Boss wants me to decide if an office location is safe

26 Comments

1. AnonymousMay 14,2023 at 4:25PM UTC

   Not sure where you’re located, but one of the changes we’ve made here in Washington is to hire security. Maybe having someone onsite at peak times and walk your team to their cars or whenever you feel the coverage is needed most. Get pricing and services and present them as an option for leasing the space. Also, see if the owners or management of the building will add more lighting or an alarm system or cameras. Consider keypad lock systems for community entries.

   A combination of some of these help a lot. Unfortunately, there is activity everywhere, even in the high rent districts.

2. AnonymousMay 14,2023 at 6:06PM UTC

   opinions don’t matter as much as reality of being safe overrides that.

3. AnonymousMay 14,2023 at 11:37PM UTC

   The assumption that because these are young woman that they are less aware of their surroundings and less likely to have their "wits" about them is some misogynistic tinted nonsense about how young women function in the world.

4. KatMay 14,2023 at 6:31PM UTC

   So if it's up to you to decide on the appropriateness/safety of the location, why don't you say something? Talk to the other workers about the location. Bring those (and your) concerns to the boss. See if the building management has security features in place (restricted entry, lighting, security people, etc ) or would put them in before you occupy the space. Best to do it before the lease is signed and there are problems. If there are similar spaces w/the same price, sq footage, and features in better/safer areas, suggest some alternatives.

5. Beth RespessMay 14,2023 at 6:35PM UTC

   The subject of your message says “boss wants me to decide” instead of you having thoughts about it - legally I imagine that puts you in a very different position. If the decision or even research on the decision was delegated to you, then you should definitely express your concerns and be sure to do it in writing. But as the other commenter mentioned, offering some suggestions in writing that could mitigate risk (better lighting, security, etc) should be sufficient.

6. AnonymousMay 14,2023 at 7:09PM UTC

   Check with local police to determine the crime rate in that neighborhood. Full disclosure to ALL employees before they make a final decision. Not sure if your boss is asking YOU to make the decision, or if your opinion because you live closeby? Provide in writing the truth. If I were early 20s and really no matter my age, I would not take a job in an unsafe or shady area of town. Even with security.

7. AnonymousMay 14,2023 at 9:01PM UTC

   Nothing you can do but to speak up and lay out the criminal history. If he's insisting for a move then you move or leave the company.

8. AnonymousMay 14,2023 at 11:35PM UTC

   This feels like pearl clutching disguised as concern. I'm sure your co-workers are also young business women who are more than capable of looking after themselves. Unless your work hours go very late into the night, they are unlikely to overlap with risque parties that don't usually happen during the day.

9. AnonymousMay 15,2023 at 9:37PM UTC

   Oooohh, noooooo!!!

10. Sue Gordon- retired Career CoachMay 15,2023 at 11:37AM UTC

    Look at the crime data for the immediate area (try sites like spotcrime.com). Use data to make your decision. If there is elevated crime in the area, when does it usually occur? During working hours? Does it involve crimes against women? Could you and your colleagues be at increased risk of harm over the past location? Don’t go feel, go by facts then present your argument for or against.

11. AnonymousMay 15,2023 at 11:48AM UTC

    Go get the facts of the area, crime facts, from the local police dept. It's okay for them to ask your opinion on the area, but lead with facts.

12. AnonymousMay 17,2023 at 3:12PM UTC

    This!

13. AnonymousMay 15,2023 at 3:22PM UTC

    Curious: what is your role/what is this organization? Unless you're in law enforcement, risk management, or another field where evaluating this sort of thing is your area of expertise, it's very odd that your boss would be asking you to make this decision (per your headline). You certainly don't want to be responsible for any outcomes. Or is he simply asking your opinion? If he's asking you to weigh in, I'd approach this as if I'm considering living there; let's face it, you'll probably be spending the same or more amount of time there than you are at home. Whatever factors you'd use to decide if you'd live someplace would probably overlap significantly to whether or not you'd feel comfortable going to work there (especially if your work hours are late/overnight). Otherwise, ask him to clarify what he's looking for from you. If he's enthusiastic as you say about moving, it's probably a done deal, so your conclusions likely won't matter. If he wants you to have a potentially difficult conversation instead of doing it himself, that would be a red flag. Unless you can enthusiastically endorse the move from your personal perspective, insist that it be a group conversation with him leading the meeting, given it's his decision.

14. AnonymousMay 17,2023 at 3:12PM UTC

    Agree 100%.

    And I think you really need to factor in potential naiveté of your junior staff. Sometimes a dangerous situation does not appear to be so on the surface.

15. AnonymousMay 17,2023 at 1:40PM UTC

    Hold on, he is leaving the consideration of how it might feel to the women up to you? THAT IS A MIRACLE AND YOU SHOULD BE SO THANKFUL. That means that he knows that, as a man, he is not qualified to formulate an opinion here. Understand how rare that is for a man to do and praise him for that having that recognition please.

    Some things to consider-

    Wouldn't your co-workers also have their "wits about them" during working hours? You say it's close to where you live and you don't think it's dangerous because you have your wits about you. That should mean that anyone who isn't inebriated would be ok, barring any super crazy random act of violence. If it's an area where people get mugged walking to the car in broad daylight, then yeah concern is super valid. But I have found that even in "rough" neighborhoods the businesses are usually not the target of crime so you're likely to be unbothered.

    My office is considering a similar move when our lease is up and at first I was like, NOPE I'll either ask to go remote or find another job. But the more I think about it, specifically where I live, the crime is mostly gang related and not random so I try to remember that.

    If you end up going there, you could maybe plan it so that the 3 of you walk to cars together so everyone is more comfortable. And making sure the building is super secure would have to be priority- keypad entry, cameras, alarm system etc. Those can get expensive so if you tell him that would be needed in order for it to be safe he may try to find a location that doesn't have those requirements.

    If the decision is up to you and you are against it, I recommend having other options to present to him. That way you're not just presenting problems but also showing that you're trying to provide a solution that suits everyone.

    Be glad to be tasked with this. It shows that he respects your opinion which makes it sound like any honest conversation will be productive.

    Let us know how it goes!

16. AnonymousMay 17,2023 at 2:23PM UTC

    Innocent bystanders can be the victims of gang turf wars. Bullets have no name.

17. AnonymousMay 17,2023 at 7:22PM UTC

    Disagree. Nope, Nope. Nope!

    Say NO. It is a shady area and not advisable to move into that office space.

18. AnonymousMay 17,2023 at 4:41PM UTC

    I don’t recommend this! I worked in a similar situation a few years ago. My company had a whole floor in a smallish building in a very convenient location of a large city and needed just a bit more space as we grew so without consulting anyone, the ceo opted to “share” a floor, a few floors above. It turned out the other resident on that floor was a shady “massage parlor” that openly offered special services (the workers literally walked around in lingerie in the middle of the day) and unfortunately several “customers” of theirs got violent after being “overcharged” for “services” (you get it) and we had to call the cops several times and frequently worried about the safety of the employees. Cops never showed up quickly, the females in the team on that floor always felt uneasy and a few even quit. You can’t make this insanity up. It’s so not worth putting anyone’s safety at risk.

19. AnonymousMay 17,2023 at 6:02PM UTC

    Wow, that sounds seedy!

20. AnonymousMay 17,2023 at 7:55PM UTC

    The issue with slow police response time to areas known for frequent disruptive disturbances is REAL. Police departments have a name for it, so ask the police if the site or location is generally considered a "nuisance."

    For OP: An issue with the "buddy system" would mean everybody will have to arrive and leave simultaneously, which may not be workable unless you all carpool. Site security - cameras, locks, etc., is also essential. Will clients be visiting you there? What would they think? I'm not sure your boss is considering everything that moving into this area might entail. The cost of upgrading the building for the security systems alone may make the cost out of reach. Are the parties after hours or during business hours? If they are at times when you are making phone calls or entertaining clients, this should be a hard "NO."

21. AnonymousMay 17,2023 at 5:45PM UTC

    Do a check with your local police department regarding crime in that specific zip code. If you find trends and or concerns then share them with him. If not then just work out that when people come and go you do so in pairs so that no one is left alone in case of need or emergency. if there are not cameras, you could ask him to put in a camera system and for sure door locks at all times. In this age of safety and concern for others and women being safe do speak up if you think it is NOT the right location. If he doesn't have to go there that is on him if there are issues.

22. AnonymousMay 17,2023 at 6:02PM UTC

    In my opinion and life experiences, if you have to question whether something, someplace etc… is safe, 9 times out of ten it’s not!

23. Christi MillerMay 17,2023 at 6:58PM UTC

    If he asked them let him know your concerns. It will help if you have hard evidence to back it up. It's hard to go to someone about safety concerns based on rumors.

24. misskelleypMay 17,2023 at 7:02PM UTC

    Ask your 20 - somethings what they think? Can't hurt to get their feedback.

25. L.s. AlabasterMay 17,2023 at 11:30PM UTC

    Granted, a sure sign of eventual real estate upswing in an area is always the habitation of artists. Mind you, artists can handle druggies at night, the alley alcoholics, and the petty thieves. Think of it this way, if your clients are expected to walk by the unsavoury characters and worry about stepping on a needle, being propositioned, or getting infected from eating the local french fries, I would take that angle when persuading the upper management against this place. Your company wants to be up and coming and this location is not singing that tune.

26. AnonymousMay 18,2023 at 11:15AM UTC

    From the information you provide, my gut says no. Tell your boss to keep looking for a safer location.