all between 9 to 5 or decide to do at 10pm.
I can mow the lawn. Go shopping for groceries or a day in the city with friends or whatever takes my fancy. Providing my workload is complete each month .
Foe example this week coming is half term. I won't log on at all during the day u till dcs are in bed and do a few hours. I'm quick at my job so what should take 35 hours I generally do in maybe 15/18 so couple of hours an evening and I'm done.
It means I never have to worry about childcare or them being bored if I'm working.

I'm very lucky and appreciate that i can do this.
My employer is family so fully understands and had never raised an issue in all the years doing so which was pre covid.

I am sorry but that’s total rubbish. Are we supposed to genuinely believe that a small amount of in person collaboration ( which in fact was ALWAYS the norm in nearly every job and is still the norm in jobs that can’t be worked from home) is equivalent to relentless pestering of colleague in the pursuit of a social life ?
I mean that’s just properly silly!

It's very sector-dependent and it's a problem when someone working in one sector doesn't understand they're not in a different sector in terms of "flexibility".

I'm a manager and work hybridly. Some of my team are hybrid, some are in the office all the time. And that has customer-facing hours plus behind the scenes work.

Some tasks are better in the office, some whilst WFH and I try and plan my days with that in mind. Most of the team are fine, work hard, are able to be flexible in both directions eg working later to meet a deadline but starting later to go to a special assembly.

There's an occasional one though who wants "flexibility" but fails to grasp it works both ways. And that I need them to be available in case of a query from the customer-facing part of the team. Or can't grasp that if they drop an hour or two over several days for a schoolrun, or a lunch out etc, then by the end of the week that's half a day they haven't spent working. Because they throw a wobbly if you dare suggest working later than 5pm. Managing people like that is a real pain.

I do find there is value in being in the office. We don't have the sort of culture where people waste hours chatting or vanish to the far off loo/kitchen though. The learning for younger or less experienced team members has been really important. As has the chance encounters that wouldn't be a scheduled meeting. Or seeing someone and spotting the body language is off that leads to a welfare conversation and nipping something in the bud that they may not mention if you only see them for 30 mins on Teams.