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Original poster

Working at the office/ away from home to save energy?

55 replies

TooHot2022 · 30/08/2022 16:19

I haven't seen much mention of this anywhere. Do you think all the people who were pro WFH after the pandemic will begin to want to go back to the office, or begin to work from cafes/ libraries/ hotel lobbies etc if they can to save on heating costs?
It could actually be the thing that saves city office blocks and their surrounding businesses!

I've mentally been noting local places which are quiet and where I could reasonably spend a few hours on my laptop!

OP posts:
worriedatthistime · 30/08/2022 18:58

And as for the everyone doesn't want to go back we have already seen an increase of people on the office at least a couple times a week anyway as many were feeling isolated at home all day and also liked some face to face interaction

worriedatthistime · 30/08/2022 18:59

@Postapocalypticcowgirl i didn't think you could claim wfh now though if its a choice and you could work in the office ?

Figgygal · 30/08/2022 18:59

Id been debating it but its bloody winter who wants to commute in winter and id have to pay to get there
Id rather sit at home cold tbh

Nachtvlinder · 30/08/2022 20:00

For me, I'll have to travel to work on public transport and door-to-door, it'll take an hour to get to the office. I may consider this, or go to a council building and work from there. No doubt, if others like myself have the same idea, there might be a scrabble for a table and chair!

Womencanlift · 31/08/2022 13:29

A lot of my colleagues have been talking about this and most people have said they will be increasing their days in the office come winter

Personally I will be too as commuting costs are not that much and could be even cheaper if I got bus rather than train

We have showers too and one of my friends who cycles in now and has shower at work has already noticed the difference in her smart metre readings (from not using shower and then electric for hair dryer, straighteners etc)

mumofmunchkin · 31/08/2022 13:47

In addition to transport costs for getting into the office, I need more wrap around care for the kids if I'm in the office than at home (without the commute I can be at school earlier). It'll still be cheaper to be at home.

Legacy · 31/08/2022 20:20

DS at uni is moving into a flat of 8 this year where bills are not included 😱

Apparently they've already been discussing working from the library and also someone has found a map which shows all the showers that are available on campus - it seems most departments have at least one in order to support sustainability/ cycling to work and students are allowed to use them (although I guess if it starts getting busy that might change!)

HunterHearstHelmsley · 31/08/2022 20:35

I would if I didn't live with another home worker. The cost savings would be negligible (one less laptop on charge)

Supercal00 · 31/08/2022 20:40

I’m planning on once or twice a week and charging my car there too!

Cynderella · 31/08/2022 20:54

Definitely staying at home - got my thermals and heated throw ready. No diesel, less wear and tear on car and saving myself 50mins drive in cold and dark.

Smokeahontas · 31/08/2022 23:16

I worked from home last winter & didn’t switch the heating on at all during the day. Mainly cos my central heating was on the way out & I was waiting on an oil to gas conversion. Used an oil filled radiator for a few mins every hour & hot water bottles when necessary, so will be the same this winter.

NoWordForFluffy · 31/08/2022 23:19

worriedatthistime · 30/08/2022 18:59

@Postapocalypticcowgirl i didn't think you could claim wfh now though if its a choice and you could work in the office ?

You can't. I WFH officially as my office is about 160 miles away, so I can't go there that often, so I claim it. Your contract will have to have you WFH to claim it.

It's also tax relief on £6 per week, not £6 per week back in tax. So your personal allowance is increased by £6 per week. It doesn't really cover that much, but it'll do!

Danikm151 · 01/09/2022 14:13

My work provides a free bus pass and I've always chosen to work in the office as I noticed the difference in my bills from when we had to WFH. More and more people are already starting to come into the office this year compared to when we could come in again last year(it's pissing me off tbf I was enjoying the quiet haha)

UnnecessaryFennel · 01/09/2022 14:36

I've thought about going in more often but on balance I'll probably still stay at home as much as I can.

My return train ticket is £8 per day and whilst it's not at all unlikely that the daily energy bill will be somewhere around that too (!!) the other advantages of WFH outweigh going in if I don't have to. Plus, one day last winter the temperature in our office dropped down to 12 degrees and we were in coats and scarves at our desks anyway!

I loathe commuting at the best of times let alone in the dark and cold, tend to eat better when WFH, am better organised at home with all my stuff around me rather than hotdesking and queueing for printers in the office etc.

So as long as my hideous chilblains don't get too bad (have invested in fingerless gloves and extra wristwarmers for this winter) I'll be under blankets and hot water bottles at home as much as possible!

verdantverdure · 01/09/2022 17:37

Is anyone thinking of taking their laptop to the nearest warm bank with the pensioners and the mums with new babies? Or will they be invitation only like food banks?

sheepdogdelight · 01/09/2022 18:02

My employer is "rationalising" its office space to save money, because of so many people wfh - think we're going to lose at least half the available space. So folks that have been wfh may discover coming back to the office is not actually an option any more.

UnicornMumcraft · 01/09/2022 18:40

We’re hybrid working and I usually do 50/50 office and home but I think I’ll do more office time over the winter to save. I walk to work and it makes very little difference if I go there or home after the school run so I may as well and save a bit on heating and electricity.

verdantverdure · 01/09/2022 18:42

sheepdogdelight · 01/09/2022 18:02

My employer is "rationalising" its office space to save money, because of so many people wfh - think we're going to lose at least half the available space. So folks that have been wfh may discover coming back to the office is not actually an option any more.

Where my friend works if they all wanted to come on they'd have to rent three times as much space as they've got. They're not going to. Most sensible workplaces haven't just been leaving offices empty all this time.

c3pu · 01/09/2022 18:46

I can cycle to work, and I have Flexi time so I'll be spending large amounts of time at the office and using their heating/kettle rather than mine for sure!

OnlyEverAutumn · 01/09/2022 18:49

@worriedatthistime totally agree! I bloody hate wfh and love my office days. Luckily I have a couple of colleagues who feel the same 😬.

SweetPetrichor · 01/09/2022 18:57

I’m not intending to go into the office any more than I do in summer months…our office is a freezing, single glazed listed building. Back when we had to work from the office all week many of us had microwave heat bags and scarves in our pedestal. Now we hot desk and have no storage space so any cosy items you want would have to be brought in and out each day. So I’d rather cosy up at home (with the heating off!)

Speedweed · 01/09/2022 19:30

I can see businesses trying to limit their costs by making sure the office is full if they're going to heat it, so perhaps shutting on Mondays and Fridays rather than heat it for 5 people.

I think it could be the saving of some cafes and pubs, as people go there for warmth rather than sit at home.

But unless you can cycle or walk to your office, the cost of the commute (esp by train) will outweigh any saving on heating.

Shudacudawuda · 02/09/2022 08:06

Absolutely not.
My office have just demanded that we come in 3 days a week (been almost 100% wfh for the last 2.5 years).
I'm furious about it. I will now need to find an extra £150 a month for travel costs, on top of all the other price rises we're having to cope with, and a measly 3.5% pay rise, it feels like a kick in the teeth.
I didn't put the heating on any extra last year wfh, I have thermals, fingerless gloves, a small cosy home office and my mental health was vastly improved at not having to do the miserable 1 hour train commute.

Chersfrozenface · 02/09/2022 09:58

verdantverdure · 01/09/2022 18:42

Where my friend works if they all wanted to come on they'd have to rent three times as much space as they've got. They're not going to. Most sensible workplaces haven't just been leaving offices empty all this time.

Show quote history

Absolutely.

Figures: in London there is currently 2.88 million square metres of empty and available office space, which is 50% more than the 1.8 million square metres available in 2019.

Anecdata: a relative, in London, goes into the office 2/3 days a week and the employer has got rid of one of the offices it rented, so it's hot-desking and everyone in part-time. Also my NDN, not in London, now works permanently at home as his employer has got rid of one office building and is in the process of offloading another.

Shinyandnew1 · 02/09/2022 10:03

I think it could be the saving of some cafes and pubs, as people go there for warmth rather than sit at home.

I’m presuming they won’t want people there that want to charge their laptop for hours, do Zoom calls all day and nurse a mug of hot water for hours-I can see cafe prices going up.