Desk and office given away

[Proseccoprincess33]

I am due to return to work following maternity leave next month. I am anxious about going back but this has been further intensified by the fact my office has been given away during my time off. This has been my office for 5 years. Not only has it been given away permanently but I have not been allocated another office or even a desk. I only became aware of this because some colleagues alerted me to it and I then contacted my manager to discuss it.

She is off site and very hands off so we rarely see her if at all. In fact I have never met her. So had I not been given this heads up by my colleagues I would have been coming into work to see my office and desk occupied and no place for me to sit on my first day back.

I am part of a multidisciplinary team and I manage one of the departments. Therefore having my own desk and office is so important to supervise staff and the nature of our work is very sensitive so privacy is a vital. But at this stage I'd settle for a desk of my own.

I am having a meeting with my manager about this very soon and have found out she has invited 2 very senior managers along also which is intimidating and not helpful to the anxiety I am experiencing. I think she fears I will be very unhappy and so has her reinforcements ready to tell me tough sh1t.

Her solution so far has been that they'll slot me into a desk somewhere when other staff are off....ie hot desking.

AIBU that I am so upset about this and want to fight for a resolution? Any advice from anyone who has been in a similar situation would be much appreciated.

Thank you 😊

I haven't read all the updates so apologies if I am repeating anything but this is absolutely not acceptable. It's discriminatory because you have been on mat leave / are part time. I've seen a similar situation a couple of times (once in a company I worked for and once with a friend) and both times it was taken further and taken seriously. I agree with the people saying get your union involved ASAP and definitely speak to ACAS, they were really helpful for me with some mat pay issues. I'm sorry this has happened and is making your return more stressful than it needs to be.

@LittleGoose thanks so much for this. I am so sorry it happened to you also and on more than one occasion. It has made things a lot more stressful unfortunately but I am trying to just enjoy the last of my mat leave and am currently waiting for the union coming back to me and I've also contacted 'pregnant then screwed'.

Thanks again. I'm glad it was taken seriously and I hope a good resolution was found for you ❤️

I got less than half way down page one and knew that it must be the NHS! Hotdesking is a nightmare, never enough space for everyone and not enough phone lines. Don't be tempted to sit with your laptop perched on your knee, insist on a desk assessment (mine only took 7 years to implement!), get in touch with the NMC because you won't get your work written up if you don't have space to do this. Definitely take your union to the meeting or at least a colleague as 3 against 1 is not going to work for you. Best of luck. I'll look at it the other 11 pages now!

Union or lawyer up, ASAP. You've gone from being an office status employee to not even a blydi desk, with no consultation, during maternity leave? Blatantly against the law. Start sending out CVs and in the meantime, nail them to the wall.

@Happyasapiginmuck1 thanks for this. I have contacted my union and pregnant then screwed. I'm social work and sadly any of the social work councils aren't exactly supportive. They're in place more to reprimand us 🙈

Hopefully the union and/or pregnant then screwed have some helpful info. Thanks for your post. And 7 years?!! That is ludicrous 🙈

@SocksMcR thank you for this. It does sound quite jarring when you put it like that, doesn't it? 🙈

It is jarring because they are absolutely taking the ps. (((((((((Hugs)))))))) Incredibly unprofessional of them.

Don't aks them, tell them due to the nature of your work you need a private area and if they can't provide it for the sake of your clients you will have no choice but to work from home, once they organise a new office where you can have these private conversations you are happy to return to the office, also definitely take your union with you, if they ask why tell them straight

You are either all hot desking or none of you are. Where have the desks gone that they removed? Having an office isn’t a contractual right generally so the person currently in your office can share eg get out if confidential conversations need to happen.

ask how they propose to get everyone back in office if there isn’t enough workspace

@Proseccoprincess33

OP, if I remember correctly you're having your meeting this Thursday (tomorrow)? Unless I've mixed your thread with another - possible! Whenever it is I hope it goes well, that you've had the info from ACAS you need and that you are well represented by your union rep.

Do go in with a clear idea of the facts and logic, what resolution you need and an agenda that you can all work through during the meeting. Take your own notes! After the meeting write up what was discussed and agreed (or not) and by whom and any timelines or interim arrangements (eg you WFH if that's feasible). Check back with your rep that you've captured everything and send it to them, cc your rep. Send a copy (blind carbon copy (bcc) of everything related to this issue to your personal email so you have a record in case you need evidence in the future...

Good luck! 🌹

How did you go?

Similar here - except I was on sick leave. I came back to someone else in my space. There were 4 senior managers in my area (me, and 3 others), and we shared an office with 4 desks. Only 1 was PT (not me).
I was told that we needed to hotdesk, despite my needing an adapted workspace. Often, I would come in, to find someone else at my height - adjustable desk, just because they liked being able to work standing up.
The idea that HR would support is a misnomer, as they are there to protect the organisation, and no more than that. They were actually actively against support for me in this case. Only the Union were supportive.

Hey there, thank you so much for this. It's actually next Thursday but I appreciate the post so souch. I will definitely update next week.

Thanks for all the great advice ❤️❤️

Hey there, it is next Thursday. But I will definitely update after it's over ❤️

@CrazyLadie thanks for the advice, I really appreciate it. Meeting is next Thursday so I will be sure to update them ☺️ xx

@HollaHolla that is so awful. I'm sure you were so upset. And the fact that you needed adaptations makes it all the more appalling. Did this issue get resolved? And you're so right about HR. They are there for the employer not us!

@Welshmonster thank you for this. No desks were removed. Just 2 extra bums now seated in the 2 in my old office with no provision made for when I would return.

I will update Thursday on how meeting goes and if any resolution is found. Thanks for helpful input I appreciate it ☺️

Sadly no. I ended up resigning - due to this, and multiple other terrible management issues. But, I work somewhere else now, where they are wonderful, and understanding. A bad manager/HR person can make such an impact. 😟
Really hope that you get things resolved.

@HollaHolla I am really sorry to hear that. But I am very happy to hear you have found happiness in the place you now work. You're so right about bad management/HR....and sadly there are many around 🙈

how did it go op?

Crickets…

OP has said she will update on Thursday after her meeting.

But that was last Thursday that passed?
Edit- sorry realised it's next Thursday!

Hey all, just an update. My manager has cancelled the meeting very last minute and asked to rearrange to a day next week 😒 I'll keep yous posted on the new date and the outcome also 😃

Meeting hasn't happened yet