To think working from home is a cushy number?

[MrsSlimShady]

I’ve got a new job that entails loads of e-learning, and webinars. They said I could do it at home and I literally sat there on the sofa and ate crisps and had cups of tea in my loungewear on the computer.

My DH works 3 days a week at home. He has back to back meetings but also manages to go the shops, go the gym, do exercise classes before work and at lunch time and do other chores. He’ll say his first meeting is at 0900, then nothing till 1130, then he can pop out 3-4pm….. it all goes like this.

I have another job and I have a 2-3 hour commute, and I am on my feet all day. I cannot get one chore done for my outside life. It has to wait till I’m off unless it is a text or email.

I know there are people working from home who work really hard too, but come on, AIBU to say that if you WFH you are really lucky and have it a lot easier than most other people?

So everyone keep saying but as someone who has wfh for ten years now, it doesn’t seem imminent

I work from home 2 days and have another job out of the home. I honestly couldn't work at home full time. It's very isolating I think. I do enjoy the quiet for those 2 days and yes I can chuck a washing on but no I wouldn't like to work alone all week.

i agree with you OP to an extent. But then I’m someone who can work partially from home but am mainly out and about meeting clients visiting for appointments etc etc. For myself I actually think getting out and having a varied interesting schedule in the big wide world is much better for my mind body and soul. I think pure wfh has the risk of being extremely unhealthy unless attention is given to balancing that out. I have some colleagues who are in pure admin jobs they rarely come to the office etc etc as it’s not required -they seem to be experiencing health issues eg back pain weight gain or whatever and I have to bite my tongue not to suggest they get a bit more active (which I of course would never say).

I would actively avoid taking a pure wfh job. Too depressing- not trying to offend anyone of course. Horses for courses and all that.

Was your experience just training for a new job though? I've had cushy training on site, sitting in the canteen watching videos, reading polices while having lots of tea and snacks. Was nothing like the actual job though. Presumably your DHs office job is as cushy as when he's at home, or is he supposed to be actually doing work stuff between meetings and would have to do so if in the office with eyes on him?
It just depends on the specific roles and the expectations that come with it really, some wfh are fairly cushy but not many really - I mean if yours involved Team meetings and dealing with clients all day you are going to be sitting on the couch in your PJs eating crisps.
The main advantage of WFH is no commute which allows time for the gym/walk/drop and collect kids to and from school and afterschool care/put on a wash or prep dinner, whatever suits on a given day. The disadvantage is often a blurring of finishing time, and people often log back on in the evening so can be working more hours than when in the office

Sounds like your H has an easy job or is not doing all of his job on his wfh days

Neither is true for my job.

It's not that working from home is cushy, it's that forcing people to do unnecessary long commutes and in person meetings is onerous.

The point is that it is easier. This isn’t some negative point. We have literally been schlepping pointlessly to an office for years; making our lives more difficult and expensive for no bloody reason.

You are being paid for your labour - the actual output - you are not being paid to make yourself uncomfortable and inconvenienced. Therefore, eating crisps in your jammies, while doing the work for which you are paid, is absolutely fine. Having as much control and flexibility in his and where you work is a goal.

I fully appreciate that a lot of jobs cannot be done from home but we all make our own career choices accordingly 🤷‍♀️. Encouraging a culture of flexibility should, overall, benefit those in jobs that can’t be done from home as they will have leverage to demand better pay and conditions.

Upside:

1. no commute
2. no noise disturbance from other colleagues
3. more productive
4. lunch/break can be used for household chores

downside:

1. backache, neckache, eyeache and weight gain
2. loneliness
3. pressure to be 100% efficient because of software use monitoring
4. blurring of boundaries e.g checking emails at the weekend - we are one of the only countries in the developed world where there is no employee right to switch off
5. need to pay for larger mortgage due to employer requirements for a separate office (privacy/confidentiality)
6. tacit expectation of longer working hours to make up for lack of commute
7. must use holiday allowance to get trades in for household maintenance
8. not really allowed to have young children, elderly (who need care) or barky pets around so must pay for childcare etc (which I agree with)
9. feeling weirdly uncomfortable wearing a full suit while having to sit completely still on a teams video call

Should we do that for people with student loans who’ve needed to spend £10,000s to get to where they are?

Presumably they get tax breaks on travel cards etc or bike schemes (we do where I live, no idea about UK)

It's cushy, but long term I don't think it's good for you. I WFH only going in one day because it's so much easier but it just makes me lazy. Get up, don't even need to really get dressed. Sit at my desk all day, have no breaks, don't leave the house. Probably work more because I'm not making chit chat with anyone but it slowly makes you more withdrawn and lonely. It's isolating not being face to face with anyone all day, week after week. I'm lucky that I have a great set up, my own office with a lovely view, I'm not sure how people manage not having that. I forgot how much I actually liking making and being with worm friends, it's just not the same when you don't go into the office much. Also as much as I hate a commute, it's actually a great time to just chill out and on the way home a great way to unwind.

Actually I agree by the end I was very good at my job I have been doing it for years and knew exactly what I doing and didn’t need the same amount of time

I mean yes - you have to be qualified to a certain profession to do my job, and the only reason we WFH now is because the impact COVID had, so all our meetings are now online, so basically we squeeze more meetings and more work in now we longer have to travel all over the country. It’s a bit odd to think that because we are working from home AI could replace it. I’m not naming my sector as it’s quite niche but there would be an outcry if AI was making the decisions we make about real life people.

I wish! But I guess it’s different depending on role and output needed.

I regularly start at 8 and stuck on calls till 5. With the occasional break and then usually finish between 6-7.
We have been instructed to return to the office 3 days a week - I have a commute hour each way.
Least I get to listen to music and not think about work for at least 2 hours a day😁

I often plan to go the gym in my lunch break to around 5……I have yet to achieve it.

i dont think being left alone to get on with some training is the same as a job that is up and running when you are WFH.

I love wfh. I will never work in an office again. It is cushy. I work hard too.

I more or less have to work at home 2 days because our office is short of space. I dislike it and would prefer 5 days in the office even though my commute typically is an hour and a 20 mins.

I end up responsible for the house admin - tradespersons, deliveries etc and I feel pressured to tidy up etc in my spare hour or so.

I also tend to put in more time at home, as I feel I can’t just get up and leave like I would at work. I end up
working most of my lunch break as well.

Definitely there are advantages in terms of less wasted time travelling that is then free for other things, whether chores or exercise. I do work solidly during working hours but may take a walk at lunchtime as when I was commuting I walked to and from the station/tube so need fresh air and steps still. I save money on buying lunch, and definitely save on travel.

I really appreciate and value being able to WFH as I can be sitting in my kitchen with a coffee at 8.55 and with a glass of wine in my hand at 5.05 if I want...but in working hours I'm working. It's cushy if you can slack off but my job doesn't allow that!

No because AI just spew out information. I use AI to help with my job but it can only talk in generalities because it doesn’t know & can’t know for example the personalities and skill sets of the people being asked to implement the summary plan it’s just sent me

There's a middle ground between a 2-3 hour commute and WFH though. I would not do a job with that commute, I wouldn't live somewhere that only had job opportunities that far away. Last two jobs prior to the WFH one I'm in now have been 20 minutes commute

I'm not sure I'd describe it as cushy but imo it's preferable to having to commute.

I've worked from home for over a decade because I'm self employed and I'd say the best thing about it isn't WFH per se, but the fact I'm my own boss and can work with as much flexibility as I like as long as I get the work done and meet my deadlines, which I do.

Not when most of your work involves teams meetings with people, no

This shit again?!