My manager is making me come in the office 4days a week

[Lavendar01]

Since beginning of my role (which was coming out of covid), I've been hybrid working 3days in the office and 2days wfh. I had my own office but had to give it up for other staff that were in full time. Manger agreed for me to wfh and come in once a week - worked perfect!

In my recent supervision manager said he wants me in 4days a week "business need" and that there will be a room available to share with a couple of other staff. I've gone in and that room isn't set up, currently its dusty with extra office furniture/ equipment, basically being used storage room for now. I made a point to my manager and said could I continue wfh until the room is sorted, he refused and said to set up in that room somewhere in the corner for now.

AIBU here thinking I am within my right to refuse to be there until I have a proper work station set up, as required for my role? Not to mention sitting in an empty room for 8 hours with no interaction effects my mental wellbeing

Actually not true. The studies have conflicting results with some only comparing fully remote to in office work which for most wfh workers is not a like for like comparison since many are actually hybrid workers. Also, much of the reason eg for the Civil Sevice was pandering to the supposedly public outrage fuelled by dramatic tabloid headlines. It was a political move to increase the days in the office from 2 to 3 and hopefully get the voting public on board for the Tories. There was no actual evidence whatsoever that there was a need due to productivity. Managers were still appraising staff on quality of work, output, deadlines met etc. which hasn’t changed so ineffective workers still get shown the door. There’s no evidence to show more people have lost their jobs due to poor performance since we moved to hybrid working.

Even if there is a genuine business need (I doubt it), you should have proper work facilities. I bet if the company pulled their finger out it could be sorted out in a week or two.

But they aren't dealing with slackers?

Dealing with slackers would address productivity not presenteeism.

Sounds like a big ,soulless chew 'em up spit 'em out firm.

I'm a huge fan of hybrid or remote working but on the question you asked - are you being unreasonable to stall coming in because you don't like being in a corner (?) - yes, you are.

You would not be unreasonable to question why there is a "business need" to be in the office after five years and to try to egotiate four days down to three or even two. Quite likely the "business need" is some senior manager who loves presenteeism.

yeah - a huge company implementing company wide "school style" registration meetings isn't dealing with slackers at all.

I am very much in favour of meetings, tbh, and at one workplace we had a weekly wrap-up team meeting which involved about 10 minutes of actual work - discussing open issues, problems, summarising what we were working on etc - we spent the rest of the hour (people ducked out if they had other things to do) playing an online version of pictionary. It was brilliant team building.

tbh wfh i always worked more hours anyway, because it is better (for me) to have a regular getting up time, so it was up at 5:30, shower, dressed and then either breakfast, and log in to work, or off for the train and arrive to work an hour later.

Nope, they have very high long term staff retention. My son's line manager has been there 20 years. His line manager has been there all his working life. WFH is a privilege not a right. The managers and colleagues are quite right to expect a colleague to actually be at their desk during working hours if they're not "booked out". It makes the organisation efficient and cuts out wasted time of trying to contact someone who should be there, but has "nipped out" to go shopping, or pick up the kids, or hang the washing out.

That’s the point of the benefits of wfh though. You attend your booked calls and then it’s up to you to make sure the work gets done according to set deadlines. So I work in project management and if there is time then I will do bits n bobs in between work. In the rare event I miss a call from a colleague I just call them back later. Most of us don’t work for an emergency service so there’s no awful consequences there. I then will work later into the afternoon or evening to make sure that everything is done. Some days I just work straight through the day with zero breaks especially when urgent work with a way tighter deadline comes in. I’m just grateful I work in an environment where adults are trusted to make these judgments for themselves. Bottom line is we all get regularly appraised on our work and that’s where the management should be focussed. You can’t take the mickey and regularly slack without it showing in your work. People just getting hysterical over this frequently with no actual experience of it themselves.

Same - i will stick on a wash while I'm waiting for my kettle to boil, hang it up between calls, put out the bins, bring in the bins, water the plants etc. I am always contactable by phone, and can always jump on a call wherever i am.

And because ad hoc things crop up all the time, i often find that working early in the morning and/or later into the evening lets me catch up with my other work. Nobody i know has an issue with anyone doing this (even the boss blocks out 3 sessions a week to go to the gym - anyone could do that) and if they did they would speak up about it during our regular review meetings. (weekly, hybrid, work well for us)

Exactly. I would much rather work for an employer that trusts employees to do their work and manage their time rather than trying to catch people out on having an ordinary life. Today I will do the school run in the middle of the afternoon and be trusted to make the half hour up because I am an adult employee.

WFH is an absolute boon for parents involved in the school run. So much better than what i used to have which was working until god knows when and paying a fortune for a childminder to collect them, and then wrangling them into food, homework, etc etc after a long day at work.

@Brefugee yes same lol. My manager when he’s having an office day blocks out an hour to socially catch up with ex colleagues. This is on top of his lunch break. In my organisation we’re encouraged to do that as were told don’t just go in the office and sit alone then come back. We’re told to mingle and socialise for our mental well being. So tell me what’s the difference in looking after that when you’re wfh also. Honestly, a lot of posters so obviously do have a envy issue with people being able to wfh, no matter how much they try to cover it up 🙄

But i do agree that obvs some jobs just can't be done efficiently from home. And also that even for jobs that can be done remotely some people just don't suit it for whatever reason. Companies/managers should be able to work around that, and not invoke silly "all of you in the office" edicts just because they are simply unable to tell the 3 slackers out of 500 people, that they need to pull their socks up or be in the office permanently. (my hybrids have always been: work from where you like, taking care of client confidentiality/privacy issues. And being in the EU that means you can be on a balcony in your flat in Spain, or in your attic, or in a coworking space in another city while you visit friends)

As usual I am surprised by how many people are so negative about WFH and as usual I assume it is people who resent not having the opportunity to WFH themselves or crap managers who want everyone on site for an ego boost...

Definitely!!!

OP, check your privilege. Nurses, doctors, paramedics, police, firefighters - all these and many more have to go into many ‘workplaces’ in less than ideal conditions. And so many do exceptional service (hats off to all of you!).

You don’t have a desk set up? Sort it out! Imagine one of the essential services such as a paramedic decided to wait for their bosses to set up perfect working conditions.

Obvs meant to say my DH’s company!!! He doesn’t have a husband on the side to my knowledge… 🤣

You mean prove that the reason most offices are stopping people doing WFM is true - people slack off!

'@WitchesofPainswick · Today 10:22

Gosh, those of you objecting to dusting and setting up your own workspace have clearly never worked in the charity sector...'

I have worked in the charity sector for over 20 years and I have never been asked to set up my own workspace.

Charities like any employers are required to follow employment law and make sure people have correct DSE in place and work in safe and appropriate office environments.

I have the option to wfh and choose not to.
Because I can see that whilst it might be great for the individual it is not great for the business in many respects.

I think it's a huge worry that OP works for a company where she apparently has no interactions with any of her colleagues - how does anyone know what she does? How is it covered while she is on holiday or sick? How does she share her knowledge and experience with other colleagues? How do they share their experience with her? There are very few roles where it is not at all beneficial to have at least half an idea what is going on beyond your own personal bubble.
What's it like for new colleagues? Or inexperienced ones? or ones that fancy being promoted?

Yes, all these things can be managed while wfh, but it takes more time and effort to set this up. It takes longer for me to arrange a Teams call with a colleague and for us to screen share, than just to walk over to their desk and ask them to show me something. If I don't want to interact with my colleagues (even if it's necessary for them to do their job) then I can largely ignore them if I wfh.

Yes, but surely only with the line managers permission? I wouldn’t dream of popping out to do the school run during working hours without my manager knowing and Oking it. And I’m fairly senior, would always make up time etc. but it’s work time!

Says who?

Some of us have offices in the city that we can't even do our job in - yet they insist we attend - there is no benefit to the business, nor to me just to show face.

I agree with you. I WFH 3 days a week and although I am on my own, I have my home comforts. The office alone is different - but all the office people won’t understand and just think because we WFH we should be in the office… even though times have changed. I couldn’t work full time if I didn’t have the WFH option 3 days a week as my office is an hour away and I have 2 kids to pick up from school, both parents have died so no support… and I love working full time which WFH enables me to do

OP, check your privilege. Nurses, doctors, paramedics, police, firefighters - all these and many more have to go into many ‘workplaces’ in less than ideal conditions. And so many do exceptional service (hats off to all of you!).

For heaven's sake @PlumRaspberryJam we all know that some jobs can't be done at home, and are carried out in challenging environments. But this isn't the case for the OP

Nurses, doctors, paramedics, police, firefighters

All entitled to request flexible working.

The devil is in the detail here.

What is the role? Would it improve staff morale were you in the office more?

As for the room, I would ask for someone to give me the time and help and set it up nicely for myself.

I think ‘mental health’ is a weak card to play here. If you are doing a solitary role, you can’t demand company. Also, presumably, the reason they want you in the office is to interact with people at least some of the time? Otherwise, why would they ask you to be there?

With work, leaving is always an option. If you need the job more than they need you, they have the upper hand. Even if they aren’t going strictly by the book, severance pay is rarely as high as people expect.

Depends what your contractual arrangement is. If not in breach you may choose to refuse but face a disciplinary.

Personally if I was asked to go into the office more frequently I would look for a new job.