Page 4 | Being 'forced' back into the office

PinkPeonies22 · 2023-03-31T19:11:19+00:00

Wondering whether anyone works for companies that after letting them work remotely for several years during the pandemic, have now told them they need to return to the office. How have organisations been policing/enforcing it, and has anyone been made to leave for refusing to go back? If so, how? (eg. was it via disciplinary?), and did you have compelling reasons why you wanted to continue to work remotely? Thanks in advance.

MajorCarolDanvers · 01/04/2023 09:12

Start looking for another job.

There are loads of employers who are happy to support wfh and there's a recruitment crisis on so they will snap you up.

Likely in a higher rate of pay too.

gogohmm · 01/04/2023 09:12

@wincywincyspider

But my experience was training and managing staff was so much harder remotely and some struggled with performance considerably. Morale was far lower working from home and general coordination was poor. Working in the office is so much better

gogohmm · 01/04/2023 09:15

@Motheranddaughter

Same experience here. The people who resisted and thought they were more productive at home were the ones who were performing least well remotely.

MajorCarolDanvers · 01/04/2023 09:16

WandaWonder · 01/04/2023 05:51

So people want to WFH when they choose too, have time off for pregnancy related illness, study commitments, menopause, period paid, mental health days, carers leave, child events not sure if I missed anything but when do people want to work?

The 1950s called and want you back.

Auliza · 01/04/2023 09:17

If you refuse to return or resign then I’m pretty sure they can discipline you.

My employer is still expecting people to mix wfh and office however when I come off maternity leave later in the year I’ll have to go back into the office full time because the nursery is a stones throw away and can’t wfh with a baby. The days of wfh were good for me but I missed the interaction daily. I guess I’ll feel the opposite when back in full time!

Soontobe60 · 01/04/2023 09:19

MintJulia · 31/03/2023 21:23

I explained to my boss that if he wants me to go in to the office two days a week rather than one, he will have to pay me an extra £500 a month because that's what it will cost me after tax & NI.

He backed down. 😊

Things that never happened…

Soontobe60 · 01/04/2023 09:20

MajorCarolDanvers · 01/04/2023 09:16

The 1950s called and want you back.

Show quote history

I’d love to meet this employee who has period pain, menopause AND is pregnant all at the same time!

magicthree · 01/04/2023 09:22

Minimummonday · 31/03/2023 21:26

None of us should expect to dictate where we work.

because. We. Are. The. Robots. We. Must. Serve. This site has some bizarre work ethic proponents

Yes it does, and it's not who you think.

It's nothing to do with "robots" and "serving". If people are paying you to do a job they are entitled to dictate where the work is done from. If you don't want to work in the office, and they expect you to, then you look for a job elsewhere. Simple as that. No-one is indispensable.

Oops - I forgot, I'm on MN, where people don't want to interact with other people and think they are so special that they can shut themselves off from the world at home for the rest of their lives (and never open their doors to anyone).

Downtown123 · 01/04/2023 09:23

You have said you now have a baby. What difference does that make surely you aren’t looking after your child while trying to work.

Callmenat · 01/04/2023 09:23

Wfh is a privilege not a right (unless you are a contractual homeworker). If you don't like it find another employer.

Greenfairydust · 01/04/2023 09:25

''@gogohmm
I'm amazed that anyone is still working from home. I've been working in the office throughout as has dp, all his company have been back in full time since May 21 - only one person objected and she was the main reason he needed to get people back in, she wasn't being productive at home and he couldn't single her out''

And I am amazed at how ludicrous your OP's workplace sounds.

Removing flexible working for an entire workforce because of one employee is not performing is just poor and lazy management.

The employee should simply have been told to improve her performance and a plan put in place to that effect. And she should have been sacked if she did not improve. Job done.

Home working works for many employees and companies and has many benefits, nothing to be ''amazed'' about...

Beantag · 01/04/2023 09:27

gogohmm · 01/04/2023 09:12

@wincywincyspider

But my experience was training and managing staff was so much harder remotely and some struggled with performance considerably. Morale was far lower working from home and general coordination was poor. Working in the office is so much better

Training and integrating new starters is a huge issue working from home. Despite trying numerous things during covid when we were fully remote we have a fair few leave soon after joining, now we are back in at least several days a week so there is always a presence in the office we no longer have this issue. I can absolutely see how wfh is great for some, mostly those who are established in their careers and now have families to balance; but there are clear repercussions beyond that of the individual. All of our younger staff who are new to the sector love being in office and its nice to be able to support and develop them to the same level that we had when we started out.

I do think hybrid working and more flexibility is a very positive thing for the workplace, but I'm glad to be back.

Callmenat · 01/04/2023 09:27

MintJulia · 31/03/2023 21:23

I explained to my boss that if he wants me to go in to the office two days a week rather than one, he will have to pay me an extra £500 a month because that's what it will cost me after tax & NI.

He backed down. 😊

Absolute nonsense 💯

silentpool · 01/04/2023 09:27

I'm back 3 days a week and I'm finding it so tiring. It's not the best commute either. I don't think I could cope with 5 days - would definitely look for a job closer to home or cut down to 4 days a week.

magicthree · 01/04/2023 09:29

My yearly commuting costs would be £800 if I had to work from the office full time. So no I wouldn't be happy to lose that money plus 90 minutes a day.

I keep reading things like this. Were you forced to take a job so far away from where you live? It truly astonishes me how far some people travel to go to work, why, just why?

SallyWD · 01/04/2023 09:32

I used to have to be in the office every day but now it's 2 days a week which is fine with me. I e joy going in, I love seeing people. I think I'm more productive at home though even though I'm often distracted by chores like washing and preparing a meal. In the office me and my colleagues just spend so much time chatting!

PrettyMaybug · 01/04/2023 09:33

The problem with being able to work from home for so long - because of covid - is that it has given people an idea of a much better work/life balance, and people are much less stressed, have no commute, are able to be there for their kids (or pets!) or anyone else who needs them, and are much happier and more relaxed.

Why is it a 'problem?' Because people have got so used to it, that it's going to be horrible to have to go back to how it was. Having this better, more relaxed lifestyle for 3 years has spoilt people (I don't mean that nastily, people deserve good treatment and a nicer life,) but now it's going to be sooo difficult to go back to the office.

@PinkPeonies22 Could you possibly do what my DD has done? She works 4 days - 34 hours over 4 days - and does 2 days at home/2 days at the office. Is that an option? Condensed hours, and half at work? (2 days a week at work.)

bussteward · 01/04/2023 09:34

Downtown123 · 01/04/2023 09:23

You have said you now have a baby. What difference does that make surely you aren’t looking after your child while trying to work.

The nursery run is a lot easier when WFH than when trying to cram in a massive commute, too. OP lives five hours from the office.

user1472831787887 · 01/04/2023 09:42

pingugopoo · 31/03/2023 21:41

We have had to get people back in due to poor performance. It's hybrid 3 days from home and 2 designated days in the office with your team. But those who are not performing are 'invited' to attend the office 5 days for additional support before being put on a performance plan if they still don't improve.

It mostly works. The problem is that all the best staff are still at home and it's harder for them to support their colleagues remotely than it is in the office. True teamwork doesn't happen anymore. No one overhears someone struggling and just offers to help, like they used to. Managers do their best to help and support those who are struggling, but if they don't do they job themselves they don't really know it inside out like others do. The teamwork and unplanned training/learning from each other just doesn't happen now.

This is definitely the case for us. We have a lot of new staff who are predominantly office based whilst still learning. They are relying on each other for support and often making mistakes whilst we have a resource of experienced staff sitting at home.
If the newer staff do need support they are reaching out to management instead of the experienced staff at home, as they just haven't built that working relationship with them to feel they can ask. This leads to two main issues. 1. Management don't do the job day in day out and so aren't actually best placed to support and 2. When experienced staff need support from management they are too busy dealing with 'basic' queries.

Original poster

PinkPeonies22 · 01/04/2023 09:45

bussteward · 01/04/2023 09:34

The nursery run is a lot easier when WFH than when trying to cram in a massive commute, too. OP lives five hours from the office.

Show quote history

Thank you, exactly this. It would mean me needing to stay overnight several nights a week near the office, so not seeing my baby and leaving my husband with all the childcare for those days. I wouldn't dream of wfh while performing childcare, and personally would find that impossible to do either thing even to a satisfactory level.

OP posts:

blebbleb · 01/04/2023 09:46

It's unfair that they changed their minds on what they said last year. Did you move in that time? Unfortunately they are still within in their rights to ask you to return to the office. Most workplaces are moving to hybrid/office based again.

Inkpotlover · 01/04/2023 09:49

OP, did you sign new contracts last year that stated the WFH set up was now permanent? Unless you did, unfortunately your company can insist on everyone returning. I think it's going to happen a lot in the coming couple of years, especially if firms have got offices sitting virtually empty that they're paying out for. They can't justify keeping them that way with energy costs so high.

Lionsintheocean · 01/04/2023 09:52

It’s tricky because we had a policy change saying we would become remote organisation and told we would no longer need to come in to London on an official basis, only every now and then for meetings. So people moved house to live around the uk. I also have left London. Now the policy seems to be changing and they need people to come in every week. So I’ve moved and now basically will have to resign as they keep changing their mind. It just seems really unfair when big moves and people’s lives are so affected? Not sure what to do tbh!

BernieWinters · 01/04/2023 09:53

MintJulia · 31/03/2023 22:05

@piedbeauty When I joined the co, we were all in Lockdown. The company had allowed the lease on the office to lapse, and so they couldn't put an office address on the contract. They had no choice but to put remote.

Earlier this year, they asked me to go from one day a week in our new office to two. My contract says remote.

Each day that I go to the office costs £50 train fare and 9.70 parking. With 40% tax and NI, that adds up to an extra £500 a month.

It would not be hard to find myself another role at the moment, I am not particularly well paid. So if it came to it I would resign. My boss knows it would take him six months and £25k fees to find someone else to do my job. Far easier to pay me and retain my skills.

I don't understand this. I get the travel/parking costs but what do you mean 'with 40% tax and NI'? Don't you have to pay tax and NI if you're wfh? HMRC doesn't care where you are working!!!

Inkpotlover · 01/04/2023 09:56

Lionsintheocean · 01/04/2023 09:52

It’s tricky because we had a policy change saying we would become remote organisation and told we would no longer need to come in to London on an official basis, only every now and then for meetings. So people moved house to live around the uk. I also have left London. Now the policy seems to be changing and they need people to come in every week. So I’ve moved and now basically will have to resign as they keep changing their mind. It just seems really unfair when big moves and people’s lives are so affected? Not sure what to do tbh!

Companies were really sneaky about the way they did it - a policy change is very different to a contractural change, the former is moveable, the latter is binding. Were you offered a new contract or did you ask for one?