Anyone else fed up with WFH/Hybrid

[HelenIU]

I’m looking to turn this into a WFH’rs are lucky/lazy/work shy sort of thread.

But genuinely interested if anyone who is WFH/Hybrid feels similar and has any words of wisdom:

-WFH in Covid which turned into Hybrid post lockdown ending (2x a week in office, 3 days at home)

I feel utterly fed up at home, miss the interaction and just genuinely long for how things were before Covid - in the office each day part of a big and supportive team. Even when I’m in the office it’s not the same with desk booking and not everyone in.

I finished work yesterday and just felt unfulfilled.

Has anyone been in this situation and seeked a full time non WFH job? Did it work out or did you regret it?

I feel the same way. I like being in the office for the camaraderie. Can you go in more often? At my work, we have to do a minimum of 3 days in the office, but I regularly do more. I can always get a desk on Mondays and Fridays even if they’re not my official office days.

I feel exactly the same. I think I might just start going in more days as some of my other colleagues are already doing. In my company it helps that at least people from a team are expected to do the same two days in the office.

Sounds like you have a good balance op are you physically prevented from going in more?

10 years ago I'd have hated wfh now I have no local team, little motivation to have work friends and love the lack of commute as well as how easy life is with various kids commitments outside of school

I go in once a week and Never want to go back to more regular office working. Of course if change jobs or employer changes approach I will but I'll enjoy it while it lasts.

We can go in more, but honestly some days the office is so quiet it would just be me and a handful of others who aren’t in my team, but work in the wider company. So whilst we chat etc, there is no work collaboration.

I felt like this but lived too far away to go in more days.

I ended up leaving and after a break will be starting a new job locally, so easier to be in and feel part of the team.

Totally agree. Our team spirit and functioning is negatively affected by WFH.

That is understandable, and I often think in a few years with different commitments e.g kids I may regret it if I gave up a job with the flexibility. But it’s quite soul destroying currently.

Yep, have been thinking this myself lately.

My workplace is also 2 in 3 at home. I'd prefer 3 in 2 at home but the travel costs are so restrictive these days. My work has moved everything to city centers and so we are having to pay city center parking costs or public transport costs into the city. It's not cheap.

I am very unmotivated now after 5 years of everything virtual.

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the flexibility it gives, but it can be lonely.

I am the opposite and absolutely love WFH. I’m hybrid and won’t ever go back to FT in the office.

Yep, I find that get I get distracted at home, or anxious and worried about work. In the office it's much easier to just pop over to someone's desk and ask if I can talk something throughz or just make a general comment about a difficult client or problem and someone will answer in a sympathetic way.

I do appreciate the convenience of being able to drop my DC at school, walk the 10 minutes home and start work, and of being able to put dinner on or get some laundry done during my lunch break. However, I find I prefer my actual job more when I go into the office.

A mix of 2 days in and 3 WFH suits me. I'm able to have a small but well set up workspace at home and my work requires, at times, full concentration. I do learn from others at work and enjoy chatting and lunchtimes, but I benefit from the balance.

My cats are the only beneficiaries of me working from home. I personally hate it.
I've been WFH for 14 months waiting for a major op. I cannot wait to get back.

If you like it keep going in more. Schedule meetings in the office when appropriate and then when people come in it will feel busier. Personally I am love WFH. I am happy to travel when required but it suits my routine, personality ( I am happy in my own company and a self starter) and honestly I never feel lonely. I have team mates from all over the country at the end of a video call and have much better quality one on one interactions because it's private both ends. We make the effort with social team calls and meet in person once a month or so -it doesn't feel like we never see each other. I don't live near to any of my colleagues though.so if I went into my local office it would be full of strangers working on completely different stuff.

I'm in the opposite position, work F2F and looking for a work from home role. I'm introverted and reflective, I find I do my best work when I can focus without the interruptions of a busy room full of people. I have lots of friends outside of work and not particularly looking for work to fulfill my need for social interaction.

No, I like hybrid and would be happy to wfh from home permanently. I find the office over stimulating (yellow lights/noisy/can't sit cross legged on my office chair etc.)

I have a DH and DC around in the mornings and after work so I really appreciate the peace and quiet in the middle of the day.

I am 3 days in office,2 days at home.
My WFH days save me money and time in commuting which is great but I am way less motivated overall. The team are rarely all in on the same day and things that could be resolved with a quick chat now become convoluted email chains.
I have a better work life balance, but have lost motivation and enthusiasm.

I do like hybrid most of the time but having moved to my team just after covid when we moved to hybrid I really missed the period of being with everyone and getting to know them. My travel is a bit of a nightmare and parking rubbish so my wfh days takes that stress away.

I’m in exactly the same boat. I wfh, In a low pressure job, lovely line manager and work school hours so can be with the children before and after school. It’s perfect. And yet I hate it. I feel really lonely and trapped at home.

Im currently looking for something local but struggling to find something that matches the hours / flexibility of my current role.

I've done both and was in wfh/ remote working environments prior to the pandemic. They worked well as the company had never known differently and everyone was in the same boat. Now I'm.in a hybrid role, there's no minimum or maximum office time but most do 3-4 days. One person barely ever comes in and honestly it just feels like she's not a proper member of the team. So for bonding/ engagement I'd say at least 3 days office pw is needed

I go in every day even if there's no-one else there. Someone usually walks past at some point or I'll see someone in the kitchen. It's still better than being at home!

Same! Love the flexibility but spend way too much time on my own. So many pointless Teams meetings! Would much prefer more days in the office when we’re all in. I can go in more but then there’s barely anyone there so what’s the point? I do feel more in work mode at work though!

I left my old job as it went to 100% wfh in covid, I really enjoyed my job prior to covid but when things started to get back to normal they only asked us to return to the office one day a month for a keeping in touch day! It drove me insane and spending so much time on my own every day was awful for my mental health. I really don’t think it’s natural to spend so much time alone.

I now work in a school office - applied for that on purpose as the school has hundreds of kids and teachers etc in everyday and it’s a lovely atmosphere. The job is essentially the same but the days go by so much quicker when you’re surrounded by people, it’s easy to ask for help from colleagues, you don’t feel the need to leave your laptop on until silly o clock at night and i’m just generally so much happier now.

So pleased I took the plunge and I’d definitely recommend looking at other jobs if anyone else feels like I did in my previous job x

I did wfh during some of Covid but once was enough. I was delighted when we all went back. I’m not trying to sound like a superior worker bee as it isn’t as if I’m super productive at work. I just hate being by myself at home and I felt completely detached from work and didn’t enjoy my job. My commute is about 40mins walking and tube so that is fairly easy. I might feel differently if I had to drive a long way.

I'm so glad you posted this! I feel EXACTLY the same but my colleagues seem to love WFH all the time. I have friends outside work but honestly for the team spirit, feeling part of something, motivation ...basically all the words already used I really have fallen out of love with it . It feels transactional and I have been looking for other work which is office based. I love abit of flexibility to WFH if needed but yes I really think it eventually erodes your enthusiasm and is lonely.