To think people who work from home don’t understand this?! And they’re paid more usually

[Ugriap]

I work in a job where I can’t work from home. I get that’s my choice but when I trained, working from home was not common. Now it is in a lot of places. I know I can re train but it’s not that easy!

I can’t just go to appointments during my lunch break. I can’t ever do this. So I have to book leave if I want to get my haircut or dental appointments. Or I go on a weekend so I’m basically having less free time.

A close friend is a high earner and she is always galavanting round during the day then catches up on her work in the evening at her convenience. I can’t understand why people like this don’t get that I don’t have this flexibility?! My time is so much more limited. I feel really isolated from the friendship group these days

Where did you get the impression life was fair?

You need to look at the whole picture.

I am senior and I WFH, some days I go for a run at lunchtime, but 80% of the time I don’t get a lunch.

I might meet a friend for coffee one afternoon but I might be on the phone to a client in Asia at 6am or in America at 8pm. I might have been on a train to London at 6:30am or back at 7pm.

I might have a doctors or dentist appointment during the day but I would allow any of my team to do the same.

I have lots of flexibility and it's great but the work has to be done and I have to be available basically around the clock if not on annual leave. I envy people (mums from school!) who can only work 3-4 days a week as my flexibility is all used up on my kids so I do hair in my own time, dont go to the coffee mornings etc.

Usually because they need to offer that flexibility to work as well; eg early calls with the office in Oz, late calls with N America, lots of weekends used up by international travel and sometimes holidays cut short because of crises in the office…….

@Ugriap i need to know what job your friend does! Sounds great!😌

I'm another one who WFH and doesn't galavant around. In fact it's way too easy to work more hours because the lines between work and home can become very blurred.

"people who work from home don’t understand this"

You think "people who work from home" have always worked from home? I expect a VERY small proportion of people have only ever worked from home. So yes, you are being unreasonable.

Many people who work from home have their work very closely monitored. Everyone will still have targets to meet and managers. I'm sorry you're jealous but you don't deserve more holiday.

I work from home, but we have to work the flexi core hours between 10am and 3pm minus a lunch break. We certainly won't be able to do what your friend does and disappear for hours and work in the evenings only. I do like the flexibility of just popping out for appointments though.

I'm hybrid and I need WFH days for the peace and quiet somi can crack on. The office can be very distracting when you are trying to concentrate. I also have to have confidential meetings and it can be very hard in an open office when some private rooms are already booked.

Yes there are some perks, like getting a dash of house work done or a quick gym sesh.

WFH is a must for many in terms of work quality not actually luxury people think it is.

Different jobs have different demands!

I don’t work from home but I do have flexibility - when I don’t have clinical commitments I can leave early, come in late, work in the evening, or whenever suits me.

But the flip side to that is that I am on my way into work now to see patients (having been working offsite since 9am), will be in until midnight, and will be doing a thirteen hour day tomorrow. None of which I am paid overtime for, it is just part of my standard working week.

Yes, I know plenty of people who take the p* wfh, attending hairdresser, dentist, school drop offs and collecting etc, all whilst wfh.
I simply don't get it. Like alot of people, I take annual leave for appointments and have arranged childcare for children.
Recently, I attended a birthday party where a lady with a 1 year old works ft from home with no cc.
So completely wrong.

Thanks for the honesty

You don’t know how she’s managing her time.
There may be times when she doesn’t have much on, but can’t control it all landing on her desk later. I have a job like this, quite big peaks and troughs. I always log on when I’m on holiday. Is that fair?
You sound very spoiled and entitled. What’s stopping you from getting one of these jobs?

If she’s making up the time in the evening when she has a daytime appt that she doesn’t in fact have ‘more free time’ than you, because she’s working in the evening to make up the time. So you work 8 hrs in the office in one block, she works 8 hrs at home, spread across the day and the evening.

I WFH, have done since well before Covid, it’s great I love it. I have lots more flexibility and pretty much free rein to decide what hours I work as long as I attend any important meetings and meet my deadlines. The negative is that I am expected to be available to drop everything and do any urgent work as and when it’s needed, I’m expected to work as many hours as needed to get the job done, some weeks that’s 30 hours, some weeks it’s 60.

I do 2-3 days in office and 2 at home. I’d say I don’t behave too differently at home vs office. I have incredible flexibility and arrange appointments when I’m at home. I do try and do it during lunch time period and wouldn’t miss a meeting because of it. I can’t move my work to the evenings as a lot of it is meeting based.

I do have it easier than the OP. But….I’ve been in this role around 27 years so I’ve worked lots of hours which are unpaid. During the pandemic I was working flat out til midnight. It’s why I don’t move companies as I know I wouldn’t get the same flexibility. I don’t even have to tell my line mgr when I have appointments.

Any appointments I have during the day are medical or dental related including physio. I wouldn’t take time out to go to hairdresser or anything frivolous like getting my nails done.

I think it’s unfair that anyone has to use annual leave for med/dental appointments. I think the biggest advantage has been managing appointments for my child and not worrying about work.

I worked in an office for many years and actually wouldn’t mind being full time in it as I don’t enjoy home working.

Not sure what the solution is for you but it’s not the be all and end all working at home. It just makes life a little easier - I take it for granted.

You'll hate my workplace. Not only do we work from home mostly, have flexi, we also have 1 well being hour a week to do what we want. We can build these up to a max of 4 hours, so that's how I get my hair done midweek now!
The last week has been manic though and ive barely managed lunch break so it's swings and roundabouts.

Also your friend might work at a global level, in which case she might spend a lot of time working with people in different time zones.

Exactly this. I 'gallivant’ off to yoga or whatever in the morning, but may have been on the phone with Australia at 6am and may be on with US until 10pm.

I WFH and went to not working on Friday in order to fit in appointments. I still get phone calls from work on a Friday, which go to voicemail saying that I don't work on Friday and you can't leave a message!

I would work hard to be senior so I could galavant once in a while!

Of course it's one rule for them another for you. My boss is on twice my salary. That is one rule for them another for me. Did you not realise that there are different rules depending on seniority?

I don't work in an office -there are many professions and roles which preclude the use of personal phones while working.

What a load of tosh. Most people who work from home are actually working and as they are at home in outer areas of town or rural they cannot nip out to appointments during the day or lunch hour. Not across the street from other businesses. Your friend may have flexibility but that is part of her work contract and doesnt meam she should have less annual leave than you as it is calculated on your full time hours.

As WFH are spending more than you on electricity and heat perhaps they should get paid more than you??

You just sound bitter about your life choices.

I work from home occasionally. Sometimes I work in the office. We have to work core hours regardless of location. My lunch break doesn’t count towards my working hours. This just sounds like another WFH bashing thread from someone who is jealous to be honest.

I work in a role where I make appointments. I wish I had a £ each time I am told “Oh I can come any time, I work from home” 🤣🤣

OP what makes you think people don’t get it?? Most people have worked a variety of jobs and therefore have perspective. You’re right, you chose your job and you can retrain. Stop worrying about other people’s thoughts.