Disastrous Teams meeting - is it as bad as I think?

Reasonably unlikely to have a random dog jump on you, a husband start singing patriotic songs and sit in completely the wrong furniture for a meeting, when in the office no? Maybe your office is cray cray. Either way, get back there!

Pets often intrude in our meetings, but we are expected to have a suitable work-from-home area that is not public in our home. Members of our household in earshot or intruding are very much frowned on - mostly due to the nature of our work. The odd doorbell ringing is fine, and some of my closer team members, myself included, when we are talking towards the end of the day, will mute and yell at kids coming home. I really don't like people doing calls on their sofa but it has been pointed out to me that some people have issues and it is more comfortable. Can't help it - I still judge, especially when I end up looking up their nose!

I am starting to wonder as OP hasn't been back. Perhaps she posted as she thought it might be a funny story to tell but its all fallen a bit flat. Especially amongst those of us who realise wfh is a privilege and one we should take seriously

While we are all comfortable with each other at work as we have known each other for a number of years, I agree that sitting on the sofa with a dog and singing husbnad does not create a good first impression.

We all get provided with the right tools to do the job - laptop, headsets, 2 x widescreen monitors, mouse and keyboard, and there is no way I could work not at a desk.

I don't wear make up or dress smartly for WFH, but I don't sit slouched on a sofa either.

As OP hasn’t come back, I’m starting to think it is ….. maybe she’s in a meeting with her new boss about her setup

Is this a joke?
why are you not at a desk in a room with the door shut?
you should not be sitting on a sofa with your husband and dog next to you.

Funny but definitely unprofessional. You need to say to your partner to keep silent if you share a space and the dog needs to be put away for the duration of any meetings unless it’s a very informal team.

I personally would have found that hilarious.

Why were you on the couch?

I always sit up at the table when I’m on teams otherwise my dogs wouldn’t be ale to resist getting involved. Likewise I close the door when I’m on teams and my husband knows if the lounge door is closed not to come in - likewise he works upstairs in the spare room and if he closes that I know he’s on a call.

Of course no one can demand you build an extra room. I did say 'or other space that can be used similarly'. If someone only has access to a non-private area, that's a problem. In your case, as you live alone, you've met the requirement of having a private space even if it is your kitchen, but many households would need a different solution.

I agree there is a big difference between someone taking the odd call from their sofa while generally having a proper workspace, and someone permanently based on the sofa. Unfortunately in OP's case it won't be clear to the manager/ team if there is a suitable workspace available.

And it wouldn't generally be appropriate for other family members to be in earshot even if they did work at the same place!

I’m sure you won’t get into trouble, but this has really made me giggle!

Rubbish. How ? No one can demand you build an extra room on your home.

No one else lives in my home. I can work from the kitchen if I want to. I can sit on my sofa if I choose. Many of our staff wfh, work from site and the office. Many choose kitchen, home office, the sofa - where ever they are comfortable. Our office requires hot-desking - there is not a desk for all staff at all times - like many workplaces. We have DSE etc requirements but it’s hardly a breach to decide to sit in on the sofa once in a while to take a teams call.

Its also not a breach of any H&S requirement for someone to decide to take a seat on their sofa for half an hour while working. If someone has a permanently unsuitable set up that’s quite different.

That said for the first week in a new job I would be very careful until it’s clear what the values of the company are - and it’s rarely appropriate for other family members to be in earshot unless they also work there.

100% to the headphones. If you don't live alone these are a non negotiable. Not only because of background noise your end but also to ensure confidentiality/GDPR for the company. The people in your home shouldn't be able to hear work meetings.

No this is why managers need to be more aware and check their staff have suitable working set ups when at home. I am shut away in a room with a desk and chair, I have a professional set up and I'm sure many others do. Those who can't be trusted to make the necessary arrangements should probably be in the office. We do hybrid working where I am and to have everyone in the office at once would be bedlam.

😂😂😂 my brain is not in gear today!! Either that or there are some very clever dogs around!!

Sorry but this is utter bollocks.

I work ten plus hour days and there's no way I could get my work done if I had to squeeze it all into eight hours and have a pointless commute each way just so I can sit around chatting shit about TV and trying to find headphones and keyboards that work properly. I'm able to work seamlessly and very professionally and productively from home.

Because some people aren't able to manage working from home without looking like they're horsing around in a sixth form common room doesn't mean we are all like this.

I think in the early days of lockdown it was understandable because it was so new and people hadn't got around to fitting their houses out as workspaces.

We're six years into this now and anyone who works at home for any length of time should be ready for it.

I would think you don't have the set-up to work from home.
Sat on the sofa with the rest of household passing by. How productive would you be at your job?

This sounds like one of those "...and then everybody clapped" stories

You'd have immediately become a legend at my workplace we'd have loved this 😂😂😂

Not a good start.

Make sure your manager knows you are sorting it out, then arrange for headset (buy yourself unless work provides) and lock self in a room you can keep all pets and people out of. Even a bedroom is better - but sort a proper office chair / desk.

Some partners struggle to accept working from home not the same as being available. They need to keep out and keep quiet. Don't be afraid to tell them your boss has threatened to fire you , because even if they haven't put it in words they will do.

Otherwise just go into the office and incur and costs.

Yep. Sacked here too. Same workplace protocol as @Uhghg

People are still writing notes on paper in 2026? 😂 Due to my work I always have 3 laptops on and sitting on my bed is the best way to work with them all at once.

I've been with my organisation for 6 years, most of it WFH and managed not only to do my job but also do it well enough to be promoted multiple times, so clearly a desk is not the essential tool many people seem to think it is.

I'm very glad I don't work with most of these posters but then my organisation didn't exist in the 70s where most of these ideas seem to have originated and should have stayed.