Would you turn down a job if flexible working/WFH wasn't an option?

[Waferbiscuit]

I've just been offered a role in the sector I work in (arts/culture) and despite advertising that the organisation supports flexible working, was told that as a senior manager they'd expect me in full time with occasional WFH e.g. 1 day/every few weeks but depending on needs, so likely less frequently. Role also involves a lot of weekend and evenings for events.

I currently WFH 2 days, onsite 3 days. Was surprised at how much having to work onsite FT was a deal-breaker for me and despite it being an interesting job am inclined to turn it down.

Is being able to WFH a deal-breaker for you?

I would turn down the job, it’s just not right for you and that’s absolutely fine.
I worked for years in a job where wfh wasn’t an option, I now wfh 4 days a week and it’s absolutely perfect for me. I wouldn’t mind doing 2 days other than the commute is expensive into London and so time consuming, I like the office environment but love the amount of time wfh frees up for me.
It’s now a complete dealbreaker for me personally that there is at least 50% home working. My quality of life is so much better and I love finishing work and being instantly home and ready to do things like going swimming with the dc or go for a walk in the daylight hours still. The 4 days a week I’m home we can sit and eat an afternoon snack together when he gets home, even though the youngest is 12 it’s still important for me to make these little pockets of time for me to be available to them, this is another benefit of being able to wfh that I wouldn’t want to walk away from.

Depends if the job actually requires in person communication daily or whether its just presentesim.

Expecting people there just because would be off-putting.

Deal breaker. More and more of us are and want to wfh - imagine managing people who feel like this and you're the one to tell them no.

They lied on job listing as well - big red flag.

What do you all do that means wfh can be the norm?
It's not something I'd even consider asking for. No way I could do either of my careers without the equipment and facilities at work. I only spend a fraction of my day on a computer.

I would rather eat my own toenails than wfh more than once or twice a month so that wouldn’t bother me. The option to work compressed hours or pt would be more important to me though.

What do you all do that means wfh can be the norm?

Work in IT.

In all honesty, there is not a main office and the company has taken advantage of remote working to widen the recruitment pool.

Which means even when I do go into an office, I spend almost all day on Teams calls to people in other locations. Or answering emails. Or remotely connecting to tech systems.

Which rather makes it seem daft to come in at all.

Not for me. I prefer to be in the office to be honest. Also, if you are going for senior positions, there are many these days that need presence.

Yes I'd turn it down. I'd also be put off by the fact they advertised flexible working and agreed something else. No thanks.

It is now. Simply can't manage the school run and pick ups with being in an office every day.

Yes absolute deal breaker for me. I'd never want 4/5 days in the office again
My husband is currently looking for work and the amount of adverts that state hybrid or fully remote when they're not is beyond frustrating
He last week had a third interview for a job advertised as wfh with one day a week in the office (quite some distance away but doable a day a week)
Offered him the job but they want him in 4 days a week and offering him £15k less than the lower starting band advertised
A salary that he earnt about 10 years ago
Just a waste of everybody's time

I would turn it down, definitely. But then I have a lot of options.

No I wouldn't take a job where I needed to be onsite for the full week - two days, max three for me - especially if there was a commute of more than 40mins involved. For many jobs technology can make it just as easy to WFH regularly. I'm certainly not up to have my weekends taken over or my evenings. I did all that for years and no more. 🌹

I would only consider an in person role if I was relatively young (50-) and energetic and if I had no dcs/dcs over 15, or indeed if I worked part time.

Commuting can add up to nearly another day in the week.

As it is I am early 50s with teens. I need to work fulltime. The hybrid role iis great as less energy is spent on commuting. I get coughs and colds less often than when I worked fulltime in offices. If I had a fulltime in person role, I would have to retire a few years earlier as I wouldn't have the energy.

Dcs under 15 I meant to say. Easier to work when dcs are older.

I'd be happy with flexible hybrid but after having a WFH (4days) I'd definitely not move to full time office even for more money

If I'm already wfh regularly, and the new job is a long commute, then 100% yes. I don't want to take the job it is a deal breaker.

I was head-hunted for a role that was approx. 2 hour commute each way, it would pay approx 20% more than my current salary, but wanted 3 days in office. I didn't interview for it (relocation wasn't an option as the role was London-based and it wouldn't have made financial sense).

If the new job is just a short walk from my house then I'm OK to work in the office.

Op I work on the same sector as you and feel your pain. The disconnect between what people say and what people do in the arts is endlessly disappointing.

how do most of the junior staff work? I try to ensure i cross over with all of my direct reports for at least 1 Dpw. Otherwise, I am going to be doing my work at home thank you very much. Particularly teams calls, which are impossible in an open plan office

Yes, it'd be a dealbreaker for me too. Mainly due to Y7 DS who doesn't need childcare but I like to be around for. I could do 2 days a week in the office (my parents are nearby for DS) but beyond that would be tricky.

I would, yes. I'm an NHS community worker and am driving round to see people all day. I start my day at home. After 12 years in the hospitals every day, I'm feeling this is the job I'd like to have until retirement.

If it's your dream job, you either take it or you walk and you tell them why.

I'd love a WFH job now.

Menopause, health issues, lack of sleep etc are hitting me hard right now.

My school based job is only a 5 minute drive, but 5 busy days a week, boy it's tough!

I absolutely get why people wFH they love it. That said I don't think it should save on childcare unless something like saving commute time means can pick DCs up. I do know some people who take the piss WFH - Most don't . Since COVID though , , it is had to put the genie back in the bottle.

This is exactly why I DO go into the office every day, I work 2 miles from home so a 5 min drive after dropping the kids at school. Yorkshire tea provided :D Home by 5:15 every day as there's no expectation of working over your hours (company owner is of the belief that if work cannot be done in paid time then you're either doing it wrong or you need more people)
I am a senior member of staff here, and although bigger firms would pay me more the flexibility and work life balance is absolutely second to none - without needing to WFH too often (facility there if required EG Child sickness)

Yes, I would turn it down.

They want it all - evening snd weekend work and no flexibility at all?

I'd say no.

Yes.
Most of my team are spread round the country so if I do go in first my mandatory two days I spend the time in an office with no windows on teams meetings all day.