AIBU - only one without a desk

[Nurse1980]

Hi,

I recently returned to work following an episode of sickness.

We all had our own desk in the office (including myself). I’ve come back, and a six month temporary member of staff is now at the desk that was mine.

So Im having to use a laptop and sit at a filing cabinet, as I’ve no desk. I’m also disadvantaged as our job is much easier with two screens (all desks have two screens).

I’ve brought it up with my manager and was told that she was working on it.

I’m not sure if I’m overreacting (been off with stress and PTSD) and just finished my phased return. So I’m more sensitive than normal perhaps?

This is interesting and I wonder if it’s to do with a larger female workforce that don’t want to push on issues because that’s the way we’re socialised

But, I think the biggest difference is that i worked in private manufacturing - global company. Whilst not all desks were sit-stand there were zones you could go to with your laptop to do standing for a while, and in certain jobs where you were essentially glued to the desk they were sit /stand.
we all had metal case ergonomics chairs. When they were issued in early 2000s we all got an individual visit by EHSteam to show us how to adjust the chair.
Each year we had to complete a self assessment on our seating and desk arrangement and do the mandatory training on how to sit properly, managing lighting, movement etc. in USA they even installed a programme that stopped any key strokes for 2 mins every 20mins to force people to move . I’m retired now, but still use ergonomic chair for my hobbies and always take time to adjust my position correctly for task I’m doing - still use those basic rules of how your posture should be supported by chair, position of your screen etc.

but our company was a FTSE Index company. They weren’t going to take any risks of one person claiming work place injuries - it would have opened up cans of worms for others to follow . All those desks and chairs for 40,000 employees worldwide (ok quite a lot of those didn’t need desks all day) couldn’t have come cheap - but they weren’t going to risk it.

so the big difference between our company and companies that don’t seem to get the importance of this, is a “safety” culture. In manufacturing you have a real possibility of someone being killed or having life changing injuries if PPE isn’t used and procedures followed. And that didn’t stop at shop floor - they knew, as most do in these industries, you can’t have one attitude on shop floor of factories, and another in the offices. We had huge amounts of safety training each year, office ergonomics and slips/trips training was a part of that.

Public bodies obviously think they can get away with it as there just probably isn’t that focus on personal health and safety re ergonomics except in fire - I wonder whether the attitude to office space is different there? Ok, police and ambulance probably also have personal safety- but perhaps not same ergonomics focus as fire? (Someone can probably enlighten me?) Without a safety culture these things are just not perceived as important. And there’s probably not that awareness , like the poster, that there are laws to protect the health and safety of individuals at work in respect to ergonomics. As employees we had a lot of exposure to the law regarding our responsibilities to “duty of care” (near miss reporting etc ) , so in turn we did get to see what the companies duty was to us in turn .

Insist on a EHS risk assessment. Make sure they document that you can’t do your job without 2 screens and er, that’s why everyone normally is issued with 2 screens.
don’t do this informally by the manager. They already know the situation. We’ve quoted law at you (me and others), insisting on a formal written risk assessment
that way they know you know your rights

This is a way to make you feel so uncomfortable you leave.

But you need to put your foot down. Contact the Union as this is against health and safety, tell your line manager that until a desk is sorted you will either be working from home or off sick as this is making you more stressed. This is their problem to solve.

Yep, this is other way to go.
get a doctors certificate to show that you are experiencing musculoskeletal issues specifically related to work station and that you don’t have ability to change it.
but, I’d only go that way after an EHS risk assessment is done, or if they refuse or delay doing that immediately.

I'm public sector. We've been hot-desking for about 15 years. All staff are trained on DSE - either via video, or with a trainer coming in to see individuals. All desks have moveable monitors, vertical and normal mice, office chairs with lots of flexibility and footrests. We also have a bank of about 9 standing desks. Everyone has a locker too for their stuff. Works ok!

This seems like bullying and is worse as you are coming back after sick leave. I think you need to escalate it and ask for a workplace assessment. Also keep a daily record of your working arrangements and a timeline of your interactions with your boss and what has (or has not) been promised. Take a photo of the filing cabinet and your so-called work station. If you are the only person who does not have space to use two screens then that also needs mentioning.

OP it would be awful if that laptop accidentally fell off the filing cabinet wouldn’t it?

When I returned from maternity a new member of staff had been given my desk and computer.
I ended up with no computer ( architect so had no way of doing any drawings, accessing any drawings or in fact doing anything ) sitting in the kitchen next to the toilet four flights down from my colleagues. My boss was in the room next door, the level above was all storage, the level above that the secretaries then architects and draughtsmen on the top floor.
The plan, of course, was to make my life hell. They obviously didn’t want to employ a women with 8month old twins and a 3year old.

Gave me a chance to read the Harry Potter series though, at their expense.

Someone can go out to an office supplier and pick up a cheap office table, jeez I bought one in IKEA for £6o recently.
if they don’t comply within 48 hours raise a grievance.

True, but this is NHS and such purchases probably have to go through a byzantine procurement process and cost gazillions.

We mostly work from home now and anyone who needed it got monitors, laptops and laptop stands, keyboards, chairs, desks etc provided for them at the start of the first lockdown. I work in the poverty-stricken 3rd sector, so fuck knows how it was funded.

The office is almost entirely hot desks. They are set up with a decent adjustable chair, a standard keyboard and mouse, and 2 monitors. People who need anything different have their own individual kit, kept in their lockers, and there is a designated storage area for bigger items like chairs. I have my own keyboard, chair and trackerball, even though I rarely go into the office and only work 17 hours pw. That's a big investment for someone who only uses the stuff a couple of hours a month.

I am often shocked by how little the NHS seems to realise that they have a duty of care to their staff when it comes H&S matters.

I think this is one for the union too, as it smacks of behaviour that could end up as a constructive dismissal.

If you are in the union, contact them. I had an issue with my pay and tried to sort it out on my own - my manager was unhelpful our HR dept has been relocated... 3 months I was sent in all different directions. It took the union 2 days to sort it. I was owed over £2.5K. I would not hesitate to contact the union again. They were brilliant, I nearly left the NHS over it.

Good luck.

oh ffs, not everything comes down to sexism ("predominantly female workforce"). How would that explain why the mostly male professors at Unis tend to buy their own equipment. Council and civil service sex balance is close to 50:50 MF (more males in CS).

Public sector employers 'get away with it' because tax payers don't want to fund us to have nicer equipment, and they repeatedly express that preference at the ballot box when choosing party manifestos. The group most likely to vote are older females. They make this happen.

Flipping Russia, another place where older female voters are the power base for current crazy despot.

Definitely go to HR and raise the risk assessment as others have recommended.

I would also co-opt a meeting room, conference room or similar so you can sit at a table, not a filing cabinet.

Your manager is pathetic. I bet there is a spare table somewhere, even if it isn't a desk, that could be moved into your work area. The temp can then have the table and you can have your old desk back.

As an HR manager in the NHS this is completely unacceptable and I am amazed that your manager has let this happen. Please speak to HR or your Freedom to Speak Up Guardian ASAP. Good luck!

It sounds to me like they are trying to force you out. If your work is massively slowed by only having one screen, they can argue you aren’t up to the job.

sorry, hit post too soon. Do you have a union you can speak to?

If you were in my team and another team member was using your desk whilst you was off, I would make sure prior to you starting back to arrange a new desk for the temp member of staff and explain to them they will need to move over to this one so your desk is ready for your return.

I would be trying to ensure your returning to the office is as stress free as possible for you and a welcoming environment.

I wish you were OPs manager I feel so sorry for her 😐

This isn't a public sector/private sector issue. This is a good employer/bad employer issue.

I work in the public sector. We have hot desking (because we all mostly WFH since COVID). About 50% of desks are height adjustable, with half of these being electric sit-stand desks. We all have decent chairs, dual screens, monitor risers, keyboards and mice. We all have training in carrying out DSE assessments, and are expected to complete them at least annually and whenever we work at a new workstation.

When we started WFH during the pandemic we were all instructed to take whatever we needed (screens, keyboards, mice, chairs) home with us. The facilities team delivered desks (which in many cases were indeed bought from IKEA at short notice) to our houses, with a range of sizes for us to choose from depending on what would fit. Within a week of WFH I had a setup that replicated what I'd had in the office.

There is no excuse for the crappy treatment the OP is receiving, and saying "oh well, it's the public sector, what do you expect?" is a big part of the problem. No surprise that rates of sickness absence are high in an organisation that treats staff like this!

I am public sector and we have hotdesking but half of the desks are height adjustable and the chairs meet the majority's requirements. Those who need a DSE assessor provided chair, or an OH provided chair, can get them. Some colleagues can also have an allocated desk if needed. All desks have 2 adjustable screens, a mouse and a keyboard.

There's no excuse for not providing desks, monitors, keyboards and mice.

Yep ita crappy. We're you new to the job when you went off sick? If so I'm guessing they thought you wouldn't be back.

Are you in union?

Hi, I’m in a union. I have arranged a phone call with my manager today, if I don’t get anywhere I’ll be speaking to my union.

Thank you.

Good luck nurse1989