To think perhaps WFH might need encouraged again for a while

[MrsMillhouse]

The news refers to petrol shortages. Not sure if it’s just headlines or clickbait. But if there are going to be shortages, surely the government should be starting to encourage WFH and using public transport where possible

We’re heading into spring, so hopefully the heating won’t be needed as much.

Is it the right kind of oil and can it be extracted in the immediate future to solve the current problem.

@HJBeans thanks for explaining, missed your post on first reading of the thread.

@Asuitablecatwtf is ovulation transport?

Our local schools rely on heating oil, I wonder what will happen if they run out? I'm pretty sure they aren't allowed to open without heated water for hygiene reasons etc. Also, it's still freezing, those old buildings would be terribly cold. Hopefully it just won't come to that.

I WFH but use my car a lot to go to my exercise classes, drive my son to his music lessons, shopping etc.... and I'm not prepared to stop doing any of it unless I have too.
Exercise classes alone give me a social group which you miss out on when working from home.

Not read the whole thread but am wondering whether WFH will become enforced as a government strategy (so that industries cannot duck out and enforce their workers to go in), freeing up fuel for key workers? I teach in a city school where most pupils walk to school. My round trip is about 15 miles daily but I could cycle if need be. Some of my colleagues drive 2.5 hours round trip though.

I suppose teachers could be re-deployed to their nearest schools <thinking aloud>.

I’ve seen multiple MN threads over the years about people doing (or planning to do) just that.

eg, “I’m returning from mat leave and have a fully remote role. It doesn’t make financial sense to put DC in nursery so I’m going to keep them at home with me, can people share their experiences of doing this”?

Or people complaining their colleagues are doing this without the boss being aware.

I’m in professional services and work with a small team of consultants. Their admin woman often mutes herself on our team calls so she can say something to her toddler.

Once I tried to call her to discuss an email she’d just sent me and she didn’t pick up. She emailed two minutes later to say “Sorry I couldn’t answer, I’m in a playground and it’s very noisy!” This was during her working day/working hours. I did complain to her boss, but the point is not only do some people do this, they don’t even think there’s anything wrong with it.

Even school age children under about 8/9 won’t leave you alone for hours if you’re working, even if you stick them in front of the digital babysitter, which I’m sure many do.

Laughing at this... if you knew me (and what I went through in lockdown) you would very much have a different opinion!

I'm talking about using my car twice a week to go into the office twice a week 🙄

I agree . Starmer should be on this

Someone has to extract it then refine it. The oil would then be sold on the open market at whatever price that is. It's not our oil. Thatcher sold it off.
We will only have immediate shortages if we all go crazy filling up cars at every opportunity.

They need to get a balance though as Rachel is getting so much money from the tax on fuel that they don’t want to discourage travel so much that people don’t spend and end up adopting habits that mean they are naturally more frugal.

I live very rurally, it’s a 22 mile round trip to the nearest wee corner shop and to primary school, and a forty mile round trip to the supermarket. Public transport isn’t available.

I really wish people were less selfish.

Do you think the government will say or do anything to try to help? I read that several other countries are putting things in place, but so far very little has been said here.

Havent rtft but I heard someone (possibly a spokesperson for fuel but cant remember exactly) several weeks ago on a news item, advocating people wfh.
My job doesnt really lend itself to wfh (the nature of the work varies and most is unsuitable to do at home) but i travel by train anyway.
By chance we have just switched to having one car so by default will end up walking/cycling more because we dont have the option of 2 people driving at the same time.

Government meeting with businesses today, will need careful messaging to prevent conspiracy theorists going bonkers so I guess they’re hoping that businesses will lead on announcing suggested reduced fuel uses.

There's hardly any oil left in the UK sector of the North Sea (over 90% extracted) but it still fills 40% of our needs. The rest is imported from Norway, the US, Nigeria and Libya.

We don't import ANY oil from the gulf states - so our supplies are not at risk. The problem is that oil prices are set on a global market, so even though our supplies are secure the price will rocket and there's nothing we can do about it. The oil companies are of course filling their boots.

It's far worse for Asian countries where most gulf oil goes.

Why would they run out? The costs are increasing, but the supply is not under threat. Do you think Norway and the US (where we get most of the oil that we don't produce ourselves) is going to cut us off? We don't get any oil from the Gulf states.

We have approximately 15 people in our MDT... we have an office with 5 desks in. Makes for some fun days when people all try to come into the office.

I'm community NHS - I see people who can't travel to clinics in their homes (we also don't have enough clinic rooms to book out which is a whole other story)... in a rural area as well, so shitty rural public transport. I'm already WFH for admin (see the aforementioned desk shortage issue) as much as possible, and my car's electric with us having solar panels and a house battery as well to reduce peak time use from the grid - but I have colleagues really beginning to worry. For context, I cover a patch that's historically hard for us to recruit consistent staff cover for and covers approx 300 miles in total. Can't bus that and there's no way I'm biking it!

The reason the government are hesitant about WFH is because it's still too closely tied to covid in our heads. There's people on this thread saying it won't work for them, it will be bad for mental health. A WFH mandate for oil presevation will not be the same as one for covid. If someone who works 5 days in office can drop a day to WFH, that will make a difference. If someone can switch from car to train, that will make a difference. If a workplace can say 'we want everyone in together two days a week for team working, then WFH the rest' that will make a difference. It's simply about reducing the amount of oil used, not making everyone sit at home and go mad.

This is from Austrailian news where people are confused over WFH mandate but also Gov saying they have enough oil reserves:

Swinburne University organisational psychology expert Timothy Bednall says Australia cannot afford to waste fuel on avoidable commuting.

“We’re in a slightly unusual situation at the moment, where the costs of commuting are largely borne by employees rather than employers,” he told NewsWire.

I WFH a couple of times a week. i still have to go out twice a day to look after and ride my horses though so it doesn't really help!

I mean, some people do their shopping, send personal emails or even run their own businesses from their employer's desk in the office. So what? If the employer doesn't like these measurable things they can stop them. It doesn't mean the mode of working is the problem.

They could say "employers are forbidden to compel anyone to go to a workplace unless there is a clear business need to do so".

I don't understand why anyone would want to sit compressed in an office like a battery hen just as I'm sure you don't understand why I want to sit in peaceful comfy quiet at home where I can concentrate.

Those who can work from home help by leaving the fuel and roads clear for those who must commute.

those who can charge an EV from solar (or at least from a greener energy plan) also help.

For those where public transport is an option, or a preference, excellent.

We always knew dependence on oil was a finite option.

Oh I totally agree with you, I'm actively looking for fully remote jobs because I like seeing my kids 😂, and I work better from home. If Gov could make that proclamation I'd be over the moon! But I don't think they will because of the negative attitudes to WFH that came from covid.