Productivity being killed via teams and IT incompetence
Discussion
I was going to write a mini essay on how teams / collaboration style apps have caught on, but I will get straight to the point:
Regarding your average office / desk / corporate worker, since the pandemic has started, my workload has been insane. I put it down squarely to a few things:
1. Use of teams collaboration apps such as MS Teams, Slack and other hashtagmetoo spin offs have rocketed.
2. People in general have no idea how to use corporate IT tools effectively, such as their outlook calendar
3. Teams has effectively doubled my workload as it is now just another channel to get hold of me.
4. People are very inconsiderate when it comes to scheduling time with me. My corporate calendar is always up to date with my availability and today I am quadruple booked this afternoon. No approach to see if I am available, no quick 'can you do this' text, the notification that I am booked at this time are clearly shown yet people do it anyway. It becomes a bidding process.
My role is part advisory part decision maker, and some of that requires me to do output that is creative or logic based. (basically develop process, document or do financial analysis). I essentially have no time for this now as I am constantly on a call.
Yes, I could just sign out of those communication channels, but that seems to be sweeping the problem under the mat.
So this is part whine, part echo chamber noise, but I can only forsee at the moment that the density of work will get worse as life returns to whatever normal is again as I used to travel a lot for my job and I cant see this workload backing off when people return to office working and me needing to travel again.
Regarding your average office / desk / corporate worker, since the pandemic has started, my workload has been insane. I put it down squarely to a few things:
1. Use of teams collaboration apps such as MS Teams, Slack and other hashtagmetoo spin offs have rocketed.
2. People in general have no idea how to use corporate IT tools effectively, such as their outlook calendar
3. Teams has effectively doubled my workload as it is now just another channel to get hold of me.
4. People are very inconsiderate when it comes to scheduling time with me. My corporate calendar is always up to date with my availability and today I am quadruple booked this afternoon. No approach to see if I am available, no quick 'can you do this' text, the notification that I am booked at this time are clearly shown yet people do it anyway. It becomes a bidding process.
My role is part advisory part decision maker, and some of that requires me to do output that is creative or logic based. (basically develop process, document or do financial analysis). I essentially have no time for this now as I am constantly on a call.
Yes, I could just sign out of those communication channels, but that seems to be sweeping the problem under the mat.
So this is part whine, part echo chamber noise, but I can only forsee at the moment that the density of work will get worse as life returns to whatever normal is again as I used to travel a lot for my job and I cant see this workload backing off when people return to office working and me needing to travel again.
Prioritise and decline meetings.
Are you adding anything when you are attending? If not - leave.
What are your objectives? Do what delivers them. Prioritise.
Being the answer to all questions is a massage for the ego, but how can you get them to answer their own questions?
If it is process related, how can documentation and FAQs assist?
I am not meaning to be patronising, as it is hard work to stop working!
Are you adding anything when you are attending? If not - leave.
What are your objectives? Do what delivers them. Prioritise.
Being the answer to all questions is a massage for the ego, but how can you get them to answer their own questions?
If it is process related, how can documentation and FAQs assist?
I am not meaning to be patronising, as it is hard work to stop working!
Down to you, I am afraid. Maybe update your signature with something like "My Outlook calendar is up to date, please check before inviting me to a meeting, as double bookings are automatically rejected"
Be very clear that their lack of planning is in no way your issue.
And start calendaring work time, i.e. time for you to actually do some work, rather than gossip on Teams
Be very clear that their lack of planning is in no way your issue.
And start calendaring work time, i.e. time for you to actually do some work, rather than gossip on Teams
You need to organise yourself before you’ve any hope of organising anyone else 
If you’re not available, make yourself unavailable. If you’ve got s
t to do, make yourself unavailable to do someone else’s st. If people are booking meetings with you and you both should know you’re unavailable, decline the meeting.
If you’re not available, make yourself unavailable. If you’ve got s
t to do, make yourself unavailable to do someone else’s st. If people are booking meetings with you and you both should know you’re unavailable, decline the meeting.randlemarcus said:
And start calendaring work time, i.e. time for you to actually do some work, rather than gossip on Teams
I despise teams. I now actually just stay signed out of it until l need to use it for a meeting!LHRFlightman said:
Add calendar entries "No meetings" for actual work time.
Anyone who books a meeting that clashes, decline it.
Anyone who books a meeting that clashes with one you've already accepted, decline and tell them you already have a meeting and they should look for some free time.
So I do this. Outlook has this nifty feature actually called 'focus time' which automatically blocks out 2 hours a day in your calendar which shows as busy to others. People just ignore the busy indication. Decline the invite and people get sAnyone who books a meeting that clashes, decline it.
Anyone who books a meeting that clashes with one you've already accepted, decline and tell them you already have a meeting and they should look for some free time.
tty.The problem is that whilst I feel I am pretty good at time management, it is a constant battle to decline or say no, and dealing with the fallout is another task in itself.
Our Teams is integrated with Outlook. You want to book a Teams meeting, you need to book it within Outlook (we also follow the same rule for Skype meetings also although this is being phased out.) The email invitation from Outlook has a hyperlink to the Teams meeting or you can just join on Teams.
It's the only way to see everyone's calendar so double booking doesn't happen. Teams is brilliant, it means I don't ever have to visit the office or be around the muppets who work there.
It's the only way to see everyone's calendar so double booking doesn't happen. Teams is brilliant, it means I don't ever have to visit the office or be around the muppets who work there.
This feels very much like you not managing your calendar and peoples expectations, if someone gets stty because you can't attend a meeting then so be it!
I work in a consultant/delivery/pre-sales/project management role (IT Technical Consultant) if I am busy it's a case of decline the meeting invite and offer an alternative. If people get crappy about it I just ignore the reply, they'll soon be sending a follow up asking more politely when you are available. Sign out of Teams when you are done for the day, use the do not disturb feature in both Teams and Windows, it could be an idea to stop sharing of your calendar so that people have to ask for your availability rather than them perusing and assuming they are more important than what is already in there.
Learn to manage work, if your workload is genuinely too high them speak to your boss about it would be my suggestion!
tty because you can't attend a meeting then so be it! I work in a consultant/delivery/pre-sales/project management role (IT Technical Consultant) if I am busy it's a case of decline the meeting invite and offer an alternative. If people get crappy about it I just ignore the reply, they'll soon be sending a follow up asking more politely when you are available. Sign out of Teams when you are done for the day, use the do not disturb feature in both Teams and Windows, it could be an idea to stop sharing of your calendar so that people have to ask for your availability rather than them perusing and assuming they are more important than what is already in there.
Learn to manage work, if your workload is genuinely too high them speak to your boss about it would be my suggestion!
Due to the increase of Teams meetings my work has implemented a blanket lunchtime ban on meetings which works ok for some but others have to deal with vendors and other time zones so not much use.
Some people have meetings for the sake of it, I decline these ones unless an agenda is provided.
Some people have meetings for the sake of it, I decline these ones unless an agenda is provided.
untakenname said:
Due to the increase of Teams meetings my work has implemented a blanket lunchtime ban on meetings which works ok for some but others have to deal with vendors and other time zones so not much use.
Some people have meetings for the sake of it, I decline these ones unless an agenda is provided.
Too right!Some people have meetings for the sake of it, I decline these ones unless an agenda is provided.
A meeting without an agenda is a chat.
I worked as an instructor for a large multinational company for a few years and regularly had several project teams all vying for my limited instructional time which regularly turned into multi-team meetings where my time was wasted whilst the various teams all played "my project is more important than yours" for months on end.
I doubt that this situation is only ever played out by my company, so the amount of wasted time across the country caused by "ineffectual" meetings and delays getting a task priority list organised must be epic!
I doubt that this situation is only ever played out by my company, so the amount of wasted time across the country caused by "ineffectual" meetings and delays getting a task priority list organised must be epic!
untakenname said:
Due to the increase of Teams meetings my work has implemented a blanket lunchtime ban on meetings which works ok for some but others have to deal with vendors and other time zones so not much use.
Some people have meetings for the sake of it, I decline these ones unless an agenda is provided.
I have a recurring 'meeting' booked from 12pm-1pm (the "standard" lunch hour for the firm) every work day just so I can eat some food. Teams and WFH seems to have led some people to think I don't actually need any lunch and I'd be perfectly happy with being booked into meetings from 10am-3pm without a break.Some people have meetings for the sake of it, I decline these ones unless an agenda is provided.
If you’re crucial to the meetings (or even if not), decline and suggest another time. If they really need you they’ll accommodate, and if not you’ve saved yourself some time.
As for teams - you know you can ignore messages on it until it suits you, right? Particularly if you set your status to busy...
As for teams - you know you can ignore messages on it until it suits you, right?
Particularly if you set your status to busy...For me, Management understand the need for protected time (a % per week). At this time my out of office goes on and I am set to do not disturb.
Outside of this I have full control of my calendar , email notifications are turned off and I check my emails at a couple of intervals per day (with schedules diary time).
The key for me is not becoming a slave to a tool (ie quickly responding to emails). They can wait. If it’s urgent I will get to know about it via other channels. You too can implement this providing your immediate line manager is also on board.
Outside of this I have full control of my calendar , email notifications are turned off and I check my emails at a couple of intervals per day (with schedules diary time).
The key for me is not becoming a slave to a tool (ie quickly responding to emails). They can wait. If it’s urgent I will get to know about it via other channels. You too can implement this providing your immediate line manager is also on board.
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