Hotdesking

[theeternalstudent]

I've been offered my dream job. It's been a long time in the planning. However, I've only just found out that the company operate a hot desk policy. Think large open plan department and free for all on computers/desks. Turns out that there just isn't enough desks or equipment for everyone. So much so that they have had to implement a compulsory 'work at home' day for everyone. Work at home doesn't really work for me and my personal circumstances. TBH it just sounds like hell to me. Doesn't everyone like to have their own desk where they can set out their stuff and make themselves comfortable?

Do I have to accept that this is the way of office working in the future? or should I just turn down the job.

I sound like I'm a bit full of myself saying that I won't do it as I need a desk. So does everyone!

Yes, I would refuse compulsory WFH.

A house is a house, not an investment. It's also not a place for your employers to do business without paying rent, business rates, power bills, water bills . . .

We have hot desking at my work in theory. In practice it doesn't work because the IT isn't good enough to support it.

It's a nightmare when you can't log into your computer, can log in but it's still running windows XP, can't access a printer, the phone doesn't work etc.

Work can't afford to upgrade anything, or give us laptops/mobile phones even though it's an IT based job. That's the NHS for you.......

I simply don't understand how hotdesking works with current H&S requirements. My colleague is 6'6, I'm 5'2. His desk has special long legs and his monitors are on stands. I'd be looking up at about 45 degrees if I sat at a desk set up for him, and he'd be curled up doing horrible things to his neck at a desk set up for me. Sitting comfortably for work involves a lot more than just seat height.

I would not take a job which involved hotdesking.

We have a system of "static" desks for people with H and S needs. They are expected to let their teams know if they are not coming in and it causes upset when they don't.

Skylark2 I'd like to see you and your colleague walking off to a meeting together!

LuckyCharms - I knew before I got to the last line of your post that you were talking about the public sector

I find it disorientating. It's to do with physical position of desk, for some reason it has always mattered to me when I have to change desk.

But luckily I'm on secondment now and have my own desk again now. My desk is one of the worst in the office, but I am happy because it is static.

But I would still take the job, you will adapt.

Hot desking is great. Nobody knows where you are sitting so you can be more flexible with you hours. I found all the rubbish I had on my desk before I never needed. You meet loads of different people too which us quite good if you work cross functionally.

Thank you everyone. Seems like it's really common practice and actually may have it's benefits. I will give it a try and see how it goes. I feel more positive about it now after hearing different perspectives

I like having my own desk.

I'd hate to hot desk every day. I'd have to readjust the monitor, chair etc every day.

Nightmare.

My company introduced hot-desking in June and it's been a great success. We have lockers for our crap, phones that plug into laptops, all the kit. I really enjoy meeting new people and feeling energised by sitting somewhere different every day

Lol

When I worked somewhere that had "hot desking" (what a cringe corporate saying) there were unwritten rules as to who sat where

Woe betide if anyone unwittingly sat in the wrong place....

I'm baffled you would given up your dream job because of this.

My office hot desks. I did find it annoying at first, but you adjust. It certainly made me less of a horder

I used to hot desk. It's shit. People finishing their shift before, having to hang round waiting for a desk that's covered in food and someone else's germs. Eurghhhh. So glad I have an little space of my own now!

I hotdesk but two days a week I'm in an office of nesters. One woman will leave a little PA post it note on her favoured desk (it's covered wth her crap) saying 'please don't sit here, I'm in later'.

The face on her when she sauntered in at 2 and found me sitting there. Apparently it would have been better for me to have spent all day at the desk with the broken phone, next to 'her' desk, just in case she wanted to use it.

Hotdesking offices ought to have a rule saying you can't use the same one two days running. Or just give in and provide enough bloody desks!

I used to deliberately sit at a different desk every day.

If the nesters got too fussy, I'd change desks at lunch time

Our desks were small and we had to leave them empty if we walked away for more than 10 minutes. We had a lot of sales staff coming through and if they wanted a desk they'd take anyone with an empty seat, pushing any crap to one side to do so... made the nesters furious, but did get the message across eventually.

We were all given little trolleys for our crap and lockers. So it was easy enough to move round the building. You really do get used to it.

It's lovely not to be weighed down with random crap. You can live the minimalist dream with a pencil case, a coffee mug and a notebook

If you have a wfh day and you need the heating on do work pay for it? What about wifi too, we are gking to be given laptops which we can use from home but where I live we can get 3G so would need to use and pay for my own wifi.

Yes. There is a form for it. Help from HMRC www.gov.uk/tax-relief-for-employees/working-at-home

Ah, ok. Im on oil and it costs a fortune.

I keep a clear desk unlike under my desk which is full of bags to back to Asos, christmas shopping, spare shoes and cardigans

A family member has just changed jobs and she finds it dreadful even 6 months into the job.

bette I feared the same sort of thing as my UK govt dept moved to hotdesking recently. Apart from the IT they had also cut down so much on cleaning that I knew i would have to sit at some scummy filthy new desk everyday and spend the first 20 mins cleaning everything!! (I moved abroad)

I couldn't do it because I'm such a short arse I need an extra shallow chair and usually an extra high foot rest!!!!

My company have had a hot desk policy since before I joined in '97. We don't even have drawers but do have a tiny mobile phone / valuables locker. I like it but go through wipes like mad , even with a laptop. We are supplied with those and free hand sanitiser.