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

[SophieH83]

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?

@MarshaBradyo mixed.

I bloody hope not

Hate WFH

I think it’s pretty odd when people ‘enjoy’ being isolated at home to be honest! Is it really any good for people’s mental health only seeing colleagues on a screen?

I doubt it.
If restrictions are reintroduced they'll probably be in line with countries that still have them.
Here (Italy) masks, passes but WFH very much being phased out as there's no need for it and the economy (transport, high street etc) suffers from WFH.

I fucking hope not, it absolutely destroyed my mental health. Living at work, no differentiation between work and home, having to cram my desk and computer into a tiny corner because we haven’t got any proper space to work from (funnily enough when we bought the house we didn’t realise it would have to be used as an office too).
Hated every single minute.

@tappitytaptap

I think it’s pretty odd when people ‘enjoy’ being isolated at home to be honest! Is it really any good for people’s mental health only seeing colleagues on a screen?

I'm a teacher and we were online for over a year. The kids who have had the worst MH issues due to Covid, and the ones we are most worried about are almost exclusively the ones who didn't want to go back into school in September. The same is probably true of adults. Sure, it was cool to get up 20 minutes before longing on instead of 2 hours before walking into a classroom, but I feel fucking reborn since going back, and only now realise how flat everything was before.

@ThePoisonousMushroom

I fucking hope not, it absolutely destroyed my mental health. Living at work, no differentiation between work and home, having to cram my desk and computer into a tiny corner because we haven’t got any proper space to work from (funnily enough when we bought the house we didn’t realise it would have to be used as an office too). Hated every single minute.

Yep. I always remember, and it's something I tell colleagues, the day that DD had a mini breakdown about the online schooling, and said "I never gave these people (teachers) permission to be in my bedroom" She hates her bedroom now, and spends as little time in there as possible.

I think this will happen plus mandatory mask wearing.
Personally we will all feel differently if it is advice again. Depends on home set up/mental health/ability to get work done/childcare/commute time and costs saved. Plus all those who cannot work from home - at I creased risk again.

If it happens I might get a seat on the train in the mornings..how I miss that

That’s is exactly @Geamhradh, I felt ‘flat’ too. Everything feels more vibrant now I’m back to my pre covid pattern of being in the office half the time. I didn’t start a job which is all about people and relationships to sit in a spare bedroom in my house……

@tappitytaptap

I think it’s pretty odd when people ‘enjoy’ being isolated at home to be honest! Is it really any good for people’s mental health only seeing colleagues on a screen?

I think it depends what else they have going on. I can wfh but still see a group of friends on the school/nursery runs as well as have a chat or catch up with friends during a walk in the evening. I’m fine with that. For me, working in the office is very unsociable anyway; I’m not in a big open plan office so it’s just me in a room and I don’t have a lunch break so only socialise whilst getting a drink.

I think organisations in general need to examine their policies on working from home and review them on the basis of more than just Covid. The job market is in a very different state than it was pre-Covid. Employees are weighing up risk of infection and cost of commuting with skyrocketing fuel costs against social isolation and work-life balance. I someone doesn't like their employer's approach, there are lots of alternatives to choose from. So I wonder if the most successful companies will be those that listen to the employees and offer some level of flexibility.

I think the government should bring in a legal right to be able to choose to WFH if you've already proved you can do your job effectively by doing it over the lockdowns last year, that way people in bad conditions for WFH can still go in.

We currently have mandatory 3 days in the office for absolutely no reason other than that's what the business owner has decided they prefer.

Geamhradh

“I doubt it.
If restrictions are reintroduced they'll probably be in line with countries that still have them.
Here (Italy) masks, passes but WFH very much being phased out as there's no need for it and the economy (transport, high street etc) suffers from WFH.”

We are in a much worse situation than Italy and I think resistance to Covid passes within the parliamentary Conservative party is probably greater than resistance to working from home.

@StormTreader

I think the government should bring in a legal right to be able to choose to WFH if you've already proved you can do your job effectively by doing it over the lockdowns last year, that way people in bad conditions for WFH can still go in.

We currently have mandatory 3 days in the office for absolutely no reason other than that's what the business owner has decided they prefer.

No - absolutely not Employees already have a right to request FLEXIBLE working at the employers discretion. . You are paid by your employer, a business needs to have happy customers (civil servants excepted I suppose) - so it is their decision not one sanctioned/permitted by the Government. Why should you have the LEGAL right just because you prefer it? very selfish.

The OP's question wasn't whether WFH is a good idea (answer: it depends on the individual, the work they do, and the attitude of the employer), it was whether we think the government will encourage it again in England and I think they will.

And it is not "selfish" to want to work from home (which does not necessarily mean literally at home, it means remotely - which could be a co-working hub, a library or a cafe, among other places). What a ridiculous viewpoint. The word "selfish" should be banned from MN and definitely from the covid board!

@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.

If you can do your job productively from home during a pandemic, then why would you go to an office? If your employer chooses to enforce it then so be it.

@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!

It's not going to be more than 9 pound a day is it?

Yes Op, to answer your original question. I think that message will be delivered within a fortnight.

I wfh and don't plan to go back. I don't see all the hostility, if your job is better done at home , what's it to anyone else ? Means trains are less crowded for one thing.

I'm by no means indispensable but I don't think my employer would go through all the rigmarole of replacing me because I won't now go in. Not an issue so far but I'm no intention of returning even if asked. I work so much better from home.

The bottom line is that many jobs can be done from home with proper support - so they should be offered

Way cheaper than letting commercial property (just insanely expensive)

@tappitytaptap

I think it’s pretty odd when people ‘enjoy’ being isolated at home to be honest! Is it really any good for people’s mental health only seeing colleagues on a screen?

For me it’s balanced by being able to do the school run (because I’m no longer leaving the house at 6.15am), speaking to other parents there, speaking to neighbours, joining social things in the evening where I get to speak to new people (instead of getting home at 7pm) while still making time for social catch ups with colleagues where we have time, without disturbing others as we would be if we were in the office. It will be different fit everyone.

@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!

Come on, it's not going to be £9 a day more...that would be £270 a month more. You sound bitter.

I hope so. Something has to be done to address rising cases going into winter. Wfh not only reduces transmission in office, but also public transport. It's been done previously, most companies made it work well; doing it for just a few months when the potential gain is high, is a no brainer.