WHAT DO I DO????

[spitfirelikeadragon]

Hi everyone,

Yesterday, IT contacted me out of the blue to say my laptop needs to be replaced because they’ve noticed some issues with it. We communicated this morning too, and they confirmed it will be replaced tomorrow.

Coincidentally, when I started work this morning, the laptop started acting up — running really slow, and one particular task I need to do has become almost impossible. I’ve been trying my best and have kept IT updated.

I messaged my manager to let her know the issue and that I’m working with IT to fix it. She replied at 12:34 saying that if it’s not sorted, she wants me in the office by 1pm. I told her I can’t make it by then and that I’m still liaising with IT. She then replied telling me to take my lunch break and come in the afternoon.

I’m annoyed because it feels like she thinks I’m at home not working, when in reality I’m stressed and frustrated trying to sort this out. If I go to the office and the laptop still doesn’t work, what exactly am I supposed to do there — make tea and sit around? It just feels pointless and a bit unfair.

Don't they have a non-productive code or budget to book your hours to? Everywhere I have worked has some contingency if IT fails or there are other genuine reasons for you not being able to work.

We had a massive security breach a few years ago everyone had to stop working as all the laptops had to be manually checked and cleaned before you were allowed back onto the network.

I wouldn't be able to just log onto another computer as I have lots of job specific software on my laptop.

This is wild. If one of my direct reports said this I would have some serious questions about if they were the kind of person I wanted working in the organisation.

Your manager has made a reasonable request - you seem to have take offence for no reason other that 'today is a WFH day'.

Why is it so bad that you've been asked to go in? You posts come across like you've got a huge chip on your shoulder about something.

Tell the engineer you will meet him in the office. You can't really call it a working from home day if you can't actually work from home. Go into the office and get it sorted out. Sounds like you have had a direct order to go into work, how much do you want your job?

This is a policy probably over your managers head.

Direct line managers almost never make the rules they just have to enforce them.

Just get into the office when you can, even if you end up doing nothing. You're on a work campus, they can pay you for being there.

It is pointless presenteeism, but there's sweet FA you can do about it, and you'd be doing you and your manager a favour by just sucking it up until IT have sorted your PC.

I think you are getting a hard time OP, what use is going into the office if there is no spare computer for you to use? Your manager sounds like a control freak.

Why can’t you go to the office? What’s stopping you? Without an explanation I’d think you were doing something you shouldn’t be during work time, like looking after children when you should be working because you don’t have childcare.

Here's the thing. You basically can't work for three days without a laptop so yeah your manager is wanting you to come in the office - there may be a laptop you can use or borrow - you don't really know that.

You say you are working with IT, but on the first day you raised the issue, made no attempt to get it fixed except communicate again with IT today who have now said they can't sort you until tomorrow and your response to your manager is I will get a new laptop tomorrow but I won't come it.

Your flexible working from home is dependant on your equipment working which it isn't so you need to do what is being asked here and not double down in arguing about it.

When I worked from home and had a problem with my laptop I contacted IT, they started getting another ready for me and I went in and collected it so I could carry on working that day. This is not an unreasonable request at all from your employer.

sounds to me like the OP doesn’t want to go into the office because a “had” (sp?) engineer is coming to her house at 3:30pm.
if the engineer is there for personal reasons then the OP is going to have to cancel that & chalk it up to bad luck.
if the engineer was a business IT one (which I doubt) then that beats going into the office or is changeable via work.
whatever, the OP’s attitude is pretty poor - but the line manager’s could be a bit better too, assuming communication is exactly as the OP said.
I’d be furious if my direct report gave a response that’s a cross between “it’s a wfh day” and what appears to be CBA attitude!

OP, what did you do?
For future reference, you & your manager both need to work on your communication effectiveness!

By the sounds of it, she's saying that you need to travel to the office, using your lunchtime break. If my husband has laptop issues or we've had broadband issues, he's had to go into the office 45 minutes away. Her request isn't unreasonable, and neither is asking you to use your lunch break to commute. Asking you to be in the office in under 25 minutes, depending on distance, from the moment she told you, isn't reasonable. Unfortunately, you will need to go into the office, presumably there's a laptop or PC you can use once there?

Well there’s your real issue. You’ve organised someone to come to do work at your home (if the typo means ‘broadband engineer’ I think we may be identifying the laptop problem) and now they want you in. Your manager is going to be really pissed off when you tell her why you can’t come in.

And your attitude about only popping in to get the laptop tomorrow (and then what, travel home on work time?) stinks.

manager thinks your time would be more productively spent if you attend the office. Do you have plans fir later that make this difficult. If you do attend your can still do so tomorrow to exchange equipment. You have no right to be so picky when they are paying you to work. Alternatively offer to take half a day’s leave.

Like I said, if laptop is not working, there is no laptop to use at the office at all.
I am due to pick up a new laptop tomorrow.

anyway, IT called me and managed to rectify the issue now so laptop working and working now
i have asked manager if they still want me in the office and to let them know IT resolved the issue and I am waiting for a reply

No way id be going into the office at that time. I'd of either taken 1/2day or asked make up the hours later in the week.

Gosh you're a work peach.