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Original poster

How much longer wfh if office based

89 replies

EagleFlight · 08/01/2021 12:03

Do any of you have any minimum date that you will be wfh or date you expect to start returning to the office?

Company has been completely wfh since March and has said will continue until at least March of this year. They are understandably non committal at the moment about anything further into the future because who knows what will happen but I’d be surprised if it isn’t extended (because wfh is going well).

Now we’ve had the latest lockdown announcement has anyone had a wfh extension or expectation of when looking to return to the office?

OP posts:
LaceyBetty · 08/01/2021 14:45

My office just plays it by ear. I'm never going back in 5 days a week though.

Dongdingdong · 08/01/2021 14:48

As soon as the vaccine is rolled out, all the WFHers are going to be hauled back to the office pronto. Tick tock, tick tock!

Gooshka1 · 08/01/2021 14:49

Permanently home based now with the option to book a desk at an office up to twice a week if I need to. This won't change after the pandemic; I have signed a new contract around this too. Suits me fine and I consider myself very lucky. My working hours and days are trust based and totally flexible.

Original poster
EagleFlight · 08/01/2021 14:50

@Dongdingdong

As soon as the vaccine is rolled out, all the WFHers are going to be hauled back to the office pronto. Tick tock, tick tock!
By rolled out, do you mean everyone being fully vaccinated? That’s anticipated to be about a year away and still one in five in polls say they are hesitant to have it. Will that be included in your tick tock?
OP posts:
Original poster
EagleFlight · 08/01/2021 14:51

@KeyboardWorriers

I reckon it will be spring 2022
Ages away then? Why is that? Is it to get over the third wave this winter, if it happens, and feel the pandemic really is in the past?
OP posts:
JustAnotherUserinParadise · 08/01/2021 14:51

I'm going on maternity leave in 3 weeks, but when we interviewed the maternity cover my boss told him it'd be WFH for at least 3-6 months.

WeAllHaveWings · 08/01/2021 14:54

@IrmaFayLear

Bully for you, Winstonmissesxmas, but meanwhile young people just starting out are really suffering.

Ds’s friend has been told he will be working at home for good: trainee chartered accountant. At this stage new graduates do boring auditing work, but the upside is that they are amongst many fellow youngsters and get out and about. Being confined to your childhood bedroom and working 9-5 remotely for ever is a torture.

I really think there needs to be some adjustment in favour of the young, as many of us oldies are just too smug and comfortable.

Agree with this. I am an "oldie", I really want to continue to WFH it really suits me missing the commute, I am more productive, technology mean I can effectivity communicate using my skills and years of experience and it is so much better work/life balance for my family.

But training and mentoring the younger generation, the future, being there to see when they need that extra bit of support, then seeing how others operate, or just a chat is a major downside to WFH and simply cannot be replaced.

Missfelipe · 08/01/2021 14:57

I would say for me not in any regular capacity in 2021. I’ve been in on a couple do occasions where I needed to physically be there but until social distancing is no longer required I can’t see it returning to ‘normal’...the longer it goes on the bigger the battle they will have getting people back in I reckon! We’d usually be able to work up to two days a week anyway from home before this. Be interesting to see where we end up.

Dongdingdong · 08/01/2021 15:02

the longer it goes on the bigger the battle they will have getting people back in I reckon!

Oh the naïveté Grin

PatchworkElmer · 08/01/2021 15:02

I went back into the office in the summer, 1 day a week. They’ve told us that with new lockdown we’re wfh for the foreseeable again. I talked to one of the Directors yesterday and he thinks it’ll be March at the earliest.

Dongdingdong · 08/01/2021 15:03

By rolled out, do you mean everyone being fully vaccinated? That’s anticipated to be about a year away and still one in five in polls say they are hesitant to have it.

The last part or your post doesn’t make sense? Please clarify.

Original poster
EagleFlight · 08/01/2021 15:04

@Dongdingdong

the longer it goes on the bigger the battle they will have getting people back in I reckon!

Oh the naïveté Grin

Surely that depends on the company and productively levels over the last year? Ultimately the employer can do whatever they want with regards to whether the employee is in or not but that will all be down to what suits them best. For some employers, the majority wfh seems to be the future they are looking at.
OP posts:
Original poster
EagleFlight · 08/01/2021 15:07

@Dongdingdong

By rolled out, do you mean everyone being fully vaccinated? That’s anticipated to be about a year away and still one in five in polls say they are hesitant to have it.

The last part or your post doesn’t make sense? Please clarify.

In what respect? One in five people, when polled (or questioned, if you prefer) have said they are hesitant about being vaccinated so might not have it. That could impact on employers if a fifth of their employees are unvaccinated especially if they employ greater numbers in the typical age brackets who are less likely to be vaccinated.
OP posts:
Missfelipe · 08/01/2021 15:10

The battle won’t be coming from me! I can’t stand being home all the time! They have already started canvassing views on future arrangements, but have categorically said it won’t move fully WFH....mainly I think to ensure the small minority who haven’t been productive can be brought in if needed.

Ozzie9523 · 08/01/2021 15:12

Been WFH from London office since March 2020. First told back in summer, then Sept, then before Xmas/Jan, then May. Who knows now? Getting worried about my job being made redundant as I can only do a small part of it from home - but there are other staff in the same boat.

JaninaDuszejko · 08/01/2021 15:15

DH has been told never, his employers have shut their city centre office. My employer says we'll be permanently doing at least some WFH even when we can go back more often (which won't be before the summer).

It obviously saves companies money not having to provide offices for everyone but I think it's really hard for those who are early in their career. At least at my work the younger employees generally have to go in to do their work so their worklife hasn't changed as much as mine but DHs young staff really need their work social life back.

megletthesecond · 08/01/2021 15:16

WFH since March. Popped in a couple of times in Sept and Oct. We have to book our place as they are limiting numbers.

Not expected back for the foreseeable future. We have a skeleton staff who pop in to check the post and print things. I am happy to pop in around may/June time once this wave settles.

blue25 · 08/01/2021 15:23

September at the earliest.

IrmaFayLear · 08/01/2021 15:24

It affects older staff too who don’t have families. There are some very isolated people now who don’t have a soul to speak to. I know a workplace isn’t a social worker, but I think people will lose motivation if all day every day for the rest of their lives they’re at home at a screen.

Then, of course, there’s the uncomfortable fact that this situation will expose many jobs as being superfluous. Or that they can done for a tenth of the salary by someone abroad.

QuiteWorried12 · 08/01/2021 15:25

@Dongdingdong

As soon as the vaccine is rolled out, all the WFHers are going to be hauled back to the office pronto. Tick tock, tick tock!
It depends on whether social distancing is still in place though doesn't it? Capacity is massively reduced with SD. Also depends if they keep the test, trace, isolate thing. People will be going off to WFH all the time then which will cause loads more upheaval e.g. taking files, laptops home each day in case you are told to isolate in the evening!
PinkSparklyPussyCat · 08/01/2021 15:30

We don't know yet. We started WFH last March and went back in shifts from July to September and they closed the office again.

The thought of this going on for much longer makes me want to cry, I hate working from home so much. I can't stand having my work stuff in the living room all the time and having to look at it, I feel as though work is taking over my home. I'm sick of feeling as though I have to work longer hours, although I've stopped doing that now but I still feel guilty. It's shit.

Itreallyistimetochangethings · 08/01/2021 15:31

@IrmaFayLear

Bully for you, Winstonmissesxmas, but meanwhile young people just starting out are really suffering.

Ds’s friend has been told he will be working at home for good: trainee chartered accountant. At this stage new graduates do boring auditing work, but the upside is that they are amongst many fellow youngsters and get out and about. Being confined to your childhood bedroom and working 9-5 remotely for ever is a torture.

I really think there needs to be some adjustment in favour of the young, as many of us oldies are just too smug and comfortable.

Totally agree - but am comfortable WFH for ever but my son in his late twenties has lost his job and finding it very difficult to get another one. I wouldn't want to go back to the office but I would in a heart beat if it meant the economy and jobs for the younger generations could get started!
NothingIsWrong · 08/01/2021 15:40

We have been told we won't be back in offices for the foreseeable. And even when we do go back, rather than having team areas where we can collaborate etc, you'll have to book a desk for a day and it could be anywhere with anyone.

I have handed my notice in today and am starting a new job in March where they have categorically stated their support for face to face working in teams.

2BDIs · 08/01/2021 15:55

I am still WFH. In March was meant to be a very temporary thing however as it has gone so well and people seem more productive they don't seem to be in a rush to send people back. When the original lockdown was lifted, I think beginning if July there was talk about us going back. We then had the regional lockdowns, of which many over our national workforce were affected. They decided not to send anyone back then as even in the same office some had no restrictions and others were in the harsher lockdowns, so decoded to leave everything as is. November lockdown hit and we were advised they would look at sending us back in January. Obviously we are now back in national lockdowns until at least end of March so they have decided to leave as is and stop discussing it. I think if people can WFH it makes sense to leave them there until we are back to some sort of normality, otherwise we'll be back and forth, in and out of the office and cases will continue to spread

Hollywhiskey · 08/01/2021 16:03

Mine and my husband's companies are both desperate to get back to the office. We are both in finance and both companies function fine from home but miss the face to face interactions. Both offices opened between lockdowns in a limited way for people that wanted to, like if they were stuck in childhood bedrooms or house shares or needed a change of scenery or some company.
Husband thinks he might be back in a limited way in the summer maybe, at least the company hopes so. It doesn't make a difference to the bottom line but they like people not screens. He thinks they might be more open to odd days wfh but that's about it.