Will your companies let you work from home after lockdown has ended

[Makinitrain]

I mean it's great being able to work from home, great for the planet, I suspect good for mental health.
However I imagine that many companies, including mine, will be quick to take it away as soon as they can. Is this because of productivity concerns? Any other reason?

I also imagine WFH isn't great for other businesses which rely on people commuting and meeting after work/ lunchtime.
Thoughts?

If they cannot resolve the transport issue then I guess people are staying wfh for a while yet. Having been on rammed tubes, trains etc there isnt an easy answer to this.

I’m due to go back in the next few weeks, wfh will no longer be allowed even though technically possible. They want everyone in the office. Not sure yet how this will work if kids are still off school so waiting to see what’s said on Sunday before panicking!

WFH is great for some people but not all. And not all of the time.
Not everyone has space, peace and privacy. They might be managing during this extreme situation but not long term.
I think you also miss a lot of the relationship building if you're all remote working.

The thing I'd really like (for environmental reasons) is to see a big reduction in business air travel as a result of all this. I'm sure it could often be done remotely.

I wfh once a week so could increase but do need some days in the office as it's more efficient.

I said on another thread that DB has been told by his big central London firm that wfh will continue for a considerable period largely due to public transport.

Thing is if millions continue to wfh it will have an big economic impact on industries that support commuting & office environments.

DH wfh 1 day a week normally & we have discussed if he increased it whether we would move further out.

Will save me 3 hours a day and £7k a year!

I'm not convinced that travel costs will dramatically reduce as likely 3 days will end up costing the same as 5 due to reduced footfall.

My employer already confirmed that we will be allowed to continue as they have invested a lot of money on the equipment. I'm only due to start wfh next week as there was a long wait for laptops and I was on the last list. Not complaining as I enjoyed going into a very quiet office and seeing some of my colleagues. We're key workers. I will able to pledge more overtime and have a lot less commuting. Hoping I enjoy it

I think more flexible working would be good, as in a few days at home a week or something. I think companies working full time from home is a bit careful for what you wish for, with no need for a geographical base jobs will start to go for the wages which save the most money. Call centres anyone? Things like London weighting will be gone, and you could be against people nationally for jobs. I think it would be sad for everyone to become very insular.

Good point about transport, less commuters means prices will probably rise to account for the loss, there's a lot of knock on effects, some positive but also some negative.

Yes, I used to be in the office 3/5 days and suspect that will go down to 1/5 - but much more focussed, so my whole team will arrange to be in on the same day so we can get lots of small meetings and discussions done. Then from home the rest of the time. My job does involved lots of site visits as well, so in reality I will probably be home 2/5, office 1/5 and site 2/5.

I think it would be sad for everyone to become very insular.

I agree & see remote working, some office based & flexi hours as a good solution.

Think of all the construction, interior design, cleaning, security, catering, coffee shops, lunch spots, gyms, bars etc that rely on millions commuting to & from big offices.

Think of all the construction, interior design, cleaning, security, catering, coffee shops, lunch spots, gyms, bars etc that rely on millions commuting to & from big offices.

Some, though not all, of those could be provided more locally if more people were working from home. More local cafes, bars and gyms would be great.

If you're not having to waste time and money commuting, then you've got more time and money to spend on those sorts of things locally.

Think of all the construction, interior design, cleaning, security, catering, coffee shops, lunch spots, gyms, bars etc that rely on millions commuting to & from big offices.

Change will create new and different opportunities. Nothing stays the same in normal times anyway.

I prefer to be on the office as I hate the isolation of being at home.

I’ve always been able to WFH for a few days a week, so we’ll carry on.

If there’s a job to go back to, of course.

@NothingIsWrong but is the office going to lie dormant for 4 days a week? That's not financially viable at all, why on earth would they do that?

I'm not sure @ErrolTheDragon as my high street is already full of coffee shops & gyms that cater for the neighbourhood.

DH was a member of his on-site gym but won't join another one as he's switched to online workouts.

In terms of going out for a bite to eat at lunch or for after work drinks with my colleagues if we are all wfh that's not possible.

I'm also not going to walk to the station to pick up a coffee & walk back home to start work.

Change will create new and different opportunities. Nothing stays the same in normal times anyway.

I agree but this is a massive change in a very short space of time.

@Cloudiay it's already too small for the number of people who use it - we are on hotdesking. What I am hoping for is that each team gets given a day they use the office so there is enough room for us to be sat together on that day and have proper decent constructive chats - and the other teams get given a day for them to do the same.

No way. We'll be dragged back to the office as soon as they say people can work together in offices again, without any social distancing. I expect to get the email telling me so around 5 minutes after it's announced!

Gut feeling is that we will be wfh as long as we want / feel comfortable

Everyone was setup with laptops etc anyhow

We don’t have enough desks anyway as a large proportion of the office was travelling so there will be no quick route back

I must admit I'm not very good at WFH. I often get distracted by the Washing or the fridge or my DH.
However, at work I get distracted by deliveries or my colleagues.
Basically I'm not very good at the 9-5, I always get my job done but find I'm more productive when I have limited time! WFH won't change how much time I have!

We were all able to work from home before this, most did a couple of days a week at least anyway. At the moment the official line is they don't want anyone who uses public transport going in for some time, those that can walk / drive / cycle will go back fort with significant in office measures. Tbh I can see me not going back on 'officia' days at all after this.

PicsInRedbut why? Is it for a valid reason, have people been taking the piss?

Very old school workplace, hours, workstyle, dress code etc.

Granted, this may need to change to compete in hiring going forward if massive change is seen in other firms.

No. WFH is considered a perk that you have to earn- generally. It’s hardly ever allowed -and you have to agree to work the most antisocial hours, split shifts, during the night, etc.

No. Even though I am the only person in my office. Met my boss for the first time in october when I started and haven't seen her since as she wfh. Not even spoken on the phone, all just text messages. Colleague has a work laptop and I do not. That fact has never been mentioned and in suppose i will not ever get one. They are cycling my furlough so I never know if I am to log in or not, except the three weeks that I am off for but expected to do "training". Crap communication. current furlough cycle I didnt even get the proper letter! But yes, I will be expected back at my empty office as soon as it is allowed. I will not be going unless the school is open proper hours for my primary child.