Is anyone else working from home but being forced to come back into the office?

t1redmonkey

So as title says, there are a number of us that transitioned from in-office working, to remote working mid-March.  We have done this successfully and are able to do 100% of our office work from home as efficiently as we did in the office.  However our managers are now telling us that they are planning to bring us back into the office soon unless anyone has a good reason not to come back in to the office. 

Now personally, and I know I am not alone in this, I do not think the threat of the virus has gone away at all.  I think it is ridiculous that they are trying to just say "Right back to how we were a few months ago!" when there is no real reason to do so.  I can completely understand if we were unable to do some of our work or if it wasn't working, but like I said, we can do 100% of our processes without any issues. 

I feel like they are unnecessarily putting our health at risk.  I told my manager this the other day and was told I was being negative and resistant to change.  Is there anyone else in this position as well, or does anyone have any advice other than just bowing down to my managers and going back in?  

poppy12345

This virus isn't going to go away over night and we have to learn to live the new "normal" for some considerable time to come. Providing your employer makes social distancing possible in the work place then there shouldn't be any reason why you can't return to work. People have worked from day 1 of the lockdown and they have continued to do this because of social distancing in the work place.

You can of course choose to stay home if you want to but you most likely won't get paid.

Jeremy535897

I don't see how embracing a more efficient and lower carbon emitting way of working is resistant to change. Managers who want everyone back in the office to justify their existence are resistant to change. If this pandemic is to have any upside, it will be from getting rid of unnecessary polluting time wasting commutes.

Sooler

Here

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19

Ask your manager what measures they are implementing.

sharpe106

Have you asked them why? they may have a good reason, you might be able to do your job fine and are doing it fine, but others might not be so they have decided to bring everybody back in. 

suki1964

if you don't feel safe in your work envoirment, pick up the phone to HSE and ask for a visit

unforeseen

suki1964 said:

if you don't feel safe in your work envoirment, pick up the phone to HSE and ask for a visit

BUT, you will need to give HSE some idea of why you don't think it's safe. I. E. Know what measures have been put in place and why you think they are unsafe. It's not enough to say its unsafe because of your fears or your wish to carry on WFH

I have the opposite problem. I am shielding but know I can safely go back to work and want to. However my employer has decided that anybody in the workforce who is shielding will not be allowed back into the workplace until PHE/government advice for the extremely vulnerable is changed. 

Biscuit49

Jeremy535897 said:

I don't see how embracing a more efficient and lower carbon emitting way of working is resistant to change. Managers who want everyone back in the office to justify their existence are resistant to change. If this pandemic is to have any upside, it will be from getting rid of unnecessary polluting time wasting commutes.

Well said, this was my exact thought and then I read your post.

One thing I am hoping is that employers will see that employees who have worked from home and been as efficient and productive  as in the office should continue to do so post lockdown.

Not saying everyone 100% but on rota basis to allow people to still continue that social interaction with their colleagues. As you say imagine the difference to daily commutes if people stay at home in good numbers, the potential effects on well being too for employees who many will be spending a long time each day in traffic if they commute.

I think a large element is trust and hopefully this has helped conquer that fear, if a Manager feels he or she needs to be looking over your shoulder to manage you then that manager is wrong, you get far more out of employees empowering them and encouraging them than whip cracking.

Thrugelmir

Jeremy535897 said:

I don't see how embracing a more efficient and lower carbon emitting way of working is resistant to change. Managers who want everyone back in the office to justify their existence are resistant to change. If this pandemic is to have any upside, it will be from getting rid of unnecessary polluting time wasting commutes.

 Working from home is portrayed as the simplistic easy thing to do. Whereas it's far more a complex topic. Lot more to running a business than having employees "efficiently" working from home. Not that all employees are in a position to do so anyway. Which in itself will cause ruptions. Commuting choice is down to the individual. 

daveyjp

It is currently impossible for large offices to run as they did before.

I would therefore expect most office based companies to have prepared new working arrangements and communicated them to staff before asking anyone to return.  This will include commuting advice and the  details of how tne office environment has changed from the point  of entering the building, moving around and operating within it.

KxMx

Mum went back to work a week ago at her office. 

Boss is a total scrooge (provides a kettle only for staff, no fridge or microwave) and has disregarded law in the past.

She's been astounded at the level of protection provided and just how many of the Covid secure guidelines boss has put into place. Every conceivable protection including disposable PPE.

Some of which she was indeed told about before returning.