Agree that such an arrangement accentuates the political and status symbol aspects of workspace assignment, as well as reducing flexibility in workspace assignment in cases like yours. Was this arrangement desired by the company (i.e. built up in an empty building or floor when the company moved in), or was it like that and the company took it as-is?
With this arrangement, it seems like it would be difficult to accommodate you in terms of being able to easily look out the window without (a) not being able to put the audio/visual stuff in the large office that you are currently in, (b) bumping someone else out of a window office, or (c) getting “lucky” in that someone in a window office leaves. In many other companies, accommodation of putting you in a space where you can easily look out the window would be trivial, in that there are windows in common areas or positioned where those in interior cubicles or offices can easily look out of them.
I have only been there 2+ years. My understanding is they started wuth some space and then took over the whole floor - about 50 people. The 5 top people have large offices with multiple windows. I would imagine it was designed that way. The rest of the perimeter is small offices with windows. Interior windowless space is conference rooms, kitchen and cubicles. No common space has windows.
This is why it’s important to bring it up to HR now vs wait – because there may be creative solutions. Without knowing your company, who knows whether the walls of the office space are sacrosanct or whether they are considering busting some walls down / putting other ones up?
Yes - you all have me convinced to act now. I just don’t like to make waves…but am hoping to connect with eye doctor tomorrow and make sure he will support my position. Assuming he is in agreement, then it is on to HR. The HR person is fairly new - hired this past summer. The company CFO handled all HR previously. She seems nice and competent - but I just don’t really know her very well.
Oh,I’m so sorry for your worry. Just in general, it’s disappointing to lose a window office!
Sounds like you have a plan! Good luck to you.
It’s always a VERY good idea to get to know your HR personally, and connect with them - you never know what may go wrong in the future. Just try to be very positive and open-minded – HR is a common place to complain, but people often forget to acknowledge and thank them when they help to fix the problem (not saying of course that RM does this – it just happens often). Very recently, we went for beer after work, and invited our HR recruiter. He was so grateful – he mentioned that no one ever invites the HR to any social outings or small celebrations…
Yes, good point. Hoping she is sympathetic to my situation.
You’re casting this about emotions and feelings, as opposed to a simple workplace matter. If it has come to her attention that an employee has documented XYZ medical needs that call for XYZ medical accommodation, then it’s incumbent on her to try to work that out in accordance with both whatever the law requires, and the needs / interests of the company. You’re turning this into a personal referendum on you and your worth as a person / employee in her eyes and in the eyes of your coworkers. That’s not what it’s about!
Se - that’s why I come here for advice! You are absolutely right. I don’t know why I am so embarrassed about the situation and so reluctant to bring it up. It’s not like it is my fault! I have to focus on facts and not be apologetic.
I have started assembling my documentation. I have the diagnosis of progressive high myopia from my retina specialist records, my lens prescription showing -17 in my right eye and -19 in my left eye, and definitions of what these things mean. Goal for tomorrow is to hear from my eye doctor that he will make a written recommendation about my need to sit near a window so I can relax my eye muscles by looking out the window periodically and to have an office where I can turn off the harsh florescent lights as needed.
always be proactive! get the info go to HR and your boss. let them know you are not being a jerk or difficult.(some people misinterpret ADA for other stuff) but at the same time make sure they are aware it is important to your well being. do not wait until after the move is about to start!
I suspect you may have a better argument if your doctor says you need natural light, which can only be done by giving you a window, than arguing that you need to look away and refocus periodically, because one could look away in any kind of office. I would work with your eye doctor very specifically on what you want said in that letter. Good luck.
I agree that you need your eye doctor’s letter to be as specific as possible and use the phrase “natural light” as a needed remedy. You are making the right choice to move forward so you can be proactive in this situation. If management gets halted in their moves after investing lots of time and money, there would be more possibility of frustration/gossip pointed in your direction.
Meeting went well - letter from doctor requested. It was actually much simpler than I anticipated. The HR person did not need to see any documentation on my vision condition. Once I said I have a disabiilty covered under the ADA and am seeking reasonable accomodations - those were the magic words! All she requested was a letter from my eye doctor - stating that I am under his care - and that I need x and y. I asked him to say specifically that I need to sit beside a window AND have an office with a light switch so that I can turn off the harsh lights and have a break as needed - basicaly describing my current office! So - feeling much more optimistic. The HR person left me feeling like it would absolutey not be an issue.
Thank you so much for your help. This was possibly the best advice I have ever rcvd on CC - which is saying a lot.
That’s perfect! So glad it appears to be working out, and that you feel good that your privacy isn’t being compromised!
That’s such a relief! I know you were very concerned. I’m glad it went well.
Thank you. And I give so much credit to posters here for helping me figure out what to do. I kept my office and my privacy - a win-win for sure.
I think a simple explanation of an eye issue maintains the privacy a lot more than everyone speculating about what the condition could be. Why does she get her own office? Cancer? Leprosy? Mental issues? Office people have wild imaginations.
I don’t care if people think I’m a spoiled brat if I get an office! They can speculate that I’m crazy, dying, contagious, or stinky and that I need my own space. Whatever it takes to get me my own office. At one place I sat in a closet with the holiday decorations falling on me. Believe it or not, someone of a higher grade complained because she was sharing an office with 2 others, so they found 2 more closets, cleaned them all out, made 3 offices for these three and moved me to the former shared office - all by myself! Then I had 4 desks, 4 phones, ceiling to floor windows. We quickly made it the ‘war room’ for the case I was working on and then no one else could move in. Yes, I was the princess and people definitely talked about me getting more than I deserved. Life is unfair. And I had my own office.
I’m so glad things are working out for you! I have had multiple vision issues since shingles invaded my optic nerve five years ago. I know the strain of peering at a computer all day, trying to see what’s on the screen. So exhausting!
I decided I had to be very upfront about my issues. I work in a small office (and I have a window, which I don’t need medically, but love just the same) and I needed assistance in modifying my computer to make it easier for me to see. Still, I was making stupid typos that I couldn’t even tell were there sometimes, so I had to let several others know why this was occurring. I had eye surgery last summer, which really improved things.
I’m glad you aren’t dealing with much of the dreaded DC commute (I know we both work in the same county). I have a very quick commute, too, and I cannot fathom how I would be able to handle a job where I’d have to drive a long way after dark every night. This is one of the primary reasons I’ve been at my job for many years.
It is entirely possible that if someone in a small window office vacates it (e.g. leaves the company), you may be asked to move to that small window office, so that your current big office can be used for the audio visual equipment.
OP did mention that others in similar job function and standing in the company typically have window offices, so her being in a window office is not especially unusual (although the particular office she is currently in has both better and worse aspects than other window offices).