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Original poster

Working from home resentment

82 replies

Mammut · 13/01/2023 18:45

I’ve worked at home since the first lockdown. My job requires occasional travel but apart from that I’m in the house all day. There are lots of benefits of this of course, but I’m becoming increasingly resentful of the space it takes up in my house. I work in our small spare bedroom atm and the desk, screens, big chair etc just take over the whole room so it’s a nice space to use for anything else. I’m just resentful that my employers have managed to make me responsible for providing a work space. Does anyone else feel like this?

OP posts:
DelurkingAJ · 13/01/2023 19:13

We’ve just moved and a priority was a proper study to get me off the landing (and I acknowledge I was better off than many in the pandemic having that). So I hear you, OP, but like others I value hybrid for the other stuff it lets me do!

TheOrigRights · 13/01/2023 19:16

Reluctantadult · 13/01/2023 18:48

I know on paper I'm lucky. But I'm getting fed up with wfh too. I'm sort of trapped by the convenience! It means I can work 9-3 and leg it to school. But I've got a desk, office chair and monitor in my living room. And I'm on my own all day.

Can you use the time you're saving on not commuting to see other people in the day? It's important

PetitPorpoise · 13/01/2023 19:18

My job can't be WFH, and I'm envious of those who can but I wouldn't like to do it more than a couple of days per week. I definitely understand the effective loss of a whole room to your workplace as well.

TheUsualChaos · 13/01/2023 19:21

So many benefits of WFH which I'm quite jealous of, I'd save a fortune for a start. But it's not an option in my job and never will be BUT I also realise I would probably also get lonely at times and lack motivation. I think a combination of both is probably the ideal. Think you will have to decide if the benefits of WFH are worth it and if not then then you might need to look elsewhere.

Georgyporky · 13/01/2023 19:23

Concentrate on the positive aspects.

DH worked from home before CV, but still had to go to the office 1 day p.w.
The savings are substantial - just for that one day.
And don't forget to claim the tax relief for WFH.

Weleaiig · 13/01/2023 19:28

We resent it too but keep quiet as know our AC can’t do anything about it and are fortunate to have jobs. Our home is no longer a family home they are unlikely to be able to afford to rent or buy for many years. It takes up two rooms as they can’t work in the same room in their jobs. They’ve offered to work in their bedrooms but we’ve said no. They would rather be in the office as it’s difficult to quickly check things or learn how things are done. The isolation is difficult for them. Their companies should pay more to enable people to afford properties with proper office space not just family space or a space on the landing which I’ve heard some are doing.

bellac11 · 13/01/2023 19:32

I refuse to WFH, I didnt WFH through the whole pandemic.

I dont want my personal space to turn into a work one. I dont want my rooms looking like an office and ugly office furniture cluttering up my home. I dont want to sit on my own and I dont want the type of work I do (distressing/difficult/graphic) to be inside my home. I would utterly resent my employer getting away with not providing for me.

Oblomov22 · 13/01/2023 19:37

I don't like wfh much, but because it's only 1 day, i hoover, clean, put washing on, it's fine.

illiterato · 13/01/2023 19:42

bellac11 · 13/01/2023 19:32

I refuse to WFH, I didnt WFH through the whole pandemic.

I dont want my personal space to turn into a work one. I dont want my rooms looking like an office and ugly office furniture cluttering up my home. I dont want to sit on my own and I dont want the type of work I do (distressing/difficult/graphic) to be inside my home. I would utterly resent my employer getting away with not providing for me.

Totally get that- you need that separation for your mental health when your job is emotionally intense.

LubaLuca · 13/01/2023 19:45

What restrictions do they have in place for working in the office? How often are you 'allowed' to be there? What reasons do they have for stopping you going every day?

AliceMcK · 13/01/2023 19:53

I get it, my DH has also been wfh since the first lockdown, once we knew it was permanent we had to turn one of our DDs bedrooms into an office meaning we now have 3 DDs in one bedroom. His desk is set up with 3 monitors plus his laptop and other stuff so it’s not as simple as just taking a laptop to a rented office space, even if he could we got rid of his car after the first lockdown because it was just sat idol and very limited public transport options.

It has its perks, saving on a second car and transport, but even with this we couldn’t afford a bigger house so it’s still frustrating we’ve lost a bedroom and have DCs in one room can have its moments 😬

anexcellentwoman · 13/01/2023 19:55

@VladmirsPoutine -I'm not sure tbh - working from home is possibly after the smartphone the next best thing to become common-place, in my very humble opinion.
It is so glib to say something like this and not realise the HUGE knock on effects of the great majority of people working from home and how much it will deter teachers, nurses, care workers etc from staying in public facing jobs. Who wants a job now where you are out of the house for 10 hours a day ( 12 if you are a nurse on shift work) compared to a nice flexible wfh job? Teacher recruitment are at the lowest levels ever. Ditto NHS jobs. Again and again you hear that it's not just about money but about working conditions. We are pretending to ourselves that in the future we will be able to attract nurses, teachers, nursery nurses etc. Instead there will be far more online teaching ( already happening in Higher Education. More GP telephone appts to allow workers in these professions to have the same access to flexible working. WFH will have many detrimental effects on society and most people have their heads in the sand not wanting to think about the consequences

anexcellentwoman · 13/01/2023 19:59

Some of the big city firms are now insisting on employees being back in the office. I cannot believe how selfish some posters are in wanting to wfh but expect other workers not to be allowed the same flexibility.
For so many Teachers, NHS employees it is not just about the money but about flexibility and being able to have family friendly jobs.

EspeciallyDetermined · 13/01/2023 20:05

I get this, I did it for 6 weeks at the start of lockdown and the only thing that kept me sane was that my teenagers were at home all
day too, we have a small house and I had to use the kitchen table. Fortunately we were able to put in measures to make it safe to work back in the office after that, I now just do the very occasional day at home. I'd leave rather than WFH regularly again. I only have a 20 min commute and no childcare commitments so WFH has no real benefit for me.

RandomUsernameHere · 13/01/2023 20:08

I wfh permanently now and have never thought about the space it takes up actually. Even if you wfh occasionally I suppose you still need to have the set up? I really value the flexibility I have and the time and money saved not having to travel to work.

Coffeepot72 · 13/01/2023 20:13

Some of the big city firms are now insisting on employees being back in the office.

I read somewhere that 82% companies are now operating hybrid working? I don’t know of many office workers going back 5 days per week?

illiterato · 13/01/2023 20:17

Coffeepot72 · 13/01/2023 20:13

Some of the big city firms are now insisting on employees being back in the office.

I read somewhere that 82% companies are now operating hybrid working? I don’t know of many office workers going back 5 days per week?

They're all TWATS now (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday)

VladmirsPoutine · 13/01/2023 20:19

@anexcellentwoman No. I won't make too fine a point about specifically why but WFH is one of the best work policies, indeed policy in general, to come into existence.

Forever42 · 13/01/2023 20:24

I can see how the space thing would be annoying but I would love the opportunity to work from home. My kids have to go to after school club every day,taking days off when they are sick creates problems at work. I work in a job where you can't have your phone out so it would be so much easier to make appointments etc if working from home.

anexcellentwoman · 13/01/2023 20:25

VladmirsPoutine · 13/01/2023 20:19

@anexcellentwoman No. I won't make too fine a point about specifically why but WFH is one of the best work policies, indeed policy in general, to come into existence.

So where do you propose all the working out of home workers come from in the future? Look at the statistics for teacher recruitment and hospital staff etc. In the future it will be so difficult to operate schools and hospitals and care homes. There will have to be changes to how they are run. It is simplistic to extol the wonders of wfh without thinking of the consequences

VladmirsPoutine · 13/01/2023 20:28

If you think teacher, nurse, care staff recruitment is in crisis because of the virtues of working from home then I think you should contact the Conservatives HQ because they'll definitely pay for a taxi for you to come and explain why working from home means the death knell for teacher recruitment at their next party conference.

DustyDoorframes · 13/01/2023 20:32

@anexcellentwoman but you are sort of saying the only thing wrong with wfh is that it’s TOO good, and that everyone prefers it so don’t let the cat out of the bag? So that’s hardly an argument for it being bad?
Personally, I loathe it, I find it depressing. And I don’t think location of workplace is the problem with recruitment either in healthcare or teaching (apart from anything, most teachers do masses of work from home in the evenings…)

DustyDoorframes · 13/01/2023 20:34

Oops, crossed in the post Vladimir

Littlebluedinosaur · 13/01/2023 20:36

@anexcellentwoman @VladmirsPoutine

I was a teacher. After seeing my husband enjoying life WFH I got myself a nice WFH job after the pandemic. My working conditions are ridiculously better.

LuckeyBuoy · 13/01/2023 20:37

@Mammut I don't work at all, never mind from home, but I'd not be able to cope with WFH. I can't begin to imagine why employers have countenanced it when it's so bad for every possible reason. I am sorry that it's so crap.

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