Millions wasted as work from home government offices sit empty 'it's a scandal'

Yahoo

4 days ago

Wales Online readers have expressed frustration after learning that Welsh Government offices—costing £24.5m annually to operate—are being 'under-utilised.' The First Minister has warned that office closures could be on the cards if civil servants don't start returning to their desks.
The Welsh Government employs around 5,700 staff across 20 locations. While the current expectation is for workers to spend 40% of their time—around two days per week—in the office, attendance figures show a stark contrast. In March, average daily attendance was just 16%, dropping to only 9% at a key hub in Merthyr Tydfil. For January and February, the average stood at 15%.
The 15 main offices include major sites in Cathays Park (Cardiff), Rhyd-y-Car (Merthyr Tydfil), Rhodfa Padarn (Aberystwyth), and Sarn Mynach (Llandudno Junction). A further five locations are used to maintain a regional presence and meet service needs.
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Operational costs for all government buildings are estimated at £24.5m, according to the latest available data.
Local independent MS Russell George questioned the Welsh Government's office in Newtown, Powys. In response, First Minister Eluned Morgan said: "We are having a review at the moment, partly because of the change in the way that people work. We can't justify continuing to hold offices open if people don't turn up. There will come a point where you have to say, 'If you don't turn up, we cannot justify keeping this particular office open.'"
Steve Thomas, deputy general secretary of the Prospect union, defended the hybrid model: "Our members in the Welsh Government continue to deliver for the people of Wales, working productively by utilising the benefits of flexible working. The hybrid approach, with a mix of office and home working, enables staff to work effectively."
But Welsh Conservative leader Darren Millar disagreed, stating: "Back in March I pledged that a Welsh Conservative Government would end unnecessary remote working, and get people off their settees and back into their offices if we enter government next May."
Commenter Tomasdetorquemada says: 'Public sector productivity has cratered since the Pandemic and the "working" from home tendencies started. The private sector can do what it wants with its staff, but anyone earning a living from the public pocket needs to be in the office five days a week, or less, if they're on a part time contract.
"They have demonstrated that they can't be trusted with the privilege, and their managers can't be relied upon to get the required amount of work out of them remotely.'
Styo retorts: 'Office working does not improve productivity, presenteeism provides no benefits and creates a lot of problems for everyone else in terms of congestion etc. People are a populist sentiment so there is little point appealing to reason and leveraging What WFH does, is mean less competition for transport and childcare with those who HAVE to work in person and has allowed public sector wage rises to be suppressed (due to a fall in costs for those workers) It is a massive win-win for those smart enough to grasp the issue.'
Extraaz wonders: 'It's been proven jobs can be worked from home since Covid. Why don't they sell these buildings and save the tax payer millions instead of forcing people in? I have to do 60% under the guise of 'collaboration and engagement' despite my team working in different parts of the country and everything is done through Teams. People cry over them working from home but don't they realise millions could be saved by selling the office space?'
Malt replies: 'If only 40% of time is going to be required, they could 'hot desk' staff who can be told which days they have to attend the office, that way only one building/ small office will be required.'
Danfrap believes: 'It's a scandal. People should be sacked and these buildings sold. I don't pay taxes for this kind of waste.'
Scarsdaleblue thinks: ''Use them or lose them', if people aren't going into the office in large numbers now, will they really be that worried if they lose them? As threats go, it's not the worst threat.'
JeffWales writes: 'Absolute joke, why aren't staff being told they MUST return to work as opposed to being given choices? Covid was a long time ago and there is no longer a viable reason for anyone to be working from home unless they have a special, verified and thus provable reason for doing so. Many just rush through their work and spend the rest of the day doing their own thing and this is one of the reasons it remains considerably difficult to get through to various organisations etc.'
Do you work remotely? Should office-based working be mandatory again? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.