Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Covid

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Original poster

Dh has been told to get back to the office

360 replies

SmiledWithTheRisingSun · 30/05/2021 06:30

For a minimum of 2 days per week.
Is this an end to WFH?

OP posts:
osbertthesyrianhamster · 31/05/2021 21:32

So there you have it, folks, they're all better and far more productive wfh forever, with that army of second class citizens to support it all.

RaskolnikovsGarret · 31/05/2021 21:33

Regarding the managers need to get better at managing comment above, as a manager I am at breaking point, as are many other managers. We are (rightly) looking after the needs of our staff during the pandemic at the request of senior management, but are also having to meet tight deadlines, again at the request of senior management.

This means I am not pushing my staff too hard to deliver. I have strong suspicions that some are not working as hard as others (many are, as I have a great team) but I don’t know that with any certainty, as they are working from home, and I also don’t want to damage their mental health.

The upshot is that I am picking up the slack and working long hard hours to meet deadlines. So my team and my boss work 35 to 40 hours a week, and I do 55 to 70. Similar pattern with other managers and their teams.

Meanwhile senior management are ‘role modelling’ good working practices by going on walks, bike rides and posting pictures of them doing yoga, whilst the other managers and I are slowly destroying ourselves. I have raised this with my boss but they don’t do anything, just say ‘take breaks’. No idea how or when I should do that.

If full time wfh continues, I think I will have to hand my notice in as I can’t go on like this much longer.

PrincessNutNuts · 31/05/2021 21:41

@year5teacher

If I could wfh I would definitely enjoy a longer lie in and having snacks available! Who wouldn’t?! There’s nothing wrong with it, it just seems disingenuous when people deny that the increased convenience is absolutely nothing to do with it. I don’t think I would suit full time wfh personally but if I could I’d work four days. I didn’t say anything about being lazy - there’s this weird defensiveness when anyone suggests that people might actually enjoy wfh because it’s frankly less hassle in a practical sense than having to travel to an office and sit there all day.
I wfh because my boss told me to, because of covid.

The fridge doesn't come into it.

RockingMyFiftiesNot · 31/05/2021 22:16

DH has an international team WFH has increased his productivity as now the team is so used to using teams and isnt wasting hours and hours on planes to try to meet in different locations

Using teams/zoom/similar was common place for years in global companies long before COVID. It's shocking that companies have still been flying people around the world for meetings that could happen online. One of the positive outcomes of the pandemic will be be reduction in unnecessary travel.

pollymere · 31/05/2021 22:36

The schools are full of kids and teachers no longer wearing masks or social distancing. The kids are still in year bubbles. It seems a bit crazy we can do that and go shopping but not be in offices.

Jumanji89 · 31/05/2021 22:44

I think it depends on your role and employer to be fair. We have been given the choice going forward of wfh full time, part wfh and part office or full time in the office and can do what works best for us but a lot of my friends and family are starting to go back on a phased return

NoWordForFluffy · 31/05/2021 22:58

@year5teacher

I think when my breakfast usually consists of a granola bar that I eat while running back from the printer, the idea of being able to actually eat something nice/comparatively slowly is quite nice. When I had an inset day wfh that’s what stood out to me (I do have a proper commute though) and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. I think that people should feel ok to say that it’s more convenient in a practical sense, and not feel as though that means they’re admitting to being “lazy” in any way. I don’t think wfh is any easier in terms of the actual workload - if anything there’s a danger of the work hours blurring into being “on call” all the time.
My breakfast is no different to when I was in the office. I just get to get up later before eating it! I used to leave the house at 6.45am to get to my desk for 8am (proper commute too). No, I don't miss my commute via Merseyrail. At all.
BoredtoTiers · 31/05/2021 23:01

I'm not expecting to be back in the office with any regularity until Sept and even then, my team have been designated as a type of worker that doesn't need to be office based, so it's expected that we'll be at home unless we need to be in to collaborate. I miss some aspects of being in the office, but tbh I'm pretty sure I could meet some of them by meeting up with interest groups more frequently when more socialising is permitted rather than spending 14hrs a week sitting in a car.

HalzTangz · 31/05/2021 23:17

@SmiledWithTheRisingSun

For a minimum of 2 days per week. Is this an end to WFH?
No as still working from home 3 days. WFH was never going to be permanent, hybrid working will replace wfh
JaceLancs · 31/05/2021 23:25

We went back to office voluntarily in August last year - some people do all their hours in office, some hybrid, some WFH
Productivity improved straight away as did morale
Everyone will be back in full time once guidance changes - it will be great to be part of a team again and I anticipate productivity will improve even further
It’s been really difficult to train and support new staff and students properly and has also meant uneven distribution of tasks as some things are easier when not WFH

WhenSheWasBad · 01/06/2021 07:53

RaskolnikovsGarret

That sounds really rough, I’m also doing 70+ days during the pandemic. It’s extremely draining.

It sounds like your Senior management are asking for two contradictory things. The high workload, tight deadlines and managing everyone’s stress levels.
It sounds like poor senior management. You’ve obviously tried to address it and it hasn’t helped. Really sorry, if it’s that bad for all middle managers it will probably raise its head as an issue again. Sucks for you though.

whatagirlwants · 01/06/2021 16:19

I have the feeling as more people decide they want to work from home that big companies will think hang on if I can get people to work from home why dont I get people in India who will work at a fraction of the salary to work from their home. My SIL worked for a big bank and they sent a lot of their work to India. She had to train these staff and then they made her redundant. Luckily it worked out well for her as she was coming up to retirement age so got a nice pay off.

icelollycraving · 01/06/2021 16:55

@whatagirlwants

I have the feeling as more people decide they want to work from home that big companies will think hang on if I can get people to work from home why dont I get people in India who will work at a fraction of the salary to work from their home. My SIL worked for a big bank and they sent a lot of their work to India. She had to train these staff and then they made her redundant. Luckily it worked out well for her as she was coming up to retirement age so got a nice pay off.
I’ve known someone this happened to too. Decent redundancy pay as they’d been there for 25 years. Life changing to be leaving a job that had been lucrative but always considered one of the top in his field.
NeverBeenNormal · 01/06/2021 22:09

@EmmaGrundyForPM

I think the guidance is wfh if at all possible. DH. hasn't asked his staff to return, they will do so after June 21st.

My organisation has said its unlikely we'll return to the office before September.

I think, timing aside, lots of organisations/companies will allow staff to do a mix of wfh and office. 2 days a week in the office and 3 at home sounds good.

I work for a public body and we have been told that we must WFH until the autumn. You can go in (large purpose-built accommodation) if you really can't WFH, but if you do there's hardly anyone there.

Lots of staff questioning the justification for this and in particular the bosses deciding not to review the situation every few weeks. People struggling with isolation, strain on family relationships, difficulty of working collaboratively.

We will end up losing people to other similar organisations who have a more flexible approach.

janj2301 · 02/06/2021 09:36

I've been in all the time, work for a GP Daughter no 2 and her husban both WFH, been told it will contue until the autum at least. Other son in law works in facilites managment for london borough, was off on full pay March 2020 to August 22020 (diabetic) since then back 2 or 3 days a week as there are still so few staff in the building, although he worked extra in the run up to the recent elections

Tooshyshyhushhushioi · 02/06/2021 11:30

I am lucky and work for an amazing employer who really cares about staff retention. 50% of our workforce WFH prior to the pandemic and we operate in over 40 countries with 20,000 staff. Moving forward we have introduced 4 flexible working options which the employee decides. Full office based, full WFH, mixed (3/2 days/week in or out of office) and hot desking for staff who want to pop in one day/week or less. We are lucky to have good employers but it is a tough industry and you wouldn’t survive unless you can cope in a high stress high workload environment. The flexibility is a key factor in keeping people sane!

whatagirlwants · 02/06/2021 15:20

Joystir59
People need to get back to work especially in customer service roles, as customer service across the board has become dreadful. I've worked (cleaner, supporting an essential service) throughout and don't understand why people think it's ok to carry on not really doing the job they are paid for

I totally agree with you. Like I said in a previous post Indian people will do the job for a quarter of what they have to pay a British person. Big concerns will very quickly realise why pay a British person to work from home for £40,000 when I can get an Indian person to do the job for £10,000. It happened to my SIL who worked for a large high street bank for 40 years got her to train Indian staff and then she was made redundant....................dont think it can't happen to you. Big comanies are ruthless.

PrincessNutNuts · 02/06/2021 15:47

My boss could outsource my job to another country for less money right now.

It would be a bit trickier to get them in for team meetings though.

notacooldad · 02/06/2021 16:07

My boss could outsource my job to another country for less money right now.

It would be a bit trickier to get them in for team meetings though
Does any one need to be in for team meetings though? We have weekly meetings but no one us in the office for them.

MummyMayo1988 · 02/06/2021 16:43

My DH is going back 3 days a week soon and I can't wait to get rid of him to be honest. He's had a desk set up at the end of our bed since the beginning and it is driving me mad.

starfish4 · 02/06/2021 17:38

It says on DD"s doctors website that they anticipate texting 18+ mid June inviting them for vaccine, subject to supply. In Gloucestershire.

whatagirlwants · 02/06/2021 18:48

I have been to lots of team meetings in my time (this was before zoom) to be honest with you most of them could have been done by zoom and more efficiently.

Myusernameisnotmyusernameno · 02/06/2021 19:25

@whatagirlwants

I have the feeling as more people decide they want to work from home that big companies will think hang on if I can get people to work from home why dont I get people in India who will work at a fraction of the salary to work from their home. My SIL worked for a big bank and they sent a lot of their work to India. She had to train these staff and then they made her redundant. Luckily it worked out well for her as she was coming up to retirement age so got a nice pay off.
Some jobs just can't be outsourced to India
cappuccinoandcats · 02/06/2021 20:18

@MummyMayo1988

My DH is going back 3 days a week soon and I can't wait to get rid of him to be honest. He's had a desk set up at the end of our bed since the beginning and it is driving me mad.
I've started a thread in the desperate hope that mine will be called back to office. Even a couple of days a week. I want to be peaceful in my own home
PinkSparklyPussyCat · 02/06/2021 21:03

@MummyMayo1988

My DH is going back 3 days a week soon and I can't wait to get rid of him to be honest. He's had a desk set up at the end of our bed since the beginning and it is driving me mad.
I'm going into the office a few days a week (voluntary) and I think DH is quite liking being able to do what he wants, sit in the living room, walk through whenever he needs to!