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Original poster

Best days of the week to go into office (if you mostly WFH)

28 replies

goodmorningsunny · 11/12/2022 07:45

I'll be coming off Mat leave soon and will be doing 3 days wfh and 2 in office. I've been asked best days to go in. I haven't been in since before the pandemic!

Excluding meeting etc, what days have you found best for going into the office? Are 2 consecutive days easier? Mondays and Fridays best? Let me know your experiences :)

OP posts:
Waiteflower · 11/12/2022 07:46

I'd personally work Monday and Tuesday to get it out of the way

KangarooKenny · 11/12/2022 07:47

Tuesday is always worse for traffic if you’re driving.

sittingonacornflake · 11/12/2022 07:48

I avoid Fridays because I like to finish for the weekend and already be home, not having to travel. Mondays are quieter for traffic.

SummerSazz · 11/12/2022 07:49

Our car park is always full on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. So better for parking on Monday and Friday, but less people to be able to catch up with.

We need cross team collaboration in our work so can't just pick out days. If you are an autonomous team then I'd agree between your co-workers. Or if you need 'cover' in the office then again would need to be worked out with your team

From a personal perspective it works better for me to have 2 days in a row but I have worked split days before (mon, Thurs, Fri) when PT as that's when I could get childcare.

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 11/12/2022 07:49

if you have kids I think it’s best to be at home on Mondays because you can sort the house out again post weekend in your breaks.
Tuesdays and Thursdays work for me but they are the busiest commute days

RainbowCat26 · 11/12/2022 07:49

DH has to go in one day a week and he likes Friday because he says that traffic and parking are slightly easier. His work did talk at one point about upping to 2 days and at the time he say he’d choose Thursday so he travelled 2 consecutive days into the office.

MagpiePi · 11/12/2022 07:51

i have heard anecdotally that offices tend to be emptiest on Mondays and Fridays, so it depends if you want to go in to see colleagues, or if you want some peace and quiet.

I’d also say to think about what happens outside work - would a long commute prevent you from doing other things in the evening on particular days?

Can you be flexible to start with?

user159 · 11/12/2022 07:51

I do two consecutive days as we get in a rhythm. I work 4 days so start and finish my week at home, middle in the office. I love it!

user1471464218 · 11/12/2022 07:53

Do you need longer childcare hours on office days?

Itsthewhitehat · 11/12/2022 07:54

Monday to Wednesday for me.

I love been able to log off on Friday and have no commute home.

BarbaraofSeville · 11/12/2022 07:55

It depends what you want from hybrid working. Do you want to see people in person, carry out particular tasks that need a better desk or the photocopier etc?

Fridays are often more 'social' if that matters to you, but it's hugely variable. If your workplace has a lot of PT workers, Mondays and/or Fridays might be their non work days anyway, so

Does it have to be set days? We're currently supposed to go in at least one day a week, and two from next year, but so far it's not being enforced, some people are already going in most or even all days and others almost never come in. Management are more interested in people doing what they need to do effectively, rather than where they do it.

I am desk based most of the time, but visit clients that means I have to go to the office anyway to pick up/drop off equipment and a pool car, and its often easier to do that the day before due to early starts and traffic. So I generally time my office days to coincide with those, where I can.

PinkPrettyAndPointed · 11/12/2022 07:58

Pre Covid I used to WFH 2 days a week,Tuesday and Wednesday.

Now I WFH 100% but occasionally go in to the office for a new starter on a Monday. Public transport is always dead on Mondays which is great!

Plumpcious · 11/12/2022 08:03

Public transport commuter, not driver:

Not Mondays: don't get the Sunday evening feeling of dread if you WFH on Mondays and don't have to commute.

Tues-Thurs: fine but the most popular days so busier. The end of Thursday will feel like winding down for the weekend because Friday will be a more relaxed WFH day.

Friday: probably the quietest day (our office is like a ghost town). I do Fridays occasionally (we have flexibility) but probably wouldn't want to do them permanently.

CatNamedEaster · 11/12/2022 08:05

I vary mine depending on what I want to get out of it.
Tues/Thurs great for meetings and getting ideas etc as those days the office is packed. But I think everyone in the local area does this as traffic is shit.
Mon/Fri great if you need to actually get a load of work done.
Weds if you want a bit of noise and social aspect of work but not enough to stop you getting on with work.

Maybe ask them which are the days that are busiest end choose one busy one quiet.

confusedlots · 11/12/2022 08:09

I'd like to be at home on a Monday. Could get some washing on, tidy up a bit on breaks, get a food shop delivered. It would make me feel better organised starting the week. So I'd probably go into the office on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Twiglets1 · 11/12/2022 08:15

Friday is best for traffic and a more relaxed feel in the office (some offices).

Maybe go in Thursday and Friday if that makes it easier childcare wise. Otherwise Wednesday and Friday.

Ilikewinter · 11/12/2022 08:17

I do Monday & Thursday.
Monday sets me up for the working week, its quite a productive day.
Thursday is mainly because I can get a car parking space but its also a catch up day with colleagues - honestly I dont get much done!!!

Pineconederby · 11/12/2022 08:19

Mon/Weds/Thurs. Starts the week nicely, can catch up at home a bit on a Tuesday and then Friday at home to do all the bits I can’t do in the office because of interruptions. Works well.

Pineconederby · 11/12/2022 08:20

@Ilikewinter - agreed! People go in far less and then we end up chatting way more! Wasn’t like this when we were in 5 days!

Mindymomo · 11/12/2022 08:20

Friday is best, less traffic and most people who wfh for one day choose Fridays.

ArcticSkewer · 11/12/2022 08:23

Friday is fabulous if you want to avoid people and have a quick drive to work.

I used to do mid week though when I had young kids, let me spend a bit of Monday tidying after weekend mayhem

happinessischocolate · 11/12/2022 12:37

When I returned to work I did Monday and Tuesday because if my dc were ill then that gave me the flexibility to go into the office another day instead that week. Depends if your office days have to be fixed or not.

name78change · 11/12/2022 14:07

I go in 1-2 days a week, I prefer to go mid week. Mondays quiet at home to plan the week out, kick off tasks etc, Friday to close the week, finish tasks. Also like to do early pick up from school on Fridays so my son isn't in after school club every day, so I tend to work a shorter day (flexi).

Of course Jacob Rees-Mogg would say I'm extending my weekend Wink

itsthefinalcountdown1 · 11/12/2022 16:17

Surprised no one has mentioned it. You get more holidays if you don't work a Monday because of the bank holiday allowances, if your offices close on BHs.

Itsthewhitehat · 11/12/2022 16:26

itsthefinalcountdown1 · 11/12/2022 16:17

Surprised no one has mentioned it. You get more holidays if you don't work a Monday because of the bank holiday allowances, if your offices close on BHs.

Op hasn’t said she works 4 days or less. She works 5.

Op is asking what days wfh. Not what days to have off.