WFH? Will your employer be fine that you will also have your kids around?

[BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz]

I may need to WFH 4 days a week due to coronavirus and social distancing etc (there's a specific task I need to be on site for which would take one day).

I have a 5yo and an 8yo. I suspect I can perform my role to a very basic level with them around (responsive role so phone and email right next to me).

Anyone else spoken to their employer about WFH with small dc?

Mine are saying the right things but the level of work is mad. But once the kids are off next week then they’ll have to get used to me and DJ tag teaming. We’ll have to alternate doing 7-1 & 1-6.

I usually work from home and employer has no problem with dc being around, I on the other hand am dreading it! Dh has worked from home for two days and declared that it is really hard and he will get up every hour and do five minutes of exercise to break up the boredom. Fortunately my dc are a bit older so hopefully will have their own work to occupy them. I am used to working solidly 8.30-3 without breaks or interruption. I might take myself off to the greenhouse to work!

Our company directors are refusing WFH it will have to change tomorrow as half the staff have D.C. and we are not a key service. Work has slowed down, I work on projects and should be able to be as productive at home as in the office as my D.C. are adult, although at home too studying and self isolating. I will take up the slack from my team who have D.C. as none of them have an alternative now that all childcare has been removed. I am not sure I am looking forward to team meetings with young DC joining in and seeing how the parents look more and more desperate as time goes on.

The only issue left to resolve is we our onsite production on site, which needs to keep going until we complete our order book.

I can't work from home as I work in a care home. Childminder is taking care of DS since schools are closed. If she's unable to, then I won't be able to go into work. It's completely out of my control.

I've been working from home already but now I have no childcare for my toddler I need to tell my boss. I know he will be fine with it, he's very understanding, I just plan to do my absolute best. I'll save my difficult bits of work for when DS naps, save calls for late afternoon when DH is home from work, and work away like a squirrel whenever DS is nicely distracted by a toy or a film. It's all we can do!

Any tips on WFH with a very clingy 11 month old? We are self isolating at the moment so I’m working from home and DH is off work too because of the families self isolating together advice, so he’s entertaining DD and sorting bottles nappies and meals for her. But when the 2 weeks is up, I presume his work will still be open. Nursery I presume will be closed by then although we haven’t had confirmation yet, and both sets of grandparents are in at risk groups so not risking anything.

I'm WFH at the moment (whole global company is due to COVID). My employer has issued guidance acknowledging that parents WFH will likely have kids at home too for several weeks during the crisis and that they understand that hours are not going to look like a 'traditional' day anymore - instead, people will maybe log on for a few hours in the morning before kids wake, do bits and bobs during the day and then log on once their in bed. Or perhaps if both parents are WFH then you almost split up the day so one of you works with the kid there in the morning (knowing that time won't be quite as productive as solo working!) and then you swap for the second half of the day. Employers are just going to have to trust their staff at this time I think.

@OneOfManyDays I don’t know about you but the thought of getting up to work prior to my child getting up at 6:30 then working from 8:30 when they go to bed, alongside parenting and worrying about a pandemic and being stuck inside my House doesn’t seem do-able for more than a week or so. Not for months on end

Do they have a choice?

I will work early in the morning then later in the evening. My work has reduced anyway. I also need to be educator, entertainer and physical trainer to small people. It's not ideal. They will have to suck it up.

I've been WFH for over a week now. today we had a senior team video call of 18 people and there were children of all ages milling around and on knees! We all know it isn't ideal but its where we are and my MD understands that we're doing our best.

I work from home, have done for years. I have had kids at home on and off for most of that time. Never been an issue. I flex my working hours around the kids and TCs, so I work very early and very late, less in the 9-5 zone. My company has never had a negative word to say. As long as the job is done. Flexible employers retain quality employees.

Worked out mine was fine with it this morning when an impromptu video call was crashed by both my kids and my cat.

DS wanted to show my boss his fractions work and DD wanted to tell him about her fairy story.

Both DC were ushered out of the room whilst my boss laughed.