Will companies want workers to work at home when covid has disappeared?



My firm is so confident about future wfh they have announced the closure of all depots, stores and 3 office buildings today. Oh and laying off 2600 staff as more customers have moved to online accounts amongst other things.
 
My honest option is, WFH is good in the short term, but you start getting into logistical issues after a while, what if someones laptop breaks how do they get "deskside support", what if their broadband goes down, power cut where they live, I could see some employers using that against a singular employee at home, where it wouldn't happen with an office full of people
Courier for support. 4g or 5g....if you live in the sticks, tough I guess.... Or go to Starbucks?
 
The work place would be saving on electricity and other overheads having someone work from home instead of an office. I don’t think salary should be reduced if the person’s productivity is high at home as in work. Plus it will be good for the environment, less commuting.
It’s the future
 
I personally think it will increase but by not as much as people think, maybes 10-15% max.

progressive employees will push it but many many will not , call centres , banks , anything that will risk personal information , gdpr etc.

also need to take I to account city centre footfall and the effects it will have on cafes, shops , bars etc.

the fact that people will have the option will be better, however the cynic in me says it will most likely go back to normal in 12-18 months
I work at a bank based out of Glasgow - they are already making noises about a good 30/40% of backoffice staff being able to work from home even after this is over.
On the IT for instance, most of the devs are based offshore via a 3rd party, the inhouse people are mostly PM's and other service/admin types (whether they want to admit it or not) and don't need to be sat in a high cost office.
 
If I am not working abroad either delivering training or working with account teams I work from home all of the time, have done for the last 7 years.
That said I took 80 flights in the last year before this all kicked off, but when I am In the UK. I probably go to an office about once a quarter.

I did about 4 months one year of working from home without visiting anyone, and probably spent more hours per day on RTG than doing work
 
It opens up so many more jobs for people if you don't need to based in an office. Suddenly all these jobs you can only do from the office in central London can be done anywhere. Surely business will see the potential for that.
 
A lot of sense for the employer perhaps (for various reasons mentioned already) - but the point I am making is that an employee should NEVER voluntarily give away what he/she already has - in this case wages - you'll never get it back.
And what if the employee has no space in his/her residence to work from home permanently?
Might be OK with a lap-top on the dining table for a month or 2 like with this lockdown now, but all of the time?
Done it for 15 years, works like a dream. Get a decent home set-up and you're sorted.
 
My honest option is, WFH is good in the short term, but you start getting into logistical issues after a while, what if someones laptop breaks how do they get "deskside support", what if their broadband goes down, power cut where they live, I could see some employers using that against a singular employee at home, where it wouldn't happen with an office full of people
These are none issues.

I've worked from home for 15 years. The broadband has gone down for 1 day and I used my mobile hotspot when it did. We've had 2 days of powercuts, so I just work from my Mam's house.

''Deskside' support isn't really needed these days either.
My wife had one day at home a week and already been arranged when this is all over that she can do two days at home.

Big issue with social bonding and team relationships though. Full time at home would drive me mad.. 2 or 3 days a week perfect
Why not call it out for what it is. If you want time to bond with your team, arrange a social event. Meet at the pub at 3pm on a friday, I'm sure a boss would support that if productivity was good.
 
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These are none issues.

I've worked from home for 15 years. The broadband has gone down for 1 day and I used my mobile hotspot when it did. We've had 2 days of powercuts, so I just work from my Mam's house.

''Deskside' support isn't really needed these days either.

Why not call it out for what it is. If you want time to bond with your team, arrange a social event. Meet at the pub at 3pm on a friday, I'm sure a boss would support that if productivity was good.

You can’t work together, whilst working from home. It simply isn’t the same thing
 
You can’t work together, whilst working from home. It simply isn’t the same thing
Yes you can, and we do. We all work fine, when we need to talk we either use instant messaging or Video calls on teams. We use interactive whiteboards and screen sharing. It works very well.

We even have a pint together over teams.

It's not the same but it works well.
 
I wonder if firms that are based in the South east where costs are high start recruiting in the cheaper areas ( like wales, India and the NE) to save on salaries when they are working from home anyway
 
Working from home sounds class like. Our lass has been doing it 50/50 during all this crap and is loving it. Hopefully this can remain once everything sorts itself out.
 
Yes you can, and we do. We all work fine, when we need to talk we either use instant messaging or Video calls on teams. We use interactive whiteboards and screen sharing. It works very well.

We even have a pint together over teams.

It's not the same but it works well.

It’s not the same though, as you recognise.
 
This baffles me. I've worked from home for about 15 years. When I'm working from home, I'm working, not chatting about the weather. When I do go into the office, I find loads of people want to chat instead of doing work.

If you want to chat and socialise, do it in the pub or at lunchtime over Teams.

Why?

Christ, you sound like a barrel of laughs.

You know the phrase 'a happy workplace is a productive one'

A bit of office banter is healthy & makes working bearable.
 
Christ, you sound like a barrel of laughs.

You know the phrase 'a happy workplace is a productive one'

A bit of office banter is healthy & makes working bearable.
Are you working or having a laugh? I enjoy both, but I prefer to get my work done first.

I think home working is helping find out who actually does the work and who is just there for a chat and a coffee.

If working isn't bearable, get a job that you enjoy.
 
Are you working or having a laugh? I enjoy both, but I prefer to get my work done first.

I think home working is helping find out who actually does the work and who is just there for a chat and a coffee.

If working isn't bearable, get a job that you enjoy.

Well you're on here. Are you supposed to be working?

You know you can have a bit of crack & work at the same time.?
 
Are you working or having a laugh? I enjoy both, but I prefer to get my work done first.

I think home working is helping find out who actually does the work and who is just there for a chat and a coffee.

If working isn't bearable, get a job that you enjoy.

It’s good crack to have a coffee, chat and work. No?
 

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