Returning to work (no more WFH)

I don't think most places have been requiring a LFT for work in reality, I think your place has been an outlier in actually checking. We were supposed to be doing them but it's not been checked.

Was helping with graduations this week and you only had to show a vaccine passport - LFT result only needed if not vaccinated. Yesterday we had a "well done for graduations can't wait to see you all back at work next week for your non-optional 3 days in the office" email.

Given that the all these relaxations were supposed to be announced on the 26th - before the Tories needed some good news to try and get Boris out of a hole - I'm not going in until next Thursday on principle. Will also be doing two days a week at least to start with. There's no way to actually check and all my colleagues were doing this before.

There were still over 100k cases yesterday, the Tory rush to get the plebs 'back to work' is ridiculous and risks making problems due to staff sickness worse.

I’ve just changed from 9-5 to a gig economy and drive a school minibus as a relief driver. I’ve only been doing so since December but always the same run (South Downs) as the normal driver is off long term. Thursday and Friday commuter traffic significantly increased in the morning run compared to previously.

My place just had "it would be nice if you could do an LFT every so often" and I suspect most weren't.

I don't think it's been compulsory in many places.

Actually just had an update from our Principal on the easing of restrictions also asking everyone to keep testing twice a week.

Incredible read.

I'm in 3 or 4 days a week for face-to-face working, fairly close contact with a cohort of around 200 young people on a weekly basis. Needing a negative LFT to get in the door has definitely been a key reassurance. There's several people off at any time having tested positive and with no or mild symptoms. We're being asked to maintain distancing but mask-wearing in the teaching spaces is not practical - I don't mind at all wearing a mask to do my day to day but I can't talk to the back of a 20m room with one on. I'll keep testing but also worried if supply drops / they start charging etc.

Yes - a welcome diversion on my tired journey home last night!

I have a rare trip to the office this afternoon for my annual appraisal.
Dreading being asked to return full time to the office.
I need to try and have a decent argument for not, or at least 50/50 home-office split.
Plus I want to ask for a pay rise.
(going all Mystic Meg, I foresee no additional salary, no more WFH and probably more work)

Can I get a TLDR; please?

It's worth a read. When you have some time to kill.

@DethBeard the past two years has thrown up all sorts of work matters.
Proximity Bias is a hot topic today and if staff / management do not engage
properly, then some major departures with occur.

https://www.qlearsite.com/blog/proximity-bias-how-to-avoid-excluding-your-hybrid-workers/

I hope your firm in the first instance recognise your value at this time, and that hybrid working should be offered along with continue to WFH if you want. and a hefty pay rise for your loyalty and commitment :)

good luck mister
Almac

How did it go?

Bit late now, bitt a simple reason for wfh, even part time, is simple. If it can be done at home, why come in?
Personally, I see advantages to hybrid working. But every industry, and job is different.

Started last week going to the office twice a week. It was my decision and I'm going to adjust how many days and what days as I go. My preference for hybrid is the ability to spend most of the week at home, where my partner and baby are. The benefits there being obvious.
But I need to progress at work, both for personal development and for financial reasons. I worry working from home permanently would stifle my ability to achieve this.
As well with hybrid, commuting becomes way more enjoyable and less of a ball ache. Late trains? Oh well, I'm not back on one till next week, etc. Seeing people at work also becomes a bit more of a interesting, more to say and the like.
Maybe I'm dressing it all up a bit more than it is and once I settle down it will just be a slightly different normal. But spending more time with my family is the main thing.

Just found out back in full time next week.
I have formally asked for hybrid, but can't imagine it will be accepted, they are a strange bunch.

Am looking for a new job now as we are hoping to relocate and remote makes it more simple than figuring out commuter routes.

RE: appraisal, was all back slapping and congratulating, but there is no more money for me.

I think April is target up here in Scotland for my office to fully re-open. Have to say I'd be OK with a couple of days a week tops, but full time they can f-ing swivel, I'll jump

Office work is terrible.
Apparently anything lower than 26°c on the thermostat is considered "chilly"
it is ludicrous.

Obviously I keep turning it down/off.

Haha office thermostat wars. Absolute classic.

Anyone know of a tolerable hot-desk booking platform? We're moving to a new office and a significant set of the desks will be hot-desk as people are coming and going more frequently so we don't need one desk per person in some roles.

<My company uses this - https://dashboard.robinpowered.com/
It works

Thanks

actually miss the warmth for which i didnt have to pay tbh

invest in blanket technology

we use skedda. seems sensible/easy to use

26°?! Jesus, that's sweating in shorts and t shirt temperatures. Do you work with lizards?

hah! our office is a bit like this. it's an old mill building so large rooms with high ceilings and fuck all insulation / single pane glazing.
when it's cold out, the radiators have to be on full whack to heat the majority of the room, so if you sit near one you get properly boiling hot.

we had a snotty email recently because someone had turned the thermostat up to 25 on constant but hadn't turned it off again before going home for the weekend.

no surprise that after reviewing the security cameras, some of the directors had been in for a meeting.