Tier 4 - Office work

[doireallyneedaname]

What’s the deal now? I know it states work from home unless “unable to” but what if said office states you’re “unable to” collectively because of lower productivity at home?

I am due to return to work shortly and I am perfectly capable of doing my job from home but I have a feeling it won’t be allowed.

If you can work from home, work from home. If there isnt any work - can you be furloughed?

There's a 'five steps' leaflet, possibly from HSE that includes a step stating that the employer has 'done all it can so people can work from home' because that's the expectation for office work as it reduces use of transport systems and common areas within buildings.

If productivity is lower your employer needs to try and overcome the problems, because the reality is that most office work should be done from home.

Is there a good reason why productivity is lower or is this just someone who has buried their head in the sand for the last 9 months and missed the revolution that's taken place?

Same, I can work from home but not allowed to this time. Expected back in work after Christmas (tier 4)

No help but I’m tier 3 & my employer has taken the same stance so we are all still having to go in.

I wouldn’t mind but there is zero social distancing in my work place, owners don’t care and threaten you with the sack if you dare to comment on it.

Well I’m disheartened to read that some are already saying they will require you on the office, and I now expect to be told the same.

They have bleated about the office being “Covid secure” but we all know this isn’t possible realistically and staff have told me otherwise.

The government website states if you can work from home then do so, unless you can’t - and then goes on to use construction as an example of when you couldn’t.

How are offices getting away with forcing people in?

My employers idea of covid secure was sticking a hand sanitiser on the wall (that nobody uses) the office is windowless and airless with the heating on full because ‘it’s cold’
I guess these businesses go under the radar and as employees we have to go along with it

Anonymously report to hse.

My office was closed (central London) for one week before and two weeks after the Christmas break. We can’t return until the 18th and we have to prove why we can’t work from home. All 2m away and screens up, contactless entry into the building, one way system throughout etc.

Contact HSE if your building is not Covid secure.

If they’ve done the risk assessment and it is by the guidelines “Covid secure” them there’s nothing to report. Desks 1 meter away from each other, staggered start times, no use of common areas etc

For me that’s not enough. I dont feel it’s safe to be in an enclosed space with 100 people, even 1m apart! (Which does nothing anyway) Not to mention most of them won’t follow social distancing, which again won’t help much indoors if you’re spending 7 hours with someone who may have it.

I just want to do my job from home.

That doesn't sound right. No-one should be sitting at a desk 1 metre from another person. People should be instructed about social distancing and it should be enforced by management. It's a health and safety issue just like operation of machinery or cleaning up spills.

What's the ventilation like?

How can they say no use of common areas - you need access to water and adequate toilets as a minimum. What are they expecting you to do for lunch?

Have they implemented one way systems and extra cleaning regimes? Common touch points like doors and toilet facilities should be cleaned several times a day.

If relevant, have they thought about lift usage? One of the main barriers to occupation of upper floors is that it would take a long time to get everyone in and out of the building if they have to use lifts.

Do you have a health and safety department and what do they say about it all?

@doireallyneedaname

If they’ve done the risk assessment and it is by the guidelines “Covid secure” them there’s nothing to report. Desks 1 meter away from each other, staggered start times, no use of common areas etc

For me that’s not enough. I dont feel it’s safe to be in an enclosed space with 100 people, even 1m apart! (Which does nothing anyway) Not to mention most of them won’t follow social distancing, which again won’t help much indoors if you’re spending 7 hours with someone who may have it.

I just want to do my job from home.

But ultimately, you can do your job from home and that’s what the government has instructed us all to do. The first thing about risk assessments is trying to eliminate the risk completely.

I think you have grounds to report.

HR have been completing the risk assessments. During the first wave back in spring, half of the workforce were working from home which left a small group in the office as some were furloughed. Ultimately everyone was brought back in when things “calmed down” and the reason for working in the office moving forward was because the government stated if you can’t do the job from home, go to work, and the job “wasn’t being done well enough” from home as productivity took a steep decline. Apparently.

I have heard from colleagues that everyone is moaning it’s freezing because windows are open all the time so I suppose they are trying but I just don’t feel safe.

Not to mention some of my colleagues are notoriously anti lockdown and some don’t even believe Covid is real. The majority are also young, many under 25 who don’t follow any of the guidelines outside of work.

Surely regardless of anything else, I should be given the opportunity to work from home first? I had a brief read of the risk assessments and whilst I don’t understand it completely there seemed to be some suggestion that those with vulnerabilities should be looked after (work from home?) and I don’t have any vulnerabilities though I am a smoker (stupid, I know. I quit for a year and started again during the pandemic - the stress got me)

I'm in Scotland, in an area that went to tier 4 in November. The majority of us have to be in the office. Our desks are 2m apart but we are all together for 8 hours a day every day. Ni chance of a window being opened either as there are a couple of people who hate being cold.

Of course, there are a couple who wfh - the office manager for a start. This is the guy who has his own office yet declared that 6 of us can sit in an unventilated room as we all sit 2m away, have hand sanitiser and digital thermometer. Most of the staff can work from home, but it didn't happen in November, ain't gonna happen in January and I'm scared. I'm new in the door, so I don't want to complain but it feels that some employers are doing the bare minimum to ensure the safety of their staff.

It’s just not on, is it? The government keep on saying work from home if you can, yet they are allowing these establishments to force you in to work.

I made the decision to quit if they were going to force me in, but now the time has come around and my partner has had to shut his business in line with Tier 4, we could really do with the money. I am torn.

I am eagerly awaiting their response to the Tier 4 news.

So it looks like unless you’re extremely vulnerable, you’re stuffed.

For me that’s not enough. I dont feel it’s safe to be in an enclosed space with 100 people, even 1m apart! (Which does nothing anyway) Not to mention most of them won’t follow social distancing, which again won’t help much indoors if you’re spending 7 hours with someone who may have it.

It’s grim.
Thank your lucky stars they don’t pick their nose and smear snot on the tables (as seen in my classroom on the last day of term).

I’ve been back at work since 1st June. I absolutely could work from home with a few tweaks. We are in bubbles and if one gets it, we will all go down.

Ha! You’d be surprised. One of my team was moved to a new desk, when they gripped the desk from underneath to pull themselves forward in their chair, a collection of crusty dried snot was revealed.

doireallyneedaname

🤮 What is wrong with people?! 😅

I work in a warehouse tier 4. Got to go back on Monday. Then schools don’t go back till the 18th January. I still need to go to work, even as it’s not an essential shop we retail for, shop is shut but still have an internet section. So I don’t qualify for a key worker school place. Totally panicking. I don’t think my employer will furlough us. It’s out of my hands. Usually use grandparents, play schemes but can’t this time.

@doireallyneedaname

So it looks like unless you’re extremely vulnerable, you’re stuffed.

Not at all, you're looking in the wrong place. In the section about offices, fairly near the top, there's the statement, under section 2

'Office workers should work from home if they can. Employers should ensure workplaces are safe for anyone who cannot work from home'

www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/offices-and-contact-centres

Plus if you're not more than 2 metres apart, you need additional measures like screens and/or masks.

i have never wfh,
again people are cold with window open
masks on the stairs
not exactly 2 metres apart.
we are sensible so they trot out with annoying regularity.
we have done risk assessments but management were the first to wfh

Our office workspace is bleak, no windows, old electric heater, just has room for two large corner desks where we are ‘just’ two metres apart! Other staff are in and out throughout the day, it’s a busy place, customers too!

Signs have been placed, hand sanitiser provided in different areas but still, some people don’t bother washing their hands even after going to the toilet so what hope have we that they’re thoroughly sanitising their hands effectively! It is grim really!

To top it off, I’m on the CEV list but I want to work, went back to work earlier in the summer when numbers fell, until the November lockdown but still currently furloughed! I’m sure I’ll be asked to go back in at the beginning of January, possibly!

I could do some of my work from home but it’s impossible to do everything, quite a large part requires me to be there! Luckily, I work part time, hopefully Covid will only strike on my days off!

I’m sure I’m not alone with this kind of set up! Small business, young boss who thinks he’s invincible, doesn’t care really about staff health, just as long as we turn up, work and don’t complain too much! I think until it actually, directly affects him or his family, he’ll carry on as if Covid isn’t really real!

A lot of office workers will be forced to work in the office and probably lawfully. That is the bottom line.

If schools do not go back on time then parents will have huge extra childcare costs in tier 4 in January. I am working today 24th as it is not a bank holiday and like many lawyers we also work between Christmas and NY every year - I have since 1983 actually when I started work. However I am different as I have worked for myself form home for some time so do not have the CV19 issues other office workers have. I am very lucky.