Work Ethics

Dr.Bunson

Hi,

The company I work for have some prospective foreign clients in today, trying to win the business from one of our main competitors.

The office is open plan, and at the end of the office there is a large table, this is to be set with food and served by a catering company to woe these potential clients, this is being done in front of the staff, who are expected to sit and work at their desks whilst these 25 to 30 people are being wined and dined.

The catering people are setting up right now; I know it's going to be quite distracting; it is about 6 feet away from my desk. I won't be able to concentrate with the noise and food smells.

Is this legal, or ethical, can anything be done about this?

Thanks,

Terry

Moved from AH.

muletide

Legal: How can it be illegal it is the employers premises he can do what he wants.

Ethical: Are you chained to your desk after being starved for three days and will they be teasing you with their tasty delights.

Honestly how can their be anything wrong with what the employer is doing it sounds to me like sour grapes that you are not invited to the party.

Is it ethical that the employer pays you to work and you are logged onto a chat room.

Grow up.

Eoin

If this is the worst thing you ever have to deal with in your career, you're doing well.

Dr.Bunson

muletide wrote:

Legal: How can it be illegal it is the employers premises he can do what he wants.

Silly arguement - if your employer beats you, is that okay if done on his premises???

muletide wrote:

Ethical: Are you chained to your desk after being starved for three days and will they be teasing you with their tasty delights..

No I am not chained to my desk but I am expected to perform a certain amount of tasks a day, which limits my movement from the desk. and yes, the smells of coffee and breakfast are quite teasing.

muletide wrote:

Honestly how can their be anything wrong with what the employer is doing it sounds to me like sour grapes that you are not invited to the party..

Far from it, I would prefer the party to be move to a restaurant, or at the very least a conference room, somewhere away from me so I can get on with my work.

muletide wrote:

Is it ethical that the employer pays you to work and you are logged onto a chat room.

Grow up.

True, but whilst I’m distracted I may as well...

Newaglish

Provided it's not against Health & Safety, your boss could bake cookies beside you and slather himself with whipped cream for all he likes.

Why don't you just go for lunch while this deliciously cruel banquet is being served? Or buy yourself a bloody muffin.

I thought your ethical dilemma was something to do with the foreign clients being, I don't know, the mafia or something. If it turns out that they are, you may have something to fret about.

thefinalstage

Walk up and jump kick everyone except the potential clients. The clients will be so impressed your company will get the contract and you will get some food! Its win win!

the_syco

Ah. Your boss is haing milk & cookies with the clients, and at the same time showing what a professional workforce they have?

Well, just act like a twat, and you won't be around for the next batch of prospective clients.

i71jskz5xu42pb

Dr.Bunson wrote:

food and served by a catering company to woe these potential clients

Spelling police here: I doubt the catering company are trying to "woe" the clients. The food is hardly that bad. If it is actually that bad then it's just as well you're not invited.

seamus

If I was a prospective client, I would find it odd that the supplier was providing me with a four course meal and wine in an open plan office while his employees worked.

Unethical, hardly. Illegal, definitely not. Unfair, maybe. They could at least leave ye some pie.

Glowing

Come into work in a shirt and tie and just join in

Borzoi

seamus wrote:

They could at least leave ye some pie.

Indeed - most people would be looking forward to the free grub:D

The Hill Billy

Dr.Bunson wrote:

Hi,

The company I work for have some prospective foreign clients in today, trying to win the business from one of our main competitors.

The office is open plan, and at the end of the office there is a large table, this is to be set with food and served by a catering company to woe these potential clients, this is being done in front of the staff, who are expected to sit and work at their desks whilst these 25 to 30 people are being wined and dined.

The catering people are setting up right now; I know it's going to be quite distracting; it is about 6 feet away from my desk. I won't be able to concentrate with the noise and food smells.

Is this legal, or ethical, can anything be done about this?

Thanks,

OP - If the above situation is causing such a big issue in your working day that you come on boards to question the legality of serving food in an office, the ethics involved in same & all this maybe affecting your concentration for an hour maybe I'd imagine that you have the cushiest number going or very, very little to worry about indeed.

Now, if you come back & tell us that you're a brain surgeon & that this will actually take place in an operating theatre I give it a re-think.

pow wow

You'll probably get the leftovers anyway.

An email chain will start with the poor soul closest to the buffet and filter around the office in record time that the visitors are gone and the free for all will start.

Try not to fret until then.

Tom Dunne

Dr.Bunson wrote:

Is this legal, or ethical, can anything be done about this?

I work in a place where something similar happens.

It's really and old-school type of organisation, where there is a rigid heirarchy and upper management make sure you know where your place is.

They too get in caterers and have lavish "meetings", and we, the plebs, are granted permission to feast on the leftovers after they have gorged.

I understand completely where you are coming from, it's very demeaning. It certainly doesn't do anything for staff morale (not that they give a toss in my place). It really makes you feel like a second class citizen.