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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to not pay for his work space?

221 replies

pumpkinsp1ce · 27/09/2021 13:49

NC for this. Bit of background: I line manage an employee who is just finishing his probationary period. He's great, no issues with performance and we are happy to keep him on and he wants to stay. He is a junior team member, works in a non client facing role and since he started with us he has worked from home 3 days with 2 days in the office, which works for him and us, and we're happy for him to continue with that arrangement for the foreseeable future.

However he has just let me know that he is moving a 3 hour journey from the city where we are based, and going forward he wants to request that we pay for a co-working space in his town of residence where he can work for his "home working" days. The place he has found is NOT cheap, though I'm not sure of the going rate for such as everyone here either works from our (perfectly fine) office or from their home. He would still travel into the office for the 2 days a week.

The reason for him "needing" the co-working space is that he is moving in with his partner and child and there is "no space" there for him to work from home.

Not sure what to do in this situation. We have been happy to continue to accommodate hybrid working since COVID where it is the employees' choice, which seems to presume they have the space at home to work from home. We aren't a big business and we pay our employees decently due to the city where we are based, but this co working space is a fairly big overhead when technically he does have an office here should he need it.

AIBU to refuse this request to cover the cost of his "wfh" space? Happy for him to continue to wfh 3 days a week if he has the space and resources to do so, but he's now saying he doesn't! WWYD?

OP posts:
MissAmbrosia · 27/09/2021 13:51

Um - that would a bit fat no then. He can come to the office instead.

CharlotteUnaNatalieThompson · 27/09/2021 13:52

@MissAmbrosia

Um - that would a bit fat no then. He can come to the office instead.
This
INeed2P · 27/09/2021 13:53

That sounds like his problem to move and no longer be able to WFH. I'd also be concerned about if he will actually be community the 3 hours each way for two days a week!

PyjamaFan · 27/09/2021 13:54

No chance.

The cheek of it!

anniegun · 27/09/2021 13:55

Entirely down to whether the total cost of employing him is reasonable and good value. If he leaves will you find someone as good for the money? It is exactly the same as him asking for a raise.

EL8888 · 27/09/2021 13:56

You are already providing an office space for him though. His commuting is not your problem but he’s trying to make it that way. No way would l be paying for a 2nd lot of office space. No one is making him move

mistlethrush · 27/09/2021 13:56

He has two choices - he can work from the office or he can work from home. If he can't work from home, he will need to work from the office or find somewhere he can work from - and that does not require his work paying for it as there is a perfectly acceptable place for him to work from already (the office). The fact that he's moving so far away is his issue not yours.

InTheNightWeWillWish · 27/09/2021 13:56

You wouldn’t pay his increase in fuel as a result of him choosing to moving further away. Why would you pay for him to have an office base when he has chosen to move into a space with no WFH capacity?

adagio · 27/09/2021 13:56

No chance, he is welcome in the office 5 days a week though.

CuriousaboutSamphire · 27/09/2021 13:56

He is basically handing in his notice, isn't he? That isn't a request for a reasonable adjustment, it's a bit deluded. His personal life clashes with his work life, that's his to manage. You don't have to agree to pay for anything.

Your only response has to be that the company is happy to acccommodate wfh but won't be taking on any additional office space of any kind. What he chooses to do about home working is down to him.

And, as he hasn't been with you for 2 years you can let him go with little hassle.

Hanab · 27/09/2021 13:57

No he has options of coming into the office where he does have a space to work. It is a bit cheeky to take the decision to move then ask you to compensate him to work in a space of his choosing as well

MangoBiscuit · 27/09/2021 13:57

Sounds like he isn't required to WFH, but is allowed to if he likes. If he doesn't have the room, and it doesn't work for him, no worries, he can work in the office full time.

Hoping he thought it was just worth a try, and that he'll accept a refusal with good grace.

WillYouDoTheFandango · 27/09/2021 13:57

He's trying it on. If you say yes to this, what do you do if other team members want a personal workplace close to home? Do you pay for them too?

The 2 day a week commute will get old pretty quick too, so what? You then pay for the workspace 5 days a week?

You'd be mad to say yes to this. Better to cut your losses and suck up the cost of recruiting a replacement if he then has to hand in his notice.

Ozanj · 27/09/2021 13:57

I think you should consider it if you want to keep him but not just for him, everyone in the team. Instead of paying it all set a monthly budget you would be willing to pay towards. For example I know, through my DH, that several medium size companies pay £50 a month towards shared office spaces provided they sign a contract that they would stay x period of time. Paying towards costs would keep him accountable too as he would be less likely to wfh when he can’t find childcare etc

somuchcoffeeneeded · 27/09/2021 13:58

Nope

MurielSpriggs · 27/09/2021 13:59

Depends how much you want to keep him.

ViaRia · 27/09/2021 14:01

Sounds like a straightforward and obvious one. Is there something in particular that is making you think you might be being unreasonable if you say no?

I think the only thing, maybe, is that you ought to be prepared to accommodate him at the office every day he works. If you don’t have space for that and he is required to work from home 3 days per week at his own expense, then you should ensure this is clear in his contract.

Thehop · 27/09/2021 14:02

Hahahahes a huge CF!

cstaff · 27/09/2021 14:04

Tell him "nice try mate" but the options are you work from your house or come into the office. Stuff that.

myheartskippedabeat · 27/09/2021 14:06

He's chosen to move not you choosing to move him and if the role is
0.6 remote working and
0.4 in the office
If remote working isn't possible then he needs to come to the office every day and if that isn't viable he needs to consider his options

How ridiculous

PinkFootstool · 27/09/2021 14:08

🤣🤣🤣 What an absolute CF. Not a chance would any employer grant this. Moving home so far away is his choice - he either rolls with the punches or leaves....

SheWoreYellow · 27/09/2021 14:09

Sounds like he’s trying it on, as he’s presumably saving rental costs by moving in with his OH.

Schoolchoicesucks · 27/09/2021 14:12

Could you accommodate him working FT in the office? If so, offer him the option to do that. If he's moved 3 hours away it's unlikely he would want to, but you can make the offer. It would be very unusual to pay for a homeworking space for him unless you are insisting that he needs to be able to work from home as you don't have the space for him.

MurielSpriggs · 27/09/2021 14:14

Sounds to me like the employee has the whip hand here, isn't really so bothered about keeping the job and is pretty confident he can find something else closer to (new) home if the current employer can't accommodate his request.

WheresYourSnickers · 27/09/2021 14:15

He either works from the office full time, or splits the week 3 wfh & 2 in office. WFH does not mean that you pay for a different office location - how bloody ridiculous 🙄