To ask for my old desk back on Monday?

[Foodieforlife]

I’m going back from mat leave on Monday. I’ve been off for nearly 18 months (took annual leave both before my mat leave started and after my mat leave finished). The office is different as it’s been refurbished now, I have a new desk and not the same one (rip being the closet person to the door to the little outside terrace, I used to work out there on sunny days on the laptop). Would I be unreasonable to ask if I can have my old desk near the terrace back?

18 months?!

Waiting for the drip feed that when you start back you're also 6 weeks pregnant

You know the workplace has changed massively in the last 18 months right? I’d say swanning back in after being away 18 months through the whole return to work after the pandemic and reminding everyone goes back to like it was before is going to go down like a cup of cold sick.

Imagine the post from the MNer who says "aibu for feeling hurt that I was asked to give up my desk for someone who's been away 18 months?" The comments would suggest the poster just calmly stands up for themselves. So you and the occupier of the desk you want just need to have a calm exchange.

Wow I can’t believe you’re getting worked up about this. Why would you even ask after 18 months away?

You posted earlier...
You've been off for 18 months and want to ask for your old desk back on your first day?!
Keep your head down and get on with your job in an office that has changed a lot since you were last there.

I wasn’t going to demand anything, I was just going to ask politely

It hasn’t changed too much, we only have 3 new staff as it’s a small satellite office for a company based in Orlando.

YABU

I was on the receiving end of someone who came back from maternity leave (she was a long term employee who basically thought she ran the show given this was her 5th maternity leave and she was married to one of the senior managers). She wanted her old desk back. The desk that was MY desk and had been since I started my job there 11 months earlier. I said no. She tried to make my life an absolute misery. The demands were constant. Monitors had to be swapped, drawers changed, etc etc and always when I was right in the middle of an important call or preparing to present to the Board. It had to be be right that minute! She was a bloody nightmare. Don't be that person.

You are being unreasonable. Sorry.

Unless you're actually based in the Orlando office then actually working on the terrace is a moot point for the next 9 months or so anyway?

But no, after 18 months away I wouldn't be making such a request.

Noo the terrace is here in the UK satellite office, I’ve never worked out in the Orlando office

I think you’d have to be very careful to not come across as a precious entitled CF tbh

I don't think you need to worry about it being seen as cheeky. But only because it's is absolutely cheeky .
Who comes back after a year and a half , an office refurb and requests someone gives up their seat for her 🙄🙄