Returning to work (no more WFH)

Any one returned to the office/ shop/ factory?

My place dropped it on us today that the management team are returning next week, and there is a plan to get everyone back in the office soon.
They are moving some teams around so the space is better for the number of people working.
Also are asking for feedback on the return and any ones concerns regarding it will be considered on an individual basis.
Not sure I can say "working from home is better for me because I can play video games and shirk on the quiet days, play with my dog when I want and my wife needs me to keep her company"

I've been in 2-3 days a week for 3 weeks now? Voluntarily. I am just more productive here than at home.

Each floor has desks for about 100 people. 60% of the desks are unavailable, 1 way system in place for moving around, gallons of hand sanitiser tons of wipes. On a busy day we may have 15 people up here. Company has done this properly and with some thought.

Go freelance. Work from home forever.

foreveralone.jpg

Not in the UK but we've been "back" for a couple of months now. Broadly speaking everyone has to do 4-5 days a fortnight at the office but we have perspex screens between desks, masks have to be worn when you're not sitting, sanitiser dispensers all over the place. No real issues so far.

i'm freelance but my wife works in digital services at a hospital and her teams have no active plans to return.

one of the clients i work for in central london has a back-to-office plan but apparently very few people are bothering. i wouldn't be surprised if they downsize the office when the lease is up.

I'm back in the lab in uni, it's been handled really well. Huge amounts of cleaning happening (shared between dedicated staff and whoever is using the space), limited numbers, 1 way systems etc.
Tbh it's starting to feel like one of the only places I go that remembers there's actually a pandemic on.

shirk on the quiet days

Like nobody does this in an office :)

It's just less blatant.

This is spot on:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/sep/03/jeremy-hunt-office-government-working-from-home

I think I'm still looking forward to going back to the office a few days a week though. I haven't left the house yet today which is not unusual. I miss my ride to work more than the office, but I think I am more productive in the office.

I've been in 2-3 days a week for 3 weeks now?

Judging by the question mark you don't seem very sure of this...

Aussie?

No plans for us to return to work until the new year at the earliest. There is provision to go in if you’re feeling lonely/fed up with the other half/need to meet in person but you have to book in and reserve a desk. If I could wfh forever it would be great (break at 5mins 46).
My wife works for one of the ambulance services and to allow for social distancing for the 999 teams the whole admin area has been put in cardboard boxes and piled up in the corner to allow for extra space. Can’t see her going back for 6 months at least.

I’m working for an insurance company and they’ve got no plans to go back to the office before the new year at least. Wife’s firm is the same.

Not sure I could be arsed with all of the one way system, queue for the toilets, Perspex screen crap tbh.

Most of our people returning from holiday are also getting tested when coming home so there's a lot less concern about people bringing Covid into the office. It helps that residents and cross border workers can request tests when we want from the government and they text the results within 24 hours of carrying it out.

I work for an inner Ldn Council and there will be a very slow return to work in a few weeks. 1 day a week so far. We had sub 50% desk space to begin with, so this has hastened a process that had started.

The office has been set up into banks of desk to maintain social distancing. I'd feel comfortable working there.

Any teachers ready to chat?

Academy/religious or state school?

We are living in strange times where our standard sense of the passage of time is completely thrown out of kilter by the relative monotony of our existence.

2 weeks? 3 weeks? 4 weeks? It's an indistinct blur.

A year ago I started my job which had been advertised as “home working”. It became apparent that the job didn’t seem to be seriously considered as WFH. I challenged this and they said I could WFH but would be expected in the office once a week.
When I started the job, my manager was very anti WFH I negotiated and worked full weeks for the probation month then WFH with a weekly visit afterwards. The manager still unhappy.
Then Covid happened. Manager is a full WFH convert, doesn’t expect to see me face to face until spring at least.

Hah. True :/

First day back today. Chaos, lots to be done.

We're back in the office (kind of) now. We were told about two months ago we'd all have to be back in from the 7th of September, they've back-tracked on that now but we are all expected to be seen around the office at some point during the week.

Half the desks are supposed to be blocked off to ensure social distancing, they're not.
They rolled out "Shifts" on Teams to book in which days you're coming in but they can't get them to work.
They've installed face-scanning thermometers at reception that are scanning absolutely everyone at 36.1c (the machines declare loudly this is a normal temperature but it seems a bit low to me).
Everyone is sharing screens, having meetings in small rooms, shouting over each other & on one occasion I've two seen people squeezing next to each other so they can both fit in on the same camera for a zoom/team call.

All in all going as predicted, will be entertaining to see what happens when there's a new case in the office!

Shared office today with guy who'd just landed back from a week partying on a Greek island, and someone else who'd been on a local weekender ahead of the rule changes. Thankfully the aircon was off.

My boss mentioned 5 October but didn't want to rush it so pushed until 5 Nov, now with today's WFH if you can, looks like I'll be at home for a while longer.

MrsDeth has been told to WFH for "as long as social distancing is in place"

my wife's team (digital services for a hospital) has now officially declared they won't be returning. like...ever? weird. just no plans to go back.

Spoke to a friend yesterday who does telecom sales. He's now working 3 days at home and 2 days in the office. In reality that means 2 days of chit chat and nice lunches and 3 days of chilling at home. Jealous.

I have to admit, starting to hold face to face meetings again in town is a breath of fresh air (no pun). I’d go batshit crazy if I was still working out of the living room.

has now officially declared they won't be returning. like...ever? weird. just no plans to go back.

Received a similar email this morning, I work for a big bank.