Employer forcing into office

Grumpy_chap

JamoLew said:

Whilst WFH may be an adequate short term solution, it may not be a long term solution for the business and we ARE in this long term.

I totally agree and it is not just being able to get the work done when WFH, but also being able to arrange meetings etc.  This is a key thing as, while most people may "play ball", there are those that flex the rules to such an extent that it impacts the team overall.

I know of a business that operates normal hours 08:30 - 16:30 with 1 hour lunch has to be between 12 noon and 14:00.  
With everyone WFH, there is more flexibility around start-finish times, which is reasonable enough but meetings still need to be accommodated online so there has to be some "commonality" of individual's working hours.
One individual unilaterally decided to work 07:00 - 15:00 (still 1 hour lunch).  Initially, they would flex to meetings later than that.  This individual has now unilaterally decided to work 07:00 - 14:00 but no lunch break and now also declines meetings after 14:00.

The behaviour of the one will be what drives all back to the office.  It only needs another to do the same, but in reverse (11:30 - 18:30), and you have two people that can hardly ever be scheduled into a meeting together.

indigoblue11

Just go in. It’s 3 hours not a whole day. 

GeordieGeorge

Jennsabs81 said:

I suffer from Health issues employer aware of and  I am being asked to attend for training without an attempt for it to be done remotely. 
I have been told will face disciplinary if I dont attendnfor 3 hours even though I have a doctors note stating my anxiety disorder 

Do you have a question, or do you just want to have a bit of a moan? Nothing wrong with a bit of a moan, of course, but there’s no valid reason for you to refuse a reasonable request from your employer.

Have you explained your anxiety issue, and asked if there’s any way to make you more comfortable?

mattyprice4004

If your condition is just anxiety, that's no reason not to go in for 3 hours. I suffer too, but I put on my 'big boy' pants and go in when I need to. 
It's something we're all going to have to do at some point - and with the rates as low as they are now that time has come. 

FatherTireseus

I've just watched the weekly video from Professor Tim Spector, an epidemiologist who is involved with the Covid 19 symptom study app.  He said that he is often asked about the risk of catching covid and although it varies across different parts of the country:

If you are not vaccinated the current risk of catching covid in a 24 hour period is 1 in 46,000.

If you have had one vaccination dose then 12 days after vaccination your risk falls to about 1 in 74,000.

12 days after a second vaccination does, the risk falls to 1 in 114,000.

He also made the point that over a thousand people die every day from common causes.

Yesterday, it was reported by the Office for National Statistics that in March, more people died from dementia and Alzheimers disease, and ischaemic heart diseases, than from covid.   

Whilst covid has understandably made many people anxious, the risk of catching it is now much lower than it was, and vaccinations mean even if you catch it, the impact is likely to be less severe.  At some point I do wonder if the risks from covid anxiety start to pose a greater risk to health than covid itself.

sheramber

An employer has to adhere to covid regulations for the workplace. Social distancing, ventilation. wearing masks, using sanitiser/washing hands., cleaning surface adequately.

Would your family observe all these if they came into your house?

k3lvc

Isn't this an almost carbon copy of last weeks mega-post that mysteriously disappeared ?

@Jennsabs81 - assuming your employer is paying you then it's a reasonable request that you attend the office - either ignore the request and face the consequences or play the sick card - the choice is yours and will probably be influenced by length of service and your relative importance to the business 

justworriedabit

OP
Consult your Union, line manager, HR and your rights and their duty of care towards you nd getting a supporting letter from your gp if requested and an occupational  health assessment re working from the office.
Some of the items posted here are wrong on every level as you have many rights as stated above by me.

GeordieGeorge

justworriedabit said:

OP
Consult your Union, line manager, HR and your rights and their duty of care towards you nd getting a supporting letter from your gp if requested and an occupational  health assessment re working from the office.
Some of the items posted here are wrong on every level as you have many rights as stated above by me.

It’s almost as though you want them to lose their job.

gizmo111

justworriedabit said:

OP
Consult your Union, line manager, HR and your rights and their duty of care towards you nd getting a supporting letter from your gp if requested and an occupational  health assessment re working from the office.
Some of the items posted here are wrong on every level as you have many rights as stated above by me.

Consult union about what?  The OP has anxiety which has been confirmed by her GP, if this is so bad that she can't go in for 3 hours for training that is not being offered remotely, then she either needs to be off sick or heed her employers warning of  disciplinary action.  Occ health work for the organisation and will be looking to get her to fulfill her duties as expected by her employer with reasonable adjustments for her condition where possible.  Asking an employee to attend their workplace for 3 hours in a working week is not unreasonable.