If Work From Home becomes a thing...

folks every organisation is different, where i work if the CEO wants something and someone has disappeared for an hour and cant be contacted he goes mental, lunch or not.

but everyone here (of a certain level of seniority at least) understands that and works within those parameters.

like with everything its a decision, are you paid enough to put up with it and happy to do so, if yes then carry on, if no, go somewhere else more relaxed

PhilOssophy wrote: »

...........We needed to get something done yesterday evening - do you know what a deadline is?
............

I do indeed, I also know what a plan is. I find them helpful to avoid things needing to be done last minute

The Spider

Blanco100 wrote: »

Would your address not be a standard inclusion in your CV?

Nope, cant actually remember getting a cv with an address on it, gdpr on top that
Will prevent that. You don't have to provide any information outside of your ability to attend and perform the job in question.

ELM327

PhilOssophy wrote: »

I have worked in several organisations and never would I expect to have to have a meeting set up or e-mails back and forth if something is needed, especially when it is needed by senior management! Anyway.....

That sounds like micromanaged hell.

Have you ever watched the film "Office Space". You should.

hots

Cyrus wrote: »

folks every organisation is different, where i work if the CEO wants something and someone has disappeared for an hour and cant be contacted he goes mental, lunch or not.

but everyone here (of a certain level of seniority at least) understands that and works within those parameters.

like with everything its a decision, are you paid enough to put up with it and happy to do so, if yes then carry on, if no, go somewhere else more relaxed

True enough, in that scenario would you not have a mobile number for him to get you on though or something? I assume if you're in a meeting then their not going to be flat out pinging your Teams furious you're not responding?

The Spider

jrosen wrote: »

Couple of things. You say you have worked well at home. Has your work been consistent at home compared to pre-covid? Work load the same, deadlines etc? Or was your work load reduced.

If you work load has been consistent and you have been doing your job the same at home as you would in the office then you could put forward a convincing argument for some wfh flexibility. But some companies for whatever reason are not supportive of work from home.

Just get a different job, I think companies that don't offer work from home deserve to lose their talented staff, they're contributing to the skewed life imbalances in Ireland.

I think a lot of them are going to find out the hard way, and yes as has been mentioned middle managers will find it harder to get ahead not being in the office or they may become surplass to requirements as their teams carry on without much interference from them.

I understand the fear and need to get back to an office if you essentially aren't producing outputs but your team is

hots wrote: »

True enough, in that scenario would you not have a mobile number for him to get you on though or something? I assume if you're in a meeting then their not going to be flat out pinging your Teams furious you're not responding?

absolutely and he will call landline mobile etc but the poster had said he also called the persons mobile as well teams (and at least in my organisation a call on teams also calls the teams app on your mobile)

ELM327 wrote: »

That sounds like micromanaged hell.

Have you ever watched the film "Office Space". You should.

its fair to say people work in different organisations with different ways of working, i have experienced a lot of variety but where i am now is similar to what that poster is describing, if something is required its required immediately, not tomorrow, not next week.

If we are doing something we are doing it now.

is it efficient, no, is it the best way of managing a project no. But the owner is a multi multi millionaire so he kinda things his way is right, and he pays my bills so what ya gonna do :pac:

Steve Jobs was known for calling in the early hours and expecting people to drop what ever they are doing (like sleeping) and start working. But then hes also known as being a Jerk

This is really how you manage your work, team or business. Some people like everything to be a crisis, constant firefight, and most of the time its isn't. Like the way some people think everything is urgent when it isn't. It becomes habit, and ingrained. Not usually a nice place to work.

But there are ways of pushing back. My favorite is to ask them a question that sounds like they need to answer before I have to do anything but often isn't required. Or ask for a spec. They usually go away before realising its not needed.

Cyrus wrote: »

.... if something is required its required immediately, not tomorrow, not next week. ...

Usually with these kinda of people, you need to throw them something to play with. Hopefully something that redirects them to bother someone else.

The Spider

PhilOssophy wrote: »

+1 to that. I say on my Skype/Teams "On lunch back at 2" or when I had a doctors appointment recently "Doctors appointment back in 1 hr - on mobile" or something to that effect.
Now we urgently needed the data and the other guy who could provide it was off sick, so he was the key contact. It isn't a place with a big overtime culture. A bit is expected occasionally but not much.

I guess it depends on the industry.

Bad planning and ad hoc systems, worked in a large organisation that had out of whack systems, product development ran like clockowork between UX development etc. Marketing different kettle of fish, had to be able to talk to someone at the drop of a hat because of their latest random idea.

beauf wrote: »

Usually with these kinda of people, you need to throw them something to play with. Hopefully something that redirects them to bother someone else.

With company owners as Cyrus mentions it's very much things are done how they like them done. They are a breed apart IMO in many cases.

I worked for a company once where the owner was running it, maybe 15 employees ......... was grim enough at times, it was my 2nd proper job and my last one as an employee....... never again all going well.

PhilOssophy wrote: »

In most organisations, people work in teams and report information up. Mine is no different!

Its certainly not always like this, anywhere I have worked has been fairly flat from a hierarchy perspective. There are the teams and then management, or teams, high level management and one or two very senior management/CEO/site director level etc.

I communicate with management level if its something they need to know, I communicate with top level if its directly involving them or in most cases I deal with the external people myself and don't involve any internal management.

I've always been big into networking also though and have always got talking to senior people on nights out, building up relationships with them and end up having their ear which is always helpful.

PhilOssophy wrote: »

I have worked in several organisations and never would I expect to have to have a meeting set up or e-mails back and forth if something is needed, especially when it is needed by senior management! Anyway.....

Its probably a little different as most of the projects I work on I look after most aspects and only need input here and there from other people but pretty much any interaction would be prearranged as I know others are busy with their own work, are working their own hours or taking lunch when they want, have appointments, are on days off etc etc. So in most cases an email would be sent to arrange a call with a few days notice etc. I deal mostly with external people though also which means schedules are totally different at times.

The fact is I'd never have someone looking for me with the need for an immediate response that just not how our projects work the exception being the last few hours before a deadline when its all hands on deck and you know this well in advance.

Also for collaborative work we tend to always used shared documents like google docs or word online so people add their input in their own time rather than it having to be requested.

Cyrus wrote: »

its fair to say people work in different organisations with different ways of working, i have experienced a lot of variety but where i am now is similar to what that poster is describing, if something is required its required immediately, not tomorrow, not next week.

If we are doing something we are doing it now.

It's a very different way of working for sure, as above thats not how projects run in many places and I'd see it as poorly managed form one side or another if things suddenly pop up like that (but of course it can be different in different industries so not saying you are poorly managing things). I know weeks in advance when there is going to be a day or two of all hands on deck and quick response times needed to push something over the line but outside of this there is nothing needing such urgency. That's not to say things aren't very busy but busy working away alone and if I need something an email would be sent and if a call or meeting (if we are onsite) is needed it would be prearranged even with internal colleagues.

Augeo wrote: »

With company owners as Cyrus mentions it's very much things are done how they like them done. They are a breed apart IMO in many cases.

I worked for a company once where the owner was running it, maybe 15 employees ......... was grim enough at times, it was my 2nd proper job and my last one as an employee....... never again all going well.

Oh I agree.

beauf wrote: »

Usually with these kinda of people, you need to throw them something to play with. Hopefully something that redirects them to bother someone else.

whats it someone said about their neighbour and a new car, it didnt matter what kind of sh!t it was as long as it was steaming fresh,

its a bit like that, send them something new, might not be what they asked for but will keep the wolf from the door

This is so accurate....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyV0IVItlM4

Micromanaged p1ss/hell hole!! Love it, when I posted the original observation I did not think it would result in such craic!
Top finance guy in company asks person for something urgent, can't get it myself so asks someone to help and it is a micromanaged kip on that basis!
Fantastic! I am in the presence of geniuses on boards.

hots

PhilOssophy wrote: »

Top finance guru

:pac:

hots wrote: »

:pac:

Predictive text is a curse some times!

PhilOssophy wrote: »

Micromanaged p1ss/hell hole!! Love it, when I posted the original observation I did not think it would result in such craic!
Top finance guru in company asks person for something urgent, can't get it myself so asks someone to help and it is a micromanaged kip on that basis!
Fantastic! I am in the presence of geniuses on boards.

It's you that is painting the picture .........

PhilOssophy wrote: »

.........The minority who can't be disciplined enough to do it, will just ruin it for everybody...........

PhilOssophy wrote: »

......I'm not trying to cause a row or anything, I am just saying that this is why WFH will just be abandoned in so many places. Sadly.
........

Fill us in anyway, what happened when you went back to the top finance guru after the chap you asked to help you (who isn't disciplined enough, your words) didn't respond for an hour?

Augeo wrote: »

It's you that is painting the picture ...

I still don't know how you thought that and came to such a wildly inaccurate conclusion.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsLUidiYm0w

Augeo wrote: »

....Fill us in anyway, what happened when you went back to the top finance guru after the chap you asked to help you (who isn't disciplined enough, your words) didn't respond for an hour?

Sounds like this...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGFGD5pj03M

ELM327

PhilOssophy wrote: »

I still don't know how you thought that and came to such a wildly inaccurate conclusion.

Did you get the memo

Lumen

The key word in PhilOssophy's acecdote is "required".

Just because someone more senior asked for it does not make it "required".

In my experience, the common sources of time-critical management requests are when (a) sh!t has hit the fan with a customer, the problem has been escalated and a quick response is desired to make everyone look better, which is kind of fair enough but should be rare, or (b) the company is stuffed with worthless middle management who are crawling over each other to look like they're doing something useful by demanding down and responding up.

If I had to put money on it, I'd pick (b), but it's just a guess.

Lumen wrote: »

The key word in PhilOssophy's acecdote is "required".

Just because someone more senior asked for it does not make it "required".

In my experience, the common sources of time-critical management requests are when (a) sh!t has hit the fan with a customer, the problem has been escalated and a quick response is desired to make everyone look better, which is kind of fair enough but should be rare, or (b) the company is stuffed with worthless middle management who are crawling over each other to look like they're doing something useful by demanding down and responding up.

If I had to put money on it, I'd pick (b), but it's just a guess.

Well you'd be way out, it just happened to be a busy period and something was needed quickly. But I know what you mean about b as worked in a few of them in the past.
I have to admit I'm amazed at people's aversion to an urgent request. It isn't something that happens often but occasionally. I would guess there's a lot of civil servants on here if that is the level of agility!

PhilOssophy wrote: »

.......... I would guess there's a lot of civil servants on here if that is the level of agility!

That's totally uncalled for :pac:

ELM327

Augeo wrote: »

That's totally uncalled for :pac:

I'll file a ticket for you in the grievances department.
Estimated SLA is 46 weeks

Lumen wrote: »

The key word in PhilOssophy's acecdote is "required".

Just because someone more senior asked for it does not make it "required".

In my experience, the common sources of time-critical management requests are when (a) sh!t has hit the fan with a customer, the problem has been escalated and a quick response is desired to make everyone look better, which is kind of fair enough but should be rare, or (b) the company is stuffed with worthless middle management who are crawling over each other to look like they're doing something useful by demanding down and responding up.

If I had to put money on it, I'd pick (b), but it's just a guess.

not sure about where you work but in my place if the owner wants it or the CFO wants it, its required.

Better get it done than get into a philsophical argument like the above that will get me the sack :pac: