5 days in the office - rant!!!

[DonnyDoris]

My company mandated 5 days in the office a couple of months ago, which in principle I have no issues with. However, my commute is just over an hour on motorways that have long term roadworks, so massively tedious and today I have no meetings so absolutely no reason to be here other than presenteeism. Could have got so much more done and also all my housework if I could've worked from home 😖Just needed to get that off my chest!!!!

In my day I had to walk 10 miles to and from work, uphill both ways… 👵🏻

Jesus, I’ve heard it all now. Ever heard of progress?!

Maybe not, but if your employer previously let you work from home and now they want you in the office (as appears to be the case with the OP), you probably went a bit too far with your piss-taking.

No office to go to!

Thats besides the point though. Lots of employers are quite happy for employees to do personal things during the day, as long as work is done and scheduled meetings are attended.

Work is work how you or anyone affords the good things in life. Nurses, doctors, train drivers i couid go on, do not get the choice.

Get back ho work it's pathetic all because of travelling. Mist in cars I suspect not waiting at train stations when it's snowing and cold.

I’m an NHS Consultant and I work remotely, as do most of my team…

Some people can’t work from home so nobody should be able to? Thank goodness not many share your opinion.

You call it progress won't travel to work that's hilarious it couldn't be less productive

You don’t have any idea what you’re talking about, dear.

What you on about? Unnecessary commuting is obviously a waste of time, not productive!

But it's necessary when your employer says you need to.

My team work from home two days a week and my experience is so many people just disappear for whole afternoons, don’t respond to messages etc. but maybe that’s just my lazy ass team.

im lucky in that I’ve made loads of friends through work and always worked with really lovely people so find the whole constantly working from home thing a sad reflection on how isolated we are all becoming.

i also appreciate that this is my outlook and some peoples lives have been made so much easier by WFH so must be hoping that doesn’t change.

I think it depends on the type of work you do. I'm a programmer. I sit and code all day. I rarely talked to people when I was in an office. There were some mean-spirited people in the office most days and they trash talked everyone all day.

If I was a contractor, then my workplace will be someone's property. If I was in the healthcare industry, my workplace will be a surgery or a doctor's office.

Every job is different and has different requirements. My boss has saved countless thousands in renting out office space in the last few years. That's more money to invest into internal systems and infrastructure, and maybe the odd payrise.

The only reason I ever have to go to the office is for collaboration, even though nobody approaches me anyway. Maybe for training now and again.

Which reminds me:

Random colleague: "People say you're really unapproachable."
Me: "And yet here you are.... approaching me."

I feel it's probably not great for one's health either if you only walk from bed to the kitchen table, then to the sofa when done. It's unsurprising there are so many porky professionals!

I meant it like it's necessary if you don't have a choice.

Maybe instead of a two hour round commute she could have done all the housework?

I found my most productive teammates were those that caught up with emails on the train. They'd be cracking on with the work whilst others were still messing about with a coffee and scrolling through Outlook.

Very often it’s what they would like but it absolutely is not necessary. I’m aware of a large corporate company who stipulated employees had to return to work inhouse. The employees said no. The company stood firm. So did the employees ( The company then said three days. The employees went to the union. They said no. It’s now one day a week from one of a number of office hubs.

Employees have to be firm and say no to unnecessary requests.

Finally...I can't imagine how young new staff can meet and learn about the job if no one in the office. I learnt so much from going to the photocopier. Yabu. If you don't like this job look for another more local. Your choice to live so far away.

Had a chat with my brother. He has to go in five days a week ( 1 hour 40 min commute) to take team calls , answer the phone and deal with emails. He’s handed his resignation in and has taken a step down, for less money , but will be working from home and in the office once a month. Covid changed Work/life balance for many.

My job is office based except for weekends (which shows that my job could easily be done remotely in the week aswell 🙄) working 8am until 6pm and I agree its a pain having to commute and go to the office everytime when there are things that could be done at home while making a cup of tea or during commute times to make my lofe easier especially in the evenings. I do like my office though so my ideal would be hybrid working. Im 20 weeks pregnant aswell so getting a bit of a break from traveling and the major rush each morning is more appealing as I get bigger!

I was asked to do every day in the office. I only work 18 hours a week - absolutely ridiculous- I did negotiate a solution but I’m soon to hand in my notice.

Or use the 2 hours saved commute time to do it in.

If you’re talking about the roadworks on the M8 then you get my deepest sympathies because that is a JOKE!!

I started working from home during COVID and flat out refuse to go back to the office, I’m so much more productive at home (big chatterbox in the office) and love that I can stay of top of laundry and such because I’m at home when it’s daylight. Don’t know why people are being AH’s about doing housework during the working day, when you’re not commuting you have more time, you also have lunch break and your not standing in the staff kitchen making a coffee for twenty minutes as you chat to colleagues swings and roundabouts.

What a bizarre take. Because office culture is so much healthier?!

OP you sound like an entitled lazy bones. Crack on with your job or look for a new one