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Q: An employee has started bringing his stick insects to work. Some employees have complained but the man says that his situation is no different from people who have potted plants on their desk. What do you think?
A: I have to admit to a prejudice against anything that has the capability to climb up your trouser leg. With that in mind I disagree with your employee in that I see a clear distinction between plants that stand still and stick insects that do not. At least not all the time. At the end of the day you are entitled to determine what may or may not be brought into the workplace. Few people object to small plants in the office provided that they do not cause allergic reactions. I guess that several people are likely to object to sharing the corner of a room with stick insects, sunny characters though they may be, so I suggest that you allow that to inform your decision.
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