Second Trimester, Returning to Office

[Flowerchild547]

Hi all
Wanted to gather some thoughts on the below.

Since covid my workplace (healthcare provider) has allowed people to work from home or in an office depending on what people are comfortable with. During this time they have had an office refurb so I have not been to the office since earlier this year. The new office is due to open shortly.

I have been told today that I will be expected to be working from the office when it opens.

I will be 24 weeks pregnant at this point. I am beginning to feel very anxious about returning to the office due to lack of social distancing and fear of being in contact with covid. My manager is not particularly supportive and does not seem to be bothered about covid anymore.

The guidance I have read states work from home where possible when pregnant with that message being further reinforced when in third trimester.

I guess I’m just wondering if anyone else has been in this situation and what you have done?

Have you got a risk assessment in place? I would suggest that you need to update this if the expectation is that you should be in the office. Ask what measures they will put in place to protect you and if you don't feel these are good enough ask to keep working from home.

I'm second trimester and going into the office in London 2 days a week atm, probably more in the next month or two. I thought the guidance was changing on the third trimester WFH now the vaccine is available? I'll probably be working in the office throughout.

One thing we are doing is core hours in the office - so we can come in and work our eight hours as we choose. So I can come in at 10am for example and go home at 6pm to avoid the worst of the rush on the commute. And I am doing less of the face to face client contact at bigger events, as I'm just not comfortable with mingling with v limited distancing in groups

I’m 33 weeks pregnant and have been going in the office 1 or 2 days a week. All staff have to either be double jabbed to go in or take a LFT I feel safe so I have no issues really. However I’m not being forced to go in, it is my choice. I will say though that if you don’t want to go into the office I expect you won’t be going out much in public too? As you can’t say you don’t feel safe at work but then still be going out places. Noticed a few colleagues at work saying that, it’s quite hypocritical! So just be careful on that front x