Desk taken at work while on maternity

[Flopsy145]

I'm coming to the end of my maternity leave and have found out that a man in my team has moved into my desk while I've been off and replaced it with a standing desk. I love my desk, it has a window and privacy which I need more than him in the role I'm in, and I can see my daughter's nursery.
He's on more money than me, and didn't even ask to have my desk, which still has a locked cupboard of mine next to it which I need.
The desk I've been moved to is pretty shit.
AIBU to demand my desk back?

@OverByYer

Maybe it was noticed that you spent time starting out of the window so have moved you somewhere where you can’t? ( I am being deliberately obtuse but thinking from employer perspective)

That's a very valid point, as a manager I wouldn't want someone peering dreamily at the nursery when they should be working!

No! Tell them you want your damn desk back or you're walking!
In the meantime go down and talk to HR.

It’d annoy me too. But as others have said, it’s not YOUR desk. Doesn’t stop the ggggrrr feelings though.

I’d still send the breezy ‘can you make sure my desk area is back to normal when I return? Can’t wait to see you!’ note though. He can only say no and might just say yes. Can’t hurt.

I had someone being territorial about blinds on windows near her desk. When open, I could not see computer screen because of glare. If I closed them, she just opened them again! Bit like parking outside someone’s house. Blinds/roads don’t actually belong to these people. But being near them gives a feeling of ownership. Sorry. This is not helpful to your dilemma OP, just reminded me of that time. Hope you can sort it out without problems.

Just raise with your LM/Director or HR your concerns around privacy and why it wasn’t previously an issue.

If his desk is for a back issue it’s probably a reasonable adjustment for him to work under DDA. They are expensive so it will probably have gone through some internal authorisation to be ordered and he may have had no input into its placement - it might be to reduce risk for H&S or similar.

Have a reasonable conversation with the appropriate person, if it’s an option they will probably agree it makes sense to move back. If not they will probably offer you a privacy screen if they agree that lack of confidentiality is a risk.

It’s a shame because returning to work presents a lot of change, without throwing stuff like this into the mix. However, I wonder if, in your annoyance, your ascribing motives to your colleague that don’t reflect the reality?

Good luck, hope you get to a satisfactory outcome.

OP I’m with you on this. I went on maternity having had a special chair made for me in the office and at home for wfh days which took months and then has disappeared! I came back last year to find our whole department had been relocated. None of us now have our own desks and the set up is below basic! I still get pain using a normal chair. When I asked for a return to work OH assessment I was told unless I’m in the office 4 days a week they won’t do it. So now I am wfh with the expectation of going in two days a week !

This is discrimination! It happened only because you left to have a baby!
Speak to HR and kindly ask for your desk back!

@Cavementality

This is discrimination! It happened only because you left to have a baby! Speak to HR and kindly ask for your desk back!

😂

A lot of companies have hot desk policies now so unless theres a specific reason why you need that desk I can't see you winning this one. Being able to see your daughters nursery isn't really a justified reason as most people wouldn't be able to watch their kids nursery at work.

The OP has posted to say it's resolved, and she has her desk back.

@Flopsy145

Update - all sorted and back at our original desks until a complete office reshuffle! I asked him directly and was totally fine. Thanks all!

See above.

@grapewine

So your job was absorbed into your line manager's day - effectively showing that the position isn't needed. But you don't really have to worry because it's in the public sector, and they're 'desperate' to keep you but couldn't really fire you even if they wanted to. And you moan about a desk?

Count yourself so bloody lucky. Jesus.

That's typical of the public sector - Empire building, entitlement, squabbling, and above all, waste.

@Jeannie88

I can empathise. While on maternity leave my classroom, which I had spent years making look wonderful and bought my own extra storage, funky hanging things etc, was completely taken apart by the male supply teacher. All my colourful fluffy stuff, decorations, pink mirror, hanging baskets of toys I used...gone and dumped in a heap in a cupboard! Was fuming but as we were were moving buildings I didn't show my full wrath. Back to you, yes it does seem unfair and he should offer it back to you? X

Surely for those months it wasn't your classroom?

Reminds me of when we had a keen new office manager who one day decided that she liked my desk better then hers. I came in one morning to find she’d swapped. She’d been through all my personal things and put them in another desk. I was mortified at the bloody cheek of it and she simpered at me ‘is this because I’m younger than you?’ No you empty headed ill mannered twat, it’s fucking rude!

can you not wfh? ask you employer to either give you your old desk back or enter an arrangement to wfh

YANBU to be annoyed. However, I don't think you could ask to have it back. People move around a lot in work places. Can the lockable unit be moved?

@amitoooldforthisshit

can you not wfh? ask you employer to either give you your old desk back or enter an arrangement to wfh

Or accept that you've been on maternity leave and it that time things have changed?

I worked in one building where I was moved from 1st floor to 2nd then 3rd then 5th then 8th then we moved buildings I Started on 1st east moved to 1st west then 2nd East and 2nd West then back to. 2nd East. As long as they are paying you for your time I'm afraid you have to be more flexible.

Rather than demanding your desk back, would it not be more professional to politely request it, explaining that you need privacy for the work that you do.
Demands rarely go down well.

Demands rarely go down well.

Neither does not bothering to read the OP's updates 🤦🏻‍♀️

@SoupDragon

Demands rarely go down well.

Neither does not bothering to read the OP's updates 🤦🏻‍♀️

Exactly.

Don't ask, don't get 🤷‍♀️ worth giving it a shot

I even reposted the OP's update.

Flopsy145
Update - all sorted and back at our original desks until a complete office reshuffle! I asked him directly and was totally fine. Thanks all!

Well done, OP, a great result.