Mums forced into office by big UK company?

[MM90]

I work for a big, well-known company. The bosses are considering plans to force all colleagues to come to the office 3 days a week. They are thinking about checking our turnstile data individually and disciplining anyone who doesn’t come in for 3 days every week, whether they need to be there or not. I thought this was the 21st century where working women have the chance to create a sensible work / life balance so long as they perform in their job. My line manager gave me a great performance rating during Covid. I have two children under 5 and no family nearby. Any thoughts on this?

If you put caring responsibilities to one side for a moment… you want a job where you can work from home, and you know that you suit that kind of work.

Your employer however, wants you in the office now and is threatening to “discipline” workers who don’t fall into line.

Just hand in your notice in today. That will give you a big push to get cracking and find a fully remote job (or one where you attend an office only occasionally) that suits you. There are so many jobs out there in many industries and most employers really struggle to get reliable and competent staff.

I previously worked in a role where I had to shortlist and interview prospective candidates, and I can tell you that it is shocking out there, it was actually a relief if someone half capable turned up to an interview!

You owe your current employer nothing. Leave it up to them to recruit and train and spend that time and money on replacement employees, and you focus on getting a job that suits you where your skills will be appreciated. Or see if you can set up doing freelance, depending on what you do.

If you look on Indeed, you can filter jobs so that you are only shown fully remote options. Good luck.

So they're asking everyone to come into the office, not just mums.

It's happening because people are taking the piss with childcare, housework and lunch dates.

I think you’re doing working mums a massive disservice by suggesting we’re special sausages who can’t do the job properly.

Flexible working is brilliant, for everyone. Lots of jobs can be done just fine with some time at home (but very many benefit from time in the office, too).

Making this about mums (not dads?) sorting out childcare implies a certain lack of focus.

Your childcare issues are nothing to do with your employer 🤷‍♀️

What’s being a mum got to do with it? Presumably you have childcare in place already for your wfh days?

The old 'I am female and a mum how can I fond a way to complain and try and fix it so I feel discriminated against'

There are millions of workers who don't work from home

Why do people jump to the conclusion that people who WFH aren't using childcare? I WFH and use childcare, I wouldn't ever try to work without it. I live next to the school and 10 min drive from nursery, 35-75 mins from the office depending on traffic. But if I went into the office I'd have to pay for an additional 8-12 hours of private nursery, plus 4x breakfast and afterschool club per week. It would cost me an extra £110 per week in childcare. Then I'd also have to pay for petrol and parking (£72/week). That's nearly £800/month to be in the office. Kind of fair enough if your role actually requires you to be in the office, but if it doesn't? Surely that's a gamechanger for almost everyone in similar circumstances? And a huge cause of resentment even if you can afford it.

I think you’re doing working mums a massive disservice by suggesting we’re special sausages who can’t do the job properly.

😂

Exactly this. If you want a fully remote job, get one. You can always put in a flexible working request but if it doesn’t work for your employer and adversely impacts the team/company then they don’t have to accept it.
If you are looking after very young children/toddlers at home whilst working, I’d argue you aren’t doing one of those jobs well. Full time/stay at home parenting is hard work and I think it undermines those (predominantly women) who do stay at home or work in a childcare setting to suggest it’s not a full time, hands-on job.
For the record I am a toddler mum with an office job that in theory could be done from home. Not with a toddler hanging round my neck though, and if she falls and injures herself climbing a bookshelf because my attention was elsewhere (on a work call for instance!) that’s just as neglectful as if I’d just left her home on her own in my opinion.

I want to know how the hell you're managing to work with children in the house! I wfh but I could NEVER while my daughter is here, she is in childcare during work hours. I have so much respect for those who had to do it in the pandemic.

We also have two young DC and no family nearby. I WFH more and more now as my commute is long and there's no one there when I get in but pre covid we were both in the office five days as was the norm.

I really miss the social aspect of being in the office, I do think a lot is accomplished in those informal chats while the kettle boils.

In terms of logistics, it tends to work best if you each stagger your hours and one drops off and the other picks up. You'll manage.

All colleagues... so they are not just targeting women then.

Your title is very misleading.

What does your contract say?

Also two children under five - so your wfh and child caring at the same time? Probably why they want you back in work?

What does your contract say? And it's not 'mums being forced', it's employees being requested.

If it's not working for you find a fully remote role!!

My dc is 8 and I can only work with them here for 1-2hours absolutely max

When my dc was 2-4 they were in nursery and I worked in the office 5 days a week

I'm glad there is more flexibility now such as wfh a few days a week but if your not a remote contracted worker it's totally understandable to go back to the office!!!

And the rules apply to everyone it's not discriminated against mums

Why is this affecting mums and not dads?

Who is caring for your children while you're at work?

Where js the children's dad? Why is this just falling on you?

WFH whilst looking after kids doesn't help women, very few men do it. Just means that you're doing two jobs badly.

Are you suggesting that mothers should be allowed to work from home as much as they like, but everyone else should go into the office?

Not a mum problem ! A parent problem.

Anyway if you firmly believe you wsnt to wfh so much then you will need to put in flexible working request.

From the employer perspective, there are plenty of people who take the mick and do very little wfh just like there's plenty who are super productive. Employers are paying a lot of money for real estate that people aren't using and more junior staff often miss out on being mentored, teams miss out on the casual interactions that help with bonding etc. Some employers pay London weighting so are paying extra for employees to cover cost of commuting etc and then employees not coming in.

So they are perfectly within rights to ask for you to be in. You are free to request wfh or leave

Not sure what the relevance is of wfh and having kids. Unless you’re one of “those” who sneaks in school runs and has kids there while supposedly working.

Loads of people who WFH don't use childcare. I use childcare (and have a husband who does his share and has also adjusted his job to care for his kids) but loads don't.

Yes, well said. Why is this all on "the mums"? If we accept this as the staus quo, so will the employers and the fathers.

Working from home should be working from home.
Not getting some work done around your kids.

@Corrag yes but she said "I thought the 21st was meant to be better for working mums" (or words to that effect).
How would that work for the vast majority of jobs ?

My thoughts are - you'll have to seek out some childcare, won't you? And thank your stars you don't work in Sainsbury's or something where you absolutely have to be in.