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?

@ThePoisonousMushroom

Nope It was made quite clear by Boris and others that once freedom day had passed restrictions would not be reintroduced

Then why have they developed and publicised their ‘plan B’, which involves reintroducing restrictions?

When did Boris say they had?

Yes - they have stated it is part of their Plan B.

Wouldn't it be nice if all the introverts could WFH and all the extroverts work from the office. That would keep everyone happy and reduce the spread of the virus too.

@SapphosRock

Wouldn't it be nice if all the introverts could WFH and all the extroverts work from the office. That would keep everyone happy and reduce the spread of the virus too.

No, it wouldn’t.

This is not an introvert vs and extrovert thing.
I am an introvert and I don’t want to WFH permanently.

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)

Surely it shouldn't mean any of those things if WFH is reintroduced as a measure to slow down the spread of covid?

Yes, they will. I reckon by the end of November, maybe sooner depending on how much of a drop we get from half term. This pressure on the NHS is unsustainable and they know it, they're just waiting until everyone is worried so that Johnson can make a 'popular' decision.

[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]
I'm n a sane world your cooped up paralegal can go to the office as they need to, but those of us who don't need to cab reduce the burden and stay home

@SapphosRock

Wouldn't it be nice if all the introverts could WFH and all the extroverts work from the office. That would keep everyone happy and reduce the spread of the virus too.

I’m an introvert and as I said above, working from home messed with my mental health. Absolutely fucking hate it. And it’s nothing to do with other people (although contrary to popular belief, introverts also enjoy company), but because there is absolutely no separation between work and home.

Can't quite believe there are still people who believe the government (especially Boris Johnson) when he says something will or won't happen.
He has literally lied and gone back on everything they said.
It's so depressing that the Tories can literally do whatever they want and people still believe them

Probably, yes. I imagine it will happen.
I know there are many reasons why people prefer wfh but I can’t relate to people who just prefer it because it’s more convenient/quiet etc. I can’t understand how it isn’t a bit soul destroying just moving from one room to another to start work whilst not interacting in person with anyone outside your household, but I appreciate many do enjoy it.

I feel really sorry for people who don’t like wfh. Im a teacher and at my school no one worked from home in the last lockdown. I think I’d feel really anxious and unsettled about the idea of having to do it. Fuck staying in my tiny one bed flat the whole time.

It’s not just to do with living situation. I’m older and lucky enough to be able to afford a house with plenty of space for a home office. I still absolutely hate working from home every single day (hybrid working, part in office and part from home, I’ve been doing for years) - it’s really not fair to expect people to be able to do their jobs efficiently in all cases with no face to face contact. I’m also very lucky in that my employer has been vocal in the press about people being back in the office and so I think that they will not be making any snap judgements about sending us all home, thank god.

It’s obvious that people who suffer most under restrictions are most reluctant to see them. That doesn’t mean that people who want restrictions are selfish or wrong. Ultimately, what matters is the ability of the health service to function. If restrictions are needed to safeguard urgent operations then they will come in, and the longer we wait the longer they are likely to last.

The nhs is fucked every winter, even without covid. This has given them a convenient excuse to blame the government for not imposing restrictions.

As far as I can tell there is no evidence that next winter will be any different. And we can’t lock down every winter.

@Milkbottlelegs

The nhs is fucked every winter, even without covid. This has given them a convenient excuse to blame the government for not imposing restrictions.

As far as I can tell there is no evidence that next winter will be any different. And we can’t lock down every winter.

This is what I don’t get either. You can’t stop people living their lives every winter to ‘save’ the health service….

@chalamet

Probably, yes. I imagine it will happen. I know there are many reasons why people prefer wfh but I can’t relate to people who just prefer it because it’s more convenient/quiet etc. I can’t understand how it isn’t a bit soul destroying just moving from one room to another to start work whilst not interacting in person with anyone outside your household, but I appreciate many do enjoy it.

I feel really sorry for people who don’t like wfh. Im a teacher and at my school no one worked from home in the last lockdown. I think I’d feel really anxious and unsettled about the idea of having to do it. Fuck staying in my tiny one bed flat the whole time.

I like it because I gain 4 hours a day, 4 hours where I'm not stuck on a human cattle train, 4 hours where I can cook for my children and husband and eat dinner with them. I can keep on top of the house and cleaning. I can also go to the gym which in current times keeps me alive.

I couldn't do any of these things when in the office 9-6pm.

Wanting to trade that time in with my family to spend time with Joe in accounts is pretty fucking odd if you ask me.

[quote julieca]@Milkbottlelegs I hate that superior attitude.
Like most people, I am measured on my work. That shows that I achieve more at home than in the office. Any decent manager can manage people wfh effectively. If you can't, the failure is with you.[/quote]
I don’t think I should need to remind my PA that she needs to respond to meeting invites. Or to chase a list of tasks three times before they get completed. And you assume I am her manager. I am not. She has a PA team manager who surprise surprise is also not doing her job properly.

Just because you can do your job well from home doesn’t mean everyone can.

I like it because I gain 4 hours a day, 4 hours where I'm not stuck on a human cattle train, 4 hours where I can cook for my children and husband and eat dinner with them. I can keep on top of the house and cleaning. I can also go to the gym which in current times keeps me alive

I guess the difference is I would never have taken a job a 2 hour each way commute away, for exactly those reasons. I deliberately moved to a less expensive area with a lower paid job precisely to avoid that.
Now I have to spend all my time in a pokey corner of my house, that is not set up for home working because I never would have chose to work from home. Because I hate it!

Well milk bottle legs, sounds like you have a shit PA, nothing to do with WFH.

Although tbh, it could just be your attitude...?

Sounds like you do have one, ever considered she might have a conflicting/heavy workload

@ThePoisonousMushroom

I like it because I gain 4 hours a day, 4 hours where I'm not stuck on a human cattle train, 4 hours where I can cook for my children and husband and eat dinner with them. I can keep on top of the house and cleaning. I can also go to the gym which in current times keeps me alive

I guess the difference is I would never have taken a job a 2 hour each way commute away, for exactly those reasons. I deliberately moved to a less expensive area with a lower paid job precisely to avoid that.
Now I have to spend all my time in a pokey corner of my house, that is not set up for home working because I never would have chose to work from home. Because I hate it!

I moved from a place where work paid peanuts to somewhere where work didn't, and guess what, it's not as simple as moving away.

If wfh doesn't suit you, ask to go in, it's not rocket science, it was always "if you can", if it doesn't work for you, you can't, but spare the rest of us the burden of your inability to cope with it.

I hope so! The tubes are so busy at the moment, I’d love them to go back to half-empty with plenty of seats (I’m a teacher so I’m going in no matter what!)

@marieantoinehairnet but she was great when we were in the office so I don’t think she’s just generally useless. I think it’s got more to do with being distracted by being at home, she no longer arranges childcare for example. Her kids are getting older, the oldest definitely doesn’t need it, youngest probably borderline, but I know from speaking to her in the afternoon for example that they are always interrupting her.

Some of my client facing team have been great. My senior managers have adapted really well to running teams remotely and I’ve been very proud of how they’ve handled things.

I’m not totally anti wfh. Some of my team have always done a couple of days a week and that’s generally not been a problem. I’m just saying some people are clearly not operating effectively. I’m sure in some cases the role is more difficult for various reasons, but others do not seem to be managing their workloads well.

Maybe this will be the winter the NHS finally does go to pot, then we will all breathe a sigh of relief when they suggest we have to pay for healthcare. That way we can remain open whilst having “access” albeit paid access.

[quote Milkbottlelegs]@marieantoinehairnet but she was great when we were in the office so I don’t think she’s just generally useless. I think it’s got more to do with being distracted by being at home, she no longer arranges childcare for example. Her kids are getting older, the oldest definitely doesn’t need it, youngest probably borderline, but I know from speaking to her in the afternoon for example that they are always interrupting her.

Some of my client facing team have been great. My senior managers have adapted really well to running teams remotely and I’ve been very proud of how they’ve handled things.

I’m not totally anti wfh. Some of my team have always done a couple of days a week and that’s generally not been a problem. I’m just saying some people are clearly not operating effectively. I’m sure in some cases the role is more difficult for various reasons, but others do not seem to be managing their workloads well.[/quote]
I get what you're saying.

Basically, your senior team can do it (as they likely if have kids have expensive nannies or wives who don't work).

The plebs, aka PAs, they can't.

If her children disturb her as they're not at school, maybe she needs to take the time off. Ever thought of encouraging that.

Or maybe she just doesn't like working for you and prioritises someone else?

@Treblebass

Maybe this will be the winter the NHS finally does go to pot, then we will all breathe a sigh of relief when they suggest we have to pay for healthcare. That way we can remain open whilst having “access” albeit paid access.

We do already pay for healthcare.

[quote Milkbottlelegs]@marieantoinehairnet but she was great when we were in the office so I don’t think she’s just generally useless. I think it’s got more to do with being distracted by being at home, she no longer arranges childcare for example. Her kids are getting older, the oldest definitely doesn’t need it, youngest probably borderline, but I know from speaking to her in the afternoon for example that they are always interrupting her.

Some of my client facing team have been great. My senior managers have adapted really well to running teams remotely and I’ve been very proud of how they’ve handled things.

I’m not totally anti wfh. Some of my team have always done a couple of days a week and that’s generally not been a problem. I’m just saying some people are clearly not operating effectively. I’m sure in some cases the role is more difficult for various reasons, but others do not seem to be managing their workloads well.[/quote]
It’s your job as a manager to manage her lack of productivity in a remote setting just as you’d manage a less than productive member of staff in the office (and we’ve all worked with/for/managed those)