The "I've not been furloughed" thread
Discussion
Yep same here - shattered and just keep reminding myself lucky to have a job.
Lots of IT issues initially meaning days stretched to 12-14 hours (basically do what you could do offline, then when the IT came to life do as much as you could online before it died again). Still working around lots of issues so things take much longer than before and in addition a lot of the job was onsite; doing things remotely takes significantly longer even when you allow for the travel time. And some things just can't be done
Plus customers' expectations haven't changed (e.g. project managers still expecting their already somewhat fanciful milestones to be hit, despite it taking longer to get things done) meaning the days haven't really got much shorter and there's constant pressure.
Plus there's a subset of people who seem to be filling their day by booking lots of lots of video conferencing - although I have to say that's got better recently.
My biggest concern is that if it's all for nothing and I still get made redundant come September/October along with the guys who've been on furlough since March ... they'll be fresh as a daisy and I'll be utterly shattered.
But I keep telling myself I'm in a better place having worked right through.
Lots of IT issues initially meaning days stretched to 12-14 hours (basically do what you could do offline, then when the IT came to life do as much as you could online before it died again). Still working around lots of issues so things take much longer than before and in addition a lot of the job was onsite; doing things remotely takes significantly longer even when you allow for the travel time. And some things just can't be done
Plus customers' expectations haven't changed (e.g. project managers still expecting their already somewhat fanciful milestones to be hit, despite it taking longer to get things done) meaning the days haven't really got much shorter and there's constant pressure.
Plus there's a subset of people who seem to be filling their day by booking lots of lots of video conferencing - although I have to say that's got better recently.
My biggest concern is that if it's all for nothing and I still get made redundant come September/October along with the guys who've been on furlough since March ... they'll be fresh as a daisy and I'll be utterly shattered.
But I keep telling myself I'm in a better place having worked right through.
Worked all the way through and it's been an average of something like 60 hours a week due to it being financial year end and auditors going through our books. We were quite fortunate in that pretty much everything (from AP, AR, Banking and Management Accounts) is electronic and all documentation is e-signed.
AGM on Monday when hopefully the Accounts should be signed off. Looking forward to July to wind down and catch up on some house jobs.
AGM on Monday when hopefully the Accounts should be signed off. Looking forward to July to wind down and catch up on some house jobs.
Yep, worked solidly all the way through, from home for a month in March and been back in the office for what seems like forever now, not had a day of leave (apart from weekends) since Xmas, worn out, and slightly envious of those who have been on furlough and returned successfully to work.
Not complaining about my situation, but it would be nice to have a week off somewhere now to recharge and reset my mental state.
Sympathy to those with no job to go back to though obviously.
Not complaining about my situation, but it would be nice to have a week off somewhere now to recharge and reset my mental state.
Sympathy to those with no job to go back to though obviously.
Hi
A real range of experiences on this thread, I have not had a day off, have cancelled all the scheduled PTO that I had and no one has batted an eyelid.
As a company we have not furloughed anyone globally but did release the majority of our contractor base, mainly in the US, my bosses have been great in regards supporting everyone during the crisis, we closed all our offices about 2 weeks before the official lockdown globally, in the end of March payday everyone had an extra $200 (or local equivalent) added to their salaries to buy any kit they needed to make working from home a little easier and also gave people the ability to request a screen if they needed one to make life easier, they also added Covid Days to Workday so if you did need a day out to re-calibrate, deal with family drama, child care etc, you could do that without burning PTO, and no limit set on the amount, they just trust us.
I'm usually in an office 2-3 days a week and admit I'm struggling with how small my world has become, we also moved my father in 10 weeks ago and my wife is in the vulnerable category so we have had to be uber cautious.
Looking forward to normal returning but hope that the recent protests / riots / gatherings (yes I'm looking at you idiots that filled the beaches) won't result in a 2nd wave.
This year is my 50th so had and have a number of plans which have been slowly going down the drain, so I have cheered myself up with a new car !!!
A real range of experiences on this thread, I have not had a day off, have cancelled all the scheduled PTO that I had and no one has batted an eyelid.
As a company we have not furloughed anyone globally but did release the majority of our contractor base, mainly in the US, my bosses have been great in regards supporting everyone during the crisis, we closed all our offices about 2 weeks before the official lockdown globally, in the end of March payday everyone had an extra $200 (or local equivalent) added to their salaries to buy any kit they needed to make working from home a little easier and also gave people the ability to request a screen if they needed one to make life easier, they also added Covid Days to Workday so if you did need a day out to re-calibrate, deal with family drama, child care etc, you could do that without burning PTO, and no limit set on the amount, they just trust us.
I'm usually in an office 2-3 days a week and admit I'm struggling with how small my world has become, we also moved my father in 10 weeks ago and my wife is in the vulnerable category so we have had to be uber cautious.
Looking forward to normal returning but hope that the recent protests / riots / gatherings (yes I'm looking at you idiots that filled the beaches) won't result in a 2nd wave.
This year is my 50th so had and have a number of plans which have been slowly going down the drain, so I have cheered myself up with a new car !!!
Company wide we have carried on as normal although virtually all sales and accounts staff working from home
The wife is self-employed but slips through the cracks for financial support so has gone out and got herself a job as a domestic at the local hospital (paediatric intensive care - tough gig)
She's knackered working 7am-1.30pm every day and then trying to keep the remnants of her business going (Slimming World consultant so running groups via Zoom as well as doing all the texts/phone calls etc for support)
I'm knackered and not sleeping particularly well. We have been asked to ensure everybody has taken half their AL allowance by the end of July so we don't end up with everybody trying to cram it all in at the end of the year
16 year old had his GCSEs cancelled and is pretty rudderless
18 year old had her final project at college cancelled and was furloughed from job at Ikea - although she has gone back now
The dog doesn't give a s
t though 
The wife is self-employed but slips through the cracks for financial support so has gone out and got herself a job as a domestic at the local hospital (paediatric intensive care - tough gig)
She's knackered working 7am-1.30pm every day and then trying to keep the remnants of her business going (Slimming World consultant so running groups via Zoom as well as doing all the texts/phone calls etc for support)
I'm knackered and not sleeping particularly well. We have been asked to ensure everybody has taken half their AL allowance by the end of July so we don't end up with everybody trying to cram it all in at the end of the year
16 year old had his GCSEs cancelled and is pretty rudderless
18 year old had her final project at college cancelled and was furloughed from job at Ikea - although she has gone back now
The dog doesn't give a s
t though Not been furloughed and been working non stop.
We got told on the 18th March all working from home. I'm very lucky in I'm working on a major project that public funded so need to keep the installation going and its been slower but still working.
Been working a mixture of home and at site since then. Its been ok, but sick of seeing the same people in the office when I'm in as there are only ever 10-15 people in. Worst thing is that using teams instead of a five minute chat to fix a problem everyone books 30min meetings. Thats been a challenge some days, but it is what it is. But sitting on calls for 8 hours can be difficult.
We can have up to 38 people in our office out of the 80. But we only have in those that are required on a daily basis for the install.
Going to be like this for the foreseeable. we are now having problems progressing the project due to getting all our vendors on site to start the commissioning phase. But we will get there. The timeline is just extended so will get this place up and running.
My wife is a secondary school teacher. Since her school closed shes been in twice. This week she was back for her year 12 form. Class sizes reduced etc. She had four kids in for 3 hours. She goes in for those three hours only and has to come home. So that a bit random as well.
We got told on the 18th March all working from home. I'm very lucky in I'm working on a major project that public funded so need to keep the installation going and its been slower but still working.
Been working a mixture of home and at site since then. Its been ok, but sick of seeing the same people in the office when I'm in as there are only ever 10-15 people in. Worst thing is that using teams instead of a five minute chat to fix a problem everyone books 30min meetings. Thats been a challenge some days, but it is what it is. But sitting on calls for 8 hours can be difficult.
We can have up to 38 people in our office out of the 80. But we only have in those that are required on a daily basis for the install.
Going to be like this for the foreseeable. we are now having problems progressing the project due to getting all our vendors on site to start the commissioning phase. But we will get there. The timeline is just extended so will get this place up and running.
My wife is a secondary school teacher. Since her school closed shes been in twice. This week she was back for her year 12 form. Class sizes reduced etc. She had four kids in for 3 hours. She goes in for those three hours only and has to come home. So that a bit random as well.
Quite enjoying it tbh, no two hours of commuting every day, get to have lunch in the sun with the missus every day, time to do couch to 5k in the evening, I've only been further than the end of the road twice in three months. Wife and youngest son have cabin fever and are going out occasionally, I'm happy in my bubble.
Haven't had a day off since Christmas and do fancy the idea of a holiday but not the travel aspect. I am missing the occasional game of poker but it's going to be a loooong time before I fancy sitting in those particular petri dishes again. Looks like it might be a moot point anyway as the UK casino chains are going to knock poker on the head anyway because of corona.
Haven't had a day off since Christmas and do fancy the idea of a holiday but not the travel aspect. I am missing the occasional game of poker but it's going to be a loooong time before I fancy sitting in those particular petri dishes again. Looks like it might be a moot point anyway as the UK casino chains are going to knock poker on the head anyway because of corona.
Been working right through and feel like it is busier than ever to be honest. Made the days go quicker I guess than people who are on furlough and were locked down. But they aren't really locked down now so are able to do a lot more things they enjoy golf, tennis etc while getting 80% pay.
Find it hard that you have to look at people you know on Facebook enjoying the sun, drinking in the garden and getting all their home improvements done while I have to wait until the weekend to squeeze things in and it rains.
I'm thankful for still having a job of course but I disagree with people saying they can't go back to work it isn't safe but the same people are all packed into parks and beaches.
Find it hard that you have to look at people you know on Facebook enjoying the sun, drinking in the garden and getting all their home improvements done while I have to wait until the weekend to squeeze things in and it rains.
I'm thankful for still having a job of course but I disagree with people saying they can't go back to work it isn't safe but the same people are all packed into parks and beaches.
Me too, Working from home IT Support.
A lot of our clients have furloughed staff and some of our onsite resourced staff are back on the service desk so it is a bit quiet at the moment. Plenty of work but too many engineers to do it.
Working from home is tough mentally. I would love to do it once or twice a week but i am struggeling to focus and motivate. If my wife isn't here and in her studio it is pretty lonely.
A lot of our clients have furloughed staff and some of our onsite resourced staff are back on the service desk so it is a bit quiet at the moment. Plenty of work but too many engineers to do it.
Working from home is tough mentally. I would love to do it once or twice a week but i am struggeling to focus and motivate. If my wife isn't here and in her studio it is pretty lonely.
jules_s said:
anonymous said:
[redacted]
Yep, same hereStressed, not sleeping, very snappy - not good at all
I'm quite enjoying it, although the Mrs' contract has ended and she can't find anything else yet
Still working from home and have been either running or cycling pretty much every day during lockdown - also working on some new songs with the band ready for when gigs can start up again.
I'd be happy if I never saw the office again, TBH
Still working from home and have been either running or cycling pretty much every day during lockdown - also working on some new songs with the band ready for when gigs can start up again.
I'd be happy if I never saw the office again, TBH
Yup, other than Covid taking up the first 10 minutes of every meeting I have barely noticed a change. I work from home when not on a customer site and to be honest almost all of my work can be done remotely so those I would normally visit have switched to remote working and we have carried on as normal.
Took a week off a couple of weeks back to just get away from being infront of a computer screen for 10 hours a day 5 days a week and it was nice just relax and kick about at home.
Took a week off a couple of weeks back to just get away from being infront of a computer screen for 10 hours a day 5 days a week and it was nice just relax and kick about at home.
Been in pretty much every day, albeit finishing an hour early every day and having the occasional Friday off.
Sounds great? Yes and no.
Wife has been working from home, kids at home.
I come home, it's like i'm invading their space. They have their quirks and little foibles that i'm not part of. Which sucks.
I've been lucky in many ways to have my "normality" maintained, but i've missed out on a lot.
TL; dr - life's not always greener.
Sounds great? Yes and no.
Wife has been working from home, kids at home.
I come home, it's like i'm invading their space. They have their quirks and little foibles that i'm not part of. Which sucks.
I've been lucky in many ways to have my "normality" maintained, but i've missed out on a lot.
TL; dr - life's not always greener.
I was stood down from the council car parks on 25 March, spend 4 weeks at home then they remembered me (must have had the invoice for my wages!), got asked by council what else I could do, they touted me around the council and Env Health snapped me up, so since 28th April I've been back, Due to the relocation of all my equipment to the Town Hall, it meant I could only do Mon to Fri and between 9 and 5. But there has been nothing to do either car park wise or EH wise from about 3pm each day.
I have worked every week since going back, having each weekend off, (I usually do a 6 day week then a 4 day week rota) and i am ready for a break. I've booked a week off at the end of July, figuring we will be back in our regular office, and back doing normal hours, normal duties so it's easier to hand over to someone else to cover. It also means that the colleague that covers my rest days can come back to work.
Mu husband has been doing 2 day weeks since it started, which he is happy with, he's not happy today as he's been told they are going back to full time/full deployment next week.
Once I get moved back to my regular office, they can bring the Saturdays back. but finishing time will have to be 4pm until the market is open longer, so basically they are loosing 9 hours deployment a week, as opposed to the 20ish hours they are losing at the moment.
I think the hardest thing has been coping with the limbo, its kind of neither one thing or another at the moment, I just want proper routine back.
I have worked every week since going back, having each weekend off, (I usually do a 6 day week then a 4 day week rota) and i am ready for a break. I've booked a week off at the end of July, figuring we will be back in our regular office, and back doing normal hours, normal duties so it's easier to hand over to someone else to cover. It also means that the colleague that covers my rest days can come back to work.
Mu husband has been doing 2 day weeks since it started, which he is happy with, he's not happy today as he's been told they are going back to full time/full deployment next week.
Once I get moved back to my regular office, they can bring the Saturdays back. but finishing time will have to be 4pm until the market is open longer, so basically they are loosing 9 hours deployment a week, as opposed to the 20ish hours they are losing at the moment.
I think the hardest thing has been coping with the limbo, its kind of neither one thing or another at the moment, I just want proper routine back.
Retail manager for 1 of the big 4 gone from mass panic buying fights in the aisle constant abuse from customers who didn't want to follow the rules on distancing 1way or who could or couldn't come in the shop. At the start of it was doing 12 hour days then rotas and stuff at home as well as reading all the twice daily updates from head office. Now we are used to it every worker just gets on with it. It has brought out the best and currently the worst in people now. The general public really are s
svulture1 said:
Retail manager for 1 of the big 4 gone from mass panic buying fights in the aisle constant abuse from customers who didn't want to follow the rules on distancing 1way or who could or couldn't come in the shop. At the start of it was doing 12 hour days then rotas and stuff at home as well as reading all the twice daily updates from head office. Now we are used to it every worker just gets on with it. It has brought out the best and currently the worst in people now. The general public really are s
Yeah, we have do deal with some real fskwits on a daily basis.From those who deliberately flout the rules, to those that want an argument about your rules, preaching that they aren’t legal only guidance, so they aren’t going to bother, and what you going to do about it.
At first, I tried to engage with civilised conversation, but it quickly goes downhill when they haven’t got more than half a dozen words to string together.
Now I just walk away. It’s a shame because the majority, probably only a small majority now, still want to do the right thing.
Academic. Working from home flat-out throughout. Workload has gone up massively due to the impact of all this on teaching and also the research side of things. The hours always were ridiculous but now they're crazy.
A (still currently voluntary) redundancy programme was announced this morning. Expect that across all Universities. Student numbers are rising and staff are being cut.
Fun times ahead for those of us who are left...
A (still currently voluntary) redundancy programme was announced this morning. Expect that across all Universities. Student numbers are rising and staff are being cut.
Fun times ahead for those of us who are left...
No change for me with the exception of a lack of travel. I work in the Clinical Research (Trials) industry, so no surprise to anyone i'm sure.
Big change for me is that wife who works for the NHS and also 8 months pregnant has been pushed to work from home for the last 3 months due to the pregnancy being a big risk factor in the third trimester.
I'm used to travelling approx. 50% of my time and with that cut to zero at the minute, its hit me harder than I thought. I've been used to working from home for >5 years, but the travel offsets it. I couldnt work from home 100% of the time with no travel it seems, i'd crawl the walls.
My advice to anyone working from home is do not work from the sofa, bed, dining table etc. if possible - set up a space dedicated that you can close the door on so that when you leave work, leave. Remove notifications from your phone for email etc will also allow separation. - This is coming from someone who last year really struggled with boundaries, working often 14-16 hour days and eating every meal at my desk. I was a horrible person and i've made damn sure I dont repeat the mistakes.
Big change for me is that wife who works for the NHS and also 8 months pregnant has been pushed to work from home for the last 3 months due to the pregnancy being a big risk factor in the third trimester.
I'm used to travelling approx. 50% of my time and with that cut to zero at the minute, its hit me harder than I thought. I've been used to working from home for >5 years, but the travel offsets it. I couldnt work from home 100% of the time with no travel it seems, i'd crawl the walls.
My advice to anyone working from home is do not work from the sofa, bed, dining table etc. if possible - set up a space dedicated that you can close the door on so that when you leave work, leave. Remove notifications from your phone for email etc will also allow separation. - This is coming from someone who last year really struggled with boundaries, working often 14-16 hour days and eating every meal at my desk. I was a horrible person and i've made damn sure I dont repeat the mistakes.
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