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Covid

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Original poster

Just interested, are many people going back to the office?

97 replies

Thatswhathappens · 27/03/2021 22:35

Just interested are many people going back to work in the office in the next few weeks/months and will this be everyday you work or will it be a mixture of wfh and being at the office? For those of you that thought wfh would be a permanent fixture for you is this still the case?
I have been doing a mixture of both since July and will continue to do so, I’m hoping to settle in to 2/3 days wfh and 2/3 days in the office.

OP posts:

wendz86 · 28/03/2021 12:22

When we reopen the plan is people come in roughly 3 days and work at home 2. I work 4 days so hoping to do half and half. Looking forward to being back in and spending time with people in real life but the flexibility of working from home will be good too.

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 28/03/2021 16:53

I won't be back in the office unfortunately until the work from home advice is lifted. I'd go back tomorrow if I could.

Does anyone know if my contract would need to be changed if we work from home full time? I really don't want it to be as I have a one month notice clause and all new contracts have 3 months notice!

Onedropbeat · 28/03/2021 16:55

I’m going back to the office this week with one day from home

garlictwist · 28/03/2021 17:05

We will be made to go back as soon as the government advice changes. I'm dreading it. I've loved my sabbatical wfh.

poppycat10 · 28/03/2021 17:27

I'm not actually sure what our policy is going to be. They originally said nobody would be expected back in the office until at least 31 March but obviously that has been superseded by the government saying that people should continue to work from home until 21 June unless they really can't.

However, my husband's firm has said that after Easter people can go in if they want to/have a business reason to. So not everyone but eg if you are a 20 something working out of a bedroom you can use the office from next week as long as you clear it with your boss and HR. I imagine my employer will put out something similar.

poppycat10 · 28/03/2021 17:28

@PinkSparklyPussyCat

I won't be back in the office unfortunately until the work from home advice is lifted. I'd go back tomorrow if I could.

Does anyone know if my contract would need to be changed if we work from home full time? I really don't want it to be as I have a one month notice clause and all new contracts have 3 months notice!

A longer notice clause is good, it means if they want to get rid of you they have got to pay you for 3 months or give you that much notice.

Of course it also means you have to give them 3 months, but a lot of employers will give leeway if you want to leave sooner.

On the whole I'd rather have the longer notice period to protect me.

Abraxan · 28/03/2021 17:34

Dh worked entirely from home (unless seeing clients who had to be seen face to face) throughout lockdown 1. Since the summer he has worked in the office 2 days a week, along with most of the other staff, some are in full time depending on their role. They are encouraged to work from home as much as possible. Dh hates it though and often ends up going in more days, for at least some of the day. He also is seeing increasing numbers of clients face to face now, although mainly at their own homes - always done with social distancing and masks, and often where he is stood outside in their garden on stood on the conservatory patio whilst they're inside.

Pyewackect · 28/03/2021 17:50

My husband is back. His company will remove any concession for WFH once all restrictions are lifted. Just about all of his customers and suppliers are doing the same.

The death of the office is exaggerated, IMHO.

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 28/03/2021 17:51

@poppycat10 I'd rather have a shorter notice period and be able to get out quickly if necessary! I'm not management level and no company would wait 3 months for me to join as there would be a lot of people applying for jobs at my level.

sashagabadon · 28/03/2021 18:02

Tube is hugely more busy with office looking workers in the past fortnight.
Previously was healthcare workers like me and construction workers and supermarket workers predominantly. I can’t guarantee a seat anymore now which is highly annoying!

sashagabadon · 28/03/2021 18:03

And school kids too

OddBoots · 28/03/2021 19:30

We were sent home for a few weeks last march whole they put some measures in place but have been back since.

DH has since last March been made redundant (Brexit not covid as a cause) and started a new job and has been WFH for both companies.
He is really struggling with the new role entirely from home as he isn't able to get a feel for the people he is working with and the culture and systems of the place, it's really isolating and odd for him and he is someone established in his career so it must be all the harder for younger staff.

Hoochbaby · 28/03/2021 19:30

We have staff that are office based generally so they will be coming back from the June date and staggered before that to get them used it it again. We have had some who have volunteered to come in anyway as they wanted to. Some staff who already spent some time at home, will continue to do so.

Bunnybigears · 28/03/2021 19:34

Never left.

clopper · 28/03/2021 19:53

I feel really sad for younger people starting to get established in their careers. When I was younger I really appreciated the mentoring and advice from older and more experienced colleagues as well as the social side of work. Also I’m not sure what jobs pp do obviously, but as a customer I am sorry to say that I have received universally poor customer service and experiences due to people working from home ( information being shared, queries followed up etc.).

My niece has had a very very poor
, unsupportive and isolating experience of university this year as a first year student. I cannot understand why as a teacher my school have managed to organise pupils to be taught face to face yet universities have not organised small seminar groups ( I can understand why they don’t have large lectures). Especially as my niece has been using covid lateral tests for months and months and all are wearing masks. I am concerned about my DD going in September if the lecturers and tutors aren’t keen to return to campus.

ShinyMe · 28/03/2021 20:01

I've been back for several weeks now - work in FE.

Lyricallie · 28/03/2021 20:06

I have no idea yet. At a minimum we have been told it'll be August before we are back. There are rumblings about some satellite offices being refurbed for people to book out a desk for an hour and with meeting rooms. I'm not sure what I'll be forced to do. I'm not customer facing or anything so I can just go in for meetings. I quite like working from home but only because my fiance is too, I'd be very lonely if it was just me here.

CrochetNut · 28/03/2021 20:21

We’re being forced back in on a rota system from 12th April. 50% in at a time on a rolling 3 day rota - meaning different days in the office each week. Going to cost a fortune in unused childcare

doireallyneedaname · 28/03/2021 20:21

Yes I’m being forced back in even though I can do my job from home.

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 28/03/2021 20:28

Also I’m not sure what jobs pp do obviously, but as a customer I am sorry to say that I have received universally poor customer service and experiences due to people working from home ( information being shared, queries followed up etc.)

This. Lloyds blocked my debit card and it took me over two hours to get through. I had to phone O2 about a payment and was cut off three times as they are only taking calls if your phone is lost or stolen or you want to leave O2.

SilverGlitterBaubles · 28/03/2021 20:33

We have been going in on a rota system since end of the first lockdown as not all of our job can be done from home. Older staff and those with pretty mild underlying conditions have not been in and some are saying they do not want to come back in as they enjoy WFH. They have all now been vaccinated which makes me feel a bit because those of us in the office have shouldered quite a lot of extra work burden over the last 12 months and it has been pretty stressful at times.

RMRM · 28/03/2021 20:38

No, my office has been closed and I'm pretty set up at home now. Thrilled.

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