Topic: Commute Times (UK)

I made a linkedin finally. God knows if it will do any good but I have 4 connections. Going to work on it over the next few days and work out exactly how best to present all the information about me

@ralphdibny definitely worthwhile doing. I think potential employers check it out and recruiters will get in touch.

I've been off here the last few days, staying away for work again. I'm fed up of it to be honest. It's part of the job, commissioning work on clients sites. I just wish it was better planned, and not always so last minute. It's like I get told on Friday I need to stay over somewhere for 3 nights... It gets so frustrating, like as if your life can and should be so easily messed about with!

@NedStarksGhost ah lame that sucks! Yeah I don't like the away trips. Especially if they get sold to you as a glamorous holiday, when it's at some random drab business park in the middle of no where 😂

@ralphdibny there's been times where a manager as, without me knowing, change my hotel from a decent premier Inn to some poorly kept room because it's £20 less a night. I'll never understand people who act like company money is their money!

I was in a very bad mood yesterday when I posted that, calmed down a bit today! How's your job going dude?

I think with work, last minute alterations such as being asked to come in 2 hours early on that day. Can really mess up your diary. It may seem harmless (to the manager) but that employee could have drs appointments, waiting for a parcel, dropping off kids etc. It really effects your morale as well.

I work 45 minutes drive from work approx 32 miles there and back through a city centre with a toll. Asking to come in 2 hours early (due to a sickness) really means I'm at work for 8+2+1.5 hours of that day. A few games of rocket League, ironing and making tea / lunch for tomorrow and the days over. Say compared to being able to have a long go of Disco Elysium and shag the wife.

@NedStarksGhost oh my days, I've had that! I've been booked into hotels that have no parking even though they know I'm driving to the job 😂. When they do stupid stuff like that, I just park the car in the most expensive car park I can find, even if it's further away and send them the bill!

The job is slow unfortunately, thumb twiddling is the order of the day. Sarcastic remarks about having nothing to do from one of the people that's supposed to be giving me something to do winds me up to no end. More lies, contradictions and inconsistencies. Of course, they can do that because I am a contractor and they can promise me the world to get me in before they hand me a dirt sandwich and send me on my way.

Have you applied for your new thing yet??

@themcnoisy hahah your TMI made me laugh 😂. Lack of consideration is a real bugbear of mine actually. I think I would handle an absence like this. Ask for volunteers, if no takers then ask for volunteers in return for something. Not sure if you get the time off in lieu anyway but maybe I'd turn a blind eye for an extra hour off the books or something. Still no takers? Draw straws (and include myself in the straw drawing). If it happened regularly though then I guess I'd just draw up a rota of who will cover the next absence and people could swap or delay their place on the rota

@ralphdibny I'm the manager in my place. I do everything I can to make sure employees will never leave.

Stats are for managers. Offer the team as little as possible with the essentials as targets (Data input / days worked / overall sales total) never ever show conversion, cost of sale etc etc. Make sure everyone has time off and holidays are organised well in advance. Im more referring to bad business practice. If you don't have the staff - don't open. Simple really. Pay well and actively offer incentives and pay increases based on time served and performance. Give return to work interviews for time off and don't give your staff random tasks and stress because 1 divvy is ruining the atmosphere. Have a backup plan in case you are short staffed - so managers can step in to a customer facing environment if needs be. Then coming in hours early is never an issue.

The issue I've found is everyone prioritises profits over workers and the staff just get up and leave. But if you have great, skilled and loyal staff who are paid well - you don't need big recruitment drives. The job sells itself.

@themcnoisy Hell yeah it's nice to hear someone talk about how to actually run a business. I've watched my wife work at various places where they just put profits before everything else and basically none of the staff give a **** and those that do end up leaving. She's far too conscientious for that and ends up being the only person that cares and gets screwed over for it.

Loyalty of staff is a major factor in making your business what it is. It's the people that are on the front line, and they are the ones your customers see so you need them to care and actually want to work. Like you mention there if you get the conditions right then you don't need to keep replacing people. The work force are happy and the customers are happy because they are getting better service!!

@themcnoisy some nice tips there! I don't understand the sales stuff, probably because I'm not in sales! The other stuff resonates really well though. Planning, logical approaches to stuff. Not just doing things for the sake of it.

@render I get that a lot at my current job. I really have to balance caring and not caring. Like tactical caring, it winds me up lol. My mind is wired to care about useful things, not to care about the bottom line when it's at the expense of the workers

These things are why I've been with the same company for 12 years now (which is kind of unusual in software development). I know I could get a job that pays even better if I wanted to change workplaces but this one is comfortable for me in many ways.

@Voltan 12 years is really impressive for software development. They must treat you like a king!

@nessisonett I tend to only work 6-7 (probably closer to 6 on avg) hours most days and usually get to the office between 10 and 11 - that alone is a big deal to me.
I've found that working the full 8 hours doesn't mean I'm getting much more done anyway - which is something not a lot of employers understand.

@Voltan 🙌🙌🙌 sounds like a dream job!!

@ralphdibny sorry to hear that, I hope it improves. I did but have not heard back. Had a feeling I may not as the stuff they'd need to train me on is probably what they want the experience in. However I do have an interview with a company next week, will be for the same thing I'm doing now but better pay prospects and stuff!

@themcnoisy you sound like a good manager. Everything you've said is everything my company fails to do. We heard too much about financials for starters. I'm far too aware of the goings on. There's a lack of actual management, lack of handover of work, no training.

The fact you give pay rises for time served is great. I'll never, ever understand companies that will refuse to pay existing staff the same as someone of the same skill level for much higher wage.

It's good you don't pressure the good employees due to one person messing up. I hate that. Hey you're good at your job, so takeover your colleagues mistakes, and earn the same as them whilst your at it!

Sounds like you've got a great system. I bet your staff turnover is really low.

Apologies for ranting about my company a bit. It's just crazy how the things you've said are the things that don't happen where I work...

@Voltan sounds very good. I've started to find that by the 7th hour my brain is basically done with. The last hour is spent yawning, clock watching and just trying to get something done.

@NedStarksGhost good luck!!! Hopefully you get it and it turns out to be a good one!

@ralphdibny Thanks!

@RogerRoger thank you! Really hoping this goes well, sounds like a good place to work!

@NedStarksGhost Yeah good luck, it sounds like a great opportunity 😀

@render thanks! It really is. Much bigger company, better pay prospects, more job security, proper management. Sounds like the dream haha!