Message #55970

[countrigal]

In my company, it is actually a safety issue to have your back to the door.  So when at all possible, all offices are set up so that you can see the door while on your computer.

For me specifically, I go a step further and ensure that my screen is not viewable to the casual observer, either just entering the office or standing at my desk, as I deal with a lot of protected data or items that need to be kept confidential.  I do my best to do this while at the same time ensuring that I can freely see anyone who comes into the office or simply comes up to my desk.

And those times I've had a desk where this wasn't possible and I had my back to the entrance to my desk, then I posted a mirror over my desk so that I could easily see when/if anyone came up to me.  Didn't help a lot with confidential information, except for the glare screens that limited visibility by location (not perfect but better than nothing in these situations) so I was really glad to leave that office.

In my personal opinion, no person should work on a computer and not have view to someone walking into their office or up to their desk.  Computers are able to be placed almost anywhere, desks can normally be moved to allow this, and it's safer for the employee and the data and information that they process.  Definitely, if you're arranging your office, make it the best you can for yourself while still meeting the needs of your boss.

CountriGal
Peer Moderator