Employer provision if you are working from home

[Pensylvan]

So, like a lot of people I'm guessing - fast tracked working from home. Using my own PC and broadband and home phone line because my mobile does not work in my house.

I do a lot of spreadsheets so am missing big screen *2, proper keyboard and mouse. Plus lack of printer and rather uncomfortable desk. Plus having to make work calls on home phone line.

My employer has nor been forthcoming about funding the cost of these missing items. Despite mentioning the amount we might be saving on commuting costs :(


How is it for you?

[YahBasic]

I have a lot of that stuff anyway pre lockdown to make my job easier to do from home.

Other colleagues have been allowed to borrow items from the office or have been able to procure items and expense them back.

I haven’t expensed, as see it as an investment to enable me to wfh almost permanently in the future.

[chipsandpeas]

given laptop and works phone, we also usually use 2 screens and it was brought up how its slightly more difficult without them but when asked about getting them it was a we dont know - i get the point its a bit of a logisitcal nightmare to be able to go to the office to pick them up - so will wait and see

[roses2]

I work for a Plc. Currently same as you since mid March. They've committed to couriering us what we need from the office during June including office chairs, keyboards and monitors.

Home broadband costs are not being covered although I think everyone has broadband anyhow.

[daisypond]

I had my pc, double monitors, keyboard, mouse and other tech stuff from office sent to me. I’m ok working on dining table and dining chair. If we needed to buy a desk or chair we could get it reimbursed. I’m using my own broadband etc. You can claim from HMRC, I think, for electricity etc that you use when working at home.

[willywillywillywilly]

Where I work the company has given us license to buy what we need and claim it back

[ghostyslovesheets]

I have a laptop and Smart phone (not apple though) as I work all over the UK - so I have used those

I have had to buy a cheap printer - but that's handy as kids use it now for school

I do need a lockable draw and shredder - but they will have to wait

I have to access my work via secure network and with the entire local authority working from home it's slow, lags and crashes so I often work in the evening.

We are not permitted/able to use Zoom or Windows Teams which is a pain - I do use Whatsap for video calls at times

[Snozzlemaid]

I work for local authority. Already had a laptop. When told to work from home bought home big screen, keyboard and mouse. Given a mobile shortly after for calls and have also had my office chair delivered to use at home.
Can't fault them.

[StoorieHoose]

I work for a charity and we proactively helped the staff take their work laptops or desktops home along with monitors keyboards etc. We have been hooking up personal printers etc and installing security software and assisting with getting them connected to personal WiFi. For commercial companies to not facilitate this is awful.

[trilbydoll]

A lot of people cleared their desks when we went home. I've got a laptop anyway and I'm using a TV at home for a 2nd screen so I've left my monitor at work. Our H&S guy kindly couriered office chairs home for anyone who wanted them.

[bluefoxmug]

we have the lop top provided by work but are expected to provide everything else.
I have a separate screen, headset, keybora, mouse. plus a proper office chair.
before we were allowed to work from home we had to do a workplace assessment.

we are not allowed to print work stuff.

[ClientQ]

I usually have a standard computer. Had a laptop and mouse couriered to me
I don't have a desk. Not ideal especially as I'm working solidly at the laptop for 8hrs+
Have ordered one but it's not arrived yet

[panicstationsready]

I had a desk (work on a laptop even in the office) and a monitor and keyboard as we work from home occasionally but have had my specialist chair couriered over. When we mentioned about costs for electricity etc they did mention about how much we are saving in commuting costs, not sure how that works for the many people who walk/cycle to the office however you can claim back money from HMRC apparently.

[ClientQ]

Oh and my phone is on my laptop so use my headset as normal. We don't ever WFH so it's tricky

[deeplybaffled]

Using all my own stuff here. Was able to go into office to collect a second screen but have paid for the linking cable myself, ditto the printer.
No offers of reimbursement made yet.....

[Eastie77]

Employees at my place of work can spend up to £1k on our company credit card to buy items for a home office. We all already have company issued laptops. We can claim back monthly broadband costs even though they would have been incurred anyway.

[deeplybaffled]

No desk or chair, flitting between kitchen table, bedroom, sofa etc with laptop but can’t leave anything set up permanently as an under two would destroy it. It’s definitely not ideal!

[Selmaselma]

I already had a laptop, took my office chair home, and had a monitor sent to my place.

[imarocketman50]

I had already left for the day when wfh was announced so the next morning they opened the office for the morning and we were all allowed to go and collect whatever equipment we needed so I took everything I use on a normal day - laptop dock, 2 screens, mouse, keyboard, screen risers you name it.

Also had my office chair delivered a week later as the chairs at home were causing back pain.

Work have been fab in getting us all sorted.

[Northernsoulgirl45]

Dh wfh. Only given laptop. Everything else we had to provide. Thankfully we had a spare tv for extra screen.

[TrashPanda]

I brought home my laptop, mouse, keyboard, RAP device, PED machine & phone headset. Already had a desk, monitor & chair.

[Happierlife]

Work sorted out a monitor for anyone who didn't have access to one as well all need 2 screens to work, i bought a keyboard and mouse which i will keep for personal use. We have since been told that we will be WFH more once things go back to normal. They have offered to get me a proper chair as i have a bad back anf anything else i need. Fortunately i have had a desk for a while to use whilst studying. I do have to look into getting broadband put in as using hotspot has been very temperamental.

[Whatswrongwithmenow]

I've bought my own second screen, connected that to laptop. It's bigger than my office monitors and was only £100. I view it as an investment in WFH. I have a work mobile for calls; we're not allowed to use Zoom, Teams etc due to security issues. Our customer facing colleagues have virtual phones running through their PC or laptop so the call recording software can operate.

No printing from home is permitted; its interesting because I sit adjacent to the printer in the office and some people are up at it 10+ times a day. Clearly unnecessary as they are all now managing to do their job fine without printing anything!

[Moondust001]

I sent my staff home with their workplace screens, keyboards etc. Our employers will not permit anything to be printed on a home printer for security purposes, so, of course, we absolutely utterly and never do that. Yes, it's a bloody stupid rule, and we obey it in that spirit - we couldn't do our jobs if we didn't print out, but we have to use out own printers because of the rule and if you don't have one you must go to one of our offices and use one there. That's also a stupid rule because people can easily live 30+ miles from our workplaces!

[chillied]

I already worked from home. My laptop was bought for me by the company when I started. My husband bought the printer for his work. I have an office chair, I think it was a present from one of my parents.

In our organisation we can claim £4 a day "outworker" expenses for every day worked at home. This covers phone, broadband, printer cartridges, heating electricity, stationery etc. So we don't have to faff around with lots of tiny receipts and calculations.

[TARSCOUT]

Already using all my own stuff as I also have my own company. Anything we want/need company will supply, we just need to ask.