The Rights of Office Workers

At the risk of being labeled a troublemaker, I believe it’s time we office workers started thinking about our rights. Some people – especially some bosses -- might find this scary. The assumption is that if office workers become aware of their rights, they’ll soon start blowing up filing cabinets and dancing naked around the water cooler. Who can say where it might end?

Rest assured, I’m not advocating revolution, at least not anytime soon. But it seems to me that historically we office workers have not done nearly so good a job as our blue collar brothers and sisters at standing up for ourselves, and that this has led to many of us feeling – and even coming to believe – that we have no rights at all when we’re at work, especially in recent decades. Too often, employers have dealt with economic challenges at the expense of quality of life for their office workers, forcing people to work longer and
faster and in progressively less comfortable conditions. As I said, I believe it’s time we started thinking about our rights.

Everyone, of course, may have a different idea of what these rights are. I’d love to hear your list, but meanwhile, here’s mine:

As office workers, we have the right . . .

1. To spend enough time outside our jobs to enjoy good health, intimate relationships, and activities that give pleasure and meaning to our lives. 
2. To say no to excessive overtime without fear of retribution.
3. To take sick time when we need it, including mental health days, as well as adequate vacation time for rest and renewal, without fear of negative consequences.
4. To bring personal objects to work that give us comfort, decorate our workspaces, and receive ergonomic support so as to create physically and psychologically healthy work environments.
5. To perform tasks at a reasonable enough pace to do a good job, enjoy the work process, and experience a sense of accomplishment when projects are completed.
6. To work at an optimal level of challenge for healthy cognitive functioning, experiencing neither excessive multitasking or unhealthy levels of mindless repetition.  
7. To enjoy financial security and pursue financial gain.
8. To discuss feelings and grievances appropriately with both peers and superiors without fear of negative repercussions.
9. To communicate with others without being exposed to surveillance.
10. To enjoy freedom from unjust blame for circumstances and events over which we have no control.
11. To access the equipment, materials, and information we need to do our jobs.
12. To ask for clarification of assignments without fear of being humiliated.
13. To understand how our duties fit into the organization’s overall mission as well as the larger systems of which they are a part.
14. To develop our knowledge and skills to their full capacities.
15. To receive regular feedback and performance appraisals that are fair, honest, and respectful, focusing on performance rather than personality and including positive feedback and public recognition when performance merits it.
16. To schedule, when possible, regular quiet times during which we cannot be interrupted.
17. To take undisturbed lunch hours away from our workplaces without fear of negative repercussions.
18. To take frequent enough mini-breaks from the computer screen and office chair to maximize physical and mental health.
19. To have our talents acknowledged and used and our weaknesses accommodated whenever possible.
20. To be treated with respect, without bullying, sexual harassment, or discrimination in regard to race, religion, gender, age, appearance, or other personal characteristics.
21. To receive support in pursuing our career paths and recommendations for other jobs that reflect the true quality of our work. 

All of these rights are violated every day in the office workplace, and most of us choose to let this happen sometimes rather than give up our livelihoods. The fact that our rights are frequently trampled on, however, doesn’t make them any less rights. And somehow, it helps to have it clear in your mind what they are.

It’s also important to remember that along with rights always go responsibilities.

Coming next: The Responsibilities of Office Workers.