To think remote workers exaggerate how much they actually work?

[ZippyGreyOtter]

WFH is convenient but AIBU to think lots of people log on, do a bit, then spend most of the day coasting, while loudly insisting they’re “more productive than ever?”

Also my work peaks and troughs - September could be totally packed and October means I can coast a bit. Doesn’t have anything to do with WFH or not . Instead of taking a pointless long lunch in town or chatting to colleagues I can get a wash on or go to the gym.

On the other side of the fence and employing people I agree 50/50 I have team members who I know clearly “took” the piss with remote work and others who are way more productive. The ones that took the piss are now free to waste as much time as they like, and I’m not paying them for it.

it doesn’t go unnoticed.

YABVVVU @ZippyGreyOtter

I have a timesheet. Absolutely no way to lie around it.

With a huge client portfolio I am usually on calls back to back all day. It is relentless because if I show as online people
ping, slack, create meetings anytime.

If I was in the office I could actually be away from my desk and people would walk past and have to come back another time. With Teams esp people just call anytime unscheduled.

I hate this narrative that WFH staff are lazy / cutting corners / etc. That sort of thinking means I often work even MORE hours than my contracted hours so that no one can accuse me of spending all day doing my laundry / watching daytime TV.

A lot of us work VERY hard and are grateful and respectful of how WFH helps us in other areas of our lives.

God no! I work far more effectively from home. In the office there are so many distractions that it's really hard to focus.

If you're not talking about your own colleagues, who are you talking about then? "It's an observation", of who? Who are you observing who wfh but are not your colleagues? Are you just repeating what you read/heard from somewhere? If so, maybe question where that information is from and what the agenda of painting people who wfh in this way is.

I once worked in an office (not remote) during the last recession where the output was not immediately visible and the majority of the (in office) workers, including managers were just pretending to be busy, It was quite amazing what people got away with

Normally, the ones taking the piss are because their managers are. The rot starts at the top. It rarely works the other way around.

Some people are taking the piss. That's how you get people able to take a second job. I think certain sectors are much more prone to that sort of thing.

But you can't really generalise.

I'm way more productive at home!

No, I do have quiet months when lots of things get tidied up, but I frequently do over my hours. Over our renewal period, I was left without help last year and some days, I just spent it triaging my inbox and sorting people out. Rarely stopped, all day every day.

We are all remote and boss totally understands we have lives outside work, so if we have to do other things, we can. The work gets done. You soon get found out if you don’t. He also takes time off in the day, but is more likely to be working in the evenings and at weekends.

So yes, YABU. Some people can be a bit like that, but then, there are plenty of office based workers who spend more time talking than working. Part of the reason that managers are forcing a return to office is they don’t know how to manage remote employees and deal with those who are not delivering (and just as likely, not dealing with the office slackers too).

I do one day a week WFH, three on campus (I’m a lecturer) and one day off as I dropped down to a four day week a few years back. Honestly, I can faff a bit some weeks on my WFH day, but it all balances up.

Today is my non working day, and I spent two hours this evening giving students feedback on pieces of writing via email, plus kept an eye on messages throughout the day, replying as needed. Tomorrow I am out on a trip with students half the day, and will need to catch up on things in the evening. If I have an easier day at home on Friday I definitely don’t think I have robbed my work of their pound of flesh. I’m lucky that my manager is fully supportive of the work being done, the hours being put in, and not caring when it’s actually done provided classes are taught per the timetables and students are happy.

I wfh and am definitely more productive. I hardly make a brew, rarely take lunch and honestly resent myself for needing a pee cos it is a massive inconvenience!

I get at least 30% more done wfh than being in the office cos in the office I

• chat to people
• seem to be forever making drinks and going to the loo
• everyone takes a lunch break.

Getting caught in an overrunning meeting at home is fine at close of play, but in the office spells disaster for getting home without hitting traffic jams.

Remote working all the way works best for me and my clients.

YABVU

Maybe you are less productive and would take advantage.

I work my commute time and make effective use of my time.

Being in the office is a sensory overload. Lots of skiving, people talking about last night's TV and other nonsense.

You either have a work ethic or you don't. Location doesn't matter. Bums on seat 9am to 5pm does not make you productive. Some people prefer to work in the office, others from home.

Nope. The problem for me when I WFH is stopping working at a reasonable time. It’s too easy to stick something in the oven for dinner then go back to work.

When I worked from home I did the same amount of work. It was very easily tracked (imagine X products designed each hour) so couldn’t slack.

No I disagree, I genuinely think people spend more time working and less time chatting to colleagues when they WFH. Not necessarily a good thing, I think a lot of the small social interactions that are nice about working in a workplace have been lost since WFH became a thing.

My DP WFH and he has a big issue with working too much. At least in an office, you can end up having to draw a line and leave. At home, he just keeps going.

I work harder at home because I am constantly worried that people will think that I'm not working hard enough. (People like you perpetuate this feeling OP). I was on holiday last week, but this week I have logged on each day at 8.45am and logged off each day at 6pm. I have had a lunch break of 45 minutes on two days this week, but didn't have time on Tuesday. I don't have any other breaks, I put the kettle on if I have any time between meetings, but it is in my office, so it doesn't take any time. I barely even have loo breaks (ex-teacher so my body just waits for the length of a school day!).

If I'm in the office I'll arrive at 9am and then log on. I'll be interrupted for various "catch ups" throughout the day. I'll have people inviting me to come over to the kitchen for a coffee, or out for a walk at lunchtime. I'll lose time because other people agree too bloody loud and distracting, and I'll also use up time walking up and down stairs to various meeting rooms and trying to find a pod to take calls in in private. I'll also waste time clearing one of the hot desks, finding missing equipment from said hot desk, and answering questions that people will interrupt me with because "oh, I've been meaning to ask you xyz".

Here we go again with this

Manager: is the work done?

Me: Yes

Manager: ok then

When I was an academic it was usual to work at home for 2-3 days each week. There was no assumption that I would sit at the cmputer from 9-5 on those days. They were for research and study. I was asked to complete certain tasks by a set date by my prof and it was up to me to manage my own workload and time. I would not contact her unless I needed comment or guidance. Thats what profesional people do.

In some ways the job was just a paid extention of working on my masters and Ph.D. It required the same self motivation and discipline.

Ive worked through Christmas/New Year to complete work for a conference and informally taken back the time later. There were never any set hours.

My sister is WFH and works longer hours than she would in the office. She starts at 8am and although she has short breaks away from her laptop, she doesn’t have a lunch break and works till 6.30.

Stops to make dinner and then sometimes logs on again to catch up on emails so she can plan her next working day. She doesn’t have children, but I feel she works harder because she’s at home and doesn’t switch off from work.

People coast and slack when they don't care about the job and never did, OR, did care but are so poorly managed and motivated that they no longer do.

People who care about their jobs, are enthusiastic and motivated and are allowed to do their jobs efficiently... don't slack.

It's really not a 'WFH vs Office based' issue - its a 'keen, motivated, happy employees vs unsuitable managers, poor hiring practice, miserable work force' issue.

I do the same amount of work from home that would do in the office.

You’re not thinking in terms of output only time. Perhaps if you work in a mainly admin role then the end product is not on your radar, only the tasks.

My husband has to go into work every day. I work from home 50%. Yesterday he had to move rooms to get away from a woman who wanted to chat all the time. I mean how is that more productive? I can’t stand these people who use work as a social function. Can’t they get friends in their personal time? They are the people constantly crooning to get everyone back in the office generally.