#WFH #WorkFromHome #RemoteWork #EmployeeBenefits #HardwareCosts
Is it fair for me to expect all hardware associated with WFH to be provided to me with no cost to me? 🤔
In the current age of remote work, many employees are finding themselves in a haze of uncertainty when it comes to who should bear the cost of hardware associated with working from home. With the rise of hybrid work models, the lines between personal and professional resources have become increasingly blurred. Let’s explore whether it’s fair to expect employers to cover these costs and what your rights as an employee are.
## Understanding Remote Work Hardware Costs
As an employee working remotely, there are certain hardware components that you may need to effectively perform your job. These can include:
– **Laptop or Desktop Computer:** The most essential piece of hardware for remote work is a computer. It provides the platform to perform tasks, attend virtual meetings, and access necessary software or applications.
– **Monitor:** A secondary monitor can significantly improve productivity and efficiency by providing more screen real estate to work with.
– **Keyboard and Mouse:** While some employees may prefer to use their own, some companies do provide these peripherals for ergonomic purposes.
– **Webcam and Headset:** Essential for virtual meetings and maintaining clear communication with colleagues.
## Employer Responsibility for Providing Remote Work Hardware
Many companies have policies in place regarding the provision of hardware for remote work. It’s important to understand your rights and what the standard practices are within your industry. Here are some key points to consider:
– **Legal Obligations:** In some regions, there may be legal obligations for employers to provide the necessary tools for remote work. Research the labor laws in your area to understand your rights.
– **Company Policy:** Review your company’s remote work policy to see if there are any explicit guidelines regarding hardware provision. Some companies have a budget set aside for remote work resources.
– **Negotiation:** If there are no clear policies in place, it may be worth discussing with your employer the possibility of providing the necessary hardware or reimbursement for any purchases you make.
## The Case for Employer Coverage of Remote Work Hardware
When considering the fairness of expecting hardware to be provided at no cost to you, it’s important to understand the potential benefits for both the employee and the employer:
– **Productivity:** With the right tools, employees can work more efficiently and effectively, leading to better results for the company.
– **Work-Life Balance:** By providing the necessary hardware, employers can contribute to a healthier work-life balance for remote employees, as you won’t need to mix personal and professional resources.
– **Employee Satisfaction:** Taking care of remote work hardware costs can contribute to higher employee satisfaction and retention rates.
## What You Can Do as an Employee
While the responsibility ultimately lies with your employer, there are some proactive steps you can take to address the issue of remote work hardware:
– **Open Communication:** Discuss your concerns with your employer and HR department to understand their perspective and any potential plans for providing the necessary hardware.
– **Research Options:** Look into the costs of the hardware you need and consider presenting a well-researched proposal to your employer.
– **Document Expenses:** Keep track of any remote work-related expenses you incur, as they may be tax-deductible.
## Conclusion
In conclusion, while the question of whether it’s fair to expect all hardware associated with WFH to be provided at no cost to you is a complex one, it’s clear that remote work hardware plays a crucial role in the success of both employees and employers. It’s essential to understand your rights and company policies, and to engage in open communication with your employer regarding any concerns. By working together, both parties can come to a fair and mutually beneficial arrangement. Remember, each individual’s situation may vary, so it’s important to consider your unique circumstances when addressing this issue.
ETA: I appreciate all of the feedback, thank you. If you have any further questions on this topic, feel free to reach out! 🌐 #RemoteWorkHardware #EmployeeRights #WFHSupport
I could see smaller organizations using this approach, but generally a laptop is provided depending on your role.
My work gave me a monitor, a dock, and a laptop
Everything else is on me
It’s not abnormal for some companies to be complete dicks about the remote thing. Lots of companies are kicking and screaming about the fact that they spent a shit ton on office space that no one wants to fill *cough*amazon*cough*.
That said, most companies provide you the tools for you to do your job. There are exceptions, though. Lots of contractors are expected (and prefer) to bring their own power tools. Lots of teachers are expected to pay for class materials, etc.
The bigger issue is desktop security. Nearly every job I’ve had requires me to use work-provided hardware for at least basic stuff like email/teams/etc.
In fact, my new job gave me two laptops. The work PC “for email” and a macbook “to do actual work on”. 🙂
I’ve had two WFH positions. First one was a tiny startup. Was expected to use my own device, so I did. Second one was a big org, provided me with a company laptop that I had to return when I no longer worked there.
I wouldn’t expect everything, but at least the basics. If it was a WFH situation, maybe a laptop that could go back and forth. As an employer though, I wouldn’t be too keen on building out two offices for everyone.
No, the company provides you with a laptop by your first day.
I am surprised that a company would trust their IT security to any random user’s personal laptop, first of all. Our company-issued laptops are pretty well locked down with a pre-login code, user password, VPN, etc.
We were also issued comparable peripherals to what we have in-office, e.g. dual monitors and a docking station. Then we got a $250 reimbursement for anything else (desk, chair) we had to buy.
My org provides the laptop docking station keyboard mouse.
If you’re wfh full time we provide the monitors.
If you see hybrid, your monitors are provided in office and on wfh days you’d have to provide your own monitors at home.
Minimal: Laptop
Nice to have: docking station
I’ve had keyboard and a mouse provided before. They were garbage. I mean, give me the $20 you spent on them and I’ll keep using my awesome equipment, thank you very much. I believe there is still a set in my crawl space somewhere that someone never asked for back. It will probably still be there when I sell the house.
Monitors, eh. Whatever. I was supposed to get one with my last job and it never showed up but I was like, whatever, and didn’t push it because I didn’t care. I’m picky and I have two I love.
Other stuff: I do not expect anything. I usually get a phone which is usually an iphone which I hate so it will sit there as a paperweight I dread answering. I have my own monitor risers and a laptop stand and all that fun stuff because again, *I’m picky.*
YMMV depending on disposable income and how picky you are.
Laptop, keyboard, mouse, extra monitor and headset are provided at my place. Beyond that, it’s up to us if we want more or better stuff, including a good desk and chair.
I think you need to decide if this is worth fighting over. You may just lose WFH or lose a job.
Can you find another WFH job if you blow this one up?
We allow employees to work from home with many, many conditions. Or they can go to any local office and work. Company prefers work from office so any employee working from home is “tolerated” but not encouraged.
I purchased my own monitors and second laptop, etc.
They should provide the laptop.
Companies I have been at will provide minimal peripherals (mouse and keyboard, monitor, headset) or $s ($1K – $2K) for you to create your home office. Both Hybrid and WFH roles.
Internet is on your own.
I’m glad I built my own work space, the company only got my spare laptop charger when I quit, that’s all they provided. I built a new computer to run the ultrawide monitor.
Superbowl weekend is the best time of year to buy a big monitor
Minimally you should be supplied with a computer (laptop, presumably), and storage media, if required.
It’s typically up to you to provide electricity, heat, and connectivity.
If you use your own computer, mobile device, or storage media that would be a monumental legal and security issue for the employer.
I am hybrid and my company provided the laptop, monitor, keyboard, mouse, mouse pad, power strip, headphones… so yes everything I needed!
Minimum expectation is limited to a computer (and appropriate peripherals). Most companies who want you to work from home regularly will provide an external monitor if employees in the office have an external monitor for their laptops. ADA-related laws need to be followed, so certain fancy keyboards and mice will be able to be requested if necessary.
Most IT departments will lose their minds if employees are using non-company equipment on company computers. Even a simple monitor.
It sounds like your company really does not like hybrid/WFH, so they’re probably not going to provide you anything beyond the computer, mouse, and keyboard.
My company provided a laptop for wfh.
At one point, they offered some old crappy monitors, but I have much nicer and larger ones than they were offering.
They also offered a docking station, but only when they moved offices.
I think minimum is a laptop (or desktop if doing intense tasks). And perhaps a docking station.
>they were told the company would not reimburse them. Is this normal?
Yes.
I get a laptop from the company and nothing else. They even forgot to ship the charger to me lol. For my previous job I received laptop, keyboard, mouse, docking station, cell phone, soft phone, and 2 monitors. So I guess it depends on the company.
lol if you wanna work at home that equipment is on you. Making a fuss will just ruin wfh for the rest of your team
So I think it’s fair but I wouldn’t expect it. Also everywhere I’ve ever been that does work from home offers equipment but it’s crappy equipment. They will do a keyboard, mouse, and two monitors, maybe a docking station and a webcam but that’s it. They’re used monitors that someone had issues with in their on-site office and ended up in an IT room somewhere collecting dust. They never match so the colors and refresh rates are always off somehow and it bugs the crap out of me. The keyboards are ones with frayed wires or missing keys and stuff, it’s just a horrible experience. So I ended up buying my own and going overboard and getting way too nice of stuff lol. But I love tech and gadgets so not a big deal.
I think in a perfect WFH company they would offer an annual allowance toward purchases. That way I could buy what I wanted and get something better quality. Even upgrade every year, like maybe upgrade to a super nice headset one year or a super nice camera. I could even upgrade to a super nice office chair if I didn’t need anything else. ALSO the biggest pet peeve I have is that not all coworkers have the same quality equipment, some it’s just a really low priority so they just don’t have headsets at all cuz they’re not provided, so they’re talking in the provided webcam microphone that sounds horrible. Then they do buy a headset but they spend $5 on one. They make 3x what I do and are very wealthy but are working for something to do and we got them from an acquisition thing but they just aren’t gadget or tech inclined like that and don’t know what to get (ranting about specific person sorry). So anyways if it was an annual allowance only allowed to be reimbursed or spent on work related stuff like that it would incentivize others to upgrade too.
Depends? I have a bunch of friends in startups where they just had to use their own personal devices. But as the company grew bigger, they cracked down on security and thus provided work laptops.
My wife’s work provided everything to the employees. Dual monitors, dock, keyboard, mouse and surge protector.
They provided wired keyboard and mouse so we use one of my wireless ones.
My work provided a monitor and keyboard. The monitor was usb-c so it just plugged into the laptop directly.
ETA, they provided the laptops also.
Depends entirely on the hardware. It’s incredibly odd (and a risk to the company) that they wouldn’t provide a laptop. It is not unheard of for a company to reimburse a monitor. But if you’re expecting them to pay for non-global items like a standing desk or a laptop dock or any of a hundred other things you might use to make your home office nicer for you, you should ask yourself why they would spend more money to keep you away from the office when you’re the person who is benefiting from not being forced into the office to begin with.
I had a wfh position during Covid and provided my own laptop and headset. It was a call centre position
My company provided me with a laptop and monitors, keyboard, mouse and headset to WFH. I would say your company is cheap/tacky if they make you go get stuff yourself
I interviewed for a job for a European company that offered $400 towards the purchase of a computer to use for work. Not sure what they expected me to buy for that, but they didn’t intend to give me a laptop. I’m in Costa Rica btw. I’m sure it would be different in the US.
It’s absolutely fair to expect all hardware to be provided by your company for any WFH/hybrid position. Prior to the pandemic, my role was hybrid. With the pandemic, it’s now fully WFH. We get: laptop, mouse, keyboard, docking station, 2 monitors, and a $400 allowance to Staples to purchase items that might be necessary for our home workspaces.
No bloody way would I be 1) working from my own laptop, hello network security risk! And 2) working from a laptop screen only. I’m old and my eyes would murder me.
Where do companies get these policies? I work for a very small company. And they provide everything except furniture for 100% WFH. I have two monitors, laptop, mouse, webcam, keyboard, docking station, etc.
My last job was hybrid buy was the same exact concept. Provided me with everything but the furniture. I actually had 4 monitors so I kept two at home and two at the office.
I guess I have just gotten lucky. However, if you are connecting to the company network or connecting to any kind of shared repository that contains customer or client data, this is a major security concern. Any InfoSec team would have major heartburn with you being able to connect any device to their network that did not contain the company image.
I’ve been working remote since 2014 for three different companies (admittedly a tiny sample). All have provided a company laptop. One has provided a docking station. None have provided any other peripherals (no monitor, mouse, keyboard, etc). None has paid for internet access.
You should call the labor department in your state and ask them, and then call the tax department and ask them if the labor department doesn’t say “no, they can’t do that.” I *think* it’s illegal for them to *require* you to use your own device, but I’m not sure about it. (I think it’s a different story if WFH is not a part of the job, it’s just a perk. They then can’t require you to use your own equipment, but can say you can’t connect if you don’t have anything to connect with.)
If it *is* illegal, ask the authorities to step in and make them buy equipment, so it doesn’t have to look like you’re the person complaining.
My Fortune 100 company does not provide anything for WFH. I use my own computer. All of the offices have dual monitor desktop setups and all employee data is stored on remote servers that you login to.
My work didn’t provide any equipment but gave me a 2k allotment that I can spend for whatever is needed
Nope, expect the minimum
I work at a major global bank. We have a fully remote policy as well as in option office. In office, we have machines that connect to VM. For remote, we use 100% our own devices and Citrix in. None of the cost of this is reimbursed. Most major companies do have some sort of reimbursement but it’s not complete. BYOD is more and more common and even though it can be expensive, I 100% prefer it, personally.
It really depends. If it’s mandatory WFH they have to provide you with hardware. But if you’re doing WFH even though in theory the company gives you the possibility to come to the office daily, then at least where I am they don’t have to provide it, since the employee is the one deciding not to use the hardware available at the office.
lol I’m surprised by the people who expect equipment. I’ve never been provided that, although I do contract work
Read your company’s policy on WFH. It should talk about what you can and cannot expense.
Normal, especially since you’re hybrid and not remote.
I work out of my home and on my fist day I was given a laptop, printer, docking station, 2 monitors, mouse and a keyboard. Also a cell phone and desk phone.
Your company is whack