The ‘WFH’ bubble will soon burst – believe me

As someone who has worked from home since my first child was born almost a quarter of a century ago, I am watching the new enthusiasm for WFH with a just-you-wait-and-see smile.

British workers are returning to their desks at a much slower pace than those in France, Germany and Spain. According to a study by bank Morgan Stanley, only a third of the UK’S white-collar employees are back in the office, lagging behind their counterparts in Europe where almost three quarters have returned.

This isn’t just down to us being a nation of lazy buggers, although there is cricket on, and someone has to water those lockdown tomatoes.

The relief of getting off the hamster wheel and seeing your family in daylight has undoubtedly been a revelation for commuters who used to spend hours a day with their nose lodged in someone else’s armpit.

Savings on coffee, lunch and travel soon add up and many Britons are feeling wealthier, as well as tanned and relaxed. Until the redundancy letter arrives on October 1, that is.

Better work-life balance benefits everyone. And I don’t want to be a party pooper, but working from home can easily deteriorate into “living at work”.

When the children were young I had a study so tiny that, if I was on the phone to an

editor, I could stick my foot out and ram the door shut. Later, things got harder. Having Mummy in the house created the illusion that I didn’t have a job. This led to the famous occasion at a Mother’s Day school assembly where my son chirruped, “My Mum does not work. She is a writer.”

The truth is I loved my time in the office. Some of my best friends were made during those cramped, frenetic years; it’s the closest most of us will come to wartime camaraderie.

Actually, I still miss it, so it’s no surprise to learn that demand for “office noise” soundtracks has gone through the roof. Made by Kids Creative Agency, imisstheoffice.eu features powerfully nostalgic sounds. The chair makes a squeaky-fart noise as you settle into it. Press the water cooler and you hear a cup filling up – although it does sound a little like you’ve been caught short.

Let’s see how long the WFH fad lasts. I give it until people realise that work and play are best kept separate.