Are most previous officer workers now WFH using laptops as only screen & over wifi?

[lljkk]

I think this might be true, else there wouldn't be so much gushing about cafe working.

Is anyone using docking station at home, multiple screens (how many?), or need ethernet cable for WFH ... is anyone relying on tethered wifi on a phone?

[BillywilliamV]

I think we are in for a new epidemic of back and hand problems.
Your work should have had you do a work place assessment, they are still responsible for your H&S whilst you are working and need to provide any chairs, screens, keyboards etc required to keep you safe and comfortable

[adagio]

Anecdotally, I have some colleagues in tethered to phone WiFi. My firm have happily dished out monitors, keyboards, mice etc for those with space or desire for them, also office chairs and desks. In reality many of us have limited space and are wfh with others (I have DH also at home, a colleague had 2 daughter plus fiancé plus herself all wfh)

I think most of us are compromising whereby if we can squeeze some kind of work station in somewhere in the house, all the home workers take turns on it and anyone else gets the kitchen table with laptop and dining chair.

I find it annoying I sorted out a place for a desk got it all set up etc (it’s in my alcove instead of my laundry maiden and dehumidifier) then have to share with DH - his office just handed him a laptop and hideous plastic riser and told him to crack on.

[MarieG10]

My team are still mainly working from home but I had introduced new ways of working before lockdown much to the disdain of some colleagues (can't see then not working mentality).

However, working all day from a laptop is not good and my lot were already set up with docking facilities etc and a proper screen suited to their role.

My wifi is 500mb. However some of my team find using a mifi can be far faster than standard BT broadband

[QueenPaws]

Laptop only instead of usual computer screen and over WiFi at home. Can't work in cafe etc

[lljkk]

What is a mifi?

Curious that no one else mentions ethernet cable.
I need ethernet most of the time. The software I use chokes on wifi.
I won't even talk about the RSI & backache potential!!

Friend offered for me to work around hers when I lost space here, but she can't understand my need for ethernet. At home she has hi spec laptop, docking station & screens that her work supplied (and maybe the actual computer desk, too?... and chair? - none of that is available from my employer). I'll be made redundant before a set up like that is made available.

So most people are actually getting on fine with mere single laptop & working over wifi?

[Newbracelet]

Work laptop and home WiFi here. My cheap Ikea office chair isn't great. I've already got an aching right little finger and the start of sciatica. I'm not tied to a desk in my normal work so I don't have office equipment provided for me. During school holidays I felt 20 years younger physically but now the pain is creeping back. I'm setting a kitchen timer this week and having 5 minutes to move and stretch every hour where possible.

[KatherineJaneway]

I have a full set up: desk, large monitor, webcam, decent office chair etc. Some of it paid for by work, some I've invested in personally as I wanted a better grade of item than work would provide. I have good wifi anyway so that is not an issue.

[Lovelydovey]

One of us works on the kitchen table with a dining chair with a laptop, small second screen on a shoe box. The other works in our tiny home office (known as the broom cupboard) which has a desk, ergonomic chair and huge second screen. Both workstations have mice and decent home WiFi.

[daisypond]

I have a PC, two monitors, Ethernet cable, full normal desk setup, all provided by my employer - they just couriered over what we had in the office. We wouldn’t be able to work in a cafe or any sort of communal space.

[Bekksy]

Work gave us each a £250 allowance to kit ourselves out. I've got 2 screens, a trackball and a docking station. I work at the dining room table but have a pootak cushion which is quite good. We eventually set DH up yesterday with a desk in the lounge, with 2 screens but he insists on his chair. We both in IT, I could not work on only my laptop. Even before lockdown I had a second screen for wfh days. We have Broadband downstairs AND G4 upstairs because we could not cope with just wifi.

[zebrapig]

We both have the same set up as we have in our office (dual screens, pc/laptop, keyboard/mouse & decent chair) albeit DH is squeezed into the utility room. I use WiFi, he uses Ethernet over power. I think the difference is we are both contractors who work remotely so are expected to have our own equipment anyway. We just brought everything home from the office, although DH is going back this week and I can't wait for some peace!

[PCol]

I have my laptop plugged into a hub which outputs to 2 screens. It's in my home office, which is a spare bedroom. I WFH quite a bit before lockdown anyway so am pretty set up in there with a printer etc. Only issue was cheap IKEA chair which eventually gave me terrible back ache. Work all allowed us to expense £175 for an ergonomic chair.

DH is a contractor so was left to his own devices really. He managed to grab his work laptop as the office closed and they all couriered their work screens over, so he only uses one screen with laptop, but it's a large one. Hes on the dining room table which is now setup as a permanent office. He also got bad back problems and both of us had to have 10 sessions paid for by my work insurance.

3 kids, 2 had desks in their bedrooms and we cobbled together 2 old laptops. Youngest works on kitchen table with an iPad.

We do have some ethernet cable over electricity points but actually all just use the 500mb virgin broadband we have anyway. Has been largely fine, even with us both using work vpns.

[HorridHamble]

I have a work laptop, but I purchased a monitor, keyboard, mouse, headphones with mic and a shredder. I can’t claim this back. I had a desk and dining chair already. I have a very small house but set up in front of the living room window, which I quite like. My Wi-Fi is reliable and fast. Will be claiming that £6 a week tax rebate or whatever it is at end of financial year, or whenever the office reopens.

[badg3r]

I have a desktop, two screens and Ethernet. I couldn't do my job on a laptop with WiFi. DP uses laptop and WiFi no problem but I am constantly correcting his position, he slouches so much.

[pinkbalconyrailing]

laptop butwith extra monitor and keyboard here.
would not be able to just work from laptop from the sofa for more than half an hour.

[Fortyfifty]

WiFi is fine where I am. I'm working from my laptop and have a stand for it but now I've been told by work I'll be wfh until at least March, I'm thinking of getting my docking station and screen from my workplace.

I'm not so keen to have to store it somewhere. I like sitting my laptop down and putting it away as a good way to separate home from work life. My chair is inadequate. I'm going to buy something better but again, I don't want an ugly black office chair, so I'm going to have to use my own money to buy something more pleasibg to the eye - although I'm watching Facebook marketplace to see if people are selling them who have been ordered back to the office.

[PerspicaciaTick]

I use large screen plus laptop screen. Separate keyboard and mouse plus headphones and my employer have supplied an office chair. Connection piggybacks off my home WiFi although O have used tethered WiFi via my work mobile on a couple of occasions when I've had issues with my home connection.

[InMySpareTime]

DH raided the office as soon as workers were asked to "work from home if you can" Mid-March sometime.
He has a laptop and docking station, 4 huge monitors and his office chair.
We built a desk in the bedroom and he works with his usual work setup at home.
Longer term, the company is facilitating a choice of WFH/office work, providing extra docking stations and monitors to enable dual office setups.
DH planning to WFH until the new year, then decide each day whether he prefers home or office.

[Ffsnosexallowed]

I'm nhs. I had to buy my own laptop, office closed so have to work from home. I've not even been given work mobile yet, so using my personal mobile. No risk assessment, no additional equipment. No sign of getting back to an office base.

[Scarby9]

My personal laptop on the kitchen table with a kitchen chair. Laptop on a pile of books for important meetings.
Going back to the office on Tuesday, then probably 3 days most weeks.

[Scarby9]

Oh yes, and using my personal mobile too. Education.

[HunterHearstHelmsley]

Just a laptop here too. Usually on my knees.

My workplace will provide desk, chair, screen etc. But there is absolutely nowhere in my house to set it up. They seem to think everyone has a spare room.

I usually use my home Wifi but if theres too many people using it then it slows down alot. I connect to my work phone then.

[Splodgetastic]

I use an Ethernet cable for some tasks. I already had a screen and keyboard + mouse of my own, and I bought a Kensington laptop riser to stop laptop overheating and as a second screen. If you are not earning much, then I can understand not buying these things and employers should really offer external keyboard + laptop riser as a minimum, but if they aren’t and you have the money why wouldn’t you? You have a responsibility to take care for your own health and safety too.

[Splodgetastic]

Outlay for keyboard, mouse, riser combo approx. £30 to £40.

[bathorshower]

DH brought home his desk, chair, monitors and mouse. I didn't even have a laptop initially as I shared it with a colleague, but work have sorted that. DH has wired ethernet into two rooms so we can both be wired in at once. I'm back in the office soon, but DH is working from home for the foreseeable future.