This is no surprise: UK workers forced to return to offices | work from home

Christina said running schools and daycares has been a logistical nightmare after being ordered back to the office three days a week from January. This wasn't surprising, she says, but it was shocking.

The 34-year-old chartered accountant from Scotland was told by her employer that office attendance would be strictly enforced in the new year and that the number of days could be increased depending on work needs. Her husband, who works in the financial industry, had already been working at the office for three days since taking office last October.

Christina is one of many people who have shared with the Guardian what their boss thinks about them working less hours from home. Some larger businesses are asking employees to return to their desks up to five days a week, with Asda planning to phase out hybrid working as part of a restructuring of its business.

Christina, who travels by train for an hour each way, is worried about the rising costs of her commute. She estimates this will cost about $6,000 a year, roughly three months' worth of the couple's salary. We will struggle financially, she said. It's not like your employer is increasing your pay to cover the extra costs.

Working remotely gives couples the flexibility to drop off their kids and work during lunch or in the evenings after the kids are in bed. Christina, who has a low income, is considering working part time. We chose a family where we could spend time together as one, rather than being raised by strangers, she says.

With their third child on the way, the couple plans to explore remote work opportunities, including moving to Denmark or Finland, where they believe they will be better supported as a working family through parental leave. We believe that returning to work will disadvantage working parents, with mothers in particular suffering as they have to reduce their working hours or stay at home. I feel disadvantaged as a woman who wants to have a career and a family.

People should have choices. There is a lot of camaraderie and we can support each other in the office, says Kerstin. Photo: Kerstin/Guardian Community

For people like Kerstin, 59, an Age UK worker from Cornwall, change cannot come fast enough. She is looking forward to more face-to-face time with colleagues after feeling disconnected while working from home. I suffered from depression and my longing for company eventually led me to listen to the radio to hear other voices, she says.

Her job involves answering the phones and she is flexible as the team live in rural areas across the county, but she prefers to meet in person. There's a lot of camaraderie, she says, and they can support each other even after a particularly difficult or distressing call in the office. Doing this through Microsoft Teams is not quite the same.

Kerstin understands that not everyone feels the same and that working in an office regularly is becoming more financially difficult for some. In my opinion, people should have the option to work from home if it suits them better, she says.

Unable to withstand the isolation caused by working from home

Richmond, a 61-year-old software engineer from Oxfordshire, left his remote-only job last November after his mental health began to deteriorate during the COVID-19 lockdown.

I can't handle the isolation of working from home, he says. It's often assumed that people in roles like mine prefer the office, but the office has always been the center of my social life.

Richmond says working remotely makes her less productive because there are a lot of distractions at home. There is no one size fits all, he adds, and while all companies should have a flexible working environment, key employees should be physically based and the experience should be enjoyable.

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It may be enough to consider finding another job

For John, a digital designer in London, working in an office can be incredibly confusing.

When the 34-year-old started work during the pandemic, the policy was to work from home. Over time, people were encouraged to work in the office once a week, but from January they will be expected to go to the office on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. He said mandating attendance felt like a betrayal of autonomy.

John believes the return to the office is part of a wider post-Covid trend, with employers believing people will be more productive meeting in person. Our department has just moved into new, expensive office space. I think that's another reason why they want us.

As a designer, John says working in an open office without access to dedicated equipment would have a negative impact on his productivity. I use a second screen for work and need to get into a creative flow that requires a consistent environment, a quiet workspace, and some alone time. small talk [in the office] Wearing headphones to concentrate constantly distracts you and makes you look like you're antisocial.

John is not alone in his opposition to office work. Last November, the Guardian revealed that some staff at Starling Bank had resigned after the CEO required them to return to their desks for at least 10 days each month.

John says this feels like an arbitrary decision and a box-ticking exercise in management. I don't think it will increase productivity, it just encourages presenteeism. It may be enough to consider finding another job.

* Some names have been changed.

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