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Covid

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Original poster

If you are an office home worker when do you think you’ll be back?

91 replies

Greyrosewall · 27/04/2020 13:55

I’m currently home working but our team was the last to leave as they put us all in separate offices for the first week or two.

Our MD is now starting to make noises about people going back to the office so I’m wondering if they’ll get our team back and again spread us all out.

We’d still be using the kitchen, toilets etc so to me it would be difficult to completely socially distance.

Interested to see if anyone else is starting to move back to the office?

OP posts:

BriefDisaster · 27/04/2020 14:00

We haven't been told anything officially but lots of talk from management about only a certain amount of people being allowed in at a time when we do go back. We have 7 floors each with about 100 people in my building so my thinking is possibly 1/4 in at a time but yes we need to consider toilets and kitchens too.

We have been told we are home for at least the next few months though but tbh there is nothing we can't do from home so they won't rush.

MinesaPinot · 27/04/2020 14:14

Suspect at least another month and even then won't be back full time in the office.

wafflyversatile · 27/04/2020 21:27

Apart from when necessary eg once every few weeks I'm hoping not to return to the office until there is a vaccine or similar. The last few weeks have shown we can work from home so I would very much resent and resist having to go back on public transport if it is not necessary.

I think we should leave the buses and tubes to those who have no option. The fewer people on there the fewer potential points of transmission. If I had to work out of the home I would want to share space with as few people as possible.

PersonaNonGarter · 27/04/2020 21:31

I think my firm won’t be back for a while. There will be no move to go back before schools do, definitely. And I can’t see them wanting to get us all into public transport either.

A significant % of my firm uses the Tube. No way do senior management want to expose themselves to that.

RunningNinja79 · 27/04/2020 21:36

Hopefully never. Think my boss would have something to say about that though.

Before actual lockdown we were talking about going in on a rota basis so 1 week in 2 weeks WFH. Then lockdown happened and I've been home ever since. I think when the time is right we will go back to that until a vaccine or whatever. We still get post (one person goes in a couple of times a week to scan that it, but is making noises about how unfair it is) and there are the phones to consider as our team takes phone calls from other companies.

YogaPantsSavedMyLife · 27/04/2020 21:38

Unlikely to be fully back until the new year. And even then most people will be asking to WFH at least a couple of days a week. I don't intend to ever go back to commuting 5 days a week. Our big expensive office building in central London will finally be sold and we'll be hot-desking on a much smaller site, I bet. I can live with that.

transformandriseup · 27/04/2020 21:41

I work in a GP surgery and I think I could be working from home for a while.

Hannah021 · 27/04/2020 21:42

Cant wait to go back, i'll be the first one in. Im so bored, i miss the office, i miss my colleagues, i miss picking my work outfit and looking presentable !!!

wildone81 · 27/04/2020 21:43

Civil servant (Scottish Gov Health) and don't think we'll be back in the office this year......I'm certainly in no rush to use public transport to get to work....

googlepoodle · 27/04/2020 21:49

I’m thinking not to at least September but I don’t have to be in the office so think I may be one of the last groups to go back in my office. It’s great just now - but think it may not feel so good as we move towards winter

sausagefingersH · 27/04/2020 21:49

I work for a global firm and all of our sites in different countries have confirmed that it will be a minimum of 1st July up to now and then it will be in stages

Patch23042 · 27/04/2020 21:51

I’d like to get back but I agree with the point made by the PP about how people who can WFH should keep away from the tubes, trains, buses etc so that those who absolutely cannot WFH (carers, retail staff, hairdressers etc) can use them more safely.

GaraMedouar · 27/04/2020 21:59

I expect a few months, probably not until schools go back. I’m going to ask my boss if I can work from home full time, or maybe 4/5 days a week. I love it, I have no need whatsoever to go into the office , and I much prefer not seeing anybody ! I know a colleague is the opposite - she is looking forward to going back for the social aspect.

OneMomentInHistory · 27/04/2020 22:04

My employer is assuming there'll be increased working from home for the rest of the year.

I was in a discussion the other day - even if we have

zscaler · 27/04/2020 22:04

I think office workers will generally be the last to go back - we’re an easy group to keep out of general circulation.

Polkadotties · 27/04/2020 22:12

Those who can wfh will be the last to go back their normal place of work.
I also think this will change the way we work indefinitely.
We have proven we can all wfh every day and deliver the same standard of service. Why would anyone want to go back to commuting and spending 5 days a week in an office after this?!

lljkk · 27/04/2020 22:24

My standard of work delivered from home has been far better than I dared to hope for but still well below what I could deliver in office. Lots of my output at home is very inferior. Other problem is my contract is precarious, though. Situation is so complicated.

Shitsgettingcrazy · 27/04/2020 22:28

6-12 months. The office needs a new layout. This will mean less people can work from there

The kitchens are small so it's one person at a time and you must clean it when you are done. Cleaners will be in all day to keep up to surfaces people touch.

They have a whole plan. But right now they are saving a fortune having us at home, so it will continue.

Comefromaway · 27/04/2020 22:30

Not for a while. The MD sent an email round today. More office staff are being unfurloughed but anyone wanting to visit the office has to phone him first, enter alone and then the MD will go in and clean/disinfect straight after.

shinynewapple2020 · 27/04/2020 22:36

Interesting one. We are working from home but our job has been modified a lot to make this possible. I think we'll probably return when schools go back as our work is vaguely linked.

EmpressLangClegInChair · 27/04/2020 22:39

Why would anyone want to go back to commuting and spending 5 days a week in an office after this?!

Because I’d far rather run through the Central London parks to my office, see my colleagues in person, have lunch together & then go to my yoga studio or meet friends for drinks in the evening.

WFH doesn’t work for everyone & if my workplace went to remote with hotdesks I’d be looking for another job.

roarfeckingroar · 27/04/2020 22:41

August I reckon. Although I'm pregnant and will be on maternity from early October so I doubt I'll be in for more than a couple of days until September 2021.

Theukisgreatt · 27/04/2020 22:42

We share a kitchen with about 30 people a and toilets with 100ish. I've heard these things about phased returns for a few people at a time but that would be pointless for us.

Thesispieces · 27/04/2020 22:44

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Theukisgreatt · 27/04/2020 22:46

This year! We are working at home from the table but if it was just me and my husband went back I'm not sure I'd be able to cope.

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