New office space - unisex toilets

[Redruns]

I am charged with finding new space for the small organisation I work for. We need to stay in the trendy part of London we currently work in/for (our building is being demolished) and cost will be a big factor in the search. I've seen some truly awful places and only really one that meets requirements.

It's a social conscience type organisation, lovely building which seems well run, all the facilities we need and more....but all the toilets are unisex. Proper individual cubicles with floor to ceiling partitions and sinks in the cubicles, but seeing men and women going into the same "room" (ie there's still a toilet block off the corridor from which you access all the cubicles iyswim) made me feel uncomfortable.

Something you'd get used to?

I go into the same room as my male colleagues when I enter the office, the printing room and the staff room.

Entering the same room as them to go into a fully contained floor to ceiling walled cubicle, with it's own sink wouldn't bother me.

Why does it make you feel uncomfortable?

You can't compare the office, the printing room and the staff room to the toilet.

I worked for a company where there were male, female, and unisex toilets. Male/female were stall and then sinks in a communal area, Unisex were stalls including sinks, then communal area to leave (as you describe). Way too many toilets for the actual colleagues so plenty of choice! I'd say around 95% of people used the Unisex ones solely because they liked having the sink inside the stall, so I think you'll be fine!

I’m a lecturer and 90% of the toilets on our campus are unisex. Everyone hates them, they absolutely reek of male urine, and the only female staff toilet is always queued out with female students who don’t want to use the unisex ones (and staff don’t have the heart to boot them out).

One of my female students had a boy burst in on her while she was on the loo because she hadn’t locked the door properly - absolutely mortifying for both, and somehow worse than if another woman did it.

Maybe fine in a lower traffic workplace though. I sometimes go the whole day without a wee because I hate them so much.

It’s good to have a woman only toilet area at work because it will be cleaner than a unisex toilet.

Floor to ceiling enclosed cubicles are not as safe in a medical emergency as 'traditional' single sex stalls. If someone is having a medical problem - stroke, heart attack or even panic attack - then nobody knows.

I completely avoid unisex toilets because I don't feel comfortable in them (in the layout you describe) and they always stink of urine.

My work has male, female and unisex. I've never noticed anyone using the unisex ones however I guess it's a good way to avoid any potential complaints!

I used to go to an Uber cool co working office space that had Uber cool mixed sex toilets - floor to ceiling stalls but shared sinks.

after three months the uber cool staff put up paper signs on some of the stalls today women only because the stalls were getting so grim.

shaming women (and men) who want privacy and dignity when they go to the toilet is just so revolting.

We have them where I work. I think they're great! I love having a closed cubicle with mirror and sink. Like my own private loo.

We have this set up. It doesn't bother me in principle but there women are outnumbered by men on an almost 10 to 1 ratio in my office. I don't want to touch the toilet seat to put it down, I don't want drops of piss on the seat when they don't put it up. There is more often than not piss on the floor.

The toilet seats should be automatic.

I work on a uni campus and we have them. They’re great! I like having everything in the one room and it’s much more private than a standard female bathroom.

I refused to go to one of my company's offices because there were only unisex toilets. They were always absolutely disgusting in a way I have never seen in a woman-only toilet, ever. I would never work somewhere with them again unless there was an extremely active cleaning regime. At least once per hour.

Most unisex toilets I've had the misfortune to use have smelt of male piss and they're usually grubby too with piss on the floor and seat. I wouldn't be keen.

My uni library has unisex toilets with full walls and a sink in each cubicle. They have cleaners on duty all the time and they're clean and pleasant to use. They also open off a corridor directly so feel safer IYSWIM.

The ladies loos in other buildings are cleaned most mornings then left all day with overflowing bins, etc. No thanks, I use the unisex clean ones

We have individual unisex cubicles as you describe. In a fairly fancy managed building. Never smell of wee (or anything else). Occasionally a loo seat is left up.

My experience of unisex toilets is that men piss on the seat and floor. Sometimes the seat will be left up. They smell, even if regularly cleaned.
I prefer work loos to be the room type rather than stalls though re privacy. Could you allocate a male and female side?

We have them at work. I don't see a problem if they are an enclosed cubicle with a sink.

I would hate it.

We do have some female only toilets on another floor. They are usually a bit rank though, and the hoverers leave piss on the seats.

It's a separate room with a toilet and a sink. You don't have to see anyone else having a piss.

I hate unisex toilets. It’s especially grim in male dominated work places, it feels like you’re going to the gents as there’s no other women there.

Also I used to escape to the ladies for a few minutes peace and solitude

We have them where I work. No big deal. Men and women can all be grim if that's how they are. If the toilets have cleaners in regularly I don't think you'd think anything of it.

I wouldn't want to share a toilet.

Where I work now we have someone who has terrible digestive problems and doesn't know how to flush properly, and that's a woman.