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Scepticalscribe

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Jul 29, 2008
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In a coffee shop.
No issue with the full lunch break either. But if you make and then eat breakfast at work then that’s an hour and a half. My point was we have those who never stop. And those that take the piss.

Personally I (weather permitting) always get out for a walk at lunchtime. Good for the mind and the body. Plus I then spend a good amount of time talking to Mrs AFB.

Some days I don’t get a break. Usually when people schedule meetings around lunch. But mostly I do.
I have no problem with calling out those who take the proverbial piss, professionally (and personally, for that matter).

However, I have an enormous problem with work seeping into areas - such as breaks, including lunch breaks, week-ends - which used to be the preserve of the "private, or personal space", assuming that this is a right of employers - and expecting this to occur without consequence or pushback.

Yes, I get emergencies: Deadlines are a sort of specialty of mine, and I used to be something of a deadline junkie. In any case, I've done them, - emergencies - day, night, - all night, at times - sacrificing breakfast, lunch, dinner - no problem; these include international election observation missions, - full of deadlines of all sorts.

Moreover, I've worked in places where colleagues of mine (including one individual who worked in an adjoining office, though that is not where she died) were killed, which meant dealing with, addressing, attending to, the fallout.

For me, that meant writing the press statements (I offered to do this, as I was/am a native English speaker, whereas those who staffed the Press section were German), the mission reports (to Brussels), the obits, the speeches to be made by our senior staff.

However, management (managements) need to accept that not every crisis is an emergency, and what may be deemed a crisis does not necessarily justify eating into the (scheduled and legally protected) non-working time of a given day.
 
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Apple fanboy

macrumors Ivy Bridge
Feb 21, 2012
56,920
55,862
Behind the Lens, UK
I have no problem with calling out those who take the proverbial piss, professionally (and personally, for that matter).

However, I have an enormous problem with work seeping into areas - such as breaks, including lunch breaks, week-ends - which used to be the preserve of the "private, or personal space", assuming that this is a right of employers - and expecting this to occur without consequence.

Yes, I get emergencies: I've done them, day, night, - all night, at times - sacrificing breakfast, lunch, dinner - no problem; I've worked in places where colleagues of mine (one who worked in an adjoining office, though that is not where she died) were killed, which meant dealing with, addressing, attending to, the fallout.

For me, that meant writing the press statements, the mission reports (to Brussels), the obits, the speeches.

However, management (managements) need to accept that not every crisis is an emergency, and what may be deemed a crisis does not necessarily justify eating into the (scheduled and legally protected) non-working time of a given day.
Most places these days simply don’t employ enough people. So when some extra work comes along it is expected you will just absorb those extra tasks into your day.
That’s how it works where I am anyway. Always more to do. So many choose (or feel they have no choice) but to work extra hours to try and get stuff done.

So it’s not that you are being contacted or asked to do stuff out of hours (although that can and does happen). More that there is 40-50 hours of work to do every week which is supposed to be 37.

Anyway you are up early this morning. Or haven’t you been to bed yet?
 

Scepticalscribe

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Jul 29, 2008
65,135
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In a coffee shop.
Most places these days simply don’t employ enough people.
Greedy.

They ought to employ enough people.

Or pay those whom they employ a lot better.
So when some extra work comes along it is expected you will just absorb those extra tasks into your day.
Yes, but not every day.

My gripe is when what is supposed to be a crisis becomes what is expected of the (one's) daily standard work; that is not fair to anyone.
That’s how it works where I am anyway. Always more to do. So many choose (or feel they have no choice) but to work extra hours to try and get stuff done.
Not good enough (on the part of employers).


So it’s not that you are being contacted or asked to do stuff out of hours (although that can and does happen). More that there is 40-50 hours of work to do every week which is supposed to be 37.
Look, I get this; I do.

But, to allow what should be occasional (or, a little more than occasional) practices - as in, assuming, and expecting, employees to deal with a crisis or emergency as a daily - that is, something to be expected on a daily or regular basis, and for this to become a sort of new norm is - to my mind - unacceptable (and rather entitled, on the part of employers).

Yes, emergencies happen (and must be responded to): However, you need to pay properly and treat those employees well, and not to expect this response to become the norm, unless the work itself by definition is one where emergencies are part of the job description, and the pay and conditions reflect this.

In my work abroad, not only was I rather well remunerated, but - in some spots - I also received generous hazard pay (all of which was exceedingly helpful in permitting us to pay the carer properly).
Anyway you are up early this morning.
Well, yes.

Spring and (dawning) summer are easier than winter.
Or haven’t you been to bed yet?
Ahem.

Cough.

Well, yes.

What can I say?
 

Apple fanboy

macrumors Ivy Bridge
Feb 21, 2012
56,920
55,862
Behind the Lens, UK
Greedy.

They ought to employ enough people.

Or pay those whom they employ a lot better.

Yes, but not every day.

My gripe is when what is supposed to be a crisis becomes what is expected of the (one's) daily standard work; that is not fair to anyone.

Not good enough (on the part of employers).



Look, I get this; I do.

But, to allow what should be occasional (or, a little more than occasional) practices - as in, assuming, and expecting, employees to deal with a crisis or emergency as a daily - that is, something to be expected on a daily or regular basis, and for this to become a sort of new norm is - to my mind - unacceptable (and rather entitled, on the part of employers).

Yes, emergencies happen (and must be responded to): However, you need to pay properly and treat those employees well, and not to expect this response to become the norm, unless the work itself by definition is one where emergencies are part of the job description, and the pay and conditions reflect this.

In my work abroad, not only was I rather well remunerated, but - in some spots - I also received generous hazard pay (all of which was exceedingly helpful in permitting us to pay the carer properly).

Well, yes.

Spring and (dawning) summer are easier than winter.

Ahem.

Cough.

Well, yes.

What can I say?
I was awoken at five. A combination of Mr Blackbird who was outside my bedroom window and still feeling quite sore.
Now I’m just waiting on Mrs AFB walking up so I can go make a tea.

On the subject of birds, Mr Blackbird has already raised two children this year. Looks like they might be on their second lot judging by the activity in the bush where the nest resides in our garden.
Also seeing the bluetits in and out of the nesting box, so hopefully they have a successful year as well.
 
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Scepticalscribe

Suspended
Jul 29, 2008
65,135
47,527
In a coffee shop.
Case in point. Just got a message from a colleague working at 6:55am on a Saturday trying to catch up on her work from the week.
I suggested she logged off.
Good suggestion, and I sincerely hope that she heeded it.

Again, working to a deadline (to send a report by a deadline - I've had deadlines of 3 a.m. 5 a.m. 7 a.m.) is fine; that is what one has signed up to, for a specific position.

However, that is not the norm, and employers should not expect the world of emergencies to become the world's working norm.

Unless this was the sort of (occasional) emergency that I had signed up to, anyone expecting a work email from me - or, a response to a work email - at 6:55 on a Saturday (Saturday??!! Are they out of their tiny minds?) would do well to brace themselves for tones redolent of some sort of dawn snark...
 

bousozoku

Moderator emeritus
Jun 25, 2002
16,120
2,397
Lard
It's a lovely, chilly California morning. Just met a religious pair at the front door, and dismissed them politely.

I wish I had more control over the circumstances surrounding me. It's not as though I'm 30 years old and can just change jobs. At that point in time, people were calling me five times a day for my skills. Now, I'm just old. :rolleyes:
😆
 

rm5

macrumors 68030
Mar 4, 2022
2,958
3,402
United States
Just got back from Walmart, where I got tons of snacks. Good to be able to munch on something in between meals or late at night.
 

bousozoku

Moderator emeritus
Jun 25, 2002
16,120
2,397
Lard
Just got back from Walmart, where I got tons of snacks. Good to be able to munch on something in between meals or late at night.
I once got fruit snacks from Walmart that seemed to be (barely) fruit-flavored erasers. I tend to stick to the big names now.
 

AVBeatMan

macrumors 603
Nov 10, 2010
5,965
3,846
A busy day.
Four mile run.
Two cars washed.
Forty minutes on the cross trainer.
Bathroom cleaned.
Now off for a walk with the lovely Mrs AFB.

Later some work no doubt.
Sounds marvellous! I can't wait to get back to normal but this bad back is preventing me at the moment. I have managed to do a little walking (30 minutes a day (5-10 at a time)) and some cleaning in the house. Hopefully better after another week or so, fingers crossed.
 

Apple fanboy

macrumors Ivy Bridge
Feb 21, 2012
56,920
55,862
Behind the Lens, UK
Sounds marvellous! I can't wait to get back to normal but this bad back is preventing me at the moment. I have managed to do a little walking (30 minutes a day (5-10 at a time)) and some cleaning in the house. Hopefully better after another week or so, fingers crossed.
My neck is still sore. Well to be honest my right arm and shoulder. Tuesday’s appointment will sort that for a bit.
But it’s manageable. Cleaning the cars was the worst.

Mrs AFB is still having to be careful with her lower back. Daily stretches help a bit. She got a weight lifting belt delivered yesterday to help with gardening etc.
 

rm5

macrumors 68030
Mar 4, 2022
2,958
3,402
United States
Glad you are happy with your work. Honestly really admire creative artistic people.
Thanks! Working on a 90-minute documentary, actually, about something I don't even know about in a place I don't live. It's cool though!
Mind you, it is amazing how something as basic as courtesy, manners, and simple consideration for others seems to be so widely lacking in some youngsters.
Right?! I don't get it, either. Some people just have absolutely no respect for others. What you do is you actively listen and engage - don't look at your phone the whole time, take off/out your headphones, and don't try to walk away! Unfortunately, too many interactions I have with people have all of these issues. They're looking at their phone (so clearly, even though they think they can "multitask," they really can't - so they're really not listening at all), they have their headphones on, or halfway on or whatever, and then they try to walk away. I get it, sometimes the time isn't right to have a conversation because you have something to do - but in that case, you politely say that. Problem is, that's happened too often.

Even though elementary/middle school was like the worst thing for me, the one thing that I liked is that people weren't allowed to have their cell phones, so they actually engaged in stuff! Can't say that about high school. College is a bit better because people are actually invested in the stuff, but there are still some people who just don't get it.
 

firedept

macrumors 603
Jul 8, 2011
6,278
1,130
Somewhere!
I really love all animals. Heck I own cats, fish and tarantulas. But I have a neighbor who has put their poor dog out on their balcony. This dog has been barking at everything for the past 24 hours plus. I feel for the dog as obviously the bad owners do not care that they are disturbing literally hundreds of people in our complex.

People really need to consider the care that needs to be taken with owning a pet. Just venting. Thanks!
 
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decafjava

macrumors 603
Feb 7, 2011
5,503
8,014
Geneva
Well, just chilling after yesterday's first really spring (not almost summer weather of two weeks ago) and sunny weather of yesterday, today raining and 14° whereas yesterday got up to 18°. That said, I can do some tasks around the house and some e-banking (bills) as the next two-three weeks will be very busy. This upcoming week is the last of the spring semester, then finishing marking and final reports.
 
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