Don’t want WFH to end

[GuessWho57]

Vaccine roll out has just ramped-up here so I expect we’ll be back in the office at least partially from June. I am dreading it. I am really happy working from home. I don’t want to go back to the office.

My role is pretty senior so I’ll can’t swerve it.

I walk the kids to school, in jeans, chat to my husband in between calls, see the kids when they get in, don’t have to bother with work clothes or make up or putting your bloody game face on. I much much prefer presenting online HATE doing it f2f.

As an introvert, I am more than fine Witt the current set up.

My heart goes out to those struggling with wfh, but really I feel gutted it might end soon.

This is so individual. Many people are having kittens about plans for compulsory WFH from my employer -- well, employer says it's not compulsory, but going in will become quite inconvenient.

OP needs to talk to their employer. Most employers are seeing net opportunities in lots of future WFH.

Some of the loudest critics of my employer's plans are the disabled, saying that hot desking is likely to be crap situation for them.

@ScotlandUnited

For those who now want permanent remote working, where do you find those jobs? Everything I can find is either: low paid, temporary due to covid avon type jobs self employment - "do you want to become a...." There doesn't seem to be much for professionals

A lot are waiting to see what others do imo, and how the market is going to look salary wise for those who wfh completely before committing. If I owned a company in London and now geography isn't a factor as its fully remote, best believe I will offer a lower wage because I can. And if my competitors are heading back to the office, which some clients prefer, then I'm unlikely to make a decision that could lose us business. I don't, but there's a lot of factors to consider.

A lot are waiting to see what others do imo

Yes, there won’t be firm commitments in the near future.

The majority will initially go back to a blended approach, see how that works, but ultimately I suspect many industries will be more competitive mostly in the office than mostly out and so that will drive the decisions.

Public sector could be different.

I've had issues with a mortgage, with conveyancing and with the resolution of a different legal process directly due to WFH. I cannot be as sure about GP, utilities and council but I strongly suspect it. Time will tell on DVLA.

I don't think it's a straightforward issue because of reasons around public transport, city centre employment etc but broadly speaking I don't have an issue with people WFH if they can. What I have an issue with is the total disconnect between people declaring themselves just as/more productive WFH and the reality of my experiences.

What I have an issue with is the total disconnect between people declaring themselves just as/more productive WFH and the reality of my experiences.

Well, the employees themselves are hardly objective sources on this issue.

What do their bosses think is a better question.

I also think acceptable standards during a pandemic and acceptable standards in relative normality are quite different.

I think it's also hard to tell because of other factors, particularly furlough. Our conveyancers were terrible but it was hard to tell if it was remote working (which definitely caused some issues with lost paperwork) that was to blame or the fact that - as our conveyancer openly told us - the company had furloughed half their staff despite actually having increased numbers of sales and just more than doubled the workload of the half left working (which must have done wonders for morale!). Shockingly, they weren't charging half the price. Our individual conveyancer may have felt she was working efficiently from home and she might well have been, but the service was still rubbish because the company had been greedy when they saw an opportunity to essentially scam the taxpayer.

@TheKeatingFive

What I have an issue with is the total disconnect between people declaring themselves just as/more productive WFH and the reality of my experiences.

Well, the employees themselves are hardly objective sources on this issue.

What do their bosses think is a better question.

I also think acceptable standards during a pandemic and acceptable standards in relative normality are quite different.

Exactly.

People (usually those with kids / long commute) are shouting from the rooftops about how productive they are

Yet as a client / customer this year has been one absolutely appalling experience after another

Meanwhile I regularly see parents on the school run whilst simultaneously attending virtual meetings- smartphones out and one earpiece in.

These are people who are magic circle lawyers, accountants at KPMG/ PwC / barristers / managers etc.

How they can possibly be anywhere near as productive boggles my mind.

Let alone the clear potential confidentiality issues etc

Once the restrictions are lifted there is absolutely
No way will I be commissioning services from anyone who will not do things face to face in a dedicated professional office environment

@MajorNeville I don't think people are saying they want lockdown to stay though. I love wfh but I still want to go out to shops, pubs, concerts, sports games, it's just the wfh I want to keep. Luckily I can, although I'll probably do a mix.

So you want everyone else to get back to work at their usual workplaces, including commuting, etc., but you don't want to stop WFH yourself? Don't you think that's a little hypocritical?

Once the restrictions are lifted there is absolutely
No way will I be commissioning services from anyone who will not do things face to face in a dedicated professional office environment

And this is exactly why the great wfh revolution isn’t going to pan out the way some people are hoping.

@Workingfromhomeishell

People (usually those with kids / long commute) are shouting from the rooftops about how productive they are

Yet as a client / customer this year has been one absolutely appalling experience after another

Meanwhile I regularly see parents on the school run whilst simultaneously attending virtual meetings- smartphones out and one earpiece in.

These are people who are magic circle lawyers, accountants at KPMG/ PwC / barristers / managers etc.

How they can possibly be anywhere near as productive boggles my mind.

Let alone the clear potential confidentiality issues etc

Once the restrictions are lifted there is absolutely
No way will I be commissioning services from anyone who will not do things face to face in a dedicated professional office environment

Yes, I absolutely agree. I'm a "one man band" accountancy practice. Whilst the office has been officially closed and I've been generally WFH or behind "closed" doors, I've continued to meet clients F2F when necessary. I've been using online/cloud software with clients for 20 years since it first came in. I've been using Skype for 10 years or so. I'm happy and comfortable with "remote" ways of working, especially as I'm an introvert, but there are occasions when a F2F meeting is better and it's something I've always offered, even during Covid. I'm all for the use of technology to improve things, but everyone WFH is NOT an improvement in so many ways. We all need for find ways of doing more remotely, whilst at the same time, keeping up customer service standards and making F2F meetings available when needed. I'm the same as you really, I will really be re'thinking ALL my business/personal suppliers as we had out of the lockdowns, including my solicitor, utilities/telecoms providers, dentist, optician, GP, etc and any that want to stay at home hiding behind their sofas, offering a sub standard customer service, won't be getting my "business" for much longer!

We were asked if we were more productive since we worked from home and I said yes - but it's because I'm doing longer hours than I did in the office!

I've only spoken to a couple of customers in the last year when we've had Teams calls, I refused to divert my office phone to my personal mobile or give out the number. I know I'm not as efficient but I'm doing my best in the current restrictions but I'm desperate to go back and do my job properly.

@TheKeatingFive

*Once the restrictions are lifted there is absolutely No way will I be commissioning services from anyone who will not do things face to face in a dedicated professional office environment*

And this is exactly why the great wfh revolution isn’t going to pan out the way some people are hoping.

I suspect this may well be the case

Organisations need to remember that customers can, and do, walk with their feet, whether they're GP surgeries, Universities or businesses. There's been an enormous amount of goodwill by "customers" over the past year towards service providers whose service levels have dropped, and of course, some "services" havn't been allowed by law anyway. But, once things have opened up again, those customers will quickly lose patience if service levels don't improve, even more so as soon as all remaining restrictions have been dropped. I.e. there's no longer an excuse for Unis not to do lectures if there are no statutory social distancing rules when they return in September.

*These are people who are magic circle lawyers, accountants at KPMG/ PwC / barristers / managers etc.

How they can possibly be anywhere near as productive boggles my mind.

Let alone the clear potential confidentiality issues etc*

The confidentiality issue is major.

When I worked at a uni we all got a big talking to because some people were leaving students' files on their desk - nothing especially sensitive even - or not logging off from their computers when taking a toilet break. And this is in an office, when the only people who might see the information were my colleagues. But when I'm WFH, there's zero control on who might see my computer or any other documents I might be working on. And this is supposedly OK?

Yes agree completely about the confidentiality thing.

Ugh. Imagine long term permanent full time WFH.

What a miserable lonely isolating society.

Even for people who live in spacious comfy houses that offer a comfortable working environment (something many don't have).

People's worlds will shrink. I've met so many different people through work. Exposed to different life experiences, cultures, backgrounds, opinions. It's been lovely. Interesting, educational, fun.

Social interaction with a wide variety of people. It's an important part of being a human.

Ugh. Imagine long term permanent full time WFH.

It's what I've always done. I only worked in an office for the first couple of years of work after university. I absolutely loathed it and I've WFH ever since. And I live in a tiny flat, no outdoor space.

I assure you that my world is perfectly big and I am exposed to a wide variety of life experiences, cultures, backgrounds and opinions.

I don't think I am the one with the closed mind.

My employer has announced this week that we will be moving to hybrid remote & office working. No detail yet as to exactly what that will mean for my team, but I assume we will continue WFH for 2 or 3 days per week. No commute, better work life balance, fewer distractions. I’m delighted 😀.

As with many companies, the staff have always wanted more flexibility but the bosses were the obstacle. Shame it’s taken a pandemic for them to finally see sense.

I think a mix is about right for most people. I am an extreme introvert so I would be happy never having another f2f meetings with my colleagues again but I recognise I am on the extreme end of the spectrum and would never advocate that for everyone.

DH will be going into the office 1-2 days a week post pandemic.

I'm not talking about the minority @Flemingshat

Of course it's different for some individual people (and can be a lifeline, for example for people who are housebound).

However, en mass, the majority of the population working from home full time permanently absolutely would shrink worlds - and it would be massively damaging for society as a whole.

However, en mass, the majority of the population working from home full time permanently absolutely would shrink worlds - and it would be massively damaging for society as a whole.

I don't think the majority of the population will be working from home full time though as that isn't physically possible for a lot of jobs.

Almost everyone I know who is office based is doing a mix, which I can't see why anyone would object to.

@converseandjeans

majorneville

I don't think people are saying they want lockdown to stay though. I love wfh but I still want to go out to shops, pubs, concerts, sports games, it's just the wfh I want to keep. Luckily I can, although I'll probably do a mix.

So you want the luxury of wfh and later start, no commute etc while people in hospitality, retail etc have no choice at all?

From a person who's whole career has been in hospitality seriously just because one group can't do it doesn't mean everyone else can't. My job cannot WFH but equally over the years while a lot of jobs have been Monday-Friday 9-5 meanwhile I've been working rotas pretty much 24/7 and a lot of weekend and Bank Holiday work. If I didn't want to do this and wanted to WFH I would look for another job. If people are in a job that they can WFH then there's no reason they should have to go back to work just to please the people who work in hospitality, retail, medicine and any number of other careers where it is not possible.

I also seriously don't get it when people say "oh so you want to work from home, but you expect people working in retail and hospitality to do it".

Well yes I do because you can't do those jobs from home .

If you aren't happy with your working environment then change it. I did.

@Flemingshat

I also seriously don't get it when people say "oh so you want to work from home, but you expect people working in retail and hospitality to do it".

Well yes I do because you can't do those jobs from home .

If you aren't happy with your working environment then change it. I did.

I'd say the same to those complaining about how horrendous it is to work in an office alongside their fellow man and woman. They chose those jobs.