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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:
PearLime · 27/09/2021 21:18

[quote ThinWomansBrain]@PearLime - yes, I agree, pragmatically no one would agree to this

  • but if daft enough to do it, establishing a place of work close to his home, "his" office could be construed as his place of work - travel to a central office 3 hours away would then be business travel, rather than a commute that he is personally responsible for.[/quote]
He could say it was business travel and ask for the money, but that doesn't mean the company would need to pay it!

They're not under any obligations to him.

Puzzledandpissedoff · 27/09/2021 21:24

He's identified what would be best for him and he's asked to see if it's possible. That seems ideal in an employee

Even when what he's asking is something that nobody in their right mind would agree to?

Sorry, but to me that just makes him look like a greedy fool - though I agree the interesting bit will be his reaction when told no

HalzTangz · 27/09/2021 22:03

He is taking the piss in my opinion. Not only asking for you to rent a office, but also moving 3 hours away from his workplace.

Millions of people worked from home during the pandemic. Many of those with kids and no spare room to create an office.

My family (me, DP and adult daughter) live in a 2 bed house with 2 dogs.
My DP and I WFH. He works in the bedroom, I work in the lounge. We both have zoom calls for most of the day. My dogs bark when playing or when someone knocks the door.

He can work in the bedroom whilst his partner and child use the rest of the house.

I would say I'm sorry we don't pay for office space, if you haven't got adequate space to work from you will have to work in the office every day.

cstaff · 27/09/2021 22:06

Sure while you're at it you might as well transfer his shed into a nice little office for him. Ffs what a chancer Grin

Jangle33 · 27/09/2021 22:10

Wow!

I’m amazed at his audacity and amazed you’re entertaining this by giving it the time of day.

Tell him to jog on! It’s his choice and he needs to commute back to the office as needed. Are you even ok with a shared work space - they’re not very confidential!

Looubylou · 27/09/2021 22:11

No way. He'll leave though. I doubt he is irreplaceable.

Clymene · 27/09/2021 22:11

Hahaha. No.

HalzTangz · 27/09/2021 22:17

You mention you have directors, pass his request to them. I can guarantee that they will say the following

  1. No
  2. Why has he moved that far from the office, we can revoke WFH at anytime
Newestname002 · 27/09/2021 23:47

Well he's certainly not lacking in confidence!

A classic case for the MN phrase "This doesn't work for us" before presenting him with the choices of WFH fours days plus one day in the office, or all five days in the office... 🌹

QueenBee52 · 28/09/2021 00:58

I suspect OP's not coming back

BeenAsFarAsMercyAndGrand · 28/09/2021 07:08

@HalzTangz

You mention you have directors, pass his request to them. I can guarantee that they will say the following
  1. No
  2. Why has he moved that far from the office, we can revoke WFH at anytime
Directors don't normally expect managers to send them every bizarre HR request that gets made. Managers are paid to do this stuff, backed up by HR policies etc.
Pipsquiggle · 28/09/2021 08:58

Not read the whole thread but read OP's comments.

As PP have said obviously a No to his request - not for the cheek of it (although he is being a CF) but mainly the precedent this would bring.

Now would also be an opportune time to alert HR of this request and make sure they have a stock reply to this kind of request

He has chosen to move 3 hours away - which is fine - presumably to a cheaper part of the country? He should be looking at appropriate accommodation from the money saved on working 5 days in an office

Original poster
pumpkinsp1ce · 28/09/2021 09:44

Just caught up with all the replies. Thanks for this, a resounding cry of CF which has definitely made me realise I need to trust my intuition and I probably shouldn't have given this request too much thought. We have a lot of long tenure here and most of our people are more settled in/around the city where we are based so it's not something we have been asked for before; while I guess its fine to ask, it beggars belief to me that someone would move 3 hrs away from work if it did not suit their working arrangements. Though perhaps it's a generational/"digital nomad" thing! Shame as he's good at his job and fits well in the team. Thanks again.

OP posts:
PearLime · 28/09/2021 09:45

@HalzTangz

You mention you have directors, pass his request to them. I can guarantee that they will say the following
  1. No
  2. Why has he moved that far from the office, we can revoke WFH at anytime
Directors wouldn't care about a new, junior member of staff being a CF. They have more important stuff to deal with.
QueenBee52 · 28/09/2021 12:58

@pumpkinsp1ce

Just caught up with all the replies. Thanks for this, a resounding cry of CF which has definitely made me realise I need to trust my intuition and I probably shouldn't have given this request too much thought. We have a lot of long tenure here and most of our people are more settled in/around the city where we are based so it's not something we have been asked for before; while I guess its fine to ask, it beggars belief to me that someone would move 3 hrs away from work if it did not suit their working arrangements. Though perhaps it's a generational/"digital nomad" thing! Shame as he's good at his job and fits well in the team. Thanks again.

so glad you are seeing this for what it is.. you did the right thing in asking on here... nothing gives you clarity like Mumsnet 🤣

HalzTangz · 28/09/2021 23:02

I disagree, many directors like to know what their cheeky staff are asking for

HalzTangz · 28/09/2021 23:05

I disagree, directors where I work are very interested currently in what all staff are asking in regards to WFH

IJoinedJustForThisThread · 28/09/2021 23:14

“what part of working from HOME do you not understand? The clue is in the name”

QueenBee52 · 28/09/2021 23:23

@HalzTangz

I disagree, directors where I work are very interested currently in what all staff are asking in regards to WFH

aahh okay you work with OP ?

Rainbowshit · 28/09/2021 23:33

@SpiderinaWingMirror

God, I've gone wrong somewhere in my life. Never occured to me to relocate to a completely different area and ask the business to open an office for me.
Ha me too!!
abstractprojection · 29/09/2021 19:11

He’s just asking. The answer is no but I’d give him the benefit of the doubt that this answer is both expected and fine

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