'Go back to work if you can' - any idea what Boris means by this??

[labyrinthloafer]

So today the PM said people should go back to work if they can, rather than stay at home if they can.

But if people can do their jobs from home, why would this be a good idea in amongst all the other things opening up?

I feel so drained at the moment, have got into a very decent homeworking situation, now potentially disrupted, and then all winter it'll be 'oh Sue's coughing, has she had a test' and then people going home while they wait for results.

I suppose my question is - do you think this is just rhetoric or will the home working now start to change?

Our Director advised us that WFH is now permanent for all those that are able to do so. A survey found that out of 400 staff only 16 wanted to return to the office, so they are providing safe working areas in the office for them to do so. The rest of us will work from home indefinitely.

He means - Men go back to work, Women you''ll need to stay at home and try to juggle working for home, running the house and looking after the children over the school holidays and before and after school.

Oh really? I missed this that’s a pretty big change

Why do they announce this shit on a Friday evening when all bosses are fucking incommunicado?

Oh it’s just Boris blah blah. The government has since confirmed that you should still work from home if you can.

Nuts to flip flop around on a fairly important message

How do all of you who love wfh cope with children plus work. I cannot seem yo effectively work or parent. I still need childcare if wfh.

Lockdown has massively accelerated social and work changes that were happening anyway
So a lot of changes won't be reversed.

Businesses who have found WFH works and also saves them rent, utilities, insurance etc
won't reverse this just because Boris wants them to save the economy

Those workers who've saved time and money not having to commute, who've enjoyed theindependence of WFH,
won't be eager to go back to the old long days

Those who've been on 80% pay won't be keen to fritter away money on buying sandwiches and coffees either - some people are skint atm

Having had a break, some consumers have been surprised by how much they saved by not being able to do recreational shopping

Consumers have got used to the convenience and speed of online shopping, instead of taking the car out, finding a parking space, wrangling the kids, walking throuh all the isles to find what they want.

The government seems to be wilfully failing to grasp that the only way the economy is going to recover is if people have confidence that the risk of contracting the virus when they go out and about is really low. The more the government rush into reopening everything without adequate safety precautions or a properly functioning test and trace system while the virus is still circulating at quite high levels, the more likely infection rates will shoot up again and the more damaging that will be to the economy. The government should focus on getting infection rates down. If they do that, economic recovery will follow. The government don't seem to get that they can reopen businesses all they like, they won't get the same volume of customers if people fearful of contracting the virus.

To be honest I can’t wait to get back to the office . I can’t believe that hand on heart people are more efficient working from home. I am permanently fielding questions from my kids and they are older teenagers god knows what it would be like if they were younger . I only work part time but instead of whipping through my hours in 3 days in the office . I am having to drag it out over 5 days as I am continually being interrupted . I miss everything about the office the social side, the mental stimulation of others, the office printer . I am amazed so many people are resistant to returning. Mind you I am Midlands based so not using London transport . Although I did spend 12 years doing so in my youth so remember how horrific it was

He said it in response to a Furlough question so I do think it's about getting people off of the furlough scheme.

They have been actively discouraging people from using public transport and still are. They also continue to advise SD is required in workplaces so I do t believe the WFH preference is being changed.

This is the article about it on BBC

Coronavirus: No 10 considering mandatory face masks in shops in England www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-53365062

No masks, everything open now, people back in offices, commuting via train and tube...

6% of the population previously infected (so 94% still vulnerable).

This’ll end well. 🙄

As usual, whenever Boris says something, we need official statements to correct clarify what he meant
as he doesn't seem to know his own government's policies

In the early days he was just workshy, before he realised there was a crisis,
but since he came out of hospital, he has never seemed up to date with what is happening.

He said it in response to a Furlough question so I do think it's about getting people off of the furlough scheme.

Oh ok all that makes sense

Yes, I think the govt will have to clarify this fairly quickly. I'm not sure that the message -to stay wfh if you can - has changed but can see how it can be interpreted this way. Really needs clarifying as a pretty major point to muddy the waters on.

@AlecTrevelyan006

it means the govt have suddenly realised that the shit has already started to hit the fan and if there's any hope in hell of saving thousands and thousands of ancillary'jobs then people need to get back in town and city centre offices as of Monday.

And then have us all back in lockdown a month or two later. False economy.

Has no one thought of the huge benefit to the environment of people not driving to and from work every day?
I don't want to go back to the office and I don't need to (not safe, more productive in both work and home life WFH). I never bought coffee and sandwiches anyway as it was too far to walk to town. I made a packed lunch. More likely to walk into town for such things on my lunchbreak at home.

it means the govt have suddenly realised that the shit has already started to hit the fan and if there's any hope in hell of saving thousands and thousands of ancillary'jobs then people need to get back in town and city centre offices as of Monday.

It sounds like it was a Boris misfire rather than this tg

Those who've found WFH cut their office costs,
or who can't otherwise organise SD for vulnerable staff,
will obviously continue it

Stop-go shutdowns could be disruptive & expensive,
so if they think the risk of this significant, then some businesses would continue WFH for this reason too.

So Boris has potentially put millions of people at risk of breaching their employment contracts on Monday morning then, enabling the employer to fire for gross misconduct at no cost for not pitching up to the office? Fucking donkeys.

@LilyPond2

The government seems to be wilfully failing to grasp that the only way the economy is going to recover is if people have confidence that the risk of contracting the virus when they go out and about is really low. The more the government rush into reopening everything without adequate safety precautions or a properly functioning test and trace system while the virus is still circulating at quite high levels, the more likely infection rates will shoot up again and the more damaging that will be to the economy. The government should focus on getting infection rates down. If they do that, economic recovery will follow. The government don't seem to get that they can reopen businesses all they like, they won't get the same volume of customers if people fearful of contracting the virus.

Exactly - If I return to the office I'll still be more likely to take my own sandwich rather than queue in a crowded coffee shop or the hell that is our local M&S at lunchtime. I'm not taking any more risks than necessary.

@MarshaBradyo

Oh it’s just Boris blah blah. The government has since confirmed that you should still work from home if you can.

Nuts to flip flop around on a fairly important message

Has there been a confirmation? This lack of clarity really drives me nuts!

Go to work, don't go to work, stay with indoors, go outdoors... (Matt Lucas)

@LilyPond2 This is how I feel too, but I don't know how much of an outlier I am.

I vote we all stage a naked protest tomorrow. Everyone get stark bollock naked at 5pm. To demand clarity and leadership. Who's in?

Labyrinth ha yep I thought of that too. Very funny.

I think it’s Boris’ stumbling block, in / out.

@LilyPond2

The government seems to be wilfully failing to grasp that the only way the economy is going to recover is if people have confidence that the risk of contracting the virus when they go out and about is really low. The more the government rush into reopening everything without adequate safety precautions or a properly functioning test and trace system while the virus is still circulating at quite high levels, the more likely infection rates will shoot up again and the more damaging that will be to the economy. The government should focus on getting infection rates down. If they do that, economic recovery will follow. The government don't seem to get that they can reopen businesses all they like, they won't get the same volume of customers if people fearful of contracting the virus.

So true. If I have to go back to the office so be it, I've been more efficient at home, no downtime between meetings or chit chat, I've definitely got a lot more done.

Even if compelled to return to the office I won't be increasing my potential exposure any more than necessary and I will continue to stay out of shops, cafes and definitely not going out to the pub, bars or restuarants with colleagues or friends. So benefit to economy is zero.

In addition if when/if I go to office, to keep my family, so I will avoid visiting my vulnerable (but isolated) family members for at least 2 weeks because of the risk of being an asympotmic spreader. In practice this may mean I'll have to take a combination of holiday and/or get guaranteed WFH just to see my family even now and again. Or unpaid leave Definitely will make me spend more Thanks Boris!