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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to not give up my good desk as I'm part time

81 replies

pbromum2 · 22/04/2015 08:38

I have one of the better desks in the office as I sit near a window and have plenty of space around me.

I'm 3 days a week, but some of the 5 days have hinted that I should give up this great desk.

Aibu to just ignore them?

OP posts:
SquiddlyDiddlyDoo · 22/04/2015 12:11

I think you should consider letting people use it on the 2 days you are out. I don't think you should have to give up your space per se, but it does seem a bit unfair to have a great desk sitting unused for 2 days a week.

Just FYI where I work your desk would have been reallocated like a shot. Windows are highly coveted in a law firm - it's all very hierarchical!

pbromum2 · 22/04/2015 12:13

Well its not very practical to plug in a desktop and move it regularly and would need another monitor moved also. That would eat up 15 mins a day and prob be against h and s. Also I'd be pissed if o came in and my desk wasn't how I left it if it wasted my time.

Yes I know it makes q big difference to some, although I wouldn't want to face another summer with no fresh air and looking at a wall all day. Its tough, anyway I haven't made an issue about it at all, others have. If management want to move me I'll go along with.

OP posts:
SquiddlyDiddlyDoo · 22/04/2015 12:16

Just saw your post about desk set ups. It's like that here too, which is why the powers that be would have had it off you like a shot. if that's not the policy, then fine, keep your desk, but sometimes I wonder whether it's better to try and get on with people than pissing them off for the sake of a desk...

drspouse · 22/04/2015 12:18

Couldn't a desktop just be moved to the desk?

Yes, if you have a laptop on the central space, someone else could put their keyboard there (or use your keyboard).

I've recently come back to work part time, and I was part time before (0.6 is the lowest I've been). I have my own office because I'm ancient a long standing employee but was told that those who were 0.5 or lower might be expected to share an office. Fortunately there's nobody who's at a level that needs their own office space who also works anything like the hours opposite to me.

I'd quite like an office-share if the other person was tidy and watered the plants!

steff13 · 22/04/2015 12:21

Well its not very practical to plug in a desktop and move it regularly and would need another monitor moved also.

You wouldn't move it regularly; you'd give the desk permanantly to someone with a desktop, and then it would just stay there all the time. I didn't understand the assertion that only someone with a laptop could use the desk; I was thinking a desktop could easily be moved there.

limitedperiodonly · 22/04/2015 12:22

I hate the casual denigration of part time workers as if we are expected to be grateful for being allowed to exist rather than being valid employees who are sometimes more efficient than full time colleagues.

Slightly different situation to you. I was a jobshare and we had a desk that wasn't particularly desirable - it was next to the stinky microwave - but its good points were that it was attached to the main table which was fun and sociable.

The other available desk was next to the window but had its back to us and even worse, was opposite the boss's deputy who was inane when she wasn't being a sneaky cow.

Both of us took a lot of calls for other work that we didn't want the deputy overhearing. Everyone else on the table could be trusted.

The first I knew of a swap was when I came in one Wednesday at the start of my week and at lunchtime the person in the Seat of Doom approached to tell me that our line manager had agreed to a swap if we were all agreeable and that my spineless jobshare partner had already agreed in principle 'subject to limited agreeing'.

He knew there was no way I'd agree and I was resigned to playing 'bad cop'. Hey ho. He could have fucking texted me though.

I was going to decline politely until she said... 'and Line Manager says it would make sense because you're "just freelancers"'.

Cheeky fucking mare.

I asked why she wanted to swap and she said hers wasn't a very good desk.

I asked if that was the case why on earth would she think I'd want to move there?

She said she didn't want to cause upset but petulantly cited Line Manager again.

I said in that case she'd better not mention it again because it was causing me a great deal of upset, but if she insisted we'd discuss it with Line Manager when he came back from the pub.

She stupidly did. I refused. Line Manager threw his hands up in the air and said we were impossible. Job-Share and I stayed put.

Stick to that desk like a limpet OP.

QuintShhhhhh · 22/04/2015 12:23

They would not HAVE to move the desktop, it would be permanently on "your" desk - you could sit anywhere with your laptop when you come into work. Makes much more sense.

pbromum2 · 22/04/2015 12:23

Well I'm not trying to piss people off, I had no idea people were so petty. Before this move I had a shit desk for over a year and I Just got on with it.

As there are three guys eyeing up my desk, even if I did move two would be pissed off. Then whose desk to I move to?

OP posts:
pbromum2 · 22/04/2015 12:26

Oh so because I'm laptop based and part time I have to sit in the shitty seats and hotdesk, err thanks .

I'll put my request in to switch to a desktop if people will use that against me.

OP posts:
Moomintroll85 · 22/04/2015 12:26

Agree with financeprincess. The people whingeing about your desk sound so petty. Don't give into them. They can use it while you're not there isn't that enough? it's not up to them to be able to turf you out just because you're part time.

As if work isn't arduous enough (unless you love your job of course) there's always some people who have to make the whole experience worse by whingeing and moaning about every little thing!

pbromum2 · 22/04/2015 12:30

Thanks mom that's what I'm doing.

One of the guys that wants my desk is a pretty aggressive and bullying kind, I would be annoyed if he got it as it would prove being nasty and unpleasant gets you things. He's a large part of why I'm pt now.

OP posts:
QuintShhhhhh · 22/04/2015 12:31

I am not saying that at all. If you want your desk, keep a low profile and be careful they are not asking you to hot desk, you have a lap top and are part time.

steff13 · 22/04/2015 12:36

I am not saying that at all.

Neither am I. The OP made the assertion that only someone with a laptop could use the desk. I just didn't think that was true.

QuintShhhhhh · 22/04/2015 12:37

Yes, what steff said. I was only really pondering how only a laptop could be at your desk.

OnlyLovers · 22/04/2015 12:38

As there are three guys eyeing up my desk, even if I did move two would be pissed off.

Exactly. It'll only cause more problems. It's a manager's job to deal with this, not the OP's.

twirlypoo · 22/04/2015 13:10

You say the people wanting your desk are petty but your just as bad! if it is so unimportant than why not just move?

SpaghettiMeatballs · 22/04/2015 13:23

I don't miss this at all. My office is now paperless and we all hot desk with laptops. I thought I would hate it but it's lovely to avoid squabbles over desks.

OP, assuming everyone has their own desk in your workplace regardless of their hours I don't see why you should give up your desk to a full timer.

Marynary · 22/04/2015 13:46

I would give up my desk if I had had it a long time on the grounds that is was someone else's turn but I wouldn't give it up because I am part time on principle as I really dislike the idea that part timers (usually women) should work in less favourable conditions than men. I used to always have to fight my corner on this sort of thing when I worked four days rather than five.

Marynary · 22/04/2015 13:47

men full timers

CruCru · 22/04/2015 13:51

Someone upthread suggested everyone moving derek every six months. At my old office, the facilities team charged the departments £200 per desk move. I have no idea why it was so expensive but it meant that we kept desk moves to an absolute minimum.

CruCru · 22/04/2015 13:51

Moving desk.

sleepy11 · 22/04/2015 14:02

YANBU - I work 3 days and sit by the window and in a nice spot and I wouldn't give it up to anyone! It's like PP have said, why should you move for others as if you don't matter cos you're p/t?

I have to share mine with a colleague who works the opposite days to me and I hate it! Having to lock away my stuff when I leave is such a pain. The way I see it is that it was my desk all along and when she came back from maternity leave we had nowhere for her to sit so she uses it but it is basically mine.

Lack of her own desk or crappy positions for the rest of the team are not my fault nor my problem! Smile

ilovesooty · 22/04/2015 14:14

I've heard it all now. Someone seriously objecting to sharing her desk with someone who works the days she doesn't work? Hmm

TedAndLola · 22/04/2015 14:24

Is mine the only office where nobody thinks of desks as good or bad?? Ours are always the same size but I've never heard of someone valuing a 'window seat' more. Confused

Part timers have a fixed desk but it's used on their days off if someone without a fixed desk comes in. I can't imagine anyone objecting to that and being reasonable.

sparkysparkysparky · 22/04/2015 14:27

We have a clear desk policy and lockers for your stuff.
Makes being territorial a bit redundant.

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