Work suddenly asking to be in office more

[twix23]

I started at the company I work for in August last year. I'm a mum of 2 and the job was ideal, I could work from home everyday, n it was super flexi hours. They had an office in London (one of those wework rent a space for a day ones) but said I didn't need to go in, only if I wanted to, maybe 1x a month! I explained my situation and how due to childcare and the hours my kids could be looked after, London was not doable very often for me at all (it's 2 hrs each way on trains) and they said no problem, just when I can or if a company event/training is happening but that's not often. Fast forward to now, I'm 5 months pregnant with my 3rd baby, I've passed my probation, but we have a new office space in London that the company rent monthly now. A new director started a month ago and he's now demanding us all in at least once a week, ideally 2-3 times. My manager now keeps pestering me now about going in 1 day a week to keep this director happy. To do this I need to ask a huge favour of my retired parents every week to get to my house super early and leave super late, to look after my kids, something they don't really want to do (the hours, not looking after them!) as I need to leave the house at 6.40am, and I don't get home until 7pm. My partner finishes work around 6.30pm n leaves at7.30am. My parents live an hours drive away. Not only that, I am exhausted this pregnancy and finding it really tough mentally and physically this time round, still being sick too, everydays a struggle atm! So travelling into London and the underground even once a week is so tiring for me and tbh, I get more done at home anyway, it just feels so pointless. Would you stand your ground here, and say it's not what I signed up for, childcare is a struggle and just refuse? I don't want to lose my job over it (so anxious currently so over thinking everything of course) but my manager says this director seems pretty serious about everyone needing to be in the office more. Help!

[GobbieMaggie]

@RotundBeagle

If your contract states you’re entirely WFH or your base location is home you have a leg to stand on, however even then they are entitled to just change your contract, with notice.

Really?

I thought an employer couldn't amend a contract without the employee's agreement.

Wouldn’t be much point having a contract then. Would there.

[JenniferBarkley]

I think one day a week is absolutely fair enough. Your employer is effectively flexing four days for your childcare so your DH needs to find some way to flex for the fifth.

I was discussing this with another parent at school the other day - the flexibility to WFH is great but we both agreed that there's no replacing the informal chats at the kettle, where actually a lot of info can get passed on. One day a week seems fair enough to me.

[ScentOfAMemory]

@twix23 I've just skimmed your other recent threads.
This WFH v going into the office is the least of your worries, frankly. But do not, under any circumstances,leave yourself any more financially dependent on your child's father than you already are. Look after yourself.

Everybody else- AS is useful.

[gogohmm]

It all comes down to your contract, if it says wfh that is different to if it states the office address but then you were told that you can wfh but should come into the office periodically. Weekly is not unreasonable and even if your contract states wfh that can be changed however you would have a case to negotiate

[whiteroseredrose]

You need to think if this job is worth it. My 'nice' employer unfortunately built a new office just before Covid which has to be seen to be used.

So only needing to go in once a week has changed to 40% then 50% over the last 6 months, because nobody chose to go in more.

I now have an interview for a job described as remote / home based except for training and 1 day per month. (Though from OP's experience I'm wondering if it's worth the move).

[freyamay74]

One day a week is entirely doable. You say your partner leaves home at 7.30 am and gets home around 6pm. I'm surprised your normal childcare arrangement doesn't cover those hours tbh... they're hardly unusual as a working pattern.

Are your kids at nursery? Or older and at after school club? If that's the case and the hours don't quite extend to 7:30- 6pm then employ a childminder for the days you need to be in the office and they can drop the children at their regular childcare.

At the end of the day it's your choice if you want to continue working for a London based company when you're 2 hours away. It's entirely reasonable that they're restructuring how employees work, given they seem to be a successful company that's doing well and have taken over a permanent office space.

Tbh it sounds as though one of your main reasons for taking the job was so you could wfh full time which perhaps was a little unwise seeing as there aren't many jobs where this is a guaranteed arrangement for life.

Honestly I think it won't look great if you're claiming you can't get in just once a week even, especially if you cite childcare problems as that's not your employer's problem.

[superking]

Could you work a shorter day on the days you go into the office and make up the time on other days? Your parents might be willing to help if it wasn't such an early start/ late finish, or you might be able to make use of school wraparound care.

Your DH needs to be flexible too. I only go in one day a week and on that day my DH goes into work early and leaves early to do pick up.

There are ways around the problem, the question is whether the hassle is worth it for you or whether you'd be better off finding another job. It is perfectly reasonable for an employer to want you to attend the office once a week though so I don't think you can resist this if you stay.

[sorcerersapprentice]

You shouldn't be struggling with one day a week. That's really not unreasonable. It might be three days a week by the time you get back from maternity leave. If you're committed to the job, you're (both of you) are going to have to find a way to sort the childcare to make it work. Temporary nanny for the days up until mat leave, then a better arrangement for when you go back after mat leave. You'll need a proper discussion with your employer before you go back about what the expectation is then for going into the official so you can put the right arrangements in place

[WeWereInParis]

@Fuctifin0

I can't believe those who wfh are still resisting going back into the office.
You've had it too good for too long.

If you're not prepared to put the effort in for one day a week to get into the office, start looking for a job closer to home who will allow you your super flexi hours, which is probably the reason the new director wants people back in, they take the absolute piss.

I think that's a little unfair in this situation - she got this job last August (so well after any covid restrictions) and specifically asked about this. They've gone back on it in just a few months, and that's annoying whether it's wfh, or something else someone may have agreed on prior to accepting the job. Plenty of jobs were wfh pre-covid and people would have sought them out if that was what worked best for them.

I think it's different to someone who stayed at the same company, always worked in the office, then wfh due to covid, and is now refusing to go back. People who post about that are always told they need to quit and find a wfh job if it bothers them so much. OP found one, but they've now changed it.

[fajitaaaa]

I explained my situation and how due to childcare and the hours my kids could be looked after, London was not doable very often for me at all what's the childcare?

[Benjispruce4]

Contracts can be changed. Position can be made redundant. New position offered. DH’s company is relocating. Many are unhappy but it’s all been done properly and is allowed.
Agree you could work it out with DP or get a childminder. Bit much to ask grandparents to do that .

[SheilaFentiman]

Could your parents stay every other (king)weekend and one week you do a Friday and the next a Monday?

[Skodacool]

If you officially work from home with office attendance being optional then I'd tell them to do one
Well, you could try that but they can dismiss you as you have been working there for less than two years.

[LadyHarmby]

I would do the one day a week between now and mat leave as it’s not very long. But you’ll need to make a long-term decision on whether to keep this job.

Don’t bother going down any kind of ‘they can’t do this’ route, it’s well established that they can.

[SheilaFentiman]

I assume the timings are dictated by nursery and school hours.

If so, can you go in late (after drop off) and work late, meaning your parents (or DP) could just do the pick up and your parents don’t have to leave home so early.

[Figgygal]

Even if you can minimise office attendance during pregnancy whats the longer term plan when your mat leave ends? It doesn't sound like your job is sustainable generally with your circumstances now.
The business need has changed theyre not unreasonable to want to implement a more hybrid business model

[fajitaaaa]

Why would they let you work in the office less because you are pregnant - is that still covid guidance?

[Dyslexicwonder]

@SheilaFentiman

Could your parents stay every other (king)weekend and one week you do a Friday and the next a Monday?

Do be careful about this. I took a job in 2011 ( 2 DCs aged 5 &7 so school ) and my parents said they would support me. We had a similar arrangement in place and it only worked for a very few weeks. It was incredibly prescriptive for them and really too much despite the DC being at school. Perhaps that is OK until you go on maternity leave, but I do think you need to think seriously about your return when you have a one year old.

[freyamay74]

I'm also confused as to why your default when considering how to cover the extended childcare is to think of your parents who live an hour away and have already made it clear it won't be convenient for them!

Your dh is out of the house 7:30- 6pm. Why are you not considering a childminder for the parts of those days which your current childcare doesn't cover? I mean, 7:30 is hardly an exceptionally early time to leave for work and 6pm is hardly a late finish time... many parents do these hours every day! It sounds like you've got away with much shorter childcare hours because at the moment you have no commute but you'll just need to rethink for when you and your dh are both working outside the home.

I honestly think if you're serious about the job, just get on with it!

Re-frame your thinking: on the day you go into the office it's a 2 hour commute each way, but the trade off is no commute 80% of the time! If you had an office based job nearer home you could easily end up spending longer commuting over the course of a week. Once a week is really not a bad deal- and you may find the chance to actually interact with colleagues and feel more a part of things with the new management a bonus.

[Cococomellonn]

OP I don't think it's unreasonable of your employer asking you to return to work for one day a week... You and your husband rather need to sort out childcare.

[mistermagpie]

Have you been working from home with the children there?

Can't you get a nanny or childminder, why do your parents need to be involved?

I don't think your employer is being unreasonable to be honest. We went WFH during Covid and now I do a day a week in the office - I can see it creeping up to more. But it's fair enough, I don't have to work there if I don't want to.

[Coffeepot72]

I don’t think one day per week is unreasonable?

[SheilaFentiman]

@Dyslexicwonder

Do be careful about this. I took a job in 2011 ( 2 DCs aged 5 &7 so school ) and my parents said they would support me. We had a similar arrangement in place and it only worked for a very few weeks. It was incredibly prescriptive for them and really too much despite the DC being at school. Perhaps that is OK until you go on maternity leave, but I do think you need to think seriously about your return when you have a one year old.

Oh, definitely, I saw this as a temp solution to get through mat leave. Then Mat leave gives time to find eg a childminder with longer hours or DP to ask to wfh one day a week etc.

[Soontobe60]

@RotundBeagle

If your contract states you’re entirely WFH or your base location is home you have a leg to stand on, however even then they are entitled to just change your contract, with notice.

Really?

I thought an employer couldn't amend a contract without the employee's agreement.

www.gov.uk/your-employment-contract-how-it-can-be-changed

They can change it, but not easily.