Office workers, when will we be back?

When will non essential workers be back in the office?


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So at work I look after several teams, most of them deemed 'essential workers' and so able to keep their kids in school (interesting to note that a majority didn't!). We acquired a new subsidiary last year and they had zero plans (and zero tech) to work from home, so I had a fun 3 weeks getting laptops and introducing brand new systems to make that happen - but we got everyone setup to work from home by early April. Amazing how much internal bureaucracy can disappear in a crisis! For my other teams, we had been running a pilot for the last year to bring in homeworking tech, so we just ramped that up and was relatively straightforward with great support from our IT colleagues.

We've been told last week we won't be going back to our London office any earlier than September, and I think even that is optimistic. We've all managed to transition to homeworking quite easily, and none of us want to face crowded public transport. Even once into our building, while we can socially distance at our desks, our kitchens, toilets, and lifts etc. are just too limiting and it would be very difficult. Personally, until socially distancing goes away, I can't see how we can do it - and at the moment I am quite happy working from home as I have a proper desk, office chair, two large screens etc.!

Homeworking works best when everyone is at home and connecting remotely into the meetings etc. remotely. What doesn't work is when half the meeting are in a physical space together and another half are not (we had some of this in early March). So if we end up with some people in the office and some not, I think our effectiveness with homeworking will start to decrease significantly.
 
We moved into new premises the weekend before the lock down so the office staff have never actually worked in the new building yet and everything is still brand new and waiting for them and while I thought it would be a while longer the CEO has said he plans to bring all the office workers back on June 1st

To be honest I have preferred the last few months without them with only 4-5 of us in at any one time, has been tough going at times with the smaller teams but certainly felt much less at risk however the splits teams have now been stopped and we are back to a single team of 9-10 and while we have things in place to hopefully reduce any risks the social distancing is being breached quite regularly by certain members of the team so the thought of another 7-8 people coming back does feel me with dread, I really don't see why he wants them all back I mean they have been doing their jobs from home since the start of lock down so why change that now? if I was cynical I would say it has got to be all the money he spent on kitting out the new office and at present that is all just going to waste and he wants people in so the place doesn't look empty.
 
Our office workers have been told to keep working from home if they're able to do so.

No current plans for them to return, there again as a train company whose been telling the public not too use our train's unless they're a key worker I can't see them coming back for a long time

We're basically split into those responsible for the running of the daily service (key workers) and office staff who suddenly worked out they can do their job from anywhere.

Our hq near HMS Belfast has 400 empty desks, the IT side is holding up really well.

Personally I think it will be next year before they even look at it, it's not affecting anything operationally.
 
That could be a lot of money saved, as everything can still continue,and all the money saved can be passed onto someone/something..
 
That could be a lot of money saved, as everything can still continue,and all the money saved can be passed onto someone/something..

The buildings we use are owned or leased by Network Rail. It would be whatever terms NR have agreed ultimately any savings would go back to them

Shareholder profits :thumbsup:

We're in Direct Award for the next 26 months, so while the company are paid to run it, the government get their chunk first then the company.

The DfT had the opportunity to take over control but as we seem to be causing them less hassle, paying them millions, while taking the bad press when things go wrong they're dealing with the other problem franchises.

The numbers working from home currently will kill most of the franchises off.


For me it doesn't matter who runs it, we've been under the government before and currently for the next 6 months affectively are again.
 
Well my company has now announced a plan for a staged return to the office. By the end of the year they expect no more than 50% of staff to be back in any of our UK buildings. This is based on social distancing of 2M and subject to change. However, even with that low number nobody has to go back if they don’t want to and we all have an automatic right to continue working from home if we have any concern whatsoever. So I won’t be back until 2021, if ever.
 
Our office staff returned on June 1st and social distancing lasted for all of the first day and now it’s all back to as if nothing had ever happened so I’m just doing my best to stay away from everyone and using hand sanitiser a lot, not much else I can do and have already let my feelings be known.
 
Our office staff returned on June 1st and social distancing lasted for all of the first day and now it’s all back to as if nothing had ever happened so I’m just doing my best to stay away from everyone and using hand sanitiser a lot, not much else I can do and have already let my feelings be known.

What was the reply from management?

Companies can get into big trouble if they aren't abiding by the rules and making sure their staff are as well.

If it carries on like that I'd seek outside advice
 
Our office staff returned on June 1st and social distancing lasted for all of the first day and now it’s all back to as if nothing had ever happened so I’m just doing my best to stay away from everyone and using hand sanitiser a lot, not much else I can do and have already let my feelings be known.
Sounds like a bad situation. I sympathise. Whilst you can report it if the situation is too bad that’s a dilemma in itself.
 
What was the reply from management?

Companies can get into big trouble if they aren't abiding by the rules and making sure their staff are as well.

If it carries on like that I'd seek outside advice

It is a very small company and the CEO is I think the cause for the ignoring of the rules, on the first day he brought everyone together (with spacing) to explain the situation etc but over that first week he just let things lapse (heard his personal belief it’s all a big over reaction etc) and has even had his wife and young son come in to hang out.

My manager acted on my concerns by having words with everyone in production about their distancing etc and for all of half a day it lasted as did the mask wearing but it was quickly all forgotten and now I am just fed up of trying to change the others, it’s obvious until it affects someone close to any of them they won’t change their ways.
 
It is a very small company and the CEO is I think the cause for the ignoring of the rules, on the first day he brought everyone together (with spacing) to explain the situation etc but over that first week he just let things lapse (heard his personal belief it’s all a big over reaction etc) and has even had his wife and young son come in to hang out.

My manager acted on my concerns by having words with everyone in production about their distancing etc and for all of half a day it lasted as did the mask wearing but it was quickly all forgotten and now I am just fed up of trying to change the others, it’s obvious until it affects someone close to any of them they won’t change their ways.

Well, you can take that further if rules aren't being abided by and enforced by the company.

If it isn't being dealt with internally, then you take it externally.
 
We had a Zoom meeting on Friday. Work is being very cautious. The building is divided up into bubbles and people are not allowed to enter another bubble. No tea or coffee provision, or microwaves. Tea room out of bounds. There will be breakout spaces for people (in the same bubble) to meet up. People have to wipe-down before and after using these spaces.

Those of us who can work from home can do so for the foreseeable future. You have to actually make a case to go into work. You can't just pop in because you fancy it. It has to be for something specific. You have to sign in on the way in and sign out when you leave. They are looking at 25 percent capacity, with the majority of work being done at home.

No PPE supplied, social distancing and cleaning stations at entrances and exits instead. But if you have a mask and want to use it that is fine.

It is very cautious, I have to admit I'm impressed. The boss isn't taking any chances.
 
Sounds very much like the situation at mine. You almost have to make a case to go back and even if you do it’s highly restricted and controlled. I guess some of use are now seeing the type of employers we work for in full glory.
 
We had a Zoom meeting on Friday. Work is being very cautious. The building is divided up into bubbles and people are not allowed to enter another bubble. No tea or coffee provision, or microwaves. Tea room out of bounds. There will be breakout spaces for people (in the same bubble) to meet up. People have to wipe-down before and after using these spaces.

Those of us who can work from home can do so for the foreseeable future. You have to actually make a case to go into work. You can't just pop in because you fancy it. It has to be for something specific. You have to sign in on the way in and sign out when you leave. They are looking at 25 percent capacity, with the majority of work being done at home.

No PPE supplied, social distancing and cleaning stations at entrances and exits instead. But if you have a mask and want to use it that is fine.

It is very cautious, I have to admit I'm impressed. The boss isn't taking any chances.
no one way system or markings?
 
My boss confirmed to me today that we never have to go back to the office ever if we do not want to. My type of role does not require an office environment and working from home has proved to be efficient.

I did spend one day back in the office last week since my broadband was down and I was the only one there apart from the onsite IT guy and receptionist.

From now we Zoom or Teams from here on in when necessary.

The new normal.
 
Mrs was on a Zoom meeting earlier this morning and I overheard we have a three phase re-opening. Currently some staff in (who can''t do their work from home) and operating at 25 percent capacity.

They will allow more people in during phase 2 and phase 3 will be 'business as usual' come September.

You can only go in for specific tasks still. They also operate a 'grab & go' system if you need to collect anything. One guy asked if he could come back because he is getting sick of being stuck at home.

Mrs has booked a slot because she needs to call in for some video files this afternoon.

Should be interesting.
 
My boss confirmed to me today that we never have to go back to the office ever if we do not want to. My type of role does not require an office environment and working from home has proved to be efficient.

I did spend one day back in the office last week since my broadband was down and I was the only one there apart from the onsite IT guy and receptionist.

From now we Zoom or Teams from here on in when necessary.

The new normal.
Interesting mtenga, thanks for sharing. I am surprised your company has made that decision given it has been such a relatively short period. My company is conducting a full reviewing but the initial findings are that exclusive working from home will detract from outputs. The business and networking that is done in the margins around in-person meetings, the impact on team cohesion/awareness and the loss of information exchange that invariably occurs in the office environment have all been cited as long-term detracting factors.
 
The company I work for has always had a work from home philosophy. I think worldwide even before this started they only had about 80% of seats to accommodate their staff in office space with strong hot desking policies. For all I know they will probably be getting rid of more space over the coming years.

My type of role lends itself to working alone and the accomodation they are making for me is not a general policy across the group. Of course I’ll be going in once in a while for client meetings and the odd local team meeting. My team is actually spread around the world as it stands. Great being employed as a 00 agent licensed by her majesty to kill :D
 
To be quite honest I hope that it becomes the new normal. My bro-in-law works pretty high up in the council and his department have all been told yesterday that they only need to show their faces one or two days a week (depending on level). Which I was surprised at to be honest.

No need for traffic jams and carnage anymore in a morning with everyone trying to get into the office for 9am.

Will have much of a positive effect elsewhere as well, most notably to mind the environment.
 

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