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?

OP needs employment law advice. From someone who's actually seen her contract and is qualified to assess whether there might have been an implied change to custom and practice.

I really just don’t understand how people can work to their full ability if they are looking after their children. If you’re being paid a job you’re expected to give it your attention during working hours surely?

It should be why you come to an office, not how many days per week. Some things are better face to face, not as much though as some seem to think.

Though anyone who wants to come into one should have access full time if they wish.

Surely you would have been pregnant/on may leave a lot if you have 2 under 5?

Salsa is not the same as having caring responsibility is it.

OP you still haven't come back to tell us what childcare arrangements you have? Is that because you have the kids while WFH, which you know isn't ok?

I have two children under 5 and no family nearby. Any thoughts on this?

Yes.

Your children are your responsibility, not your employer's.

Who has been looking after them while you've been 'working' from home?

I assume that your children are in paid childcare whilst you work, in which case whilst having to commute again is a pain in the arse I fail to see the problem. Wfh is great insofar as it saves the commute and if your child is sick you can get to them quicker (or I can anyway- my child's nursery is much closer to my home than my office it would save me a good 40 minutes being at home) I don't think its more than an inconvenience (I also wfh but my 2 year old is in nursery- I wouldn't even consider having DC home whilst working - had no choice during lockdown it was awful, how anybody managed I have no idea). Pain in the arse, particularly if you can perform just as well at home - yes agreed. On the other hand the commute is an opportunity to switch off and transition from work mindset to home mindset plus its nicer to see people in person.

We didn't learn anything from Covid did we? Packing people back into offices.

The thing is - it's an employer's market right now so they're taking advantage and bullying staff back into one way of working that suits them and their lazy middle managers. But the tide will turn, and people will go to companies where they're not treated like cattle.

I'm a highly specialised professional and have direct experience of this. My company moved back towards an office culture and I moved towards not working there. When I handed in my notice they offered me a massive pay rise and I said no, but I do love my job and will stay if you remove the office requirement from me and my team. They said no, we can't make exceptions it would cause an uproar. So I left. They still haven't filled my post and that was 9 months ago. My job is a 95% solo job with occasional international meetings. If employers want to be stupid, eventually they'll suffer.

Unfortunately too many people are taking the proverbial and there’s a huge backlash against WFH. You just need to read the “what do you really do all day” threads on here where people admit to just doing a couple of hours a day, looking after the kids, long dog walks, watching TV while wiggling the mouse around, getting the housework done etc.

Is it not everyone being forced into the office? If it’s only mums then that would be sex discrimination.

Please, not this bleat: "Mums" - what about working "PARENTS." Lots of people don't have family around to help. Three days in the office is not too much to ask.

and this.

No family nearby for what though??

To offload the kids on to? That comment shows there is no intention of using paid childcare

There are plenty of wfh clerical jobs out there.

If your employers are so short sighted as to alienate their workforce, waste money and pollute the atmosphere for presenteeism, they will soon find their talented and capable staff going elsewhere.

Their loss!

Actually from about 2011 mine haven't like most of my siblings who do office jobs. Mine have been mostly hybrid with a minimum of 1 day a week in the office. I do have a brother who does 1 day a month in the office and he's done that role since 2010.

Interestingly most of my siblings ended up with hybrid work after their children were teens. There as myself and one sister are the only ones who had children after we started hybrid working.

Either way both of us expect to go into the office as needed. This means an situation or meeting can arise in the morning, and we would have to travel in. Therefore not having childcare isn't an option.

Who is looking after your children while you work now?

OP won't be back to answer that. She's been rumbled as WFH while looking after her kids.

I presume you are corralling your 2 under 5s whilst in a Teams meeting/loading washing machine which is why you've not cone back with some specifics about how you wfh with 2 under 5s

Your company isn't forcing only Mums - it's probably doing what a lot of companies have done post covid and asking staff to come into the office - probably as they are aware a lot of wfh staff are wfh whilst looking after their children

If there is flexibility, it should be for all. Not just mums 🙄 children should be in childcare during working hours whether in the office or wfh. No wonder employers are bringing staff back to the office. The pandemic finished years ago

This. All your employers are asking is you to go into the office. It sounds like you've been very lucky and been allowed a lot of leeway in your working arrangements.

It grinds my gears when the headline says 'forced' when it's anything but.

Apart from people like the OP - who has oddly disappeared when asked about her childcare arrangements - it is because younger workers aren't learning as much including for their soft skills.

No but mums aren't the only ones with caring responsibilities either 🤷🏼‍♀️

OP won't be back to answer that. She's been rumbled as WFH while looking after her kids.

That was my first thought!

I think it’s fine, Covid is long over and it’s perfectly reasonable to ask staff to attend face to face. I paid for childcare for years, some parents want to keep saving the money