WFH Equipment | Mumsnet

Workfromhomedesk · 2022-06-27T22:28:16+00:00

If you work from home, does your employer fund desk/chair/screens etc? I am currently officially office based, and am in 3/4 days a week with 1/2 at home. I use the dining room table. Work are now saying they want to make our contacts remote working with "maybe" 1 or 2 days in the office. I absolutely do not want this, I much prefer the office. Is it wrong to expect that they should now be providing suitable equipment? I don't have anything at the moment and I do not want to fund it but I need large screens to work effectively for more than 1 day a week. My dining table chairs are also not great for my back.

worriedatthistime · 27/06/2022 23:30

Mine provided desk and chair and extra screen , laptop , mics etc , everything really as your meant to be working from a safe place thats meets hse etc , i do 3 days in office now and 2 at home , but could do all home or all work or any mix, but we don't have set desks at work now and have to book a station when we want one

Original poster

Workfromhomedesk · 27/06/2022 23:34

The other issue is that even if they do, I don't really have room to set it all up and work effectively. I'm so upset that they are doing this, I had to WFH during covid and I hated every second of it. Now I just feel stressed even at the thought of being cooped up at home day after day with no real life humans to bounce ideas off, have a spontaneous cuppa with or just crack a joke with. WFH will be back to back Teams calls and totally relentless with none of the stress relief of a quick walk with a friendly face at lunchtime.

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fabicelolly · 27/06/2022 23:34

My work provides desk/chair/monitor raisers etc where there’s a DSE assessment need. Everyone gets 2 monitors, keyboard, mouse, webcam as standard to keep at home.

Must be some DSE requirements of workplaces I would have thought?

Original poster

Workfromhomedesk · 27/06/2022 23:37

fabicelolly · 27/06/2022 23:34

My work provides desk/chair/monitor raisers etc where there’s a DSE assessment need. Everyone gets 2 monitors, keyboard, mouse, webcam as standard to keep at home.

Must be some DSE requirements of workplaces I would have thought?

It's just the fact they are expecting me to completely rearrange my home to accommodate this. It will be seriously inconvenient and mean I have to give up a space I currently have my hobby kit out in.

They are intimating that I should be grateful for the opportunity to have to pack my sewing machine, overlocker and cutting mats away, have no room to get them out again really and spend hundreds of pounds on screens and chairs.

I'm fucking not

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MrsOwainGlyndŵr · 27/06/2022 23:42

Mine provide desk, chair, laptop stand, monitor, keyboard, mouse.

However I happen to know that they are rethinking the offering because
A) there's a theory it's encouraging people to wfh and not come back to the office
B) It's a nightmare to get everything back when people leave. There are tax implications if people don't return these items (and a security issue in the case of laptops) and employers are going to have to be able to demonstrate to the taxman that they have made attempts to retrieve items. However some items come back dirty and/or broken and the collection costs are more than the items are worth.

Original poster

Workfromhomedesk · 28/06/2022 00:03

MrsOwainGlyndŵr · 27/06/2022 23:42

Mine provide desk, chair, laptop stand, monitor, keyboard, mouse.

However I happen to know that they are rethinking the offering because
A) there's a theory it's encouraging people to wfh and not come back to the office
B) It's a nightmare to get everything back when people leave. There are tax implications if people don't return these items (and a security issue in the case of laptops) and employers are going to have to be able to demonstrate to the taxman that they have made attempts to retrieve items. However some items come back dirty and/or broken and the collection costs are more than the items are worth.

What would they do if someone said that they just didn't have space to WFH? I moved jobs during the pandemic as I specifically didn't want permanent WFH as I would struggle with the space. I like people, I like being around them.

WFH made me have suicidal thoughts at the isolation of it, and I can't believe I'm being pushed down this road again. I don't want another new job, I like this one.

Most of all I am not willing for this to cost me money I don't have.

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PastMyBestBeforeDate · 28/06/2022 00:16

I love wfh but there has to be room for people like me, people who like hybrid and people who want to go into an office.
Could you talk to them about co-working options? Some towns have sessions where people can pay a small fee to rent a desk for a few hours or a day and get out of the house.

Original poster

Workfromhomedesk · 28/06/2022 00:23

PastMyBestBeforeDate · 28/06/2022 00:16

I love wfh but there has to be room for people like me, people who like hybrid and people who want to go into an office.
Could you talk to them about co-working options? Some towns have sessions where people can pay a small fee to rent a desk for a few hours or a day and get out of the house.

Sadly security concerns mean I can't work in public. I'm SC cleared and have access to some pretty sensitive stuff. So it's office or home.

I love my home and my family, I just don't want my highly stressful, confidential job in my house. I genuinely feel panicked right now at the thought of it. I need that separation to be able to leave work at work.

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D0lphine · 28/06/2022 00:26

My work gave me a screen. Then I stole borrowed a keyboard, mouse, laptop stand and office chair.

D0lphine · 28/06/2022 00:29

WFH made me have suicidal thoughts at the isolation of it, and I can't believe I'm being pushed down this road again. I don't want another new job, I like this one.

So sorry OP! I was the same, although not as bad. Hope you're looking after yourself. Wfh was really tough. I'm not really a home body person either and I found it tough.

Ponderingwindow · 28/06/2022 00:31

We aren’t allowed to attach anything to our computers that isn’t provided by the company. So we get a full docking station with monitor(s), keyboard, mouse, headset, etc. whatever electronics our job requires.

we have to provide our own desk and chair and we have to sign an agreement that says it meets proper ergonomic standards.

Original poster

Workfromhomedesk · 28/06/2022 00:40

Ponderingwindow · 28/06/2022 00:31

We aren’t allowed to attach anything to our computers that isn’t provided by the company. So we get a full docking station with monitor(s), keyboard, mouse, headset, etc. whatever electronics our job requires.

we have to provide our own desk and chair and we have to sign an agreement that says it meets proper ergonomic standards.

What if people refused to supply a desk and chair? Why should I fork out for that? I've had a 3.5% payrise this year, against 11% inflation, I'm not willing to pay out for something that means I can't use my house how I want and don't want to do

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Original poster

Workfromhomedesk · 28/06/2022 00:41

I've just drafted a resignation letter. I'm not going to send it as clearly I'm stressed and upset right now. But I would quite easily find other work with my skill set so it's a genuine option.

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Original poster

Workfromhomedesk · 28/06/2022 07:00

Oh and I've joined the union as well. Seemed like a good idea.

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BackToTheTop · 28/06/2022 07:24

Some do, some give you an allowance, others nothing. I've worked from home for years and it very much depends on the employer. The way I look at it is, that the employer needs to give you the technology, but the money I save in fuel and running costs will easily pay for a desk and chair in a month

Original poster

Workfromhomedesk · 28/06/2022 07:30

BackToTheTop · 28/06/2022 07:24

Some do, some give you an allowance, others nothing. I've worked from home for years and it very much depends on the employer. The way I look at it is, that the employer needs to give you the technology, but the money I save in fuel and running costs will easily pay for a desk and chair in a month

I think I've probably gone about this thread the wrong way - I absolutely do not want and don't have the space for an appropriate set up at home. Just wondering if my only option is a new job...

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Augend23 · 28/06/2022 07:34

My work allowed people to take home a monitor and a chair and are replacing the ones at the office now people are coming back in.

The expectation at our office is that everyone works from home the majority of the time, but if you want to work from the office full time you are very welcome to.

If the organisation isn't moving to a 100% WFH model where they don't have an office, I would just speak up politely that you would really prefer to work from the office full time as you don't have the room at home to dedicate to a full time home working space.

I don't think many places that still have an office will mind the odd person being in full time? Obviously you know your work better than any of us do, but most of the time I find I get myself all worried about something, then get my act together and ask for the thing I want and mainly they agree. That's been the case both in the lovely workplace I am now in, and the frankly horrible workplace I was in before.

CaptainBeakyandhisband · 28/06/2022 07:35

Hi OP. Sounds like you’re struggling. Sounds like we also both work in the public sector. My ALB had a well-being clause for office working during lockdown, and there are/were some permanent office workers. So this might be an option for you? Worth asking before resignation surely.

EinsteinaGogo · 28/06/2022 07:40

OP,

This sounds really tough for you.

Is your company offering to provide office work space for any employee who has a special need? Are they having any formal office space at all?

Perhaps speaking to them about your genuine mental health needs is the best place to start?

Original poster

Workfromhomedesk · 28/06/2022 07:50

There is going to be some formal office space but only enough desks for about a third of us. And yes it is public sector.

I moved from a local authority to my current role (public sector but not local government) because they were moving to a 100% WFH model and I made this very clear in my interview that this was the primary motivation for moving.

I have worked really hard to get my mental health back on track after the pandemic destroyed it and I'm panicking and slipping back now - lots of contact with people was a bit part of getting better - I would sit at home spiralling into anxiety when I couldn't read feelings and underlying intent over Teams meetings, I can't read faces without the rest of the body.

I think I need a conversation with them - because I managed to hide my feelings from my previous employer because I was WFH - smiling on screen and wanting to die inside, none of this is on my record, as I never had any time off sick. If I was having a really bad day I would just minimally engage and turn video off. No one ever queried it.

Current employer has no idea how hard I actually found it. The thought of the conversation I'm sure will be worse than the reality. I have one colleague who lives on a houseboat with limited electricity so he also wants to be in full time...

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redskyatnight · 28/06/2022 07:52

I think the trouble with so many people shouting about how great wfh is, is that companies now consider it to be a perk. It's only a perk if it's something you want!
I guess if your contract is formally changing you have the choice between leaving and sucking it up. Not great though. I've just seen a friend in a similar position pay out for a house extension she wouldn't have otherwise had because she didn't want to leave her job but had nowhere to work at home.

Original poster

Workfromhomedesk · 28/06/2022 07:58

Yeah I don't think an extension is an option! I have so many people asking me why I don't want to WFH and I find it really hard to explain without saying more about my mental health than I really want to reveal

I did try and engage with my GP and they just threw tablets at me, I tried three types, one made me feel even worse, the others were ineffective and had side effects. I'm currently paying for very expensive private counselling which is helping but I won't be able to continue indefinitely.

I am aware I am spiralling now, i have tactics to deal but I think I need a chat with my employer.

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CredibilityProblem · 28/06/2022 08:00

It starts with a conversation with your manager to say that you really don't want to WFH any more than strictly necessary.

CredibilityProblem · 28/06/2022 08:04

You could either just say "because of my home situation" if you value your privacy more than keeping this job at all costs, or if that doesn't work you could go the whole mental health diagnosis reasonable adjustments route which would probably require a letter from your GP and would require disclosure of MH issues to HR.

Either might well get the desired result.

Jalisco · 28/06/2022 08:14

Have you actually spoken to your employer about any of this? Because even during the pandemic my (also public sector) employer made office space available on a full time basis for people who could not work at home due to the home environment, lack of space, or mental health concerns. They do provide all necessary equipment if someone works from home.