Work - The pros and the cons... - The Bear and Badger

poprock

Thank fuck for that. I think you deserve a celebratory beer tonight.

g.man

That's brilliant news Scott. Genuinely didn't think this was going to have a happy ending.

The Daddy

Aye, big relief! Good stuff.

g.man

In other good news, I've had my Government Self-Employed Grant approved this morning...ten weeks after being made unemployed.
Still mustn't look a gift horse in the mouth, and it's very welcome.

HawBawJaws

poprock wrote:

Thank fuck for that. I think you deserve a celebratory beer tonight.

If I didn't have junior!

g.man wrote:

That's brilliant news Scott. Genuinely didn't think this was going to have a happy ending.

Me either. My gaffer kept assuring me genting looks after its people, but I'm a cynical pessimistic bugger at the best of times. Also used to working for companies that would gleefully shaft their employees, especially if there's money involved.

In fact, cineworld are getting absolutely panned just now, as they sacked a bunch of folk as soon as lockdown happened. They're rehiring them now, but a group I'm in on Facebook suggests there's a good few cinema employees with no wage. And everyone else's wages were all wrong. And the corinthian casino in Glasgow literally gave their staff £150 and told them to fuck off when this all started.

Finally, a decent result. I'm away to buy a lottery ticket.

poprock

HawBawJaws wrote:

And the corinthian casino in Glasgow literally gave their staff £150 and told them to fuck off when this all started.

Just on that one, we all know G1 are cunts. The only surprise is that they gave anyone £150.

HawBawJaws

poprock wrote:

HawBawJaws wrote:

And the corinthian casino in Glasgow literally gave their staff £150 and told them to fuck off when this all started.

Just on that one, we all know G1 are cunts. The only surprise is that they gave anyone £150.

I dunno if they'll be able to come back from this.

Think the alea casino is almost certainly fucked, even before lockdown, they'd just been hit with several hefty fines (millions of pounds worth) for not following player due diligence. Which is shit for the staff, but fuck the alea, they shafted me and my then girlfriend when I worked for them years ago.

regmcfly

Stefan kings reign of terror is over.

I only post this because it shows how deep I was in Glasgow nights out (rip viper) that I know who he is.

Dinostar77

Work just said we wont be going back into the office until the autumn or christmas at the earliest. Home working till then. Man, i miss working in the office.

Funkstain

Dinostar77 wrote:

Work just said we wont be going back into the office until the autumn or christmas at the earliest. Home working till then. Man, i miss working in the office.

Find this interesting. WFH seems to work OK for office-type workers as long as everyone is WFH, ie: level playing field so to speak. Wonder how it will be when those who must and those who want to can return to the office - will those who don't want to and/or can't be disadvantaged? Those in office can convene immediately, have side chats, make decisions without having to set up a whole video call palaver.

For myself, I could never go back an office again and be a very happy chap. No stupid commute, no dumb office banter, time away from desk in the garden or local walk etc, much more flexible, just as capable. I sincerely hope that the trope of "being in office = better and more productive" is broken forever.

pantyfire

I'm the other way.
I miss the office, banter and people. I find myself working more from home and have less distractions.

nick_md

@Funk Me too - I'm very happy wfh, although I do miss seeing colleagues and Friday drinks. My place has already said that people can wfh for as long as they want, and even when this is all over I'll likely see if I can do 2d wfh. I'm finding the zero commute, quite outside, walk to the shops, do home chores good for my general mental health.

Diluted Dante

I'd love a WFH non phone based job. Just being able to twat away on a keyboard listening to my own music, without some twat droning on in my ear.

Dark Soldier

We're keeping WFH as it opens the business UK wide to people who can temote work and answer emails. Im currently running my own team remotely and this could lead to potential promotion as a remote team leader.

Actually buzzing about the place for once.

Dark Soldier

Diluted Dante wrote:

I'd love a WFH non phone based job. Just being able to twat away on a keyboard listening to my own music, without some twat droning on in my ear.

Can apply for us when it goes live. Just sending emails from home mate.

RedDave2

Is there a risk that some companies might try to outsource to cheaper countries if its non location based?

nick_md

Diluted Dante wrote:

I'd love a WFH non phone based job. Just being able to twat away on a keyboard listening to my own music, without some twat droning on in my ear.

This is exactly me rn - got spotify on, just put my laundry in the machine, going to have a shower in a mo then walk to the co-op for some supplies. Sunny outside, birds cheeping, lovely stuff.

It helps as well that my place is very big on mental health - we have meditation sessions, are founders of an industry mental health initiative, have won mental health awards etc and are super supportive of folks. We have standup every day as well where folks have to have a webcam (supplied by the company if you don't have one), so everyone 'sees' each other a lot, and if I need to speak to anyone I don't really need to book a meeting, I just ping them on Slack and video call. Honestly I know the games industry gets shit for the mental health strain it puts on people (and games industry folk who experience stress/mental health issues is much higher than the national average), but the place I work are fantastic in supporting us staff.

Funkstain

pantyfire wrote:

I'm the other way. I miss the office, banter and people. I find myself working more from home and have less distractions.

It's the same for me. For my money, I'm working harder at home than I ever did in the office. But I'm getting things done, and feeling productive, and choosing the hours to some extent. Want to take a break for a couple of hours with the kids? Alright - book out the diary, and log back in after bedtime for a bit.

Circumstances will be different depending on office / employer / home, won't they: Nick's office offering mental health support, team bonding stuff; my work being flexible enough to support time away from desk; kids and childcare situation; type of job and how much can be done easier / faster / better in office; etc.

Luckily me being outsourced is unlikely given that would mean I'd have to move myself to Vietnam or wherever.

Actually that doesn't sound so bad

Dark Soldier

Quick question - can two people be put on secondment as managers from similar roles to myself and others without any communication, advertising of the role as such?

Two other key colleagues/assistant team managers have been given managerial secondments without the other four of us being told or informed and its pissed us all off. Wondering if its usual practice

Diluted Dante

AFAIK they don't have to, but it is super shitty and liable to cause issues with other staff if they aren't informed. Pretty sure they've done it at ours.

Cos

Not sure about general workplace practices but happens quite a bit at our place and it's always just someone that's chosen by the management team so no opportunity to apply as such. I presume secondment is different from recruitment so usual rules don't apply.

Dark Soldier

Lovely stuff, that's me doing the bare minimum now then.

Cheers chaps.

HawBawJaws

My gm just posted in our group chat that he's being unfurloughed on Monday, to prepare for reopening. I'm surprised at that, I've not seen anything from bojo or sturgeon saying casinos etc can open again.

I'm all for it. This lockdown has been really hard on my mental health. Need work to distract me from my own internal monologue.

Also considering suggesting expanding my role. Our machine capacity will probably reduce by about 50% as we'll have every other machine switched off, but the effort needed to manage it effectively will likely increase. I was thinking for a while it's expensive and excessive to have one of me in every casino. Makes more sense to have a senior slot host in each site that then reports into me. Bump their wage up by a couple of quid an hour, bump mine up a few grand, saves 120k on the company's wage bill by not hiring more of me.

We shall see.....

regmcfly

Today's email of the day stated that they cannot sit over their S6 (ie 17-18 year old) pupil all day so how can they ensure they do work when they are not motivated.

Also when are the university applications open.

cockbeard

Hahaha, pure gold, definitely tone for a return of polytechnics, and proper apprenticeships that teach people trades, not just an excuse for cheap labour

poprock

Hahaha. Entitled parent bingo.

“My kid is lazy, how soon can they go to university?”

afgavinstan

Shit to know that even in the midst of a pandemic, I can still be in situations in work not related to it that are just as scary and stressful. Hottest, busiest day in here. First job, older gentleman (heh) to XR. He doesn't want to go, first ignoring me and refusing to acknowledge me, then to resistance getting on the wheelchair. Eventually we go round, and a nurse comes with me. As I go into XR to let them know we've arrived, old guy gets up to leave/escape. The young nurse tries her best to stop him, but he begins to be physical and shove her out the way as she says to me "help! get some help!", so I run into A&E opposite, grab some numbers and we all go help, ending with me holding the guy against the wall until he calmed down and remonstrating with him until he agreed to be XR'd. I can't be mad at the guy personally as it was clear there was some mental issues, maybe altzh or parko, maybe even a urine infection who knows, but still.. Scary and not nice. Went away absolutely drenched in sweat. Oh fuck it's super busy, better get the next one....

Sigh.

Dinostar77

Dark Soldier wrote:

Quick question - can two people be put on secondment as managers from similar roles to myself and others without any communication, advertising of the role as such?

Two other key colleagues/assistant team managers have been given managerial secondments without the other four of us being told or informed and its pissed us all off. Wondering if its usual practice

I hate when this happens, it kills morale. Had it happen before in the workplace. Either arsekissers who do no work but kiss management arse all day or its some young hotty that a manager fancies and promotes. Wouldnt have such an issue with it if everyone was told upfront about the opportunity.

Dark Soldier

One was deaerved and we all agree, the other is the most triumphant of a yes person/arsekisser so thats the bit that grates.

HawBawJaws

Head office just released a statement to employees. Long story short, they dunno when we'll reopen yet, but they're already looking at reducing headcount in some places. There's 4 casinos they reckon won't reopen at all.

Well, now I'm freaking out, I'm likely in a last in first out situation. Baws.

Howdy, Stranger!

Categories