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It looks like I'm going to be able to get a bi-level height-adjustable computer desk!
Long story. Early in the startup company days, maybe three years ago, these desks were obtained for any employee who asked. They're kind of cool: there are two surfaces, one for monitor and one for keyboard, and each surface is height-adjustable independent of the height of the other surface. They do seem to work very well for people who want their keyboards and monitors at some specific nonstandard height. Anyhow, early on I didn't think much about it. The way my cubicle was set up was pretty good, and I can always get a desk like this later, right? Then my boss (who had one of these things) left the company and various people went on midnight raids to his cube. I got a whiteboard. I didn't take the desk, though I probably could have; someone else wanted it, and I could always get one later, right?
Fast forward a year or so (and one office move) and it becomes clear to me that this type of desk is cool to have. Rob actually purchased a used one from the company for probably a fifth of the cost of a new one, and installed it in his home office. But now the company's not buying any more of them. Company's been acquired, y'see, and Costs Are Being Contained.
Fast forward again, to the most recent office move. The standard setup for a cubicle in our new location is, for a variety of reasons, not what I'd prefer. Anyone who already had a bi-level desk could keep it if they chose, or take the standard setup if they chose. Several people kept their desks. Two people decided to leave behind their bi-level desks. I asked our facilities guy if I could have one of the left-behind desks. By the way, I said, if you're willing to sell me a used one for my house, I'll take that, too. The reply was no on both counts. If I had an ergonomic issue, the company would send a specialist to evaluate the situation and provide company standard equipment to meet my needs.
So what this means, I figured, is the company has at least two of this nifty desk that they are REFUSING TO USE and REFUSING TO SELL ME. I got a bit torqued! How obstructionist could they possibly be, I asked myself. Was it really that much skin off their back to grant my request? Was it really going to hurt someone if I had this kind of desk?
I talked to a few people and made a phone call. Turns out I asked the wrong guy. He's the guy I'm officially supposed to ask for this type of thing, but he's known for being sorta bureaucratic and unhelpful. (I'm understating what people told me. They used far less nice language.) I asked someone else, via e-mail. She immediately said sure, no problem, get manager's approval, we'll schedule it next time we have a truck out there, probably have it in not much more than two weeks.
THAT'S a far happier answer. Yay!
You can bet if it turns out I don't like this desk after all, I'll be too embarrassed to admit it. :-)
Long story. Early in the startup company days, maybe three years ago, these desks were obtained for any employee who asked. They're kind of cool: there are two surfaces, one for monitor and one for keyboard, and each surface is height-adjustable independent of the height of the other surface. They do seem to work very well for people who want their keyboards and monitors at some specific nonstandard height. Anyhow, early on I didn't think much about it. The way my cubicle was set up was pretty good, and I can always get a desk like this later, right? Then my boss (who had one of these things) left the company and various people went on midnight raids to his cube. I got a whiteboard. I didn't take the desk, though I probably could have; someone else wanted it, and I could always get one later, right?
Fast forward a year or so (and one office move) and it becomes clear to me that this type of desk is cool to have. Rob actually purchased a used one from the company for probably a fifth of the cost of a new one, and installed it in his home office. But now the company's not buying any more of them. Company's been acquired, y'see, and Costs Are Being Contained.
Fast forward again, to the most recent office move. The standard setup for a cubicle in our new location is, for a variety of reasons, not what I'd prefer. Anyone who already had a bi-level desk could keep it if they chose, or take the standard setup if they chose. Several people kept their desks. Two people decided to leave behind their bi-level desks. I asked our facilities guy if I could have one of the left-behind desks. By the way, I said, if you're willing to sell me a used one for my house, I'll take that, too. The reply was no on both counts. If I had an ergonomic issue, the company would send a specialist to evaluate the situation and provide company standard equipment to meet my needs.
So what this means, I figured, is the company has at least two of this nifty desk that they are REFUSING TO USE and REFUSING TO SELL ME. I got a bit torqued! How obstructionist could they possibly be, I asked myself. Was it really that much skin off their back to grant my request? Was it really going to hurt someone if I had this kind of desk?
I talked to a few people and made a phone call. Turns out I asked the wrong guy. He's the guy I'm officially supposed to ask for this type of thing, but he's known for being sorta bureaucratic and unhelpful. (I'm understating what people told me. They used far less nice language.) I asked someone else, via e-mail. She immediately said sure, no problem, get manager's approval, we'll schedule it next time we have a truck out there, probably have it in not much more than two weeks.
THAT'S a far happier answer. Yay!
You can bet if it turns out I don't like this desk after all, I'll be too embarrassed to admit it. :-)
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At my work, the official term for "Costs Are Being Contained" is "Frugality is Fun" :-/
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I didn't realize the ambiguity of the original phrasing until just now. (That's my story, and I'm sticking to it)
Of course, there may be a difference between "what I meant to say" and "what I meant"...
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;-)
okay so I've got a third grade mentality
so do I
Re: so do I