An Open Letter to Nicola Willis - from a WFH Public Servant

Mike from Alicetown

Credit to u/nyk-maverick on Reddit.👍🏼👍
Worth a read as plenty in our neighbourhood are impacted by this.
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Dear Nicola,

I hope this letter finds you well, preferably while sipping a coffee in your Beehive office (or your comfy home office—no judgment either way). I recently read your comments about the need for stricter guidelines on public servants working from home, and it really got me thinking—well, that and rolling my eyes so hard they almost fell out.

So, we've got a situation where the government has cut thousands of jobs, shrunk office spaces, and now they're scratching their heads wondering why Cuba Street isn't bustling. It's like setting fire to your deck chairs and then complaining that no one wants to sit outside. Maybe instead of forcing the remaining public servants to commute, we should be asking why so many are packing their bags faster than you can say "trans-Tasman bubble."

Now, I get it, you’re worried about the empty cafes, the deserted streets, and the lonely photocopiers missing their daily button-pressing action in the CBD. But making everyone march back to the office feels a bit like forcing us all to trade in our smartphones for rotary dial phones just because the phone repair shops are struggling. Sure, we might all need to know how to dial on one in case of an apocalypse, but is it really the best use of our time?

You’re right—our local businesses have taken a hit. As a nation, we’re powered by long blacks and cheese scones that are nothing short of legendary. But let's be real, blaming WFH for their struggles is like blaming Wellington’s wind for bad hair days—it’s a factor, sure, but hardly the root cause. The real villains here? sky-high rents, council policies that seem to hate cars more than Aucklanders hate traffic, and let's not forget the economic rollercoaster we've all been riding. The world’s changed, and businesses need to evolve too. Just because I don’t buy a flat white from the corner café doesn’t mean I’m not contributing to the economy—my Uber Eats driver would back me up on that one.

As for the argument about team development, Office benefits etc, I don’t know if you’ve tried it, but Zoom and Microsoft Teams has more breakout rooms than my old high school did. Community building doesn’t require a desk in a central Auckland office—it requires good communication and a supportive work culture. Many of us have managed to be more productive, more collaborative, and less stressed when we cut out that 90-minute commute on the Southern Motorway. Forcing people back just feels like trying to solve a problem that no longer exists.

There’s also this idea that young employees need to learn by "seeing and hearing" others in the office. What is this, Hogwarts? Last I checked, we’re not picking up skills via osmosis. In reality, mentoring can happen virtually, and sometimes it's even better when you're not distracted by Bob from accounting microwaving his fish lunch. And the flexibility WFH offers has helped parents, carers, and anyone with a life outside of work to maintain balance and focus on performance, rather than presenteeism.

At the core of all this, WFH isn’t just about working from our kitchens in trackies. It’s about flexibility, trust, and letting people manage their own time effectively. If we’ve learned anything from COVID, it’s that Kiwis are adaptable. We’ve been showing up, delivering results, and still finding time to pop out to the dairy. If someone’s productivity slips, that’s a conversation about performance, not about location.

And let's not forget the environmental impact. Fewer commutes mean fewer emissions. It's like we're saving the planet and our sanity at the same time. Two kiwis with one stone!

So, Nicola, before you go full "back-to-school" on our public servants, remember: happy workers are productive workers, whether they're in a cubicle or their kitchen. And if you're really worried about Wellington's cafes, maybe consider giving us all a tax-free coffee allowance instead. Instead of this one-size-fits-all approach, how about we trust our public servants (and all workers for that matter) to find what works best for them and their teams? Maybe then we can focus on real issues, like why our pavlovas keep sinking in the middle. At the end of the day, public servants—like all workers—should be trusted to deliver results, regardless of whether they’re doing it from their kitchen table or a cubicle. And if they’re still delivering, does it really matter where they do it? Nicola, the thing is, forcing everyone back to office full-time is about as popular as swapping out Marmite for Vegemite.

So, how about we make a deal? You focus on making our cities more liveable? Affordable housing, reliable public transport, vibrant community spaces – you know, the stuff that actually makes people want to be in a city. And we'll keep doing our jobs – whether that's from a city office, a suburban spare room, or a beach in the Coromandel (don't worry, we'll have our laptops).

In all seriousness, Ms. Willis, the world has changed. Work from Home is not an entitlement, but it's become a fundamental part of how many people work effectively and maintain a healthy work-life balance. Instead of clinging to outdated notions of productivity, why not embrace the future?

I’d love to hear your thoughts (ideally delivered via Zoom, so I don’t have to sit in traffic for an hour).

Sincerely,

A Public Servant Who Promises Not to Work from Their (Imaginary) Beach House

P.S. If you're ever feeling lonely in those big government buildings, may we suggest a cardboard cutout of John Key? We hear he's great at waving.