Are you starting to go back to office if you’ve been wfh?

[Littlemiss74]

I’ve been wfh since end March. I had a shielding letter and my employer has been great saying I could stay at home even when shielding was paused. Most other staff were still wfh too anyway but now they are starting to return to office. We’ve been told there can’t be more than 50% staff on site at once so people are going to do a split between home & office.

My boss has asked if I could perhaps come in at the end of the month to see all the safety measures in place with a view to returning. She knows I have been anxious. I am part time so don’t think she would expect me to go in there every day. She said it would be good if I could go in some of the time so we can have team meetings and project planning time together.

At the moment I feel ok about returning but I am anxious about the winter months when there always people in work coughing & sneezing. I take immunosuppressants so need to be careful. I want to show willing and I am slightly conscious that ‘out of sight, out of mind’ may occur if I’m away too much longer.

Just wondering what stages other people are at in returning to the office, how often do you go in a week and what are the covid restrictions in place? Also if you were shielding how do you feel about returning and the winter months?

I appreciate there are many people who will be vulnerable who will have continued working throughout.

Hi OP, your employer should be doing an individual risk assessment for people on the shielding list before they return to work, ideally involving occupational health, see this link from the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development
www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/fundamentals/emp-law/health-safety/supporting-shielding-employees
Many shielding employees will also have extra protection under the Equality Act 2020.
The Independent SAGE did a press conference on returning to work last Friday, and there was a question the scientists and occupational health professional answered on returning to work if you’re on the shielding list, you can fast forward through the presentations and it’s after that

twitter.com/IndependentSage/status/1299324316706770944
Hope that’s helpful and all the best.

*that should have been Equality Act 2010

We can't go back because we work in a 40 floor building and the lifts and toilets can't be made safe, apparently.

No, last I heard was WFH til 2021. I move teams soon and they are looking even less likely to go back. I'm not sure if I am pleased or not.

DH not back. The office did reopen a few months ago with the idea of 50/50 rotation but we had increased cases In our city so they shut down again. They won’t go back to this office in the foreseeable. He’s moving cities soon for a new project and as someone is retiring they need to do a handover, not sure if they’ll be in a project office or if they’ll still be working from home After that.

No unless identified as essential worker, not till March 21 at the earliest.

No. No chance until next summer I've been told

No, still at home for the 'foreseeable future'
Our office has been stripped of all equipment and given out to people wfh. There is a booking system in place at other buildings for those who absolutely need to go in but that won't be our team. Don't know how I feel about it tbh.

No, not until next year. And then, it'll be mostly geared to those struggling at home (children/no suitable space etc).

Our offices have opened since the start of August to anyone who wants to go in, subject to a limit on numbers. I don't believe that limit has ever been exceeded. I am going in once a week to train juniors (central London). I only see ever see a handful of colleagues.

DH has worked throughout, I went back a few weeks ago (teacher). Word of warning, from my limited experience...most people in my workplace and anecdotally at DH's are "over it"... guidelines slip quickly when you're back working to tight timescales. Photocopying sitting for 48 hrs? Machine cleaned between uses? Not manageable, back to normal. Limited numbers in certain rooms? Can't have a meeting with 1/2 the staff,so in you all go.
Some of our staff have been in the whole time and i was shocked at how lax they were when i went back in...now i can see how that happens.
I was very very isolated before i went back and barely went anywhere...now I'm forgetting my mask when i pop in for a pint of milk (which I'd never have done before!) because I'm not wearing it all day at work.

I think unless you have a medical letter saying why you’re still shielding (most people have stopped shielding now) it could be hard to refuse to go in at least some of the time. Could you go and see what it’s like and what the measures are?

We were told today our offices is closed until 2021 (at least) and we will all continue to WFH.

Thanks for all the replies. I’m quite surprised how
many companies have already committed to saying wfh until next year.

I’m sure it will feel safe in my office as they are a very good company and do things properly. I am a bit anxious but I do also miss going in and seeing people and having a change from these 4 walls!!
I think if I could do 2 days in office and rest wfh
that would be a good balance.

I spoke to my boss again today and she was pretty insistent that she would like me to go in in a couple of weeks time for a visit and then one or two days a week. It’s just a bit of a u-turn as last week she said she was happy for me to wfh until end of year because of my health circumstances. It’s a bit like, last week you were vulnerable but this week you’re not which I don’t really understand..

I don’t really mind but I am anxious about what the winter months will bring. Our place is always full of coughs & colds in a normal year!

I do wonder what is going to happen with schools & workplaces but I guess for now I need to show willing.

No. My job can be done from home and my work are prioritising staff who can't wfh as there isn't space for everyone. I'm pleased because school are doing shorter days so I need to carry on working flexibly around the school run, which is much easier from home.

Nope. Default for our organisation is still home-working. We can go in to the office if we're involved in essential facilities planning or maintenance (which I'm not involved in), or we can apply to go back if circumstances make it very difficult to work at home. An individual risk assessment will then be carried out.

Goodness so many people saying they are being told to stay wfh. Just wondering the reasons for this. Offices that require travel on public transport maybe? Or offices where space doesn’t allow for social distancing?

My company follow every word of the government guidance so as soon as Boris said go back to work if it’s safe, my employer was desperate to get people back in. Seems a little odd to me when the virus is still out there and we are approaching winter.. Some people I know are really dragging their heels and not wanting to go back which I don’t think is going down well with management.

Thing is if companies are doing well with staff wfh then why rock the boat. Some will be saving money & then who wants to risk an ill workforce & lower productivity?

I'm pretty much back to normal already do a combo of wfh. DH going in probably 4 days a month.

I'm more nervous about public transport but I can walk or drive as it's close. DH further but he can walk or cycle.

WFH is safer than going to the office wrt covid risks so any return to the office should have good reason. Doesn't sound like your boss has good reason to get you back.

Cold and flu season is starting and kids are back at school. The only risky thing I've done in the past week is get on 2 buses. I now have the cold. This has disrupted my plans and affected a friends plans as I need to be tested. She is having to avoid a sick relative until I get a negative result.

The more people who return to their offices the more people will have a similar experience to the above one or more times over the next few months.

Its going to be a real pain. I hope my bosses have the good sense to encourage wfh until next spring.

I've gone in odd days because I need access to a different system that is only available at work.
To be honest there are so few people in that it hasn't felt risky.
I have washed my hands, not touched any door handles with my actual hands and everyone I've seen has kept their distance.
Your manager sounds very understanding so I would go in & see how it is and if you don't feel comfortable tell her why!

Your boss is an idiot if she blindly follows this governments advice.

Yes.

Dh team is about 14 and they go in, week on, week off. Alternating working from home.
Dd has gone back to school today to a 200 strong '' bubble ''

I went back to work to office with no sd. About 40 staff.