Civil service chief ‘warns Boris Johnson against forcing government workers back to office’ Prime minister backs Jacob Rees-Mogg despite criticism of minister’s ‘Dickensian’ tactics to repopulate Whitehall

14 comments

  3. Copying my previous comment in here;

    “Seeing how about during the pandemic they decided to remove half the desks, how are the civil servants supposed to all fit in the offices?

    My office had 3000 parking spaces, 7000 desks, for 10,500 people. They’ve now gone around each floor removing desks and adding “collaboration zones” to “fully embrace the hybrid working model”. Quite clearly we are never going back to full time in office.

    How about paying a wage increase to cover the fact that there gas been a decade of stagnant wages? Maybe after two years of working from home and costs increasing people can’t afford to go into the office by 5 days a week just to do what they can do from home. Do I really need to be in the office for a 6 hour long Skype call?”

    Is a shame how we were told how vital we were during the lockdown as key workers, and what an amazing job we did/being more efficient while WFH. Although now there’s a 180 on that sentiment.

  4. It’s not like the Conservatives are a progressive party, the clue is in the name. The fact that they are close to landlords and businesses that rely on commuter trade just cements their position.

  6. Clearly the older generation of politicians can’t adapt to using Skype, teams or Zoom. If they cant adapt should they get the sack and have younger generation of politicians in play. JRM writing a note and placing it on their desks says it all. Can’t work a computer to write an email.

  7. I’m a key worker.

    They’re attempting to enforce 3 days a week in the office because there was no “natural return to the office” after restrictions ended

    I’m a key worker under the Telecoms part of the key worker guidance.

    Thankfully saner heads have prevailed at the direct management level, because I’ve been told to only come in 1 day a week. And we’ve all admitted that’s a box ticking exercise.

  9. These are suggestions from a Minister(s) who have no understanding about how their offices operate beyond their own office walls.

    Since the pandemic, my department shut down the auxiliary offices and my team is spread across the country, some living in rural areas – Is the suggestion for those people to commute 5 hours each way to the down-sized, remaining sites?

    Try talking to your HR/building managers to make some useful plans before creating nonsensical new directives.

  10. My understanding is that they’ve sold off office space, where do they expect them all to work if they all came back at once?

    Once again this feels like idiots in the government trying to ruffle feathers for no reason but to sow chaos.

  12. Back to work the covid has gone now. Government employees should lead by example and go back to the office so all the other plebs that earn the taxes to pay the civils servants don’t feel like they are getting the piss taken out of them. Those that don’t want to or cant can go back are more than welcome to find work elsewhere. Morrisons are hiring.

  13. What’s the issue with going back to the office? Too many civil servants too used to doing naff all whilst lounging around in their boxers sipping a beer?

  14. Why does Boris support this, because it is perfect distraction politics. Divert attention on to something completely idiotic so that Boris can hang on for a few more days.

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