Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To keep this boundary with work?

23 replies

Verytall · 29/09/2023 16:31

I work for an organisation where most people just work from their laptop on the desk - no laptop stands or second monitors. The nature of the job means they're not usually at a desk all day (they go off to client sites and come back) so no one seems to mind too much.

I have some health issues so have a specific desk set up through occupational health. Nothing fancy, just a decent office chair with lumbar support that's adjusted for me, docking station for my laptop so I'm working on a screen at the correct height etc.

I've been put onto a project where the rest of the team are based in another office (different site) and my manager wants me to travel to the site to work with them in person. The job itself is all computer based, but they want the team to sit together as they think they'll get the best results that way.

The thing is, there's no scope to move any of my equipment to the other office. It would mean working from my laptop, using a standard (crap!) chair.

My manager seems to think I'm being unreasonable in saying I need to stay at my usual base. My job description does say I can be required to be based at other sites - I can and do visit for meetings, and if they wanted to move me permanently (which would mean moving my set up) I'd have no issue with that. But I'm not prepared to go for a couple of weeks and end up in pain because of it.

My manager knows I have the set up through OH, but their reaction seems to be along the lines of 'yes it's tough but there's no alternative because the team needs to be together'. My view is that if they cant provide the set up, i can't sit with the team, and need to work from my usual office.

AIBU?

FWIW I'm not particularly concerned about reputation/promotion etc. It's a decent job but not one with amazing prospects!

OP posts:
swanteapot · 29/09/2023 16:33

Why can't your equipment be moved?

JustAMinutePleass · 29/09/2023 16:34

Have you asked for your existing set up to be moved? That’s what usually happens

AlisonDonut · 29/09/2023 16:36

Surely your set up could be replicated if they want you there?

DisforDarkChocolate · 29/09/2023 16:37

Can't they duplicate your set up?

jiinglebells · 29/09/2023 16:39

Can't they just have the same setup in the other office? Why is there no scope for this?

A lumbar support chair + docking station are hardly huge high tech items they can't get again.

How long are you going to be on this new project?

chopc · 29/09/2023 16:46

They need to ensure you have the same set up at the other site

Pumpkinpie1 · 29/09/2023 16:51

Simple health and safety issue. The equipment was provided for your health to enable you to work, if you are in a different location it needs to be provided there was well. If it isn’t you could claim work related injury and they failed in their duty of care .
manager needs to read his manual

cocksstrideintheevening · 29/09/2023 16:56

Everyone should have a chair /
Do king station / monitor at the correct height with adjustments made as necessary.

It's a leaf requirement for all employees to undergo a DSE review.

NoSquirrels · 29/09/2023 16:56

A lumbar support chair + docking station are hardly huge high tech items they can't get again.

Hardly seems like a massive ask - cc OH to a request to your manager

cuddlebear · 29/09/2023 16:58

This happens all the time...

They either move your set up if you will be working exclusively from this office, and not your usual one for the forseeable.

Or they duplicate it in each office, and nobody adjusts your workstation at either location.

If you are still getting push back I would ask for an Occ Health Referral.

HollaHolla · 29/09/2023 17:02

I've got a similar situation. Our usual office is closed due to a building issue (RAAC concrete stuff....) I've been hotdesking for about 2 months now, and really struggling. I'm pretty new in my job, so didn't want to rock the boat. Wish I had.
I go home with a pain in my shoulderblade and hip every night - and a promise it's getting sorted.
Spoiler alert - it's not. Stick to your guns!

MsFrost · 29/09/2023 17:03

YANBU. You've had an occupational health assessment which states what you need. Your workplace are obliged to provide adequate DSE. If they want you to work in another base then they need to provide the same equipment for you there as well.

You can safely push back on this OP, it's a H&S issue. Be polite but make it clear you cannot risk your health for this (and shouldn't have to in a modern workplace). Speak to occupational health again if your manager is still being awkward about it.

Verytall · 29/09/2023 17:03

If it was a permanent move they would most likely do an assessment at the other site and buy new kit, but that's expensive and takes time. They want me on the project essentially because something has gone wrong and a few of us have been drafted in to turn things around, hence it only being a few weeks and not having enough time to sort things.

I don't think they have any transport to move my chair, and the space they're using just has tables so not monitors, the monitor arm at my office is fixed to the wall and don't think it would transfer. If they ordered it through the procurement system it would probably arrive after the project has finished!

I agree that in reality it's basic equipment but as you can probably tell by most staff working straight from their laptops the company aren't good at these things.

I suspect another part to it is my boss not taking my issue seriously as outwardly I appear pretty healthy - I do yoga, pilates, gym etc - but the reason I started doing those things was because of having back issues. If I were to hunch over a laptop things would go downhill pretty quickly.

OP posts:
AuntieJoyce · 29/09/2023 17:03

Why can’t they let you put them in the car and take them with you on day one?

AuntieJoyce · 29/09/2023 17:04

Sorry, cross post. Absolutely Stick to Your Guns.

cuddlebear · 29/09/2023 17:05

Yeah, it's not your problem to solve. Either they kit you out as per your reasonable adjustment, or you can't work in that location.

MsFrost · 29/09/2023 17:06

@Verytall It doesn't take long to order a chair and a docking station. You can get those delivered next day. They could sort you out if they wanted to - it sounds like the issue is your manager isn't taking it seriously. Stand your ground and tell him/ her what you need.

Comtesse · 29/09/2023 17:07

Send the chair by courier. Get a different laptop riser and a separate key board.

It’s a sensible precaution to manage health issues, particularly if you’re working long hours on a stressful project.

Verytall · 29/09/2023 17:07

@AuntieJoyce i couldn't fit an office chair in my hatchback! It's quite heavy as well

Thanks for the support. My manager made a comment along the lines of 'no one likes moving' which made me feel like I was just being awkward. I feel more confident from listening to you lot that this is more than just a 'preference'!

OP posts:
Verytall · 29/09/2023 17:15

@MsFrost it shouldn't take a long time, but it does. A lot of red tape. Don't know why but it took three months from my original OH assessment to getting the equipment I need. I worked from home in the meantime (with nothing provided, just things I have bought out of my own pocket in the past)

I'm just going to tell them that I'm happy to go if they can arrange for my equipment to go, and if not I'll work at my usual office. I'm not going to stress over it. It might make me unpopular but that's their problem not mine.

OP posts:
MsFrost · 29/09/2023 17:19

Verytall · 29/09/2023 17:15

@MsFrost it shouldn't take a long time, but it does. A lot of red tape. Don't know why but it took three months from my original OH assessment to getting the equipment I need. I worked from home in the meantime (with nothing provided, just things I have bought out of my own pocket in the past)

I'm just going to tell them that I'm happy to go if they can arrange for my equipment to go, and if not I'll work at my usual office. I'm not going to stress over it. It might make me unpopular but that's their problem not mine.

Exactly - it's really not your problem at all. It's your manager's issue to think through logistics of things like this and find solutions. You can't go if it negatively impacts your health, that's not a reasonable request.

Verytall · 29/09/2023 17:22

@HollaHolla I sympathise, and I know this is exactly what would happen if I agreed to go without it being sorted! It's because senior managers want it to be a hot desking company that they're reluctant to create assigned desks. I already had to push to have one at the office, originally they said I could wheel my chair to whichever desk was free on whichever floor, and just take everything else (keyboard, mouse, cables etc) to and from work everyday. Idiots!

OP posts:
Thanksforreading · 29/09/2023 17:57

This reply has been withdrawn

This message has been withdrawn at the poster's request

New posts on this thread. Refresh page