Working from home for everyone?

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One of the announcements our new government has made about their intended new policies will be the right to flexible working for everyone. Luckily they have added the caveat ‘as far as is reasonable’. Phew. Yes it’s handy for desk-based workers to be able to work at home (although it also has disadvantages) and my main work I do at home and have done since 2010, but there are plenty of jobs for which it just isn’t feasible. Imagine you call a plumber and they just respond with a Zoom call telling you how to do the work yourself. How would a dentist, electrician, ‘recycling operative’ (or whatever they call bin men these days), gardener or chef work from home? Yes I know that nowadays you may be given a first consultation with a doctor over the ‘phone or a video call, and a surgeon may be assisted by a high-precision robot, but the anaesthetist still needs to actually be there to physically inject you. Workers in the food industry need to be there in person to hand over food and drinks. Cleaners can’t yet operate mops and dusters remotely. Sometimes I think the people in charge really have lost touch with reality even as they tell us how they have progressed from their humble beginnings! All rights reserved. © Text and image copyright Fleur 2024.