The totally off-topic thread

[JohnK]

You could always change the topic!

To change the recycled puns?

 

[erkpod]

To change the recycled puns?

You never know if you never go. There have been some good discussions to go along with the puns.

 

[JohnK]

Sitting in the BNE Dom J lounge and the TV monitor which shows flights is 100% with 2 flights, the same plane with 4 code shares! It's been rendered useless!

I'm thinking there needs to be a better way to display codeshares

I have also had enough of the total number of codeshares displayed per flight.

I do think what happens in SIN is the solution either. Instead of taking up 4 lines you need to sit there waiting for each codeshare to be displayed.

To me the logical solution would be the flight nunber on every boarding pass should be the operating carriers flight number with the codeshare flight number either underneath it next to in brackets. That way everyone is searching for same flight number.

 

[Julesmac]

No. I agree it isn't your responsibility. It does raise issues though as to how managers etc come to learn of the "slackers" esp if they are clever in covering their tracks. It might take someone who isn't a "slacker" to make comments about someone who is. So then what does the Manager do with that info if they could only have heard about it from the "slackers" colleague? And whom you'd like to protect.

I think if you have a performance review coming up that would be the perfect opportunity to tackle the subject - but by asking whether they have a problem with your performance. If they say they are satisfied with your work , that would then open the way for you to ask why are the emails continually including you. They would more effectively be directed to those 'in the gun' as management would surely (well you can only hope they are smart enough) to have a rough idea!
That being said, in my experience many people secretly think they are working harder than their workmates!

I'd also be pointing out to management that those folk - especially the really blatant one you mentioned - are essentially stealing from their boss and their workmates. But good luck with the dilemma. Not easy

 

[JohnK]

I hope you haven't got a pointy haired boss!

Not quite but that is funny just the same.

 

[medhead]

I would never ask if they have a problem with my work in a performance interview. Always let them raise their perceived problems. That is how most pdrs work.

Just ask about the emails as part of the conversation.

 

[JohnK]

I'd also be pointing out to management that those folk - especially the really blatant one you mentioned - are essentially stealing from their boss and their workmates. But good luck with the dilemma. Not easy

One of the last emails mentioned this exact the same thing.

The expectation is that you log a minimum of 37.5 hours/week broken down to 35 hours productive time to jobs and 2.5 hours meetings, etc. That is not how it always works though. It was also mentioned anyone logging <35 hours/week is essentially stealing.

I think some of the advice here and also from another person at work was to not bother mentioning. It is a case of what are you trying to achieve. The people I have mentioned cannot possibly have snuck through the radar but for some reason management has decided not to pursue the matter with them but trying to get others to work more effeciently to make up for a the slack.

I do not really want to mention anythig at performance review as I will be told I am complaining and it is really none of my business and will more than likely be questioned as to why I am spending valualbe time analysing what others are doing.

 

[Simo]

One of the last emails mentioned this exact the same thing.

The expectation is that you log a minimum of 37.5 hours/week broken down to 35 hours productive time to jobs and 2.5 hours meetings, etc. That is not how it always works though. It was also mentioned anyone logging <35 hours/week is essentially stealing.

I think some of the advice here and also from another person at work was to not bother mentioning. It is a case of what are you trying to achieve. The people I have mentioned cannot possibly have snuck through the radar but for some reason management has decided not to pursue the matter with them but trying to get others to work more effeciently to make up for a the slack.

I do not really want to mention anythig at performance review as I will be told I am complaining and it is really none of my business and will more than likely be questioned as to why I am spending valualbe time analysing what others are doing.

As an employer nothing annoys me more when staff has to tell me what is going on when I already know what is happening.

I understand it can annoy the other workers but my advice to the staff member who is telling me is concentrate on your own job and let me manage the situation.

I had 2 staff members in different job roles and was having each of them dob on the other one to me.

Even to the degree when sales was made they would try and claim percentage of the other ones sales some times.

 

[Julesmac]

It still riles you though when you're working hard and others - just aren't. JohnK said there's a fair bit of churn in staff. You'd think that would raise a flag or two with management. But I agree, groaning about the slackers is usually unproductive, whether to workmates or bosses.

 

[JohnK]

The real trick is to drink out of a glass that is square at the top.

When you are drunk or sober?

From memory Black Douglas included a square(-ish) glass in the box when you purchased a bottle many years ago. Still have some of these at home and use them once in a while. Nice glasses.

 

[JessicaTam]

When you are drunk or sober?

From memory Black Douglas included a square(-ish) glass in the box when you purchased a bottle many years ago. Still have some of these at home and use them once in a while. Nice glasses.

Tricky when sober, worse after a few.

 

[Skyring]

From memory Black Douglas included a square(-ish) glass in the box when you purchased a bottle many years ago. Still have some of these at home and use them once in a while. Nice glasses.

Yes, they are very efficient when arranging them on the shelf, consuming less space than (say) a couple dozen circular glasses.

 

[erkpod]

Tricky when sober, worse after a few.

Are there square wine glasses?

 

[markis10]

Are there square wine glasses?

Yes, and they can often hold four or five litres . Your honor , i only had one glass

 

[Shelf]

Yes, and they can often hold four or five litres . Your honor , i only had one glass

Ahh, chateau Cardboard!

 

[JohnK]

As an employer nothing annoys me more when staff has to tell me what is going on when I already know what is happening.

I understand it can annoy the other workers but my advice to the staff member who is telling me is concentrate on your own job and let me manage the situation.

Annoy?

You would have at least one extremely disgruntled employee if you were my boss and you knew she did her personal shopping for around 45 minutes a day during company time and you did nothing to stop it.

 

[The Rok]

Annoy?

You would have at least one extremely disgruntled employee if you were my boss and you knew she did her personal shopping for around 45 minutes a day during company time and you did nothing to stop it.

I have always delegated my staff tasks, time frames and an acceptable standard of work, so long as its completed to my standards within the timeframe I set then I really don't care if they spend 45 minutes shopping.

If however the quantity or quality of work is affected, then I'm with you JohnK, it's out the door they go!

 

[markis10]

Apparently someone has damaged my Hertz car in between me dropping it off and it heading to the wash, got a nice bill on the card when I checked last night, luckily I took the time to photograph the car including one clearly showing it in its bay with km done. Should be an interesting morning tomorrow sorting that one out.

An update:


Sent through to the Manager this morning a copy of the photo showing the cars rear drivers wheel arch where the damage supposedly happened, just rang me back to say that he has checked the car and thinks it was not me with a refund being done , suggested I drop them off at Domestic next time, think I will just for the piece of mind. Sometimes its hard to make the time to photograph the car, looking at the data in the picture from the iPAD3 its quite staggering how good it is for evidence, was aware it was geo-tagged but not aware it also grabs the time from the GPS as well as the device!

 

[Simo]

Annoy?

You would have at least one extremely disgruntled employee if you were my boss and you knew she did her personal shopping for around 45 minutes a day during company time and you did nothing to stop it.

I have had an employee that did take a bit extra time for lunch somedays and also finished a bit earlier but at the end of the day if they needed to work later or start a bit early no probs at all.

I have also advised staff that excessive time to do personal chores in company time is not always appropriate either.

It also comes down to give and take.

Also you might not be across conversation that has sanctioned these actions or maybe there might a quota of work done from home to get billable hours up.

I was away at a work conference once and was allowed to answer my phone and have it on the conference floor.

All the other employees where not allowed to and there was complaints to my manager and also his manager so up the food chain.

What was not disclosed to other staff at the conference is that my partner was 2 weeks away from giving birth to our first child and I had at the start said I would not go to the conference due to impending birth of first child due to this policy.

I was also allowed to commute home every night during the conference as well even Sydney based staff had to stay in provided accommodation.

I offered to take annual leave so I would not have to travel as the conference was compulsory.

What I am trying to say is there might be more to it than meets they eye.

 

[Pollywaffle]

I have always delegated my staff tasks, time frames and an acceptable standard of work, so long as its completed to my standards within the timeframe I set then I really don't care if they spend 45 minutes shopping.

If however the quantity or quality of work is affected, then I'm with you JohnK, it's out the door they go!

I have had an employee that did take a bit extra time for lunch somedays and also finished a bit earlier but at the end of the day if they needed to work later or start a bit early no probs at all.

I have also advised staff that excessive time to do personal chores in company time is not always appropriate either.

It also comes down to give and take.

Also you might not be across conversation that has sanctioned these actions or maybe there might a quota of work done from home to get billable hours up.

I was away at a work conference once and was allowed to answer my phone and have it on the conference floor.

All the other employees where not allowed to and there was complaints to my manager and also his manager so up the food chain.

What was not disclosed to other staff at the conference is that my partner was 2 weeks away from giving birth to our first child and I had at the start said I would not go to the conference due to impending birth of first child due to this policy.

I was also allowed to commute home every night during the conference as well even Sydney based staff had to stay in provided accommodation.

I offered to take annual leave so I would not have to travel as the conference was compulsory.

What I am trying to say is there might be more to it than meets they eye.

I think it's great when employers and bosses allow a degree of flexibility.

This could be the case in John's example but the emails they are sending out about productivity seem to be in direct opposition to this view. Is it any wonder people are confused?

Over the years I have worked in places where the hours you were "seen" mattered a lot, irrespective of the output. These were also the places that loved to send out emails about productivity to all when it was apparent management did not have the fortitude to remove specific people. And having sat with the HR team and in hearing of all their moaning, I do know it was an issue about specific people.

I have also had the pleasure of working in teams with flexible working arrangements - working from home, different start/finish times etc. To some it might look people were slacking off but as a person who took advantage of this, I never questioned why people were not at their desks from 9-5.