If you're WFH but not doing much

[Makeitgoaway]

will you expect/be prepared to do a bit extra when you go back?

I am officially working from home but because the world has closed down there's not actually that much to do and although I'm available by phone and checking email, it can't be said I'm doing a full days work.

When we get back, there will be loads to do and everyone will want it done urgently. Would it be a reasonable expectation that staff "make up" some of the time they've had off?

Too bloody right.

I don't know if it is. It's not like people are able to do anything much with this time and when we get back to normal people's spare time will be important to them, to do all the things they've missed.

Of course it will be reasonable. FFS it's called pulling together. Your attitude needs some work OP

To be clear, I'm the boss wondering if it's a reasonable expectation of my staff

Within reason yes. But my boss is hot on preventing stress so wont be on us at all. You can only do one thing at a time so prioritise.

I usually WFH but due to all the economic issues am working twice as hard as usual - and trying to homeschool 2 kids and not murder DH

Going for a walk in the garden for downtime soon...

I think you have to be fair, if you are getting some easier days now work-wise then yes, there will be some pulling it all together time when things start getting back to normal

It's not exactly fair but then what is at the moment..?

God no, I’m busier now than I was before I was WFH. I’m part of the team putting measures in place for payment breaks etc.

I suspect when all this is over and we all get back to 'normal' we will be in a huge economical mess and people will be falling over themselves to 'do a bit extra' to keep their businesses afloat and show way they are vital to it.

Yup, it’ll be incredibly busy when we go back as due to the nature of the work it can’t be done properly just now so there is going to be a huge backload plus new stuff coming in. Luckily my employers are reasonable and the union is effective so it shouldn’t be too bad.

we have been told they dont expect a strict 9 hour day but if anyone else seriously clearly drops off the working hours over a few weeks, we will need to pay the time back in overtime once back in the office.

First day since it started that I've run out of work. Been hovering online in case some comes in but I think tomorrow I'll just take the morning off to do some gardening or decluttering and then start in the afternoon. It's tiring doing nothing!

I don't think you will be able to do that OP if you mean you will be asking them to work additional hours for no pay?

If you mean you will be asking staff to work paid overtime then yes, of course.

A lot of people will have poor MH as a result of all this, and will have lost family and friends. Adding to their stress by demanding additional hours for no pay isn't just illegal, it could lead to staff absence.

I work in an agency and the work is dying down fast. The boss has already expressed concern about pay and how bumpy it will be when we start working back at the office.

If more of our clients stop working then we'll have no choice to stop working.

If you're staff are working from home then trust they'll be doing something productive however if you've noticed the work drop-off they probably have too. Maybe make it clear that they will be more work once their back in to routine. Let them be prepped for a heavy workload but if you can get ahead of the curve then feel free to ask them to help.

I work.in education and we've all closed up and been sent home. Have new laptop to work from home but IT are struggling with transferring a database we use from our work desktops to our laptops. Work.for a council so they're trying to get as many of us as possible working from home
Not a lot I can do though, even if they do sort out the laptops. So I'm logging in, checking emails and updates and tbh, trying to get my DS13 to do all his work.us keeping me occupied. Work are paying us whether we can do with or not, so I'm very lucky. But we will be mad busy when schools go back!

Well that's amusing.

When people thought I was the employee, it was unreasonable to object but once they knew I was the boss it was unreasonable to ask

I’m not WFH yet but probably will be soon.

My job is civil service and we’ve been told they need us all to stay as there will be a big backlog when this is all over.

I had a bit of a disagreement with a coworker at a meeting yesterday when she said ‘the government are paying us to work as usual when we’re home’ but government, through no fault of their own, are the ones who have shut everything down.

I think the majority of us will be over the moon if we have jobs to go back to, it's will be a massive bonus.

I'm busier than ever, (and working longer hours as I'm working my commute time as well and some evening work) but I work for an Electronics company that manufactures (among other things) medical devices (in Regulatory Compliance so can do my job from home) we are supporting the work to get more ventilators out there to the NHS ASAP. Certainly not front line stuff but if we can help we are.