Anyone else being forced back into the office after working from home?

[nothinglikemyname]

I work for a small company - the work we do is something that can be comfortably done from home as we have proved since March, although our company has never previously been keen on home or flexible working.

Our boss has just sprung it upon us that he wants everyone back in work from 1st September, 5 days a week - no staggered hours, breaks or anything. No exceptions.

We'll all be working in one room - I think there will be 1m social distancing between desks but certainly not walking past. Because we are in a shared building there will now be no access to a kitchen, water or any areas away from our desks. There is 1 shared toilet for women (5 of us) and 2 for men (10). Cleaning is weekly and they don't seem to have plans to change - unless they expect us to do it.

I'm far from the only one with concerns which we are raising but it's landing on deaf ears. They seem intent on us going back regardless. They're putting together the risk assessment and the guidance seems to be the first questions to ask are is it essential? Is it safe? Is it agreed? No no and no.

I'm at the point of panic attacks thinking about going back in these circumstances and I think what's worse is the lack of consideration for our wellbeing. Even if the office was truly "Covid secure" which I don't think it can be for all of us, the lack of consultation or understanding of our individual circumstances seems to be going against all guidance.

To give some context I've always suffered from anxiety (although not under medical supervision) which my employer has been aware of and I have expressed to my boss that the return to work that has been sprung upon us has meant I've had sleepless nights and trouble concentrating. This hasn't been addressed. I appreciate I'm probably more risk adverse than most but I am in a social bubble with my mum who is vulnerable and been shielding (I provide some care but not officially if that makes a difference) and aside from that I have only interacted with people in an outdoor setting maintaining social distance - all shopping online etc. I feel that going back to the office will mean I won't be able to see her - without intense worry about making her ill anyway.

Due to the role I'm in I have a huge network and do not know a single other business taking this blanket approach to returning if the roles can be done from home - everyone is either shifting to remote being normal or giving people the option to return to the office if they feel that is what they want to do - making smaller groups safer and providing a happy medium for everyone.

But appreciate this might not be the case across other industries - is anyone else in similar circumstances? There is so much conflicting advice online that I don't know where I stand. Can they really make me go back at the expense of my mental health and well-being, and if it will mean I no longer feel I can see my mum? Right now I feel like I would rather quit.

I know I am luckier than most that I have a job right now and have been working all through lockdown but I have also made huge sacrifices to protect mine and my families wellbeing which will just all be undone. The guidance for social interactions is still mixing with only 2 households and avoid using toilets in others houses etc so how am I expected to feel safe mixing with almost 20 others for 8 hours a day?

@latticechaos

I don't think individuals are responsible, in a free market economy, for the changes this is bringing. I think we need a national strategy of some sort, way beyond short term measures like subsidised meals out.

We've a lot of stored up economic mess to either unravel sensibly or risk being unravelled by. Things like property prices, pensions, transport costs, childcare costs - all have been discussed long term as big issues in the UK.

A fee market economy doesn't include job creation schemes. Which do you want?

Why ‘wow’?

Because you basically said employees should put up and shut up. OP has a real concern about the health and safety of employees including herself when she returns to the office. There is nothing wrong in questioning management in those circumstances to ensure their own safety. That includes the issue of working from home if less numbers in the office makes things safer even if it is on a rota basis.

This.
OP, you should not have to give up your job just because your firm are not providing a safe environment. They have said, 'everyone back, no exceptions,' before even doing a risk assessment! I'd be terrified going into the environment you describe as like yourself my elderly mum is dependent on me so I've been hyper vigilant/not socialising etc and i'd feel that would be completely undone and I'd be putting her at risk. Fortunately i work for a huge company who actually want everyone who possibly can work from home to do so. Our MD contacts us regularly and has said it has worked well with no drop in productivity. In fact, they have urged us to take breaks, as they noticed a tendency to feel even more tied to your desk at home in fear of missing an e-mail/call or anything (true). Recent research has shown WFH doesn't lead to drop in productivity, although, I accept that this will not be the case in every single scenario.
Apparently, anyone can do a risk assessment, which is not great for you, however, if anything was to happen and the assessment was found not to be done properly, had omitted factors etc, then the company could be sued. There's already been an instance of this.
This piece of research is also interesting. www.stir.ac.uk/news/2020/june-2020-news/employers-could-face-legal-action-over-covid-19-exposure-expert-warns/

*Because, like you, they know their rights.

There's a telling line if ever I read one.*
Indeed

@Vodkacranberryplease

@KatherineJanewayyou just don't get it do you? You think that because some people, who mostly work in isolation at home can do so without much impact then that makes it a right to be rolled out across all workplaces. And all jobs.

I never said that. Of course some jobs can't be done from home however some can. This thread is about the OP's situation in which she believes she can wfh productively. I believe her bosses should seriously consider if that is feasible, which is not an unreasonable request.

*But oh no. You didadminoperations so know exactly how it works. For all companies everywhere. No matter how many times people say that the cost of wfh can forsome organisations and rolesbe reduced productivity due to reduced communication and teamwork it can all be done on zoom. Or teamwork. Or slack.

You really need to calm down and stop being so angry. Trying to belittle me won't make your argument any stronger.

So the OP is being told that their attendance is required in person at work - how is that being forced?

I understand your nervousness. When I was returning to work, I had the ‘butterflies’ kind of like startling a new job or going back to work in September.
It has been fine. I don’t work in an office, I’m in retail management so people coming and going all the time. People are not SD which I found shocking after being in my cautious bubble for months. I went back in June. We have been warned about the second wave since what, VE Day?
Keep your part of the office clean and sterile. Clean the loo with disinfectant wipes. Just be cautious but better to go into an office and have a job than not. I recently had some vacancies and had about ten to fifteen times the volume of applicants. It’s a tough job market.
I’m not saying it’s wrong to question. The amount of time I had to give to getting people back who thought they’d be furloughed impacted on my productivity. I feel better being at work. We can’t lock ourselves away forever.

Back to school ^^

If someone is taking the piss whilst wfh then they'll be doing the same in the office, and probably disrupting people trying to work with meaningless chatter, excessive water cooler waffle etc.

I've seen too many offices where the oh so essential interaction in the office was ass licking, pole climbing and basically providing managers incapable of delegation with ammunition to push upstream.

Having a piss taker in the office means you need to micromanage to stop them and if you think that is an appropriate management technique these days...

Covid has been a change accelerator - businesses will have to compete with those that have adapted better and if the competitors manage with wfh effectively they'll win. As always adapt or fail.

im not too uncomfortable except :
most people are staying at home, my supervisor has singled me out and i am her only charge in the office
ive realised the fuel savings
and im not happy that people, especially my supervisor skive and i can't