To think it’s not that weird and filthy to sit on a desk?

[BriceNobeslovesMurielHeslop]

i work in a environment where often people are coming and going, there are often impromptu meetings with several people who have come from different departments, and often chairs go missing and never come back.
it isn’t that unusual for somebody to sit on a desk or table over the course of the day. This incenses two of my colleagues- according to them it is a disgusting thing to do. They have actually been found shouting at colleagues because of it.
I have never come across this before- is it a thing? If it was one person I would assume it was just a foible but two makes me wonder if this is a thing that some people really think.
YABU- your colleagues are right- it is disgusting and unhygienic
YANBU- your colleagues are being odd.

It’s the intrusion into my personal space that winds me up more than hygiene factors. Get your arse off my f-ing desk!!!

@Fairisleflora as I’ve already pointed out, these are not the desks of people at work, it’s people sitting on empty hot desks to use CoWs or due to lack of actual seats.

I think it's weird to believe that fully clothed bottoms have more germs than any other part of our bodies. Imagine all the germs that come spewing out of our faces, directly onto the surfaces in front of them. Desktops must be covered in droplets from sneezes, coughs, etc. Not to mention the germs we deposit on everything we touch with our hands!

We used to do this too as there are only little chairs in the classroom so it was quite normal to sit on the desks when having an impromptu meeting. That was until the deputy head decided we shouldn't do it and gave anyone she saw sitting on a desk a rollocking.

My Year 8 French teacher used to sit on her desk to get height over the class.

People would fight over seats just to not be stuck in direct line of sight of what was exposed.

I work with a woman (when we're in office) who spends the first 20-30 minutes after she gets in donning marigolds & disinfecting everything in, on & around her desk. This was well before covid, too. And not time before she clocked on either.

If they're doing assessments and I need height to keep tabs on them (when I'm not walking around), if we've got a visiting professional in and the kids are on the carpet (again, easier to see everyone and the visitor may be using my desk chair), not as bad on my sciatica if a few of us staff are having a quick meeting in a classroom as many of the chairs are quite small etc.

They are bonkers.

As long as no one has to eat their dinner straight off any given surface any one is fair game for sitting on as far as I’m concerned. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Have they explained their reasons? I really don't like the visual imbalance so some people on chairs and you are looking at their faces, some people you would be looking at their waists and legs! It is a bit cringe and reminds of a David Brent scene on The Office, the comedy being that he thinks he looks casual and cool.

I did used to share an office with someone in completely different job to me, she regularly had to have groups of staff to see her for briefings/meetings, one man always sat on the end of my desk whilst I was working which I didn't appreciate and told him in the end to move! Luckily, the nature of my job and the privacy needed meant I got my own office in the end. Sometimes I come in though and I know it has been used for a meeting, the chairs have been moved my two computer screens altered to allow for the meeting - it really is annoying but it doesn't sound a territorial thing here.