The "I've not been furloughed" thread
Discussion
Another 10 hour day here.....
Lots of unpaid overtime seems to be a re-occurring theme with people I'm in contact with (interesting times,lucky to have a job etc)
Two senior staff I know laid off today too. Not necessarily 'laid off' due to lack of potential work - more let go because of the costs they carry. It really does seem that Covid is being used as a trimming excuse which is worrying for the people being axed and us mortals that will have to deal with the teaboy acting as a senior member of staff on the next contract
I've not met a person yet who doesn't wish they had a bit of furlough time off either
Lots of unpaid overtime seems to be a re-occurring theme with people I'm in contact with (interesting times,lucky to have a job etc)
Two senior staff I know laid off today too. Not necessarily 'laid off' due to lack of potential work - more let go because of the costs they carry. It really does seem that Covid is being used as a trimming excuse which is worrying for the people being axed and us mortals that will have to deal with the teaboy acting as a senior member of staff on the next contract
I've not met a person yet who doesn't wish they had a bit of furlough time off either
jules_s said:
Another 10 hour day here.....
Lots of unpaid overtime seems to be a re-occurring theme with people I'm in contact with (interesting times,lucky to have a job etc)
Two senior staff I know laid off today too. Not necessarily 'laid off' due to lack of potential work - more let go because of the costs they carry. It really does seem that Covid is being used as a trimming excuse which is worrying for the people being axed and us mortals that will have to deal with the teaboy acting as a senior member of staff on the next contract
I've not met a person yet who doesn't wish they had a bit of furlough time off either
I'm not sure we need to worry too much about "dealing with the teaboy". The current situation is going to be an irresistible opportunity for some firms to dispose of people who, through time in post or simply market conditions when they were hired, are expensive *and* replace them with people who are just as skilled and experienced but as a result of the economy imploding will work for 50% of the previous salary. Lots of unpaid overtime seems to be a re-occurring theme with people I'm in contact with (interesting times,lucky to have a job etc)
Two senior staff I know laid off today too. Not necessarily 'laid off' due to lack of potential work - more let go because of the costs they carry. It really does seem that Covid is being used as a trimming excuse which is worrying for the people being axed and us mortals that will have to deal with the teaboy acting as a senior member of staff on the next contract
I've not met a person yet who doesn't wish they had a bit of furlough time off either
Technically illegal but easy enough to restructure so it's not a like-for-like replacement and there is some part of the new job that the previous incumbent theoretically couldn't do.
It's a little like the situation going up, where salaries inflate because 100 jobs are chasing 80 candidates, people with the right skills can job hop (or threaten to) in order to crank up their salary.
Now you likely have 100 candidates chasing 8 jobs so salaries will naturally collapse - not only via replacing expensive staff but also by simply giving people the subtext choice of "25% off your salary or you lose your job". No-one is going to want to be binned onto the job market in the coming economic collapse so most will take the pay cut. There's minimal risk for the firm - normally if you treat people like that they move on at the first opportunity but it will be a long while before the economy improves enough for such tactics to bite firms in the backside. We could have years of clinging onto our jobs.
Worked right through, apart from taking a few days holidays for long weekends. Normally office based but was already set up and able to work from home, or anywhere else, prior to this.
Had a few trips in to the office, when meetings required it and since last week, started to go back a couple of days a week, flexible hours, working from home for the other 3 days.
It’s been ok. Wife is a local authority care home manager and has continued to work as normal, if anything, doing slightly increased hours, so with having two kids at home, I’ve been the one helping as required with the home schooling.
I have enjoyed the last couple of weeks of being back to the office, the interaction with colleagues on work issues is preferential to trying to figure out the kids school work!
Had a few trips in to the office, when meetings required it and since last week, started to go back a couple of days a week, flexible hours, working from home for the other 3 days.
It’s been ok. Wife is a local authority care home manager and has continued to work as normal, if anything, doing slightly increased hours, so with having two kids at home, I’ve been the one helping as required with the home schooling.
I have enjoyed the last couple of weeks of being back to the office, the interaction with colleagues on work issues is preferential to trying to figure out the kids school work!
6 day working week since end of March WFH. Bored, restless and hate being desk based in a job that normally requires field work. Waiting to deploy abroad but no idea when. Haven't got enough leave to take a few days and still cover later in the year. Grateful to have a job and not be furloughed but its taking its toll on me.
Ruskie said:
6 day working week since end of March WFH. Bored, restless and hate being desk based in a job that normally requires field work. Waiting to deploy abroad but no idea when. Haven't got enough leave to take a few days and still cover later in the year. Grateful to have a job and not be furloughed but its taking its toll on me.
Are you not accruing leave by working 6 days a week? Sounds like a tough gig.I am very very lucky. I have never really steered my career - I've just taken advantage of opportunities as they've cropped up, and now I work in IT for a Life & Pensions company which is going from strength to strength.
There's still no such thing as job security but while the company is doing well, and I can easily work from home, and I have a pipeline of work into the foreseeable future, I can relax (a little) in regard to that.
My wife already WFH and she also seems to have a safe-ish job.
WFH has actually improved my life - a lot of people in IT are comfortable with isolation and interactions with others via a screen. We have good comms and system access from anywhere, and I'm saving an hour and a half and £12 per day by staying home.
It also helps that my children are able to work remotely too, although I don't think they are getting enough work to keep them occupied. My eldest (boy 15yo) breezes through school and has a 4-screen gaming rig with which he has easily adapted to WFH. My 11yo daughter only manages OK. She misses school but she's getting on with it.
All four of us have room to work away from the others. I have heard from colleagues and others who are not so comfortable and it really hits home how lucky I am that the opportunities I've had, and my life choices have led me to where I am.
My company will not accept anyone back in the office until at least Oct 1st, and even then it'll only be for people that are finding WFH difficult. It has been suggested that the rest of us won't be going back in this year but I can't help wonder if it'll be much longer. Honestly, I welcome it. I could continue happily WFH permanently now.
There's still no such thing as job security but while the company is doing well, and I can easily work from home, and I have a pipeline of work into the foreseeable future, I can relax (a little) in regard to that.
My wife already WFH and she also seems to have a safe-ish job.
WFH has actually improved my life - a lot of people in IT are comfortable with isolation and interactions with others via a screen. We have good comms and system access from anywhere, and I'm saving an hour and a half and £12 per day by staying home.
It also helps that my children are able to work remotely too, although I don't think they are getting enough work to keep them occupied. My eldest (boy 15yo) breezes through school and has a 4-screen gaming rig with which he has easily adapted to WFH. My 11yo daughter only manages OK. She misses school but she's getting on with it.
All four of us have room to work away from the others. I have heard from colleagues and others who are not so comfortable and it really hits home how lucky I am that the opportunities I've had, and my life choices have led me to where I am.
My company will not accept anyone back in the office until at least Oct 1st, and even then it'll only be for people that are finding WFH difficult. It has been suggested that the rest of us won't be going back in this year but I can't help wonder if it'll be much longer. Honestly, I welcome it. I could continue happily WFH permanently now.
Flooble said:
Ruskie said:
6 day working week since end of March WFH. Bored, restless and hate being desk based in a job that normally requires field work. Waiting to deploy abroad but no idea when. Haven't got enough leave to take a few days and still cover later in the year. Grateful to have a job and not be furloughed but its taking its toll on me.
Are you not accruing leave by working 6 days a week? Sounds like a tough gig.Reading this makes me realise how lucky I am. I do get a little pissed off with people complaining that they are bored - I've been wfh for the whole period, it would be nice to be able to be bored!
There's only me and (furloughed) Mrs Iroc now so it does make life a lot easier, virtually a 'dry run' for retirement I guess. In my case I'm exceedingly lucky in as much as there's been no cabin fever etc, sadly I'm aware from colleagues that not everyone is that fortunate.
There's only me and (furloughed) Mrs Iroc now so it does make life a lot easier, virtually a 'dry run' for retirement I guess. In my case I'm exceedingly lucky in as much as there's been no cabin fever etc, sadly I'm aware from colleagues that not everyone is that fortunate.
My employer moved us all to homeworking about a week before the lockdown. We’re very lucky the business has been so resilient and I don’t think they have had to fulough anyone though partner dividends bonus payments and pay rises have stopped- even if you’re getting promoted there’s no pay rise which has affected one of my more junior team members. He’s on a FTC though so a contract renewal with the pay rise coming in the autumn Is the best I could organise.
Our clients are demanding extra freebies and better performance so as someone who designs infrastructure changes I am crazy busy, and sharing the house with my 2 autistic kids, one of whom just screeches and shouts every waking moment, so the honeymoon period of WFH was over pretty quick unfortunately. Very lucky to be working though
Our clients are demanding extra freebies and better performance so as someone who designs infrastructure changes I am crazy busy, and sharing the house with my 2 autistic kids, one of whom just screeches and shouts every waking moment, so the honeymoon period of WFH was over pretty quick unfortunately. Very lucky to be working though
Tuther half works for a company that supports medevac and other essential operations on site so couldn't get furlough or work from home. The first few weeks were difficult as he could only buy food from the garage whilst his company tried to get his essential worker paper work sorted. One night we had maltesers for dinner 
He's covering two roles and like others above have said, lots of overtime which is almost compulsory. Fortunately he is well regarded by the directors and they have and will continue to look after him.
He's covering two roles and like others above have said, lots of overtime which is almost compulsory. Fortunately he is well regarded by the directors and they have and will continue to look after him.
I’m a life safety systems technician and have been working fully though lockdown
I’ve loved it, it’s much better than normal life, the roads are so quiet, it’s reduced my usual commute home from bristol to Cardiff from 1:45 to around 45 mins,
I’ve saved so much money from not having daily lunches and coffees and lost 2 stone to boot
Workplaces I go to are quiter, so I can just get on with what I’m doing, my company had suspended site meetings etc so I’m even more free there.
The wholesalers now takes orders over the phone which saves me loads of time hanging around in there,
In the past weeks I’ve noticed the roads and much busier than they where but I don’t think they will return to pre lockdown levels for a long tome with people not needing to go to a office to work.
Work wise it’s not dropped off at all, if anything it’s busier, people taking the time now (especially national customers ) to do work they’ve been putting off for ages, the CCTV side has seen a big uplift for thermal cameras and people are now demanding access control buttons to be changed to touch free.
My company has also fully embraced working from home and now introduced new summer hours schemes where to save money, it lets you take days off in the week (unpaid obviously ) or work full time now, work 3 days in august etc, they are keeping this going forward which will be good for those with children.
I’ve loved it, it’s much better than normal life, the roads are so quiet, it’s reduced my usual commute home from bristol to Cardiff from 1:45 to around 45 mins,
I’ve saved so much money from not having daily lunches and coffees and lost 2 stone to boot
Workplaces I go to are quiter, so I can just get on with what I’m doing, my company had suspended site meetings etc so I’m even more free there.
The wholesalers now takes orders over the phone which saves me loads of time hanging around in there,
In the past weeks I’ve noticed the roads and much busier than they where but I don’t think they will return to pre lockdown levels for a long tome with people not needing to go to a office to work.
Work wise it’s not dropped off at all, if anything it’s busier, people taking the time now (especially national customers ) to do work they’ve been putting off for ages, the CCTV side has seen a big uplift for thermal cameras and people are now demanding access control buttons to be changed to touch free.
My company has also fully embraced working from home and now introduced new summer hours schemes where to save money, it lets you take days off in the week (unpaid obviously ) or work full time now, work 3 days in august etc, they are keeping this going forward which will be good for those with children.
Concur with the feelings around teams. My company has always been meeting heavy but teams and current situation seems to have sent it into overdrive, i literally cant get any work done other than the odd 5 mins here or there unless i work late into the evening; which is what im having to do....
We are absolutely mentally busy right now (parcel delivery) which on one hand is great for job security in these uncertain times but the pace of change at the moment is monumental with endless projects (in work in project/change management!). It is frustrating seeing those furloughed essentially enjoying a huge amount of time off, yes most places haven't been open to actually do anything with the time but still... then on the other hand it must be fairly worrying from a job security perspective!
I havent had a day off since xmas and i’m really struggling to cope with the volume of work at the mo.
The company has adapted to WFH very easily though tbf, we were always allowed to anyway and everyone is set up for this as a matter of course which helps.
Least i dont have to commute anymore so just under an hour either way saved, even though I just essentially work those hours now.
Major thing im thankful for is not having kids to also look after during this time!
We are absolutely mentally busy right now (parcel delivery) which on one hand is great for job security in these uncertain times but the pace of change at the moment is monumental with endless projects (in work in project/change management!). It is frustrating seeing those furloughed essentially enjoying a huge amount of time off, yes most places haven't been open to actually do anything with the time but still... then on the other hand it must be fairly worrying from a job security perspective!
I havent had a day off since xmas and i’m really struggling to cope with the volume of work at the mo.
The company has adapted to WFH very easily though tbf, we were always allowed to anyway and everyone is set up for this as a matter of course which helps.
Least i dont have to commute anymore so just under an hour either way saved, even though I just essentially work those hours now.
Major thing im thankful for is not having kids to also look after during this time!
Edited by lewisf182 on Tuesday 23 June 22:44
My wife and I have both been working throughout. If anything, our workloads have increased. Not a problem in itself, we simply stopped going to our respective offices and worked from home.
The difficulty has been juggling working with teaching the two children. The elder one is pretty self sufficient once a task has been set. The younger one needs constant supervision. We’ve got into a pattern of working 2-3 hours, then teaching for a similar length of time, then swapping.
We’re in a routine now but it took a while to establish, and we regularly end up working until midnight to catch up. Frankly, it’s exhausting.
The difficulty has been juggling working with teaching the two children. The elder one is pretty self sufficient once a task has been set. The younger one needs constant supervision. We’ve got into a pattern of working 2-3 hours, then teaching for a similar length of time, then swapping.
We’re in a routine now but it took a while to establish, and we regularly end up working until midnight to catch up. Frankly, it’s exhausting.
lewisf182 said:
Concur with the feelings around teams. My company has always been meeting heavy but teams and current situation seems to have sent it into overdrive, i literally cant get any work done other than the odd 5 mins here or there unless i work late into the evening; which is what im having to do....
We are absolutely mentally busy right now (parcel delivery) which on one hand is great for job security in these uncertain times but the pace of change at the moment is monumental with endless projects (in work in project/change management!). It is frustrating seeing those furloughed essentially enjoying a huge amount of time off, yes most places haven't been open to actually do anything with the time but still... then on the other hand it must be fairly worrying from a job security perspective!
I havent had a day off since xmas and i’m really struggling to cope with the volume of work at the mo.
The company has adapted to WFH very easily though tbf, we were always allowed to anyway and everyone is set up for this as a matter of course which helps.
Least i dont have to commute anymore so just under an hour either way saved, even though I just essentially work those hours now.
Major thing im thankful for is not having kids to also look after during this time!
Seriously?We are absolutely mentally busy right now (parcel delivery) which on one hand is great for job security in these uncertain times but the pace of change at the moment is monumental with endless projects (in work in project/change management!). It is frustrating seeing those furloughed essentially enjoying a huge amount of time off, yes most places haven't been open to actually do anything with the time but still... then on the other hand it must be fairly worrying from a job security perspective!
I havent had a day off since xmas and i’m really struggling to cope with the volume of work at the mo.
The company has adapted to WFH very easily though tbf, we were always allowed to anyway and everyone is set up for this as a matter of course which helps.
Least i dont have to commute anymore so just under an hour either way saved, even though I just essentially work those hours now.
Major thing im thankful for is not having kids to also look after during this time!
Edited by lewisf182 on Tuesday 23 June 22:44
I don’t think a company could pay me enough money to work under conditions like that.
I’m sorry but they are taking the piss and you’re just letting them.
Drawweight said:
lewisf182 said:
Concur with the feelings around teams. My company has always been meeting heavy but teams and current situation seems to have sent it into overdrive, i literally cant get any work done other than the odd 5 mins here or there unless i work late into the evening; which is what im having to do....
We are absolutely mentally busy right now (parcel delivery) which on one hand is great for job security in these uncertain times but the pace of change at the moment is monumental with endless projects (in work in project/change management!). It is frustrating seeing those furloughed essentially enjoying a huge amount of time off, yes most places haven't been open to actually do anything with the time but still... then on the other hand it must be fairly worrying from a job security perspective!
I havent had a day off since xmas and i’m really struggling to cope with the volume of work at the mo.
The company has adapted to WFH very easily though tbf, we were always allowed to anyway and everyone is set up for this as a matter of course which helps.
Least i dont have to commute anymore so just under an hour either way saved, even though I just essentially work those hours now.
Major thing im thankful for is not having kids to also look after during this time!
Seriously?We are absolutely mentally busy right now (parcel delivery) which on one hand is great for job security in these uncertain times but the pace of change at the moment is monumental with endless projects (in work in project/change management!). It is frustrating seeing those furloughed essentially enjoying a huge amount of time off, yes most places haven't been open to actually do anything with the time but still... then on the other hand it must be fairly worrying from a job security perspective!
I havent had a day off since xmas and i’m really struggling to cope with the volume of work at the mo.
The company has adapted to WFH very easily though tbf, we were always allowed to anyway and everyone is set up for this as a matter of course which helps.
Least i dont have to commute anymore so just under an hour either way saved, even though I just essentially work those hours now.
Major thing im thankful for is not having kids to also look after during this time!
Edited by lewisf182 on Tuesday 23 June 22:44
I don’t think a company could pay me enough money to work under conditions like that.
I’m sorry but they are taking the piss and you’re just letting them.
valiant said:
Coronavirus might as well not have happened as far as I’m concerned. Nothing really changed for me - same shifts, days off, a bit of annual leave here and there - just cracking on with it.
Only noticeable change is the commute. Roads were deserted at the beginning of all this but are now getting busier and trains are bliss and are actually a pleasure to use so long as you avoid the early ‘builders specials’.
Same.Only noticeable change is the commute. Roads were deserted at the beginning of all this but are now getting busier and trains are bliss and are actually a pleasure to use so long as you avoid the early ‘builders specials’.
anonymous said:
[redacted]
I left the world's most secure job (RAF) in April and started with a big company in March - double bubble wages and tax for about six weeks. I had more than a few sleepless nights wondering how long it would be until this company started looking at the situation. I'm lucky that it hasn't happened yet.With regard to the mental health aspect, I have never really been susceptible to stress or anxiety kicking in, even in some of the testing times during my 22 years service.
Two weeks in a job I didn't really understand followed by lockdown and carrying on at home with no idea was tough; when I was tasked with a complex job I had a few weeks of sitting under a dark cloud. It was stressful, I couldn't sleep well and didn't want to get up to 'go to work'. It was only being introduced to an extremely helpful superior that eased the stress but it is something I don't want to go through again.
I appreciate that being stretched and tested is a good thing and I've thrived on it for decades but this was something different. One plus point; I managed to dig the garden every evening using the anger energy I had accumulated through the day!
I've rambled a bit, I know.
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