Moving to Working from Home and associated expenses

felixthecat626

Hi all,

A little bit of backstory before my question.

As with many offices, when Covid hit, we went from our office to homeworking. The IT department moved quickly and got us set up so it wasn't too difficult. 18 months later, our office is deciding to close as the tenancy is up and they have now seen that working from home is possible and are keen to make savings on the overheads of having an open office, in short we are now permanently working from home.

In the change of contract, the company states they will provide all IT equipment etc. but not furniture (a desk and chair). When I ask HR about this, they state, "home working is mutually beneficial for costs, and because I am saving due to less fuel expenses etc. this will not be something the business supplies" they also state that because I have been working from home for the last 18 months I should have already made arrangements for this style of working. 

My personnel feeling is, I was making do with my workspace due to the difficult situation, this of course was not the fault of the company but just the situation. But they are now making a business decision to have me work at home for their benefit, because of this I now feel they should be providing the full equipment in order for me to do my job. The fact that I may be saving money personally is not relevant and quantifiable to what the cost of this furniture may cost, some people walk to work so the savings are vastly different to that of someone who would have a 2 hour commute.

I am really here looking to benchmark my expectations. Am I being reasonable or do people think I am overly picky about this situation?

Thanks for your time all!

TELLIT01

HR is talking rubbish when claiming you should already have made arrangements for home working.  Few expected WFH to last more than a few months and nobody would go to the expense of kitting out a home office on that basis. 

Thrugelmir

felixthecat626 said:

some people walk to work so the savings are vastly different to that of someone who would have a 2 hour commute.

That's an individual's personal choice. 

Your employer may well be in the process of reviewing their entire operations. Hence the reluctance to currently engage in discussion. 

bap98189

This is going to become more and more relevant over the next few months as people return to the office (or not). My OH has been working from home for the past year or so. We have a spare room which had a desk and chair in it anyway, so it was easy enough to do. We are fortunate in that our house has a spare room. If we didn't, she wouldn't be able to work from home unless her employer made some sort of a contribution towards us buying a bigger house. I suspect there will be people in that position. They have worked on the couch or kitchen table during COVID but long-term that isn't a viable option.

Undervalued

felixthecat626 said:

Hi all,

A little bit of backstory before my question.

As with many offices, when Covid hit, we went from our office to homeworking. The IT department moved quickly and got us set up so it wasn't too difficult. 18 months later, our office is deciding to close as the tenancy is up and they have now seen that working from home is possible and are keen to make savings on the overheads of having an open office, in short we are now permanently working from home.

In the change of contract, the company states they will provide all IT equipment etc. but not furniture (a desk and chair). When I ask HR about this, they state, "home working is mutually beneficial for costs, and because I am saving due to less fuel expenses etc. this will not be something the business supplies" they also state that because I have been working from home for the last 18 months I should have already made arrangements for this style of working. 

My personnel feeling is, I was making do with my workspace due to the difficult situation, this of course was not the fault of the company but just the situation. But they are now making a business decision to have me work at home for their benefit, because of this I now feel they should be providing the full equipment in order for me to do my job. The fact that I may be saving money personally is not relevant and quantifiable to what the cost of this furniture may cost, some people walk to work so the savings are vastly different to that of someone who would have a 2 hour commute.

I am really here looking to benchmark my expectations. Am I being reasonable or do people think I am overly picky about this situation?

Thanks for your time all!

The latter to be blunt! Well, you did ask!

Even if somebody walks to work (and I infer that you don't) it still takes time. Most people find it necessary to buy at least some clothes for work that they wouldn't otherwise choose to buy. Unless you make your own packed lunch (and many people don't) or get a subsidised canteen at work you will save money there too. You will be at home for parcel deliveries and tradesmen etc.

elsien

Are they doing a DSE assessment? If not, request one. They still have an obligation for your health and safety.  

In my case that highlighted the need for a height adjustable chair and footrest which they were obliged to provide. 

Having said that, as our office was closing I took one of the surplus chairs already there that they would have to get rid of otherwise. Can you not do the same? 

I’m not sure the desk request is as reasonable, presuming you already have a table to work at? 

TELLIT01

Surely if the company is no longer having an office there should be plenty of office furniture available to pass on to employees who will now be working from home.

DayDreamerandGeneralWaster

I think more consultation from employers is needed before unilaterally deciding staff can stay at home. It won't suit everyone and not having the space is just one. 

It's not ideal but l think expecting them to buy your furniture is a bit much. Another poster suggested they needed a bigger house...let's get real here many people would jump at the chance to avoid office politics and not have to commute so focus on the positives.

NBLondon

I was in this situation last year.  I was told I could take a chair or anything I needed from the closing office.  (right - I'll just take furniture across London on the Northern Line...)  I certainly took all the IT kit.  Since I already had a suitable desk space - I've put up with it.  

If you had asked for home working for flexibility - then it would be different- but they have unilaterally decided to change your contract of employment and you have to decide whether or not to take the offer.  Or try a bit of collective bargaining... how many people are affected?  Can you put in a group request to show the company how serious it might be?

felixthecat626

Thanks all for responses. 

We are not allowed to take chairs and furniture as they belong to the building and not the company.

My feelings have changed a little, I agree perhaps a desk is to much, but I feel a height adjustable chair is required. 

TBagpuss

I don't think you are being unreasonable, and they should be doing proper H&S assessments to ensure that your have a suitable set up and equipment. There isn't a legal obligation for that to include them buying equipment, but they do have an obligation to ensure that you have a safe and appropriate set up. 

I'd also push back on the suggestion that working from home is automatically mutually beneficial - yes, you might make savings through not commuting, but you will be heating your home in the day which you wouldn't if you were working in the office, you are giving up space to work, and they are not, I assume, offering to pay rent for whatever space you will be working from? 

It might be difference if you had requested to WFH where your employer would be put to extra expense (given that they get desks etc. as part of the rent so wouldn't be making savings) 

Can you speak to anyone other than HR? I'd be inclined to push back and say that you have done what you can in the emergency situation of the pandemic, but you don't have a suitable, height-adjustable chair to allow you to work safely and need the company to provide one or to reimburse you if you buy one yourself.