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Original poster

Do you think government will recommend return to ‘WFH if you can’?

186 replies

SophieH83 · 23/10/2021 14:28

Some of my colleagues (perhaps wishfully thinking) believe that gov will reintroduce ‘WFH if you can’ any day now.

Do you think it’s likely?

OP posts:
ThisIsTheEndMyFriend · 23/10/2021 14:31

Yes, I think it is probably the easiest thing they can do and it looks as though they will have to do something. I’m not sure about any day now, but some time before Christmas.

SuperstoreFan · 23/10/2021 14:31

No as the commercial landlords would go apeshit.

DentalWorries · 23/10/2021 14:33

I have no idea if it’s likely or not but I’d be in favour. We only go in two days a week as that’s company policy now but it’s a bit pointless really. Our office is freezing cold and pretty grim, plus it costs me £9 a day to get there so I’d be very happy with a winter working from home Grin

AliceinBorderland · 23/10/2021 14:33

I hope not.

Having said that most of my colleagues haven't bothered to come back to the office despite my employer stating they had to come back a bare minimum of 3 days a week as of August.

Office workers think they are a special breed ... OK for all the other plebs to go out to work.

AliceinBorderland · 23/10/2021 14:34

it costs me £9 a day to get there so I’d be very happy with a winter working from home

Wait until you see your gas and electricity bill after a winter of WFH with the horrendous increase in gas prices lately. Enjoy!

Hintofreality · 23/10/2021 14:34

No, they are happily killing off as many of the working class as they can.

dementedma · 23/10/2021 14:37

Please God no. I will go stir crazy cooped up in this flat without the office to go to

thedevilinablackdress · 23/10/2021 14:41

Never not been in Scotland
Not saying every employer is still following it, but certainly public sector are IME
I think this will come back in England for the winter, along with masks and something vague about social distancing

DentalWorries · 23/10/2021 14:43

@AliceinBorderland

it costs me £9 a day to get there so I’d be very happy with a winter working from home

Wait until you see your gas and electricity bill after a winter of WFH with the horrendous increase in gas prices lately. Enjoy!

Thankfully we live in a very well insulated house so I rarely turn on the heating during the day even in the winter. Plus on my wfh days I gain back 2 hours which would otherwise be spent commuting which is much more valuable to me than an increase in gas prices thank you very much
AmDillDandin · 23/10/2021 14:46

I don't think the Gov will change official advice, but I think some employers may advise WFH.

I work for a major global company and haven't yet been asked to return to the office since last March.

MarshaBradyo · 23/10/2021 14:46

No idea but I’ve noticed an upturn in my sector since September so it seems businesses were impacted by dampened demand, most returned then

AliceinBorderland · 23/10/2021 14:49

@DentalWorries I'll tell that to my paralegal who lives in a shared house with 6 others and has to be cooped up in a bedroom all day. It drove her mad.

But everyone is of the mentality I'm happy if big insulated house. So utterly selfish.

WFH needs to end

LemonCake79 · 23/10/2021 14:50

It'll be embarrassing if they do after their own party conference was dominated by calls for civil servants to get off their peletons and attend the office etc.

mum2jakie · 23/10/2021 14:51

@AliceinBorderland

I hope not.

Having said that most of my colleagues haven't bothered to come back to the office despite my employer stating they had to come back a bare minimum of 3 days a week as of August.

Office workers think they are a special breed ... OK for all the other plebs to go out to work.

Not sure they are a special breed but for the most part are people who can work from home so many want to continue. I do a mix of both but there is little I can't do equally well from home.
Watapalava · 23/10/2021 14:54

Not a chance

They’re already trying their best to almost force officer staff back - particularly in cities as it’s had huge knock on effect on the high street

Defo won’t advise wfh again

Missmissmiiiiiiiiisss · 23/10/2021 15:01

No I don’t. And also “if you can” is at the discretion of the employer. For my line managees they already wfh the most I can whilst maintaining our service. It’s not like March 2020 when everyone expected organisations to have stopped functioning, people rightly expect a certain amount of ‘normality’ of service. For our team this means around a 1/3 of time in the office, 1/3 at home and 1/3 in or out depending on the demands of that week.
It wouldn’t change at all if the government made WFM announcements.

whatnumber · 23/10/2021 15:02

I don't think so. They are letting Covid rip through the country - most people will be vaccinated or already caught it soon so the wave will peak then decline.

FleasInMyKnees · 23/10/2021 15:05

I thought they already had done this

ChewChewPanda · 23/10/2021 15:08

I don’t think so given all the rhetoric about civil servants getting back in the office. Though it would be sensible given rising cases and might help to head off needing stronger restrictions (as would masks on public transport and in shops for those who can).

Autumntwilights · 23/10/2021 15:13

God I hope not.

My marriage may not survive.

EmmyLake · 23/10/2021 15:14

@thedevilinablackdress

Never not been in Scotland Not saying every employer is still following it, but certainly public sector are IME I think this will come back in England for the winter, along with masks and something vague about social distancing
My employer (a university) is not following it. I can work 100% from home yet am forced to go in for no good reason. Well, their reason is to create a 'busy and vibrant campus'. Not sure how I contribute to that since I go in, sit in my office, go home for lunch, return to the office, and leave again, barely speaking to anyone and not leaving my seat until I leave the building.
Treblebass · 23/10/2021 15:17

@AliceinBorderland

I will spend the time WFH without my heating on.

Sometimes I treat myself to an hour of the halogen heater in winter (in the day time, my heating does go on in the evening).

I’ve never been able to justify the cost in the day even before the price hike.

Mynameismargot · 23/10/2021 15:18

[quote AliceinBorderland]@DentalWorries I'll tell that to my paralegal who lives in a shared house with 6 others and has to be cooped up in a bedroom all day. It drove her mad.

But everyone is of the mentality I'm happy if big insulated house. So utterly selfish.

WFH needs to end[/quote]
Sorry how is saying WFH needs to end not utterly selfish too? Because some people don't like it/find it difficult everybody needs to go in? Fuck that. If some people aren't into it for whatever reason then let them go into the office but it would be utterly selfish to drag everyone in to make you feel better because you can't work from home.

Autumntwilights · 23/10/2021 15:19

I do think that WFH works well for the person WFH but not always for anyone else, tbh.

gogohm · 23/10/2021 15:21

Hope so. I don't wfh, I've worked in person through the pandemic and the traffic was non existent and fuel so cheap Grin