My employer has proposed moving offices to a site some 20 miles or so from our current location. In addition to the increased commute distance the roads many people would need to travel on are very prone to congestion so the journey time increase could be about 40 minutes.
There has been talk of more flexible working, making people ‘agile’ (i.e. working from home) which is something I and members of my team would consider.
I wondered if anyone here has experienced a similar move and whether any mitigating actions were taken – what did you get, how did you go about it etc.
Also, I occasionally work from home but as it’s not a formal or frequent arrangement I just stick my laptop on the kitchen table and connect on the home wireless. If I were to do that one or two days every week it would need to be a different scenario – for those of you who have formal working from home arrangements what sort of thing does your employer provide – workstations, beefed up broadband connection etc. The team I manage is made up of four graphic designers so they need to be able to shunt some fairly large files around, including video.
Any suggestions welcome, thanks
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I work in a small, remote office.
In my contract of employment it states the editor can direct me to work in any of the company's premises.
Cost cutting means many of the smaller newspaper offices have been shut.
In that case, the staff are either transferred to head office, or work from home.
I've known newspapers pay journalists a small sum to 'rent' the desk space in their home.
The newspaper will also pay for broadband access and a laptop, bearing in mind our IT needs amount to little more than words and spaces.
I've not been involved in setting up a home office, but there are tax implications in terms of non-work related benefits to the employee from the stuff the employer pays for.
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For working at home, employer should provide workstation (laptop) usually dont provide beefed up internet, because its not possible for everyone (due to the telco) and if they give it to you it could be a taxable benefit.
You may be able to negotiate a 1 off payment for the office move.
I was classed as "mobile" no fixed workplace.
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My then-employer closed the building I worked in and moved about 80 of us to an office in another town. My distance to work increased from a cyclable 3 miles to a more taxing 28.
We were offered a 'dislocation' payment to cover the additional cost for the first year. A little negotiation got this based on the most sensible route rather than the notional shortest route that would have involved farm tracks and back gardens. A few people were supported in becoming full-time home workers, complete with broadband (this was 2003 when it was still a novelty) and furniture allowance.
I left the job a year after the move, having not quite spent all of my allowance.
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I can usually work at home 2 days a week. My employer provides:
- Laptop for use in office and at home.
- Monitor for extended desktop at work; have to get your own for home use.
- Mobile phone with no call costs (not supposed to be used for personal calls).
- You can claim broadband costs on expenses.
Only occasional large file transfers, though they're probably not large by your standards.
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My former employers shied away from formal working at home agreements, it seemed due to worries about their liability if I had an accident at home e.g. was it a place of work? Maybe those issues are clearer in law now, 4 years on.
When we were outsourced and moved from Farnborough to Basingstoke the new company did subsidise some people's fuel costs for a while (6 moths IIRC); although that was a taxable benefit (although it wasn't explained as such at the time IIRC)
I think there was a law a few years back (maybe 15) that transport had to be provided for employees if the move was greater than a certain distance, but I've no idea if that's still the case.
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I got involved in the "What is required to work at home?" scene a few years ago.
It was a can of worms.
Extended use of laptop keyboards was a no no even in the office,
We had to have a docking station with a monitor & keyboard both independantly adjustable.
For home use
Kit, proper chair and desk, lighting, heating/cooling, electrical safety etc
Add in data security .....
I would imagine few home sites are fully compliant
All to ensure the employer was not liable for any health issues.
I suspect all these requirements are ignored since laptops became the norm but still worth considering.
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The permanent home workers I mentioned before had to submit their proposed home offices to an inspection on the points Henry mentions. In return they got a monthly allowance to cover heating etc, paid for from the employer's saving in not having to provide these facilities at work.
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It is for the reasons Henry mentions that many 'home' workers are classed as 'mobile' workers. Home is your nominal base but you don't have to adhere to these rules nor do they have to pay you anything.
I am lucky as my office is a spare bedroom which just has a desk, sideboard/cupboard and bookshelf. And chair of course.
If we needed the bedroom as a bedroom again I'd have to make an office in the cellar I guess.
The advantage of being a mobile worker for me is I can claim mileage from the moment I leave home.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Fri 16 Sep 11 at 12:04
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Employer proposing office move - Iffy
