What's your work status now? Back at work? Furloughed? Working from home? Or bugger all?

[a_chap]

Now that is what you call a redacted document

It does reveal that GG has a fairly short name.

"Icke" is pretty short.

So is "Pol Pot" and "Idi Amin".

 

[ddraig]

Why bother posting it?

 

[Cloo]

All-hands call tomorrow about 'The Future of the Organisation' Gulp!

I'm actually not too worried, as I do know they have been working on a big reorg type thing and given their conduct and transparency has actually been really good thus far I don't think they're about to drop any bombshells to people in this format - and I haven't been given any dire phonecalls today. I have my suspicion about one team from our directorate that might be cut. I actually do appreciate that when they've had to deliver potentially worrying news (as they did with furlough) they called the meetings and made the decisions fast so nobody had to be left hanging for days.

My guess is my team and I are safe for now, don't know about the next 12 months though.

 

[smmudge]

Wife was told on Thursday she's being made redundant in a month. This after her company hired someone to do the role she does while she was on furlough, who isn't being made redundant.

But she has an interview on Friday, and awaiting a call on Thursday from another company. This is what counts as slim pickings in her industry (in normal times she would have had about 5 job offers by now). Fingers crossed, my wage won't cover all our bills!

 

[Puddy_Tat]

Wife was told on Thursday she's being made redundant in a month. This after her company hired someone to do the role she does while she was on furlough, who isn't being made redundant

in quite a big way.

that sounds like organisation might just have not followed a fair redundancy process.

may be worth talking to trade union / ACAS

this of course assumes she's been there 2 years or more. broadly speaking you don't have many employment rights under 2 years unless it's provable as discrimination on one of the protected grounds (gender, race and so on)

 

[smmudge]

Unfortunately she's been there just under 2 years

 

[Magnus McGinty]

Working and commuting. I fix things on site so impossible for home working.

 

[Mation]

Got to go in to work today. Don't want to. We've got a shortened day to miss rush hour, but, now the schools are back, the timing is perfect to catch buses rammed with schoolkids. Might make it that little bit shorter today.

 

[Shellee]

Still working from home. They are making noises about us all going in part-time but to keep within the Covid guidelines our office has seriously reduced capacity. They are prioritising those whose work isn't suitable for home working or whose living accommodation isn't good for it. We have a lot of graduate trainees living in shared houses literally working in their bedrooms all day and a few who don't have internet at all.

 

[skyscraper101]

I've chosen to go to work since end of August. I had to ask permission at first, but now I don't need to. I just need to fill in a Health Declaration once a week to confirm I've no symptoms or I've not been anywhere requiring quarantine etc.

For me I prefer to be out of the house. I've gotten work from home fatigue, and I prefer to be in a quiet office with barely anyone here. Plus I get free food and they pay for travel expenses during the pandemic so I actually save money this way.

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

I’ve been back in full time since the start of August. It’s been OK so far - all sorts done right to ensure distancing etc, and the campus has been a ghost town.

This week however the students are back and everywhere is busy again and quite frankly I really don’t want to be there. Just feels inevitable that there’s going to be a huge spike of infections and front line staff are going to get it full force.

 

[Shellee]

So Michael Gove just reversed the "get back to the office" advice and is saying again that if we can work from home we should. Logical, because it reduces social contact and pressure on public transport and fine for people like me who have somewhere comfortable to work but tough on some others.

 

[Petcha]

I started a new job yesterday after six months. Working for a lovely guy, small but successful business. Within a few hours he'd told me has terminal stage four cancer and has months to live. That's really really shit. He's a good man. But me and the other guy he hired are a little confused. Why is he hiring now. He's also a smart man so I can only assume he has a plan here. He's got a young family, he's only early 50s himself. So maybe I'm part of his succession plan? No idea. Bonkers way to start the new job anyways. Spending two hours on a zoom chat with pretty much a total stranger talking chemo.. That was not in the job spec!

He also said don't be surprised if he falls asleep on zoom calls as the treatment really nails him. I feel fucking awful for him.

 

[Cloo]

Ominous email from CEO saying they are expecting 150-170 redundancies – I am totally non-essential, but a bit buoyed by the fact they have finally allowed our subeditor to come off furlough after next week, which kind of suggests they’re not about to junk our team. Unless they allowed it cos they knew they weren’t going to have to keep on paying him anyway – PARANOIA!!!

I mean, I’d get a decent redundancy if I were to go now or some time next year and it'd pay the bills for a year or so I reckon – also consider it a possibility they might drop our roles but offer us ones in the woefully understaffed digital team, given we have all picked up digital content skills in the last few months, albeit possibly at less money. I’d honestly take less money as I don’t work in a field bursting with jobs at the best of times.

 

[gentlegreen]

Why bother posting it?

I was building up the courage to have "THE meeting" with my line manager ... I made him and one other person look at the figure on it in case I'd completely miscalculated ... even HR said :-

"I have accessed **’s record and he has over 38 years service which is great. He will need to be aware that although he can draw his pension it will be actuarially reduced as he will be taking it earlier than his normal retirement age.

It's almost as if they don't want me to leave and I am feeling a bit guilty with regards my team ... even if I am unprepared to fulfil the new requirements of the post - acquiring expertise on loads of back-end and apps s/ware, procedures and teaching technology in a new "everyone can do everything" model, they are also massively short of the sort of practical, screwdriver-level expertise even university graduates lack when they start work ... two of my similarly elderly colleagues have gone to 3 days per week .... doubtless they might have made allowances if I'd stayed longer - they could hardly have wanted to try to launch disciplinary procedures with me having nothing to lose.

At the end of the day it was only lack of human contact in light of the change in my retirement lifestyle options that would be keeping me there, and nice though the people there are, quite frankly I need to do much better in that regard.

... so maybe two more weeks - I certainly have no intention of ever going to work in the dark again ...

 

[MickiQ]

Ominous email from CEO saying they are expecting 150-170 redundancies – I am totally non-essential, but a bit buoyed by the fact they have finally allowed our subeditor to come off furlough after next week, which kind of suggests they’re not about to junk our team. Unless they allowed it cos they knew they weren’t going to have to keep on paying him anyway – PARANOIA!!!

I mean, I’d get a decent redundancy if I were to go now or some time next year and it'd pay the bills for a year or so I reckon – also consider it a possibility they might drop our roles but offer us ones in the woefully understaffed digital team, given we have all picked up digital content skills in the last few months, albeit possibly at less money. I’d honestly take less money as I don’t work in a field bursting with jobs at the best of times.

I have a vague memory from when I dabbled in Union activities that if they offer you a new position elsewhere they can't cut your salary without your agreement though they might very well not give you any promotions until the average rate in your new team catches up with you. Is there anyone you could have a quick chat with about that?

 

[Cloo]

Bollocks, I wouldn't get a very good redundancy - team was just talking about it and we only get statutory; I was thinking of my last redundancy and they gave me better than than, quite a lot better than, and we'd only get statutory apparently

Re cutting pay, I'll cross that bridge if I come to it - sure they wouldn't do it without agreement. I'd be prepared to agree under current circs.

 

[Teaboy]

Bollocks, I wouldn't get a very good redundancy - team was just talking about it and we only get statutory; I was thinking of my last redundancy and they gave me better than than, quite a lot better than, and we'd only get statutory apparently

Yes, this whole thing has caused me to look into what redundancy actually means in monetary terms and unless the company offers enhanced terms its pretty shite to say the least. If it were to happen to me tomorrow I'd barely get a month's wages for my over 5 years with the company.

 

[maomao]

Yes, this whole thing has caused me to look into what redundancy actually means in monetary terms and unless the company offers enhanced terms its pretty shite to say the least. If it were to happen to me tomorrow I'd barely get a month's wages for my over 5 years with the company.

It's only ever a financial advantage if you have something else to go to straight away. If not then it's difficult having to make the money last.

 

[Cloo]

Yes, this whole thing has caused me to look into what redundancy actually means in monetary terms and unless the company offers enhanced terms its pretty shite to say the least. If it were to happen to me tomorrow I'd barely get a month's wages for my over 5 years with the company.

I got £10k for my last job after 8 years, on less pay than now, I think I'd only get about £4k from this after 7 years.

But - panic over for now. We were all having a meeting and being a bit stressed when one of my team pointed out a new org chart was up - and we are on it. Looks like most of the general editors will be gone, which is what I suspected might happen, and the research team. If anything they look to be extending our directorate in a way that looks quite sensible under circumstances.

 

[Sue]

Bollocks, I wouldn't get a very good redundancy - team was just talking about it and we only get statutory; I was thinking of my last redundancy and they gave me better than than, quite a lot better than, and we'd only get statutory apparently

Re cutting pay, I'll cross that bridge if I come to it - sure they wouldn't do it without agreement. I'd be prepared to agree under current circs.

Yeah, statutory is shit. Even when they talk about 'x weeks per year of service', it's not your pay, it's up to a set maximum so if you earn more than that, tough. (Even worse is the one you get with the Government protection thing if your company goes bust. They start deducting all kinds of things.)

 

[Cloo]

Just sitting listening to the meeting about it - the structural changes are a proposal rather than a given, but I presume whatever we end up will be close to it. They are trying to 'job match' people to some new roles where possible; currently reckon about 20% of our directorate may be up for the chop.

 

[High Voltage]

Well, I'm coming to the end of my third, and final, furlough month - we've alternated work a month, furlough a month. But because the firm was a little "slow out of the gate" when it came to furloughing staff, I missed the first month, my coworker has managed to get 4 months furlough (I know, first world problems)

We'll just have to see what the future holds, but, tbh, it's not looking great

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Had 'the conversation' yesterday with the chap who works for me. He instigated it, asked what sales have been like for September (24% of last September's) and when he heard the figure he told me not to worry about it, thanked me for topping up his wages since furlough started and said if I wanted he'd not take top-up this month or his notice month and that I shouldn't pay him holiday as he's effectively been on holiday since March. I have factored in top-up wages this month & next and his holiday pay, so he will be getting those, but that's the end of the road for him. He's very cool about it and we're going to meet up and get leathered on Thursday, and should things pick up next year I'll have him back and he'll be happy to come back. But it's crap, all the same.

 

[Cloo]

Well, upshot is my team will have one role fewer, so technically I think that means we will all get 'role at risk' letters, but I happen to know there was one person my manager was wanting to move on before all this for a number of reasons, so I'm pretty certain they'll be the one going - plus there will be a few interesting sounding new roles colleagues or I could go for that we'll get details of them in about a fortnight if we want to apply. So I reckon I live to fight another day this time.

 

[Roadkill]

Well, upshot is my team will have one role fewer, so technically I think that means we will all get 'role at risk' letters, but I happen to know there was one person my manager was wanting to move on before all this for a number of reasons, so I'm pretty certain they'll be the one going - plus there will be a few interesting sounding new roles colleagues or I could go for that we'll get details of them in about a fortnight if we want to apply. So I reckon I live to fight another day this time.

Shit, sorry to hear that. It's a horrible process to go through, even if you're confident you'll be okay.

 

[Cloo]

Shit, sorry to hear that. It's a horrible process to go through, even if you're confident you'll be okay.

Kind of glad not to be in the office, and thus there not being an 'atmosphere' around all day during the next month or two. Overall it looks like the approach they're taking for the future is a sensible one, and in our wider team hopefully most people can get a new role if their existing one goes, but I can see it being very nervous times for a dozen or so people.

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

Had 'the conversation' yesterday with the chap who works for me. He instigated it, asked what sales have been like for September (24% of last September's) and when he heard the figure he told me not to worry about it, thanked me for topping up his wages since furlough started and said if I wanted he'd not take top-up this month or his notice month and that I shouldn't pay him holiday as he's effectively been on holiday since March. I have factored in top-up wages this month & next and his holiday pay, so he will be getting those, but that's the end of the road for him. He's very cool about it and we're going to meet up and get leathered on Thursday, and should things pick up next year I'll have him back and he'll be happy to come back. But it's crap, all the same.

The whole situation is so ridiculous. There's perfectly healthy businesses up and down the country that will be viable again and can pickup where they stopped the moment the big button is pressed. All the government needs to do is help them bridge the gap. But no, apparently it's better to see them all go to the wall and put people on the dole. Fucking cunts.

 

[Badgers]

About to be unemployed again.

 

[Ax^]

have to see how this is going to play out , my team managed to keep our figures up only slightly down from this time last year at least during the full lockdown

We deal with moving horrible clinical trail medication so the need was still their , but our thanks was cutting all over time to the point of questioning if it was needed

none of us can be sent home due the small number of people

cannie say i can be arsed to put in the effort again