So how's everybody's 'return to the office' gone?

[Slenver]

Not been inside an office since March (?) 2020.

[Horse]

Not been inside an office since March (?) 2020.

Not aimed at you in particular, more an open question prompted by your post.

I've been into our offices four or five times since then, and on three work trips (an event, site visit and a meeting to view equipment).

Other than those, I've WfH perfectly well.

So, what is it about civil servants that their work, or the way they do it, is different? According to Rees-Mogg anyway, so that they must go back into offices.

[Count Steer]

Not been inside an office since March (?) 2020.

Not aimed at you in particular, more an open question prompted by your post.

I've been into our offices four or five times since then, and on three work trips (an event, site visit and a meeting to view equipment).

Other than those, I've WfH perfectly well.

So, what is it about civil servants that their work, or the way they do it, is different? According to Rees-Mogg anyway, so that they must go back into offices.

His life experience is such that servants simply don't/can't work from home*.

* other than live-in servants like nanny and the butler.

[Mussels]

Not been inside an office since March (?) 2020.

Not aimed at you in particular, more an open question prompted by your post.

I've been into our offices four or five times since then, and on three work trips (an event, site visit and a meeting to view equipment).

Other than those, I've WfH perfectly well.

So, what is it about civil servants that their work, or the way they do it, is different? According to Rees-Mogg anyway, so that they must go back into offices.

Either civil servants are incredibly lazy or he's being leant on by investors in office life and trying to make it the norm once again.
Before the pandemic plenty of companies were dabbling with wfh as would reduce their costs and for many it worked. Employers like it and staff like it, he looks like Canute with his passive aggressive notes.

[Mr. Dazzle]

There's also just a cultural thing with some people: "I can't work from home, therefore other people must be dossing too".

Our CEO openly admits he was dead set against it, he couldn't see how we could maintain productivity. He's also openly admitted he was wrong.

[Horse]

he looks like Canute

Autocorrect?

Actually, one thing he's said is correct (and he's not the first or unique in saying it), about implications for younger staff development.

Also, 'brainstorming' type activities are harder.

But neither are impossible.

Another adverse effect has been the solitude. I've seen junior staff who house-share having to practically live - sleep and work - in their one room. Particularly during lockdowns that meant little or no contact etc. I know some colleagues prefer going to the office as much as possible.

[Mr. Dazzle]

We gave people free choice at work...TBF many of the younger guys have elected to work more days in the office, some of them are doing 5 days a week back now.

[Count Steer]

There's a 'momentum' effect too. Sitting in a large empty office is a bit grim so some people probably go in and think but if more people go in, more people will go in IYSWIM. There will probably be a drift back in some places - particularly where commuting is easy/cheap but not in others.

A lot of people are in jobs where the salary factors in commuting costs and are probably feeling minted at the moment and are reluctant to buy an annual BR ticket.

Similarly if you were spending 2-3 hours a day travelling you probably feel like you have more productive hours available and can schedule tasks better, so why would you want to sit in traffic or battle for a parking space at the station etc?

Glad I don't have to remotely manage a couple of my old teams though!

[Horse]

Similarly if you were spending 2-3 hours a day travelling you probably feel like you have more productive hours available and can schedule tasks better, so why would you want to sit in traffic

Yup, saves me two hours a day.

I'm at my desk typically 45 minutes earlier and probably do three or four hours a week more, as a minimum.

The projects I work on have set timescales for delivery, within budgets. That hasn't changed. Whether it's me leading the team or responsible for elements, they have to be done. Location of the chair and screen makes little difference.

[Mr. Dazzle]

Our building is combination office, lab and factory so there has always been a heavy presence, even during lockdown.

Obviously if your job is building stuff or testing things you can't work from home*. I'm pretty happy with doing 1 day a week in the building. The rest of my department do the same day, so Mondays are almost entirely meetings then the rest of the week is actual work. There's always a bit of a buzz when we get together IRL, which is something worth maintaining. We've hit a good balance IMO.

Personally I'm saving >£200pcm on fuel alone.


*Not quite true, one of the Power Electronics team built a prototype inverter in his garden shed

[Taipan]

I get too much done when WFH. There's no distractions; no walking to the staff kitchen and yakking to colleagues on the way/whilst you're there. No one sticks their head round the door for a chat etc. There's a danger of setting the bar too high on wfh days!

[Yorick]

I'm naturally a lazy git, so doubt I'd have been too enthused if I'd needed to WFH

[Horse]

I'm naturally a lazy git, so doubt I'd have been too enthused if I'd needed to WFH

That's where the much-derided Teams/Zoom/Skype calls have their value - you have to be there.

If I'm leading a team delivering a project, I have to be available online to field questions etc.

Otherwise, it's output that's measure, by deadlines.

[Horse]

I get too much done when WFH. There's no distractions; no walking to the staff kitchen and yakking to colleagues on the way/whilst you're there. No one sticks their head round the door for a chat etc. There's a danger of setting the bar too high on wfh days!

When we lost designated desks, I went in to clear years of accumulated essentials.

It took two afternoons because of people wanting to chat

[Mr. Dazzle]

As many problems as there are with Teams meetings, I have noticed that attendance is much more timely with them.

[Horse]

As many problems as there are with Teams meetings, I have noticed that attendance is much more timely with them.

H's top tip: book meetings for 25 or 55 minutes, etc. Give people time for T&P, gather notes and thoughrs etc. between calls.

[slowsider]

he looks like Canute

Autocorrect?

He's forgotten the indefinite article.

[636mick]

Did a few weeks wfh, but my office is, effectively, the M1 so I kind of needed to be there. That said, at the start of lockdown there was a massive drop in traffic numbers so we didn’t do a lot. 2nd lockdown we saw a much smaller dip in volume but by then we were back to normal staffing.
I have noticed a dip in the service from insurance/banking etc where their call handlers are obviously still at home. Been passed to colleagues a few times which just puts you back in the press 1 for this type of area!
Mick

[GuzziPaul]

When I had my interview for my job (via Teams) it was agreed I would only have to go in twice a week, its a 55 mile each way commute. So far since July last year when I started I have been in 6 times. My region covers East Anglia from the M1 so often go out to site one or two days during the week. I also have at least four Teams meetings scheduled for Wednesdays with suppliers from all over the UK.
I was given £150 to set up a home office when I started, which I spent on a large monitor, made myself a desk and bought a good office chair
After xmas it was agreed we would go back as a Team (5 of us) one day a week, Wednesday, that lasted two weeks, I and one or two others would clear off to a meeting room for the different Teams meeting with the consultants/suppliers, something that could just s easily be done from home.
I'm thinking of going part time in November so don't really think I will ever hit the two day a week office time.

[the_priest]

My "Office" is supposedly only ever open on Sundays! No real change for me, still very busy with lots of visits, services, funerals and so on. So some parts of society have not changed in what happens in life.