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

Are people going back to wfh?

135 replies

Wfhquery · 09/12/2021 07:16

We all wfh in first lockdown.
2nd lockdown most wfh but employer said anyone that wanted to could go in if wfh difficult.
We’ve all been back since isolation rules changed in aug.
Although we can work from home our employer prefers us to office work as it does make certain aspects slightly easier.
Expect we’ll have an announcement about what they are doing next couple of days but just wondering what are most employers doing? Are they going back to full wfh where employees can or carrying on requiring people to attend.
Personally I like wfh as I get more done as we are really busy but I like the cut off of a start and finish when in office

OP posts:
OnGoldenPond · 09/12/2021 08:22

Yes got work email yesterday afternoon sent to all staff that everyone who can should work from home with immediate effect. To be reviewed at the beginning of January. Also all staff gatherings (ie small department Christmas meals) to be cancelled.

I work at a University. The email also recommended that student teaching should go online for the last week of term where possible.

We have a whole college Christmas shutdown period from the 23rd until 3rd January anyway so this will only affect the next two weeks. Hope it doesn't get extended in January as I find full time WFH very depressing Sad

ifonly4 · 09/12/2021 08:25

DH's team sorted it out between themselves last night. They're all doing two days a week, as they need a minimum of two qualified people on the other end of the phone to deal with serious issues. DH has manages two, so he's asked them to do two days a week so it's all fair and they can support the other two if things really kick off (which they do regularly).

Angel2702 · 09/12/2021 08:26

DH never went back to the office, they have reduced their office space dramatically and people are only expected to attend one or twice a month permanently now. They close for Christmas next Friday anyway so nobody will be in office this week or next week.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 09/12/2021 08:27

DH expecting in today.

So next week I have to somehow keep two kids silent from 3.30-6pm if he's in virtual meetings. No spare room. Open plan living/dining. Unheated conservatory. Cant even chuck them out in the garden due to weather and it being dark.

So yep... fun!

Sparklingbrook · 09/12/2021 08:30

I can do my job from home but DS has been told he will be from Monday.
He relocated 3 hours away for the job so it's a bit of a strange feeling thinking he might not have needed to. Hopefully though it's only temporary and he'll be back in work proper next year.

StCharlotte · 09/12/2021 08:30

Nope. I wfh for eight months. It was fine for me (although I'd have preferred to be in the office) but not for my colleagues in the office who had to do the parts of my job that can't he done from home. I expect some of the fee-earners will wfh. One or two have barely been in anyway.

Sparklingbrook · 09/12/2021 08:31

I can't I meant. Sad

Fairnair · 09/12/2021 09:04

My husband has worked from home since March 2020. His company has given up some of their office space (rented 2 floors in a building, now rent one). The Dept has about 100 people in it, but can now only fit approx. 70 people in at one time, so going forward there will be a mix of wfh & in office.

They were from Sept supposed to start working two days a week in the office, have to pre-book a desk, but with rising numbers in the city where office located the local council/health authority advised people to wfh where possible. Husband had been in the office a few times before this advice.

LefttoherownDevizes · 09/12/2021 09:34

@Aroundtheworldin80moves

DH expecting in today.

So next week I have to somehow keep two kids silent from 3.30-6pm if he's in virtual meetings. No spare room. Open plan living/dining. Unheated conservatory. Cant even chuck them out in the garden due to weather and it being dark.

So yep... fun!

Does he not have headphones and can blur his screen?

DH and I have been working side by side on the dining room table with three kids at home since March 2030. At some points with a fourth DC too.

If work mandates a wfh they have to accept all homes however they come. It's not fair in the kids to expect then to be silent.

Or, he works in the bedroom if he needs former when they're gone, that's our back up if the meetings dictate

LefttoherownDevizes · 09/12/2021 09:34

^2020! Lost track of time

RedToothBrush · 09/12/2021 09:36

Dh worked from home throughout.

Hes not sure he can cope with it again. We have a good set up to do it.

He won't be alone. I think lots of people will be reluctant to do it again. And lots of employers who will be fine with that.

Userno63637348 · 09/12/2021 09:40

I'm off work currently. But Dp will not be able to WFH, he never has, even throughout the first lockdown he had to go to work, his job is impossible to do at home. He's not an essential worker though despite having to work throughout all lockdowns.

Most jobs cannot be done from home! If you job can be done from home it's likely that you can work distanced in a workplace too.

For millions of people, working from home is not possible.

ThomasHardyPerennial · 09/12/2021 09:47

Yes, from Monday. I was only going in to the office 1 or 2 days a week anyway, so not a massive change for me.

Comefromaway · 09/12/2021 09:47

No plans to work from home here. Our office is far more efficient when we are not at home. We generate a lot of paperwork and files need to be accessed. My laptop is very sporadic in how it connects to wifi at home.

There are 8 of us spread across 4 offices and we have loads of space.

emmathedilemma · 09/12/2021 10:09

No word yet, I expect there's some frantic management meetings going on this morning! We closed all offices during the previous lockdowns and are only just getting some people back in on a regular basis so I'll be gutted if we do.

DemelzaRobins · 09/12/2021 10:11

We WFH full time from March 2020 - October 2021 when we were allowed to come in for 1 day a week.

We're now back to WFH full time but we can go to the office if we feel we need to (poor set up for home working, mental health etc.)

We're in London with a lot of young staff members in house shares who are having to work in their bedrooms or in a communal kitchen.

Whammyyammy · 09/12/2021 10:16

Both me and my husband haven't stopped wfh since mar 20. My contract was changed to permanent wfh about 9 months ago.
Absolutely love it, no lengthy commute, better for environment, sold my car, dogs have 24hr company, can do housework and DIY between work. Luckily my house is in sticks and have beautiful surroundings, better than a drab office.
Wfh should be a permanent option for all if its doable. First lockdown the pollution levels dropped dramatically.

Jourdain11 · 09/12/2021 10:18

I also work in a university but we've been told that we will be updated today. I think going back online would be a hard sell to students, particularly as we got really strict on them having to register by a certain date and not being permitted to study remotely.

Kitkat151 · 09/12/2021 10:19

@ChikiTIKI

Been wfh since March 2020 full time. Nhs.
This
HaaaaaveyoumetTed · 09/12/2021 11:57

Yesterday, before the announcement, my work told us all to work from home where our role allows except for the duty officer to reduce us having to isolate over Christmas. So yes! I'm in an area high risk for Omicron.

wasthataburp · 09/12/2021 12:04

We have been told we can if we want to. But equally free to continue working in office

TabbyM · 09/12/2021 12:11

No still in office as essential for "operational reasons". Was in 2 days a week previously which to be honest was great but new rotas etc in place and as usual managers can come in as and when but ordinary staff have to seen :(

nordica · 09/12/2021 12:16

My job is wfh anyway so it won't affect me directly.
My therapist has just let me know he'll be moving back to doing sessions on Zoom though like we did during the lockdowns.

whereisthekey · 09/12/2021 12:24

our employer has decided to ignore all wfh recommendations given. we are totally able to wfh as I've do once or twice a week anyway but they just want people in to be visible.

we did check out where we stood legally but were basically told they can say we need to be in if they like!

OhMyCrump · 09/12/2021 12:27

No mandate from boss here. We are currently most doing 3 days office, 2 at home and that's what I'll carry on doing.
No way I'm doing any more wfh than that. I hate it, it doesn't work for me.