Employee Refusing New Monitors

trev likes bargains on 03/09/2018 - 12:30
Last edited 05/09/2018 - 16:04 by 1 other user

I requested that one of my colleagues be given two high res screens. He currently has two 19 inch low res screens. As a technical person, this is very unproductive to work on.

He said he didn't need them when I offered him awhile ago but I proceeded anyway because they are so old and are not good for productivity.

Any ideas as to what the real reason might be? I asked him once and he said that the end of the screen will be too far away!

Update 05/09/2018

Thanks all for your support and constructive criticism. We have agreed to trial the new screens and will switch back to the old screens if required.

Education & Work

closed Comments

  • spackbace on 03/09/2018 - 12:33
    +99

    Any ideas as to what the real reason might be?

    Let me just try and read his mind… 2 seconds hang on

    • trev likes bargains on 03/09/2018 - 13:24
      +4

      I'm wondering if he has a visual impairment. Will just need to twealnsome settings on the PC to solve any issues

      • Hybroid on 03/09/2018 - 13:25
        +5

        Could be related to eyesight or strain or neck/back pain or simply some people just don't like change when accustomed and used to something. Ask him?

      • abb on 03/09/2018 - 14:23
        +54

        The dude wants his whole screen in view. Is his job performance satisfactory? Let the man be and stop micro-managing.

        (Real programmers use vim anyway)

      • kangaroo on 04/09/2018 - 22:32
        +1

        I have a medical condition where I get really bad headaches if I use two monitors which are set wide apart. For this very reason I am thinking of getting a curved display, to reduce the neck rotation. He could have a medical reason too…

    • [Deactivated] on 04/09/2018 - 17:56

      Be sure you downgrade your mind reading software back to version 1.0

      • Chewiebacca on 04/09/2018 - 20:42
        +2

        Nice username

        • [Deactivated] on 05/09/2018 - 01:06

          You too :) there must be a chewbacca also, as chewbacca without any change was taken

        • khomeini on 05/09/2018 - 09:07

          I'm sure there's a Starwars themed room I can put you two in along with JarJar… DarthSaver perhaps?

        • Chewiebacca on 05/09/2018 - 10:03

          @Chewybacca:

          Haha I never actually tried, I’ve used the screen name “Chewiebacca” for years.

  • dcep on 03/09/2018 - 12:41
    +3

    'end of the screen will be too far away'

    he dislikes moving his eyeballs & neck

    he prefers all info presents on his vision at once to ease processing in his brain

  • Archi on 03/09/2018 - 12:45
    +15

    doesn't want to be more productive… just wants to keep the status quo

  • dasher86 on 03/09/2018 - 12:56
    +46

    some people don't like change.

  • Archi on 03/09/2018 - 12:59
    +3

    I reckon if you told the person it'll make him work less… he'd be all for the change.

  • bobbified on 03/09/2018 - 13:13
    +6

    Is your colleague old? Some people just don't like change - big or small.
    Or perhaps he needs the bigger font on the low res and doesn't realise you can do it on the high res too.

    • trev likes bargains on 03/09/2018 - 13:22

      Not old. Should be 30s or early 40s

      • bobbified on 03/09/2018 - 13:32

        I guess that you could just shut him up with a solution to any "problems" he might think he has with a high-res.

        Colleague: The end of the screen will be too far away!
        You: Adjust the sensitivity of your mouse!

        Colleague: The font will be too small!
        You: You can increase the size of the font!

        …
        …

        umm.. I can't even think of any other silly excuses that your colleague might come up with to not want the newer monitors!

        When he has nothing left to say.. you win!

        • HighAndDry on 04/09/2018 - 10:57
          -7

          OP's the guy's manager. This shouldn't even be a debate - "You got a new monitor, use it." End of conversation.

        • bobbified on 04/09/2018 - 11:37
          +13

          @HighAndDry:
          Being a manager doesn't mean you can just order people to do something or demand to have things your way all the time. That's one of the quickest way to lose respect.

        • imurgod on 04/09/2018 - 16:19
          +1

          @HighAndDry: I agree with this (even if it's unpopular). This is an equipment upgrade. Once you start pandering to one person, everyone has something they want different… plus, he hasn't used it yet so he doesn't know if he'll like it or not. Sounds like a whiner.

          I also saw somewhere the OP said that when screen sharing, he has to wait while this guy takes ages to scroll due to the old screen, so now he's hindering your productivity as well.

          If he has a track record of poor attitude toward things, I'd be looking to replace him because that stuff can be very toxic, but if he's a good worker and this is a one off request, might be an idea to leave him be.

        • HighAndDry on 04/09/2018 - 16:25
          -4

          @bobbified:

          Being a manager doesn't mean you can just order people to do something

          Actually I'm pretty sure that's in the job description. In fact, allowing your employees to randomly refuse perfectly innocuous orders is a much faster way to lose respect as a superior.

          But you're right, there's an element of reasonableness. Asking employees to use more up-to-date technology, when they're in an IT role? I can't think of anything more reasonable.

        • [Deactivated] on 04/09/2018 - 18:02
          +1

          @bobbified:
          "quickest way to lose respect."
          This in turn decreases productivity and also decreaser staff retainment. OP should … know, a happy workplace is a productive workplace.
          As long as worker's productivity is decent, then leave them be. It is counterproductive to upset staff (not just this 1 person, but it has a ripple effect within staff group) then you are risking losing trained staff and having to hire and retrain new people.
          OP is likely being anal and compulsive about forcing a change that will most likely be counterproductive in the long run.

      • loropy9 on 04/09/2018 - 18:39
        +1

        Thats old in programers years.

  • omgitzrick on 03/09/2018 - 13:15
    +40

    You can't discount the possibility that this person is just an idiot.

  • psyren89 on 03/09/2018 - 13:19
    +18

    Meanwhile, I'd kill for new monitors at my work.

    • trev likes bargains on 03/09/2018 - 13:22
      +1

      Same here. I would go for 4x high res monitors if my work gave me the option to do that.

      • payton on 03/09/2018 - 15:12
        +3

        I bought a 31" 4K monitor and use it at home with Win10 (150% scaling)
        Works brilliantly.
        Have been thinking of asking the boss if I can BYO my monitor and use it at work
        but … I'm not the office superstar so I'm not sure if it'll be rejected, or rejected with extreme prejudice

        The people who are (stars), they can request standing desks, triple screens, wireless mouse etc no worries at all

        • khomeini on 05/09/2018 - 09:14

          That would suck… here have an abacus to play with whilst the real stars do some real work payton!

          In saying that we have policies at our work which dictate the OH&S requirements for working in the office & from home (which needs to adhere to standard policies like monitors being at head height and chairs parallel to desk/mouse etc…). Some of us have two monitors and others only have one and are sticklers for what they are used to. I bought a sit/stand desk which I gave to someone else as she requested it and I didn't want to look unfair - she's used it twice in the last 6 months GRRRRRR and here I am getting obese!

    • Hybroid on 03/09/2018 - 13:27

      You don't need to. The UK has Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations which once you quote will immediately get any IT equipment needed to do your job. There must be an equivalent here.

    • altomic on 03/09/2018 - 13:51

      same, currently using dual HP 19" low res monitors.

      my home office setup - dual 22" AOC high res monitors.

      • khomeini on 05/09/2018 - 09:17

        Can you clarify low res altomic?
        We're talking not up to 1920x1080… as I'd consider that high res (unless you're talking 4k as high res) - i may be getting old.

        • psyren89 on 05/09/2018 - 11:41

          I currently use 2 of these pieces of garbage at work. Terrible viewing angle, colour accuracy, and low resolution.

          Even a decent 1080p screen would be nice, but I can't use anything better because my PC is also garbage.

    • ahly92 on 04/09/2018 - 20:10

      so your saying that you will spend the rest of your life in prison, incarnated away from society, deprived of the company of your loved ones, not able to watch your children take their first steps, hearing their first words, as you rot away in a cold wet cell, infected with god knows what virus, living with the burden of taking a human life for a mere worldly possession….nice. where do i sign up!

  • retiredfeline on 03/09/2018 - 13:23
    +1

    Maybe colleague is short-sighted and puts face close to the screen? So tell them to use just the central area of the bigger screen leaving letterbox borders, nice and familiar. ;) No seriously find out if there is visual impairment.

  • mini2 on 03/09/2018 - 13:27
    +1

    Haven't come across anyone who doesn't like a new shiny flashy monitors back in my desktop swapout grunt days.

  • Diji1 on 03/09/2018 - 13:34
    +18

    You sound like a terrible person to work with because you forced someone to use hardware they explicitly stated they didn't want.

    Like an insane person you did this for "productivity".

    • trev likes bargains on 03/09/2018 - 13:53

      Love your perspective. Well when I share my screen with him, he has to endlessly scroll to try and keep up with me. Also when he shares his screen with me I have to painfully wait and watch him opening and closing little tool bars that every one leaves permanantly open because they have reasonable screens.

      • mskeggs on 03/09/2018 - 16:58
        +4

        Does he never the less accept your preference for a high Res screen?

        • HighAndDry on 03/09/2018 - 17:53
          -6

          Doesn't matter. It's almost 99% objectively true that a larger higher-res screen will be better for productivity. This is work - personal preference can take a back seat.

        • trev likes bargains on 03/09/2018 - 18:44

          The monitors haven't been delivered yet. Time will tell.

      • HighAndDry on 04/09/2018 - 11:01
        +8

        Love your perspective.

        You haven't been around here enough. No one loves Diji1's perspective.

        • cwongtech on 04/09/2018 - 13:52
          +5

          You must be a LibLab voter ;)

        • khomeini on 05/09/2018 - 09:25
          -1

          I disagree HighandDry. Diji's comments, especially regarding politics or social aspects, show independent thought and are quite astute. Others are questionable, but we're humanids so that would be normal.

    • smartazz104 on 04/09/2018 - 13:42

      Why would any sane person turn down newer, larger monitors? Go on, I'd love to hear your reasoning.

    • wyrmy on 04/09/2018 - 14:26
      -1

      Reminds of generations of people in the late 2000 who harped on about how they refuse to change their Nokia and all the reasons smartphones are rubbish (Privacy, battery life, distraction, no keypad etc etc etc). Talk to them now and ask them how they feel about their smartphones.

  • retiredfeline on 03/09/2018 - 13:36
    +47

    Nek minit, post on OzB forums: Supervisor Forcing Me To Use New Monitor, what is the real reason? :)

  • apple2016 on 03/09/2018 - 13:52
    +4

    It could be a personal preference. I do not like wide screen & multiple monitors.

    • trev likes bargains on 03/09/2018 - 14:00

      And that's fine. I hope you are not a software developer working on Visual Studio

      • apple2016 on 03/09/2018 - 14:11

        Yes I am a software engineer working on java.

      • dcep on 03/09/2018 - 14:25

        you need to get him displays that pivot vertically then

      • athk on 04/09/2018 - 17:23
        +2

        It's personal preference.. I'm a software engineer .. I use multiple monitors at work and .. a single one when on the train. (Sometimes single all day at work)..

        It doesn't hinder productivity at all, that seems like an excuse for not being able to use your tools correctly.

  • Godric on 03/09/2018 - 13:56
    +4

    Get him an ultrawide

  • [Deactivated] on 03/09/2018 - 13:59
    +1

    I bought a new 13" ultrabook to work with on the move and I like it more than my old 15.6" clunker
    I feel like I can focus more on this tinier screen when I type or read articles and my field of vision feels more comfortable, I tended to get dizzy reading bigger screens for longer periods
    Of course if you're doing technical work like drawing schematic diagrams or maps or visual design then it's better overall to have a larger screen or else numbers/decimal places could be fudged and misread

    Do you have spare monitors? Maybe give him 2 spares to use over 3 days to see if he can get used to them, maybe he'll like them better

    • trev likes bargains on 03/09/2018 - 14:01

      Good idea. We work in two separate states so its just a bit hard to do. Can be done nonetheless.

  • [Deactivated] on 03/09/2018 - 14:01
    -2

    Are you his manager? No?

    • trev likes bargains on 03/09/2018 - 14:02
      +2

      Yes

      • [Deactivated] on 03/09/2018 - 14:02

        Well… Are they still performing their duties and are productive?

        • trev likes bargains on 03/09/2018 - 14:21
          +2

          No. Hence the drive to improve things.

        • [Deactivated] on 03/09/2018 - 14:37
          +5

          @trev likes bargains:

          Put them on a PIP, and let themselves sort it out.
          Micro managing, or giving them a new mouse or monitor isn't likely to help.

  • uzz30 on 03/09/2018 - 14:11
    +11

    Bigger screen = More mouse miles = Greater fatigue ;)

    Poor fellow might only just scrape through to the end of each day as it is. Those extra miles could be the last straw.

  • boomramada on 03/09/2018 - 14:27

    https://www.nngroup.com/articles/productivity-and-screen-siz… Show this to your colleague. While you at it, ask for two screens, 2 is the magic number of productivity.

  • [Deactivated] on 03/09/2018 - 14:30
    +1

    What if he clicks the wrong button on the new monitor and the coffee machine kicks it?

    You can take your technology and put it somewhere impolite.

  • slow on 03/09/2018 - 14:32

    He thinks you will expect him to work harder

  • Illian on 03/09/2018 - 14:51
    +1

    Don't give him the option. It really does sound like productivity is being significantly negatively affected by his ancient old screens. Get rid of them permanently, put the new ones there, tell him to get used to it or resign. Obviously while offering to show him ways to ease his transition, such as increasing font size, using higher mouse sensitivity etc.

  • payton on 03/09/2018 - 15:07
    +12

    Anyone else getting a mental image of Milton Waddams from Office Space? :D

    and I said, I don't care if they lay me off either, because I told, I told Bill that if they change my monitor one more time, then, then I'm, I'm quitting, I'm going to quit. And, and I told Don too, because they've changed my monitor four times already this year, and I used to be able to see the squirrels, and they were merry, but then, they switched from the Swingline to the Boston stapler, but I kept my Swingline stapler because it didn't bind up as much, and I kept the staples for the Swingline stapler and it's not okay because if they take my stapler then I'll set the building on fire…

    • imurgod on 04/09/2018 - 16:23
      +2

      One of the best movies of all time.

  • ChillBro on 03/09/2018 - 15:38
    +1

    Maybe he is planning on leaving and so he would feel guilty if he got new monitors.

    • payton on 03/09/2018 - 15:57
      +1

      Why would he feel guilty, its not his to take home

  • tsunamisurfer on 03/09/2018 - 16:39

    I am at a loss how better spec'd monitors will improve productivity.

    The biggest leap in productivity I've ever noticed through monitors is going from one to dual monitors.

    • trev likes bargains on 03/09/2018 - 16:57
      +9

      You should try using Visual Studio on a 1024 x 768 resolution. You will be instantly enlightened

      • mskeggs on 03/09/2018 - 17:04

        Yet I have heard of at least one developer who feels differently.
        How about you get to pick the monitor size and you let them pick your window layout for what they consider will maximise your productivity?

        Or is there more than one opinion on that?

      • tsunamisurfer on 03/09/2018 - 18:30

        I do Visual Studio with 1920x1080 now.

      • Nickels n Dimes on 04/09/2018 - 13:53

        Wait… 1024x768 ?

        I thought you were proposing upgrading him from HD to 4K — anyone might object to 4K on a smaller screen size, because the high dot pitch makes everything tiny.

        HD (24-27") 2K (29-32") is optimal for just about any purpose, or a single ultrawide screen is terrific, (without the annoying gap in the middle).

  • FoxJump on 03/09/2018 - 18:27
    +2

    I used to have two monitors at work. I grew tired of the gap and having to either look straight and sideways now and then or always look sideways (one way or another).

    So I now have one monitor fhd monitor and am happy.

    We had some people at work who didn't want to be "upgraded" to fhd because their old monitors were 1600x1200 which is more vertical than fhd.

    Anyways .. I agree 1024x768 is a bit squishy

  • subywagon on 03/09/2018 - 19:38

    Just swap them out when he's no there. You are the boss aren't you?

    • trev likes bargains on 03/09/2018 - 20:18
      +1

      Haha. We are about 1500km apart 😂

      Imagine me 5 years from now. Trying to give employee i12 128GB computer but he wants a slow one…..

      • subywagon on 03/09/2018 - 22:01

        Ah well you're just going to have to let him be then unless you really believe it's affecting his productivity.

  • peterpeterpumpkin on 04/09/2018 - 08:11

    Slightly off topic. But is there an example on OzBargain where an anonymous party accused of something just happens to use OzBargain, recognises themselves being described and replies?

  • Peace Horse on 04/09/2018 - 10:46
    +2

    I don't think that you are managing this transition well. Perhaps he has poor eyesight but doesn't want to admit it for fear of losing his job or maybe he doesn't even realise. If he doesn't realise, maybe going to the optometrist is a good idea to to check/recheck vision levels. Maybe Dual screens are uncomfortable and one Large 27" FHD screen or one 34" Ultrawide would be more suitable.

    • HighAndDry on 04/09/2018 - 11:04
      +2

      Christ, OP wants his worker to use a bigger higher res monitor. That's it. It doesn't need a dog and pony show or a nationally televised debate.

    • netsurfer on 04/09/2018 - 11:11

      It's not that, it's probably more the new screen ratio being 16:9 so the total width across two monitors will be longer, which will require regular head movements.

      Basically, the staff feels that's annoying. If the staff constantly look at two screens, then the width increase can be an issue.

      he said that the end of the screen will be too far away!

      He already explained it. One way around is could be put one screen or both screens in portrait mode.

      • Peace Horse on 04/09/2018 - 11:29
        +1

        1x Ultrawide 21:9 isn't as wide as 2x 16:9 Widescreens, only about 30% wider. Even if 1x Ultrawide is too much just getting them on 1x 16:9 FHD should be enough of an achievement (for now) compared to 2x old 19" 4:3 screens of presumably 1280x1024 resolution

        2x 1280x1024 = 2560x1024

        1x 21:9 Ultrawide = 2560x1080

        Should be able to cope with a transition if he is already using 19" duals

        • netsurfer on 04/09/2018 - 13:45

          Old 19 inch monitors are likely 4:3. It gives a decent height advantage over 16:9 or 21:9. Furthermore, it is still more efficient to use dual screens if you open 2 documents side by side. You can use the maximise feature on both screens, rather than adjusting them.

          It really depends on what that staff is using the monitors for. For word documents, 4:3 monitors are good (it's not just the width that matter, basically, with the zooming, the portion of the document you can see per monitor). Most of the time, people work on portrait orientation of the document.

          The 16:9/21:9 ratio screens are great for entertainment, application development, gaming etc… But for standard word processing, they could be too wide (especially on dual screen setup).

          Just open word on a wide screen monitor. If you just display 1 page on the screen, you will notice the ratio isn't ideal. Imagine having two of those side by side. 4:3 screens don't have that issue.

        • Peace Horse on 04/09/2018 - 16:25

          @netsurfer: 1x 21:9 38" monitor is almost the same size as 2x 4:3 19" monitors side by side

          Windows automatically snaps windows to exactly 50% pf the screen if you drag and drop the window to the side you want it on.

        • BartholemewH on 05/09/2018 - 03:05

          @Peace Horse:
          Also, windows key plus left or right arrow.

  • netsurfer on 04/09/2018 - 11:05
    +3

    The old screens have a screen ratio of 4:3. When you have two of them next to each other, they don't take up that much width space.

    The newer screens would have a ratio of 16:9 or 16:10 - essentially, it is a way for monitor makers to cheat (to achieve higher diagonal dimension). One example is the 23 inch 16:9 screen @1080p. Yes, the resolution is higher, but if you don't need that resolution and you care more about text size for example, the 19 inch 4:3 is better.

    With 2 x 24-27 inch wide screen setup, the total width is wider, which could mean he/she might need to move your head regularly. That head movement can somewhat reduce the effectiveness of the dual screen setup.

    It's probably not he/she doesn't want better res screens, but more the ratio change which leads to really wide configuration.

    • [Deactivated] on 04/09/2018 - 11:09
      -4

      What the heck are you on about?

      Wide-screen monitors don't cheat in their measurement.

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