When I rang HMRC at 9.15am one day and, after 30mins of holding on, got a person on the line who was working from home, I first had to listen to him crunching his cornflakes at 9.45 and then him slurping his coffee. Then I had to complain that his baby was crying so loudly that I couldn't hear what he was saying. I asked if he could put the baby in another room and he told me off, saying that was a totally inappropriate request! Luckily the baby's mother then cheerily piped up "we're going out now. See you later" and took the baby away slamming the door as she went. I felt like I was in the room with them. This wasn't in COVID and I was trying to get a code to pay money to HMRC. So I really don't like that kind of WFH!
When I started work for a local authority in 1996, I did a job share 2.5 days a week. At one point I was travelling around the country several times a month. Rather than go into the office to write up my reports, my manager gave me a lap top and suggested that I worked from home, All I had t o do was to give her warning that I would be at home on such a day and give my telephone details. I worked this way for a couple of years, Some weeks I was only in the office one day - usually on team day so could catch up with my colleagues.
Although I have been retired some time, during Covid I kept in touch with my professional ex colleagues. They advised me that one team member a day was required in the office, the rest working from home. They felt that this was a good compromise.
If I was still working, I would be happy to be in the office on alternate days.
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