Working in people’s home who are WFH - I hate it

[SummersNearlyOver20]

Just that really.
I’m a cleaner & having to tip toe around them all the time. There’s generally much more mess therefore my workload has increased.
I’m asked to change days at the last minute because they’ve got VIP Zoom meetings.

The thought of it for another 6 months is unbearable.

I'm sorry you're not enjoying it, but I'd be careful what you wish for, OP. Presumably people in your position will no longer be able to work in places where there's no indoor mixing of households. Or are service professions exempt?

If you can’t work from home then go to work so I do & will.
I’ve not had a single day off since 23rd March lockdown.
I’m just having a moan at how difficult it & wearing.

Totally get this. We have cleaners in once a week and I always feel I get in the way. I've started locking myself in one of the bedrooms and just cleaning that room myself!

I worked mostly from home even before Covid and did find it difficult sometimes. Probably not what OP wants to hear but my solution was to cancel the cleaners and do it myself. Neither is a perfect solution for me but on balance it's easier fitting it in as and when than us all feel on edge when they were cleaning and I was working.

Don't worry OP we hate it when you come and we are working at home too, it's awkward for us all

See my house is much cleaner and tidier with me working from home. My cleaner returns tomorrow and I can’t wait, I will walk while shes here and DH will go upstairs when she’s downstairs and vice versa. Will be thrilled to welcome her back!

I would hate that op! It's the bulk of your work in homes where they are wfh? If not then I'd relegate then to times when they could reasonably vacate and let you do your job, like perhaps they all walk the dog at 8 am to let you do the downstairs, shilo you can be upstairs at 9 am when their meetings start? I wfh and it's a real pita but you also have a job to do and they need to enable that to happen.

I think it depends on the relationship and usual life - I have always worked predominantly from home and so that is the norm. Our cleaners simply move me out of the way or don't come in my study if I am on a call. They wouldn't go in my husband's shepherd's hut so they rarely see him - unless they've made a coffee. They say they like people being at home and enjoy a gentle gossip.

I think you will either have to accept it - or work out what you can accept - but the realise that you may lose customers. My cleaner cleans my bedroom & en-suite whilst I work downstairs then I go work at my desk in my bedroom & she does the rest. I know she comes at the same time every week & I plan for that. I would prefer to have her than not & she is a great cleaner. She has lost some customers who don't want her in their homes anymore but picked up others now so is almost back to where she was pre covid.

I, along with a lot of others, will probably never go back to working in an office as I used to. I am absolutely certain mine is not a unique position

Trust me, those of us working from home aren't exactly having a ball either! Be grateful you've got a job still.

Cleaner here. I agree. When people know we will be working, why can't they get themselves sorted before we arrive, then stay put in a room til we leave. It's not that difficult.

I hope you're not my cleaner OP. I like to think we have a good routine in place. We work upstairs while she cleans downstairs and then we swap. No one gets in anyone's way and she's not expected to tiptoe around. Have also never changed days (I couldn't if I wanted to - she's fully booked).

Maybe your clients could try and make it work a bit better?

I have huge sympathy OP.

I wfh and have agreed with my cleaner that she won't clean that room - means she doesn't feel bad tiptoeing round me and frees up more time for her to clean the rest of the house.

We are in a flat so we now clean it ourselves as there is nowhere to go if the cleaner is here too 😕

@BatSegundo there is a specific exemption for people working from people's homes, at least for now - e.g. They mention a tradesperson coming to a house where there are already 6 people and say it's ok.

DH has always worked from home and our cleaner just doesn't do the office. He says hello, offers her a cup of tea (which she never accepts!) then shuts himself in the office til she goes. It's only one room so we can just about manage that one ourselves surprised more of your clients don't do similar but I guess it's not something you can suggest!

Have worked from home for years while or cleaner comes. Often we have a good chat. If I have calls I explain and shut the door, clean that room myself. Not everyone has the space I guess but it's going to be okay if the job for a while 🤷

Sorry your feeling uncomfortable at work though, noone likes that.

That's good to know @OverTheRubicon. I understand why they want to limit people mixing indoors but it would have a huge impact on so many people's livelihoods if it wasn't allowed. I'm disabled and have a lovely woman who cleans for me once a fortnight. I very much missed having her when we were locked down and would have been sad to think we'd lose her again if households can't mix. I stay firmly out of her way in one room and don't expect that room to be cleaned. Seems fairest to both of us.