If you were shielding & wfh, how do you feel now about being asked to go into office?

[Littlemiss74]

I was shielding and have been wfh all through this. Since the government have said it is ok to return to the office as long as it is covid secure, my employer has asked for people to return to the office on a part time basis. They are very good and have made great efforts to make the office safe.

I was ok about going back one or two days a week but am now feeling anxious again with the rise in cases and all this rule of 6 business & the kids going back to school. It just seems contradictory to me. I don’t know what to do as I don’t want to appear like I’m being difficult at work but I am anxious and feel it is an unnecessary risk going into the office, although it probably is a very small risk as we have a lot of space and are not overcrowded.

How are other people feeling? I wonder at what point they would re-introduce shielding?

You do realise that many school staff and children were shielding and have had to go back? Little SD, no masks in the main and huge groups.

It sounds like your employers are putting sensible measures in place and you can always resign if you don’t think it’s worth the risk.

Yes I do realise that as I have friends in that situation. Clearly it is difficult to wfh if you are a teacher. My point is that if you can wfh wouldn’t that be better to prevent further transmission when it’s not necessary to be in an office. Seeing as cases are rising.

If I can’t see more than 6 people in my own house and have to wear a face mask in public areas, I don’t think it’s safe to go back to an office with air conditioning.

@IceCreamAndCandyfloss

You do realise that many school staff and children were shielding and have had to go back? Little SD, no masks in the main and huge groups.

It sounds like your employers are putting sensible measures in place and you can always resign if you don’t think it’s worth the risk.

Why can someone not be worried about their own circumstances without it being dragged back to how teachers have it worse? Just because you perceive other circumstances to be worse, doesn't mean individuals can't worry about their own.

Thank you @Jrobhatch29

I was sheilding and all of us are wfh for the foreseeable future (until early 2021 at the earliest) - do you drive or get public transport to work? I work in Central London and would be getting the train and at least one tube each way. I will use this (and the fact I work with lots of students) as a reason not to go back in until I feel it's safe and from the latest comms that would be accepted. We also do not have air con in my specific building, although other areas of the campus (where I'd have to go) do have it.

If I could drive to work and it was located on a small business park, for example, where my exposure to others would be limited then I'd consider going in because I don't consider that as big a risk.

If you're in England, government advice for people who are clinically extremely vulnerable (ie shielders) is that you can return to work but should work from home if it is possible to do so. I am not sure of the position in the other UK nations.

Making the office 'covid secure' is not very good. It's the least they should do. Of course you are safer from covid if you continue to work from home.

Teachers and anyone else who can't wfh is also safer if you wfh.

If people need to go in or want to go in that's one thing but needlessly making people go in is not best practice really is it.

@Littlemiss74

I was shielding and have been wfh all through this. Since the government have said it is ok to return to the office as long as it is covid secure, my employer has asked for people to return to the office on a part time basis. They are very good and have made great efforts to make the office safe.

I was ok about going back one or two days a week but am now feeling anxious again with the rise in cases and all this rule of 6 business & the kids going back to school. It just seems contradictory to me. I don’t know what to do as I don’t want to appear like I’m being difficult at work but I am anxious and feel it is an unnecessary risk going into the office, although it probably is a very small risk as we have a lot of space and are not overcrowded.

How are other people feeling? I wonder at what point they would re-introduce shielding?

We have Done policy that noone who lacks in confidence has to return. Are work aware you are on the shielding list? Personally, I would speak with your line manager explaining that though shielding has paused, you've not yet started to mix etc, so if possible could you continue to wfh for the next month to see how the current situation progresses. Are there elements of your role you cannot do from home?

@IceCreamAndCandyfloss
What a pointless and unhelpful response!

I'm a teacher, obviously I need to be back in the classroom and yes, there is zero social distancing and as I'm in an area that never really came out of lockdown it's not ideal.
Dh has a job that he can do indefinitely wfh and so sensibly that's what his employer is doing.

Do you have the letter to say you need to continue to shield op? I appreciate that not everyone that needs one gets it!

Yes my work are aware that I had a shielding letter and have been fully supportive of me wfh. It’s only in the last few weeks since the government have been encouraging people back to work that they have started to me be more insistent that people return part time to the office. The advice says that even if you were shielding it’s ok to return as long as office is ‘covid secure’ which they say it is.
I think I will just keep an eye on the situation and then discuss it with my boss when I’m due to go in. If cases keep rising I know my anxiety will too.

@SoloMummy no there is nothing I cannot do from home. The main reason they want people back is they think some face to face interaction is important, team meetings etc. which I can understand but I don’t think we should put ourselves at unnecessary risk either.

My employer is still allowing most people to continue WFH including those who were vulnerable or extremely vulnerable and shielding.

We can only get about a 3rd of our staff safely in our offices with social distancing. So those who can't WFH are coming back first, followed by those who can work more effectively in the office due to IT requirements and they are followed by those who want to come back as they haven't got a good home working set up, or for mental health reasons.

Do you have your own transport for work?

I work in central London and don't want to come back as my journey involves a train, a bus and the tube. My disabilities mean I can't cycle in and they limit my ability to walk - some days I can skip the tube and bus for a 20 min walk after getting off my train. Other days I can't. I narrowly missed the shielding criteria so am considered clinically vulnerable only. I don't expect to be asked to return for a long time.

If you have a commute on public transport you could list that as a concern - even if the office is socially distanced, trains/trams/buses/tubes certainly won't be!

It may also be worth speaking to your GP/consultant for advice on the risk to you. My understanding is that NHS advice for clinically vulnerable and extremely clinically vulnerable people is that you can go back to work if you can't WFH and it is Covid secure. Sounds like you can WFH. Ultimately it sounds safer to WFH and the more of us who do WFH, the safer it is for those who can't WFH as there's fewer people in the office and on public transport for them to catch the virus from.

If you are shielding and can work from home effectively why do you need to go in? It sounds like it's for the sake of it.

I know a lot of people were asked to shield because we didn't really know much about the illness at the time, so it may be that you are not as vulnerable as first thought. Only you and your doctor know that. If you are still considered to be extremely vulnerable then I can't see that your employer can require you to put yourself at risk. If things have changed, there may be a discussion to be had.

I was shielding and work in a public facing role. I had to go back into work as soon as shielding was paused - I did feel very anxious but had no choice.

Last week I had a telephone consultation with my GP who really had a go at me when he found out that I was back at work and lectured me about how risky it was for me and did I not realise. Really not sure what I'm supposed to do about it though. Shielding has finished so we are expected to go back.

@EDSGFC that is really hard for you & how insensitive of the GP - what on earth do they think people will live on if they can’t work!
I am lucky that my job can easily be done from home. They want us back to ‘try & get back to normal’ but I’m not sure it’s the right thing to do. I might email my consultant & get his opinion. I think now kids are back my employer is thinking we should also be able to return.

@Littlemiss74

I know, exactly. I asked him what I was meant to do to reduce the risk and he said I had to stay away from other people, always wear a mask and make sure everyone around me was wearing one (?????), constantly wash and sanitise my hands and then ask for extra precautions although he couldn't explain what they are. Nonsense really. I can't stay away from others - that's literally my job and I can't insist people wear masks. I think if shielding is reinstated I'll lose my job anyway so maybe it wont be a problem for much longer.