working in an office

The Gibzilla · 08-01-2015 10:39am

To deter colleagues from stealing their milk, people write their name across their cartons in the fridge as if it's some form of sorcery!

In all seriousness though, there's nothing lower than a lunch-thief in the office. Scum, sub-human scum.

mariaalice · 08-01-2015 10:45am

A lot of this depends on the office and where its located there is a big difference in working for a cranky solicitor or accountant in some office in a converted Victorian house in a dreary part of Dublin, working with the same 5 or 6 people in an office that is either too hot or too cold verses a large modern office in the city centre or the IFC.

A lot of its down to personality as well I would hate it but lots of people love it. The lack of privacy, the constant noise and so on would drive me mad.

Caliden · 08-01-2015 10:50am

I get to listen to music while I work so there's that.

whiskeyman · 08-01-2015 10:52am

The Gibzilla wrote: »

In all seriousness though, there's nothing lower than a lunch-thief in the office. Scum, sub-human scum.

Decoy faeces sandwiches or white paint filled cartons will soon teach 'em

mariaalice · 08-01-2015 10:55am

I bet working in an office particularly an open play office makes people super conscious of themselves as you are on public display all the time so if you are the type to chew pens or have an ear pulling habit it will be noticed immediately, people in offices must be constantly policing themselves to make sure their behaviour fits social norms.

Aglomerado · 08-01-2015 10:59am

mariaalice wrote: »

I bet working in an office particularly an open play office makes people super conscious of themselves as you are on public display all the time so if you are the type to chew pens or have an ear pulling habit it will be noticed immediately, people in offices must be constantly policing themselves to make sure their behaviour fits social norms.

Not particularly.
You'd be surprised the number of people I see scratching their brain through their nostrils. And some people seem to think that norms of personal hygiene does not apply to them.

K4t · 08-01-2015 11:03am

It's a hell which you can leave at any time. But you never leave because you convince yourself the alternative is worse.

slinky2000 · 08-01-2015 11:05am

Aglomerado wrote: »

Not particularly.
You'd be surprised the number of people I see scratching their brain through their nostrils. And some people seem to think that norms of personal hygiene does not apply to them.

I agree, the amount of people with BO and smoke breath in an open plan office is quite something else. Never mind the people who take off their shoes when they get to their desk!

5starpool · 08-01-2015 11:06am

Not all office jobs are the same, even within offices there can be vastly different experiences depending on your workload and colleagues.

My main criteria is not hating my job. I'm never going to love it so as long as the people I work with are grand and the workload expectations aren't ridiculous it's fine by me. A (reasonably) modern spacious office is a given as a requirement really.

Jawgap · 08-01-2015 11:11am

It's great......

......I'm shagging the bird in the next office - she's a real goer.......

......I work from a home office

......so does my wife.

eviltimeban · 08-01-2015 11:14am

mariaalice wrote: »

A lot of this depends on the office and where its located there is a big difference in working for a cranky solicitor or accountant in some office in a converted Victorian house in a dreary part of Dublin, working with the same 5 or 6 people in an office that is either too hot or too cold verses a large modern office in the city centre or the IFC.

This is exactly it. There's various levels of "office" that you have to take into consideration:

1. The out-of-town business park
So we're talking Citywest, Parkwest, anything with "west" in the name basically. This is a souless existence. While you might work in a modern office with a nice desk and computer, you are stuck with the same food choices every day and virtually nothing to do on your lunch break. You have to drive to work so you start stressing about the evening commute about an hour before you leave. You see one part of the world and that's it. A barren landscape surrounds you, with empty office buildings a reminder that nothing is permanent.

2. The D4 / D2 old townhouse
This is slightly better; there's a lot of these around Rathmines, Leeson Street, and around the Baggot Street area where the Georgian houses are all offices. This is slightly better than option 1, but depends on how close to town you are. The disadvantage is that the office will be old, damp, creaky, windy, and probably has one toilet for 30 people.

3. The IFSC Zone
You're getting there. Anything from IFSC - Pearse Street - quays area is getting a bit better. You are most likely going to be in a modern, big office with lots of people and potential eye candy to notice when you are walking from door to floor. Facilities will be good, and as you are in a more central area you have more lunch options. You can even walk to town and do a bit of shopping - if you can make Grafton Street in 10 minutes you are onto a winner.

4. The Facebook / Google / tree house office
This isn't really an office at all, more like a fun club that requires you to do a bit of "work" every now and again. However, be warned. For all the free coffee / whiskey tasting / beanbags / "breakout areas" / chalk boards / massage chair incentives on offer, you are slowly being brainwashed into thinking that a) you would NEVER work anywhere else again, and b) you NEVER want to leave this office. So the free food in the restaurant means you eat there every day and probably only take about 15 - 20 minutes for your lunch, as what else are you gonna do?

Now, I realise I've posted mostly about the office space rather than what its like working with people, office politics, etc. That's really a tougher one as it can vary from company to company. All of the above is what makes all the other stuff bearable / unbearable - if you have a nice environment around you it helps you get through all the other stuff.

smeal · 08-01-2015 11:33am

Having worked in the hospitality industry during college and after college full time (only 4 months full time but I swear it felt like 4 years) personally I love the Monday-Friday routine and having a routine in general so I tend not to complain about the early mornings and coming home in the dark because I remember the 10/12 hour shifts sometimes up to 10 days at a time and lack of social life I had before..

I work in an office on the doorstep of Grafton Street- hour break is great for a snoop around the shops but not so great for the old bank account!!Endless coffee and biccies is a plus too! But the people who whinge about the heat wreck my days! "Ohhh it's freezin in here".. 10 minutes later "Jaysus the heat in here is mad".. Every single day without fail!

Relationships wise, offices are great if you get on with your colleagues but I could imagine it could be a misery veerrryy easily if you didn't! Couldn't imagine working in a small, quiet office though. You need to be kept on your toes all day for the working day to go fast

Facebook breaks are key though

jimgoose · 08-01-2015 11:36am

eviltimeban wrote: »

This is exactly it. There's various levels of "office" that you have to take into consideration:

1. The out-of-town business park
So we're talking Citywest, Parkwest, anything with "west" in the name basically. This is a souless existence. While you might work in a modern office with a nice desk and computer, you are stuck with the same food choices every day and virtually nothing to do on your lunch break. You have to drive to work so you start stressing about the evening commute about an hour before you leave. You see one part of the world and that's it. A barren landscape surrounds you, with empty office buildings a reminder that nothing is permanent...

Umm, our out-of-town business park is nicely located, with top-floor views of the surrounding countryside, is impeccably landscaped, nicely finished and generally quite pleasant. I go home for lunch every day - takes about twelve minutes each way - and I have zero traffic problems. It is quiet, comfortable and productive in an odd sort of way. We are Borg. :cool:

The idea of working in the very centre of Dublin, or in some crumbling old former house with no proper facilities and a weird smell, or being stuck with a bunch of wannabe Segway-riding Californian twits in some Googley place, gives me quite a migraine.

Daith · 08-01-2015 11:37am

eviltimeban wrote: »

1. The out-of-town business park
So we're talking Citywest, Parkwest, anything with "west" in the name basically. This is a souless existence. While you might work in a modern office with a nice desk and computer, you are stuck with the same food choices every day and virtually nothing to do on your lunch break. You have to drive to work so you start stressing about the evening commute about an hour before you leave. You see one part of the world and that's it. A barren landscape surrounds you, with empty office buildings a reminder that nothing is permanent.

Sums up when I worked in Cherrywood to a T.

Aglomerado · 08-01-2015 11:41am

Daith wrote: »

Sums up when I worked in Cherrywood to a T.

Business park here as well along with a large retail park. Before Christmas, the first half mile of the commute home takes about half an hour. No pubs nearby for a sneaky pint at lunchtime either - nearest one is 20 minutes' walk away and has piebalds outside.

slinky2000 · 08-01-2015 11:51am

jimgoose wrote: »

Umm, our out-of-town business park is nicely located, with top-floor views of the surrounding countryside, is impeccably landscaped, nicely finished and generally quite pleasant. I go home for lunch every day - takes about twelve minutes each way - and I have zero traffic problems. It is quiet, comfortable and productive in an odd sort of way. We are Borg. :cool:

The idea of working in the very centre of Dublin, or in some crumbling old former house with no proper facilities and a weird smell, or being stuck with a bunch of wannabe Segway-riding Californian twits in some Googley place, gives me quite a migraine.

I'm the opposite, I love working in town. Nice office block here on the Quays, walking around town at lunch, going for a stroll around St Stephens Green or the docklands, doing some shopping, getting some bits, doing some post in the GPO, loads of lunch places and coffee shops and great for a pint on a Friday. The transport options are almost endless too. It's great for meeting people and friends too that are visiting Dublin, you're always close by!

for me working out in somewhere like citywest would be sole destroying and not to mention the hours of commuting I would be doing on the m50. No thanks.

jimgoose · 08-01-2015 11:53am

Aglomerado wrote: »

Business park here as well along with a large retail park. Before Christmas, the first half mile of the commute home takes about half an hour. No pubs nearby for a sneaky pint at lunchtime either - nearest one is 20 minutes' walk away and has piebalds outside.

Mmm. No retail Park-o-Rama Bonanzapalooza crap here, just an airport. Plenty nice pubs with decent carvery a ten- or fifteen-minute gallop away as well.

Alf Veedersane · 08-01-2015 11:54am

K4t wrote: »

It's a hell which you can leave at any time. But you never leave because you convince yourself the alternative is worse.

Wel-come to the Office California...

eviltimeban · 08-01-2015 11:57am

jimgoose wrote: »

Umm, our out-of-town business park is nicely located, with top-floor views of the surrounding countryside, is impeccably landscaped, nicely finished and generally quite pleasant. I go home for lunch every day - takes about twelve minutes each way - and I have zero traffic problems. It is quiet, comfortable and productive in an odd sort of way. We are Borg. :cool:

The idea of working in the very centre of Dublin, or in some crumbling old former house with no proper facilities and a weird smell, or being stuck with a bunch of wannabe Segway-riding Californian twits in some Googley place, gives me quite a migraine.

You're lucky alright, and I agree with the second paragraph. I wasn't rating them in order of preference, just listing them.

The best in fairness, is probably the IFSC / Quays option.

jimgoose · 08-01-2015 11:57am

slinky2000 wrote: »

I'm the opposite, I love working in town. Niec office here on the Quays, walking around town at lunch, going for a stroll around St Stephens Green or the docklands, doing some shopping, getting some bits, doing some post int he GPO, loads of lunch places and coffee shops and great for a pint on a Friday. The transport options are almost endless too. It's great for meeting people and friends too that are visiting Dublin, you're always close by!

I working out in somewhere like citywest sole destroying and not to mention the hours of commuting I would be doing on the m50. No thanks.

Shtop willoo, you have me breaking into song... "Grafton Street's a Wonderland, there's magic in the air..."

I agree that most of CityWest is like Mad Max with office workers instead of crazy bikers! :pac:

Pinch Flat · 08-01-2015 11:57am

jimgoose wrote: »

Umm, our out-of-town business park is nicely located, with top-floor views of the surrounding countryside, is impeccably landscaped, nicely finished and generally quite pleasant. I go home for lunch every day - takes about twelve minutes each way - and I have zero traffic problems. It is quiet, comfortable and productive in an odd sort of way. We are Borg. :cool:

The idea of working in the very centre of Dublin, or in some crumbling old former house with no proper facilities and a weird smell, or being stuck with a bunch of wannabe Segway-riding Californian twits in some Googley place, gives me quite a migraine.

I've worked in a few offices - almost all of the above in some shape or form - and up to recently was in city west.absolutely hated it. Nothing to do. Everything became a chore - going to the bank, post office, buying gifts, new underpants etc.

The cycle there and back was the only thing I looked forward to. One of my colleagues had worked with the same company 20 years in the same place with the same ham and cheese roll and tomato soup for his lunch every day. That's going to send anyone dolally.

Now in town off merrion square in and old Georgian building - decent enough with good facilities and the boss is even thinking of putting in a shower - much better. Everything on my door step - shops, nice coffee and the city centre Grafton St / Stephens green area a 5 minute walk. Nice pubs nearby for a pint after work.

My job is as a project manager for a lot of different type of projects, including the fitout of offices - so we've done a lot of tech company fitouts. Some off the stuff you see is hilarious - when I see someone my age (mid-40s) coming to work on an adult sized scooter, I'm happy I don't work there.

jimgoose · 08-01-2015 12:00pm

Pinch Flat wrote: »

...when I see someone my age (mid-40s) coming to work on an adult sized scooter, I'm happy I don't work there.

This is exactly what I'm talking about. I'd never get tired a' batin' 'em. :pac:

Jawgap · 08-01-2015 12:03pm

I do miss the social aspect of working in an office.

Working from home, has it's advantages - 30 second commute, you save a fortune on lunches but waste it on heat - but it lacks the personal contact.

On the plus side I only need to put a shirt on when I'm teleconferencing and even then I can sit there in just my jocks and no one is any the wiser.

Aglomerado · 08-01-2015 12:04pm

Those American companies with their faux-jolly working environments make me cringe.
I have some friends who worked for a call-centre using this business model, and they had a team of people working in there dreaming up stupid things like dressing up as the Easter Bunny and walking around dropping Easter eggs on people's desks.

But the work was shít and the targets were unattainable (commission-based), and the "team leaders" were mini-Hitlers. They also had wanky "clean desk policies".

As much as I complain about my job, it's heaven compared with that nonsense.

jimgoose · 08-01-2015 12:07pm

Aglomerado wrote: »

Those American companies with their faux-jolly working environments make me cringe...

Not all American outfits are like that. To be honest I think all that carry-on is mostly a function of the crappy industry/work they're involved in, and not necessarily because they're Yanks.

OneArt · 08-01-2015 12:24pm

I would actually strangle a newborn child for an office job.

I do one day a week at an Internet company in Cologne (not at all bad pay for eight hours a week either). They're a small but growing company and I will be switching to a full-time contract shortly, but in the meantime I have to subsidize it with another crappy job.

Give me five days in an office with a salary that doesn't change because there aren't enough hours.

K4t · 08-01-2015 12:37pm

jimgoose wrote: »

Not all American outfits are like that. To be honest I think all that carry-on is mostly a function of the crappy industry/work they're involved in, and not necessarily because they're Yanks.

That's not patronising at all..

jimgoose · 08-01-2015 12:39pm

K4t wrote: »

That's not patronising at all..

No, it isn't. Believe you me, I know Americans and they're big boys'n'gals. On those occasions where I actually patronise one of them they fcuk me off quare lively.

Egginacup · 08-01-2015 1:36pm

eviltimeban wrote: »

This is exactly it. There's various levels of "office" that you have to take into consideration:

1. The out-of-town business park
So we're talking Citywest, Parkwest, anything with "west" in the name basically. This is a souless existence. While you might work in a modern office with a nice desk and computer, you are stuck with the same food choices every day and virtually nothing to do on your lunch break. You have to drive to work so you start stressing about the evening commute about an hour before you leave. You see one part of the world and that's it. A barren landscape surrounds you, with empty office buildings a reminder that nothing is permanent.

2. The D4 / D2 old townhouse
This is slightly better; there's a lot of these around Rathmines, Leeson Street, and around the Baggot Street area where the Georgian houses are all offices. This is slightly better than option 1, but depends on how close to town you are. The disadvantage is that the office will be old, damp, creaky, windy, and probably has one toilet for 30 people.

I worked in Parkwest for 1.5 years and you are spot on. Most people drove to work but I luckily lived in the City Centre and took the shuttle bus. It was still crap out there though. Imagine being on first name terms with the entire staff of a Spar! Fridays were depressing as hell. I would see one or two mothers wheeling their buggies/prams around the empty office buildings. They and their partners had obviously bought an apt. there during the boom and are now effectively stuck in a half-empty block where there are no facilities and no hope of selling. I couldn't wait to get into town to get sloshed.

Also worked in the monument building...in the basement. IT was a private bank and I was a IT guy. Job was dull as hell and the office was cold. Work colleagues were bores too. Location was fab though and the pay was great.

cml387 · 08-01-2015 1:42pm

There are only offices in Dublin, apparently.

I don't know what us in the shticks work in.

working in an office

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