The working from home thread: tips and advice

Ikea do one, not pretty but is functional

I work for the public sector.

not been back to office since early March. Starting on Tuesday 22 Sept, two days a week, but only if I want to apparently...

here's the official guidance from our intranet (slightly paraphrased to make sense):

The new return to the office criteria

Some of you may need to come into the office in order to fulfil your role, such as to attend meetings that cannot be conducted successfully online via Teams or to discuss specific projects. Others may also wish to come into the office for personal reasons, such as feeling isolated or simply because there is a lack of space at home.

There are three key criteria that can now be used in all discussions between managers and members of staff about a safe return to an office working environment:

(a) whether there is a requirement for work to occur in the office

(b) whether it is sufficiently safe for an individual to do so

(c) whether any arrangement is mutually agreeable between manager and staff member

Detailed guidance has been through formal consultation with the representative bodies that outlines the considerations to apply when discussing the need to continue to work from home or in the office.

The full guidance is available on the Coronavirus pages of the intranet, in the manager's section and can also be read here. Note, the grievance procedure is available if managers and members of staff are unable to reach mutual agreement.

Line managers should already have conducted a Covid-19 risk assessment for every member of staff that sets out whether an individual's risk is low, moderate, high or very high.

so yeah... "mutually agreeable"

RE: chairs, i've recently bought Ikea's ergo option, and seems to tick all the boxes so far - especially after having used one from the dining table the past few months. Considerably less eye-watering than stuff like the Aeron.

Also got these solid feet (and stuck rubber pads on the bottom) as I didn't want wheels, though they don't seem to do them in the UK.

@TW not sure I see what you mean. The flooring itself, or the box it came in?
@hamrack Do you mean this? I was looking at rugs and was wondering whether something like the hellested would be rigid enough.

the box it came in?

Sorry - I actually LOLd at that.

This:

Ha, glad I could make you laugh, thanks for the precision :)

I think I'm after a rug kind-of feeling anyway.

That is what I mean, yes. Not sure about the Hellested - probably gonna suffer the same problem as any carpet?

Any recommendations for a footrest?

My desk is slightly too high which means that my chair is slightly too high which puts pressure on the back of my thighs. I thought adding a footrest may be an easier short term solution than a new desk.

Nice, thanks. I was wondering because I have another IKEA rug/carpet in the living room (Lillevorde) that's nice and not wrinkling under a desk chair, but I'd like something with less fluff for the desk.

Might work - hard floor underneath? IKEA returns are pretty generous, so you might be able to try it out.

The hellested probs won't be that good. I use as my back door mat, not sure wheels would cope.

started a new job this week - very odd experience not being in the office. not everything is set up correctly yet, so been very slow going these first couple of days. not expecting that to last so just 'enjoying' it for the interim... not ideal starting a new job in the new perma-WFH normal, but whatever... will muddle through

@hamrack @Chalfie Thanks for the input guys! I'll keep looking.

Hey there. I need to get a new phone today, a Motorola G8 Power. Does anyone know which phone shops are open for click+collect? Not clear if Carphone Warehouse do it, here's the level of info on their website about it for example:
https://selfhelp.carphonewarehouse.com/SelfHelp/request.do?view%28%29=c%7B26900590-fe4b-11e0-7eae-f20203001e3d%7D

Other operators are similarly opaque with information about their shops being open for some limited services

I have to stand a lot when WFH and Crocs have been recommended to me as the most comfortable standing up shoe. Widely used by friends in hospitality.

Don't you fucking start. YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE KIDS AS AN EXCUSE.

Size up for winter for that thick socks and croc life, living the dream

.

one good thing about starting a new job in the time of covid: all that downtime and longueurs that typically accompanies a new job, as you learn people's names, the culture, take on responsibilities etc... well, you can fill that quiet time by watching cycling on eurosport...

Ironically I have less capacity for watching cycling when working from home as I don't have as much screen space.

iPad in front of dual monitor setup works well. I hear from a friend.

Is there any legal obligation for my employer to pay for home office equipment if its absence is affecting my ability to work? My back/hip problems have flared up after a cold and wet ride at the weekend and it's severely aggravated by sitting at a desk for any length of time. Could be the chair possibly, it's a Hellman Miller Setu: no lumbar support. I'll try swapping with my partner who has a 'proper' office chair, Orangebox Do I think.

I ask about the legal bit because they're very tight fisted and will probably resist.

HSE guidance is your friend.

hmm, that seems to give them the perfect opportunity to wriggle out of it.

For other larger items (eg ergonomic chairs, height-adjustable desks) encourage workers to try other ways of creating a comfortable working environment (eg supporting cushions).