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Post by bigmartin on Sept 23, 2024 9:01:37 GMT
Do feel employees are better changing working practaces than employers are. I was a wages clerk for a couple of years and monday was a non stop day. They were not keen on me starting at 5am that day and having friday afternoon off even though it was them that wanted the figures early and knew the situation. Was even accused of wanting friday afternoon off just to walk the dog with time as i was off to County later but in the end had to admit i was right. Companies huh? Like, what business is it of theirs what you wanted do with your Friday off? It's absolutely sod all to do with them.
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Post by herbiedumplings on Sept 23, 2024 9:19:25 GMT
I always go into mine on a Monday, it starts the week off well for me, I'll do a Tuesday too and sometimes a Friday but it's not what I'd call enjoyable, being part of an in-house design team we're kind of ignored or looked down upon by lots of the teams which can make it a bit weird, plus our hours are usually a bit longer due to deadlines and working from home makes that a bit more palatable as you can shut your machine down and you're done. The landscape has altered dramatically since covid and making it mandatory to go in just doesn't work for people neither does having your office days dictated by the company. If my place forced it back on us id just go back to being a freelancer and keep the flexibility. People changed during Covid and some changed in significant ways. I work with a lass who struggled with her mental health (a single woman on her own) so she actually rescued a dog which, as so often happened, rescued her to. Company were all "ooo we really care about your mental health and we're going to prove this by constantly harping on about it and pretending we really care...in the meantime please don't stop working because if you do we're f*cked...have a day off to recover instead". Now they're basically saying "get rid of your rescue dog...we're all going back to work". Course she's also told them, with that strange bendy face when you pull to people who just aren't making sense, "get stuffed". This is it. Everyone on here has made sensible comments. When a company trusts you for two years with your own time and responsibility for your own portfolio and you perform, without complaint, they can't expect you to wander back into work like automatons and resume as if Covid never happened. Like I've said, it's our senior management, they couldn't lace their own shoes without meetings to decide who was going to show how it's done. Unfathomably clue-less in my opinion who do utterly stupid things because they don't think things through properly. Such as 'wellbeing days off'. Great for people who can take a wellbeing day off, but the people like me who actually do the work just end up either working it anyhow, or doing our five days of work in four. A great reward for the 'producers' rather than the lazy arseholes (of which we are very well endowed) whom flounce off into the sunset for their hard-earned day off. The offices are wonderful by the way. They supply break out areas, fresh fruit, drinks. You can take breaks whenever you wish. And that's partly why they want people in, they're expensive offices and they want them used. So sad for them. Course they've completely f*cked all that up also. Because whilst they DO want us in, the DON'T want us all in TOGETHER as there are not enough workstations and it's all flexi. So...no photos of loved ones...no chair/screens set correctly so you can walk in and start. Just a large sanitised room like a telecanvassing op. So when I do wander in I end up sat next to some guy who I don't know, don't work with, and don't collaborate with. Interesting given that one of the key drivers is "collaboration". This precisely for me. Plus, in an attempt to widen the talent pool, my team at work stopped being located just at head office and is now dispersed across various regional offices as well. So when I do collaborate with my colleagues, as often as not it’s on Teams anyway. In fact - because hot-desking - I often end up talking to people in the same building on Teams since I’m more likely to find Lord Lucan riding bareback on Shergar quicker than the desk my colleague is at. Pre-arranged collabs in meeting rooms are about the only example in my line of work where it’s better to be in a particular place at a particular time with a particular bunch of people. But I fully appreciate this isn’t the case for jobs in many other sectors like healthcare, retail and hospitality. And in the latter two instances, I don’t disagree it’s a shame that some of the shops and pubs near my office have closed since COVID. But drinking at lunchtime isn’t a thing anymore anyway, and people don’t have the disposable income to stay out after work a couple of nights a week or do a spot of retail therapy in their lunch break. In any case, the same has happened near my house so I’m not sure the loss of a captive market of office workers is all that strong causatively. Everyone’s just skint.
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Post by orkneyhatter on Sept 23, 2024 9:26:17 GMT
Do feel employees are better changing working practaces than employers are. I was a wages clerk for a couple of years and monday was a non stop day. They were not keen on me starting at 5am that day and having friday afternoon off even though it was them that wanted the figures early and knew the situation. Was even accused of wanting friday afternoon off just to walk the dog with time as i was off to County later but in the end had to admit i was right. Companies huh? Like, what business is it of theirs what you wanted do with your Friday off? It's absolutely sod all to do with them. I worked in the NHS. Asking for a day off from my boss was a pain . She always wanted to know why, like you had to justify what you were doing. Once I asked for a day to go to my uncle's funeral. It was at midday so there was no way I could take a half day. She grudgingly admitted that "as it was a family member I suppose you can have the day off". Shouldn't matter what the reason is, even if I'd spent all day lying in bed you shouldn't have to justify your reason if staffing can be covered.
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Post by suedehead on Sept 23, 2024 9:42:47 GMT
Companies huh? Like, what business is it of theirs what you wanted do with your Friday off? It's absolutely sod all to do with them. I worked in the NHS. Asking for a day off from my boss was a pain . She always wanted to know why, like you had to justify what you were doing. Once I asked for a day to go to my uncle's funeral. It was at midday so there was no way I could take a half day. She grudgingly admitted that "as it was a family member I suppose you can have the day off". Shouldn't matter what the reason is, even if I'd spent all day lying in bed you shouldn't have to justify your reason if staffing can be covered. I worked in a dead end call centre job about 15/16 years ago while I was finishing my MA, a friend of my mum's died and I said I'd take her so she wasn't on her own, reliant on a lift from others etc. Told the supervisor at work that I needed to take half a day leave for a funeral, he said I needed a copy of the death certificate. I said I didn't really know them, was going for my mum etc and no way I could ask for a copy, so he said no. I then asked if I could take the day off as holiday, and he started asking what I was going to be doing, had I considered the impact on the company etc. Staff turnover was ludicrous, two new starters every week in a team of 12, long service was about 6 weeks. I managed about another fortnight there and then f*cked it off. Was on the tram one morning heading in and just stayed on and went to town instead. Went Koffee Pot for a breakfast and sat there reading the paper. The sense of freedom was glorious. As was knowing how agitated he'd be getting. He rang asking where I was and I said I'm not coming back, impossible to work for you etc and he started shouting that I HAD to go back, I wasn't allowed to not go in. Hung up and ignored him for the rest of the day.
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Post by herbiedumplings on Sept 23, 2024 9:46:57 GMT
I worked in the NHS. Asking for a day off from my boss was a pain . She always wanted to know why, like you had to justify what you were doing. Once I asked for a day to go to my uncle's funeral. It was at midday so there was no way I could take a half day. She grudgingly admitted that "as it was a family member I suppose you can have the day off". Shouldn't matter what the reason is, even if I'd spent all day lying in bed you shouldn't have to justify your reason if staffing can be covered. I worked in a dead end call centre job about 15/16 years ago while I was finishing my MA, a friend of my mum's died and I said I'd take her so she wasn't on her own, reliant on a lift from others etc. Told the supervisor at work that I needed to take half a day leave for a funeral, he said I needed a copy of the death certificate. I said I didn't really know them, was going for my mum etc and no way I could ask for a copy, so he said no. I then asked if I could take the day off as holiday, and he started asking what I was going to be doing, had I considered the impact on the company etc. Staff turnover was ludicrous, two new starters every week in a team of 12, long service was about 6 weeks. I managed about another fortnight there and then f*cked it off. Was on the tram one morning heading in and just stayed on and went to town instead. Went Koffee Pot for a breakfast and sat there reading the paper. The sense of freedom was glorious. As was knowing how agitated he'd be getting. He rang asking where I was and I said I'm not coming back, impossible to work for you etc and he started shouting that I HAD to go back, I wasn't allowed to not go in. Hung up and ignored him for the rest of the day. And the funny thing is that guy ended up being the MP for North East Somerset for 14 years…
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Post by timberwolf on Sept 23, 2024 9:55:37 GMT
I worked in the NHS. Asking for a day off from my boss was a pain . She always wanted to know why, like you had to justify what you were doing. Once I asked for a day to go to my uncle's funeral. It was at midday so there was no way I could take a half day. She grudgingly admitted that "as it was a family member I suppose you can have the day off". Shouldn't matter what the reason is, even if I'd spent all day lying in bed you shouldn't have to justify your reason if staffing can be covered. Even ringing in sick is deemed a crime by some and think you are lying. I have had them checking up on me by parking outside my house looking for some activity. Was genuine but not the next time i did it. They reaped what they sowed.
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Post by The Real Exile on Sept 23, 2024 10:08:10 GMT
I worked in the NHS. Asking for a day off from my boss was a pain . She always wanted to know why, like you had to justify what you were doing. Once I asked for a day to go to my uncle's funeral. It was at midday so there was no way I could take a half day. She grudgingly admitted that "as it was a family member I suppose you can have the day off". Shouldn't matter what the reason is, even if I'd spent all day lying in bed you shouldn't have to justify your reason if staffing can be covered. I worked in a dead end call centre job about 15/16 years ago while I was finishing my MA, a friend of my mum's died and I said I'd take her so she wasn't on her own, reliant on a lift from others etc. Told the supervisor at work that I needed to take half a day leave for a funeral, he said I needed a copy of the death certificate. I said I didn't really know them, was going for my mum etc and no way I could ask for a copy, so he said no. I then asked if I could take the day off as holiday, and he started asking what I was going to be doing, had I considered the impact on the company etc. Staff turnover was ludicrous, two new starters every week in a team of 12, long service was about 6 weeks. I managed about another fortnight there and then f*cked it off. Was on the tram one morning heading in and just stayed on and went to town instead. Went Koffee Pot for a breakfast and sat there reading the paper. The sense of freedom was glorious. As was knowing how agitated he'd be getting. He rang asking where I was and I said I'm not coming back, impossible to work for you etc and he started shouting that I HAD to go back, I wasn't allowed to not go in. Hung up and ignored him for the rest of the day. I had a similar dead end call centre job while finishing my course, been there 2 weeks and one day got hauled in to the supervisors office, and asked why I wasn't wearing a suit? I was wearing a suit jacket, trousers that matched (well near enough), shirt and tie. I enquired as to why this had only now become an issue, along with its no different to a suit really is it? and why do I need one when they can't see us!!! She replied that they had been monitoring us all on the CCTV and she noticed my trousers were a different shade 🤣 I was told when I turn up tomorrow I'd better be in a suit, funnily enough I didn't go back. Was back happily doing my other student job the next evening packing plane flight food at the Airport, even if it was bloody cold in there!
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Post by stalybridgehatter on Sept 23, 2024 10:11:19 GMT
I worked in the NHS. Asking for a day off from my boss was a pain . She always wanted to know why, like you had to justify what you were doing. Once I asked for a day to go to my uncle's funeral. It was at midday so there was no way I could take a half day. She grudgingly admitted that "as it was a family member I suppose you can have the day off". Shouldn't matter what the reason is, even if I'd spent all day lying in bed you shouldn't have to justify your reason if staffing can be covered. Even ringing in sick is deemed a crime by some and think you are lying. I have had them checking up on me by parking outside my house looking for some activity. Was genuine but not the next time i did it. They reaped what they sowed. I've seen instances where people have been approached and asked why they want leave, purely because there were several people wanting leave and there weren't enough spaces for all of them, in which event people were gracious enough to withdraw their request and make one for another day after they'd all discussed it. But asking from the off set to see if it is a good enough reason, they can get in the bin.
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Post by vicar on Sept 23, 2024 10:11:57 GMT
I worked in the NHS. Asking for a day off from my boss was a pain . She always wanted to know why, like you had to justify what you were doing. Once I asked for a day to go to my uncle's funeral. It was at midday so there was no way I could take a half day. She grudgingly admitted that "as it was a family member I suppose you can have the day off". Shouldn't matter what the reason is, even if I'd spent all day lying in bed you shouldn't have to justify your reason if staffing can be covered. Even ringing in sick is deemed a crime by some and think you are lying. I have had them checking up on me by parking outside my house looking for some activity. Was genuine but not the next time i did it. They reaped what they sowed. I didn't call in sick for about the last 15 years of my working life, I just couldn't get the voice right.
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Post by suedehead on Sept 23, 2024 10:13:56 GMT
I worked in a dead end call centre job about 15/16 years ago while I was finishing my MA, a friend of my mum's died and I said I'd take her so she wasn't on her own, reliant on a lift from others etc. Told the supervisor at work that I needed to take half a day leave for a funeral, he said I needed a copy of the death certificate. I said I didn't really know them, was going for my mum etc and no way I could ask for a copy, so he said no. I then asked if I could take the day off as holiday, and he started asking what I was going to be doing, had I considered the impact on the company etc. Staff turnover was ludicrous, two new starters every week in a team of 12, long service was about 6 weeks. I managed about another fortnight there and then f*cked it off. Was on the tram one morning heading in and just stayed on and went to town instead. Went Koffee Pot for a breakfast and sat there reading the paper. The sense of freedom was glorious. As was knowing how agitated he'd be getting. He rang asking where I was and I said I'm not coming back, impossible to work for you etc and he started shouting that I HAD to go back, I wasn't allowed to not go in. Hung up and ignored him for the rest of the day. I had a similar dead end call centre job while finishing my course, been there 2 weeks and one day got hauled in to the supervisors office, and asked why I wasn't wearing a suit? I was wearing a suit jacket, trousers that matched (well near enough), shirt and tie. I enquired as to why this had only now become an issue, along with its no different to a suit really is it? and why do I need one when they can't see us!!! She replied that they had been monitoring us all on the CCTV and she noticed my trousers were a different shade 🤣 I was told when I turn up tomorrow I'd better be in a suit, funnily enough I didn't go back. Was back happily doing my other student job the next evening packing plane flight food at the Airport, even if it was bloody cold in there! I delivered pizzas from 17 through university, then on and off doing my MA until I moved to London when I was 25. Absolutely loved it. A 10/10 student job. Everyone happy to see you, get to drive about in your car without some nobhead manager standing over you, always free food on the go, it was always good tips back then as was mostly cash and people would let you keep the change. Did it around Hale/Alty/Bowdon so went to some incredible houses, loads of Premier League players. Was tempted into doing 2/3 call centre jobs during that time, and then do pizzas in the evening, but never lasted more than a couple of months in a call centre. The only one that was vaguely enjoyable was Ticketmaster as I was doing season ticket renewals for QPR, Fulham and a few other London clubs. Could have really good chats with their fans, really enjoyed it. But then got pulled up for taking too long, not sticking to scripts etc so f*cked that off too.
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Post by herbiedumplings on Sept 23, 2024 10:32:40 GMT
I had a similar dead end call centre job while finishing my course, been there 2 weeks and one day got hauled in to the supervisors office, and asked why I wasn't wearing a suit? I was wearing a suit jacket, trousers that matched (well near enough), shirt and tie. I enquired as to why this had only now become an issue, along with its no different to a suit really is it? and why do I need one when they can't see us!!! She replied that they had been monitoring us all on the CCTV and she noticed my trousers were a different shade 🤣 I was told when I turn up tomorrow I'd better be in a suit, funnily enough I didn't go back. Was back happily doing my other student job the next evening packing plane flight food at the Airport, even if it was bloody cold in there! I delivered pizzas from 17 through university, then on and off doing my MA until I moved to London when I was 25. Absolutely loved it. A 10/10 student job. Everyone happy to see you, get to drive about in your car without some nobhead manager standing over you, always free food on the go, it was always good tips back then as was mostly cash and people would let you keep the change. Did it around Hale/Alty/Bowdon so went to some incredible houses, loads of Premier League players. Was tempted into doing 2/3 call centre jobs during that time, and then do pizzas in the evening, but never lasted more than a couple of months in a call centre. The only one that was vaguely enjoyable was Ticketmaster as I was doing season ticket renewals for QPR, Fulham and a few other London clubs. Could have really good chats with their fans, really enjoyed it. But then got pulled up for taking too long, not sticking to scripts etc so f*cked that off too. Probably told this story before, but managing to kid the Aussie backpacker on the end of the Ticketmaster phone line that my mum’s address in Norfolk was in Scotland, and that I was a Rangers fan and therefore neutral, was how I got two tickets to the Cup Winners’ Cup Final.
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Post by timberwolf on Sept 23, 2024 10:47:36 GMT
I delivered pizzas from 17 through university, then on and off doing my MA until I moved to London when I was 25. Absolutely loved it. A 10/10 student job. Everyone happy to see you, get to drive about in your car without some nobhead manager standing over you, always free food on the go, it was always good tips back then as was mostly cash and people would let you keep the change. Did it around Hale/Alty/Bowdon so went to some incredible houses, loads of Premier League players. Actually did that job myself for a few months in the summer before moving down to norfolk. I also enjoyed it. Was in daventry and loved giving the non tipper their meals last if you had a number to deliver all at the same time on a busy night. Will never forget the night i had to use my Opel Monza to do the job getting 50p per drop. Does make you scratch your head though when entering estates the houses start at no.250 and no.1 is right at the centre of the estate with other numbers being just random. After 4 months i never worked out that estate numbering system and must be a nightmare for todays buy on line and the home deliveries.
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Post by herbiedumplings on Sept 23, 2024 10:50:36 GMT
”Speaking about working at the Treasury over the weekend when she first became Chancellor, she said ‘We weren’t doing it on Zoom. We were working on the table in my office… producing really excellent work.’ No, you really weren’t; you’ve basically drowned your government at birth. She walks in on the first day A group of civil servants: “here’s this plan to reduce the winter fuel allowance, that was rejected by several Conservative chancellors and is deeply unpopular across the political spectrum”. RR: “you son of a bitch I’m in! Let’s even work over the weekend on it so I can set a good example to all the plebs”. And now the (admittedly non-binding) vote on the WFA has been pushed back to the closing minutes of the conference. When all the journalists will have already gone, presumably?
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Post by suedehead on Sept 23, 2024 10:58:17 GMT
I delivered pizzas from 17 through university, then on and off doing my MA until I moved to London when I was 25. Absolutely loved it. A 10/10 student job. Everyone happy to see you, get to drive about in your car without some nobhead manager standing over you, always free food on the go, it was always good tips back then as was mostly cash and people would let you keep the change. Did it around Hale/Alty/Bowdon so went to some incredible houses, loads of Premier League players. Actually did that job myself for a few months in the summer before moving down to norfolk. I also enjoyed it. Was in daventry and loved giving the non tipper their meals last if you had a number to deliver all at the same time on a busy night. Will never forget the night i had to use my Opel Monza to do the job getting 50p per drop. Does make you scratch your head though when entering estates the houses start at no.250 and no.1 is right at the centre of the estate with other numbers being just random. After 4 months i never worked out that estate numbering system and must be a nightmare for todays buy on line and the home deliveries. Yeah, it's a great job. Was before sat nav too, unless you had some big clunky Tom Tom thing, so used to memorise the whole delivery area. I could tell you literally every single road in Hale, Hale Barns, Bowdon, Altrincham, Timperley and Broadheath. I used to pride myself on it. Learned it from an A-Z map and from doing the drops. Infuriates me now when you see delivery drivers getting lost because they just blindly follow a sat nav. Pathetic. We used to get £1 per delivery, plus tips plus wages. The wage was whatever minimum was but the tips and commissions used to add up, especially if you could do multiple in one outing, as you say. You'd sometimes get lucky on a busy night and be able to take 3/4 out at the same time. Most I ever did was 8 in one outing, and about 60 in one shift. Glorious days. Helped dig Paul Dickov out of the snow on Bradgate Road once, he gave me £20. He lived more or less next door to Freddie Flintoff. Caroline Aherne was a regular. She'd order 2/3 big orders every week and I assume pretty much lived off those. She was lovely. Dead friendly, would always give you a massive tip (at least £20). I used to carry a Christmas card round in my car for her from about August onwards 😂 Darren Fletcher was another who'd order regularly. Micah Richards was only young but had a ridiculous house on Stanhope Road in Bowdon. He must only have been 18/19. He had a Coke vending machine and a big pool table as you walked in. He'd always say keep the change, regardless of whether it was 50 of £49, if he was paying with a £50. Ishamel Miller lived down the road and 8 Stanhope, I think. Beautiful modernist property. I absolutely loved it.
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Post by timberwolf on Sept 23, 2024 11:15:43 GMT
You were lucky as there was nobody famous or well known in daventry. A town where they used to prey to a Radio Mast on borough hill.
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