I've never had a job with a permanent individual desk like this. The one in-person real job I had, it was only shared working space that different people used at different times of the day or on different days, and I think you were discouraged from leaving anything. The idea of there being "your desk" with a framed photo of your kids and favorite coffee mug seems like a nearly extinct piece of nostalgia. It must have been nice in a way, far preferable to the new style of open office at least.
replyMay I ask how long you've been working?
replyI'm in my early 40s, and I've never had a job where we've "hot-desked" like that, even when a company was out-growing an office.
I'm on my third job since COVID. None have dedicated desks, and this ranges across startups, corporates and large govt agencies.
replyEvery job I had before COVID back to when I started back in the early/mid 90s had dedicated desks.
2017 I believe.
replyThat seems like "why the fuck even go to work place" type of work
replyship it?
replyMeh. Don't leave anything at work. Forgo the convenience and carry your things on your commute. Use a bag. If there's "too much stuff", that's a sign to pare back what you "need" at work.
replyI had my gym stuff in a gym locker. The reason I was able to commit to a gym routine was being able to get off my desk, get down the elevator, enter the gym and change in gym clothes in literally 5 minutes. I would never be willing to commute with all that gear. And I never got that gear back.
replyStill a net positive in my experience.
Same, almost. When I was a student, I rented a locker near the showers so I could start my day at the school gym, shower, and go to my first class.
replyMy workplaces have not had gyms, but I bought equipment for my home that maintains the streamline. I haven't been perfect at my routine because my work schedule isn't consistent which is annoying, but I do still get some exercise in at least twice per week with it. I doubt I'd be getting at least that otherwise.
God, if we're at the point where we're so paranoid about being laid off that we don't dare leave a single piece of personal property in the office then I think we're in a very dark place indeed. Can’t imagine the mental damage from considering losing your job every single day you wake up.
replyI never left anything valuable or personal at my desk when I worked in an office simply because I had a very nonzero number of colleagues who acted like animals. My fizzy waters, coffee, and snacks would be consumed without permission or replenishment. Chairs, monitors, and input peripherals would get swapped without asking. Desks surfaces would be sat on with chairs used as footstools. Corporate effluvia of all types would end up on my "unused desk" because I wasn't in at the exact moment some roving bandit walked by looking for a spot to dump their crates of paper and binders.
replySome people simply have no regard for others and will mess with or jack your shit. Don't give them the chance.
I always thought it was weird that all of the equipment issued to me beyond the laptop was registered to me, such as the monitors and desk phone. Your comment enlightens me... That's wild to imagine folks just swiping things from other peoples desks. We even have storage rooms of office supplies where someone could drop off their crate of paper and binders if they had one for some reason.
replywell this did just happen to me. laid off while taking care of my father in laws estate and my personal belongings were thrown away. 7 years at the company as an EM ftr.
replyI know this is not a good year on the job market, but if you are traveling to work with a "go bag" and not leaving coffee mugs on your desk to prepare for being laid off maybe it is time to carry that go bag to some other buildings...
replyThe obvious middle ground is don’t leave anything valuable at your desk that you wouldn’t want to lose. You shouldn’t leave valuable stuff at your desk even if you don’t expect to be laid off. Unless you work in a very secure environment, you don’t really know who will be sniffing around your desk.
replyGo ahead and leave a coffee mug, who cares if you lose a coffee mug?
I'm really happy I live in a country and company sizes where you could leave your wallet on your desk and nothing happens. Glad I don't need to secure my mug to my desk.
replyEven in the safest country I would never intentionally leave my wallet at my desk.
replyI would be devastated if a few of my coffee mugs were eaten by a firing/layoff. (But I would also not bring those specific coffee mugs to the office, either.)
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replyYes, I will bag my two tree-sized plants, 4 paintings, 1 old map, 2 posters, drawings of my kids, figurines and a few more things. Ah yes, the ball I sit on.
replyI spend in the office more time than at home so I want a nice environment.
It feels a little weird to tell people not to personalize or make comfortable a place that they might spend 8 hours a day at, 5 days a week.
replyMany humans like to decorate their desks, keep personal stuff there. It's normal.
If they are keeping your personal possessions, isn't that theft?
replyYes, but the company may well be judgement-proof at that point.
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