Working at work - Teh Forum

<body> <div id="header"> <span class="left"> <span class="back"><a href="lthread_list.php?webtag=DEFAULT"><span class="image mobile_back" title="Back"></span></a></span> <span class="image mobile_logo" title="Beehive Forum Logo"></span> </span> <ul> <li> <a class="reply_all" href="lpost.php?webtag=DEFAULT&reply_to=42590.0&return_msg=42590.5"> <span class="image mobile_reply_all"></span><span class="text">Reply to All</span> </a> </li> <li> <a class="navigation" href="#"> <span class="image mobile_navigation"></span><span class="text">Show messages</span> </a> </li> <li> <a class="main" href="#"><span class="image mobile_menu" title="Menu"></span> </a> </li> </ul> </div> <div class="menu main"> <ul> <li><a href="lthread_list.php?webtag=DEFAULT">Messages</a></li> <li><a href="lpm.php?webtag=DEFAULT">Inbox</a></li> <li><a href="lsearch.php?webtag=DEFAULT">Search</a></li> <li><a href="llogon.php?webtag=DEFAULT">Login</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="menu navigation"><a href="lmessages.php?webtag=DEFAULT&msg=42590.1">1–10</a><a href="lmessages.php?webtag=DEFAULT&msg=42590.11">11–20</a>…<a href="lmessages.php?webtag=DEFAULT&msg=42590.31">31–32</a></div> <div id="page_content"> <h3 class="thread_title"><a href="index.php?webtag=DEFAULT&amp;msg=42590.5">Working at work</a> </h3> <div id="messages" data-navigation="42590_5_32_10"> <a name="a42590_5"></a><div class="message" id="message_42590_5"> <div class="message_header"> <div class="message_from"> From: william (WILLIAMA)<span class="message_time">29 Mar 2020 10:47</span> <div class="clearer"></div> </div><div class="message_to">To: ALL<span class="message_count">5 of 32</span><div class="clearer"></div> </div> </div> <div class="message_links"> <a href="lmessages.php?webtag=DEFAULT&msg=42590.5">42590.5</a> In reply to <a href="lmessages.php?webtag=DEFAULT&msg=42590.4">42590.4</a></div> <div class="message_body"> TBH it's not such a big deal for me either. Heading towards my 4th year of retirement and on a daily basis, my trips into the outside world have largely been 1) walking around the area 2) shopping. Although both of these are curtailed by the emergency powers, and the fact that there's no point in going to the local shops and queuing for eggs that they haven't got, that remains the same. I can still do both of these, although I have no wish to be attacked by a drone or the local plod, so I tend to restrict my walking to one outing a day and a bit less than I used to. <br /> <br /> Spend a lot of time online and watch less and less TV, except in the evenings when we binge on box sets. Currently just about to finish <em>Lost</em> again. Doing odd things around the house, but then I was doing that anyway. Yesterday bleached the ceilings in the bathroom and the little en-suite shower room where some mould was beginning to appear (that was a treat!), and the day before I gave the garden gate its 6-monthly refresh of stain and preservative (I know how to live). Today I will probably investigate searching and finding files on usenet. <br /> <br /> I have observed some of our neighbours who are under the impression that the back garden is a safe zone where no viruses may spread. This would explain how they can congregate for drinks and a natter on a Saturday afternoon as though all's well with the world. I could be generous and assume that they were all actually self-isolating households and hence safe to meet up. But I suspect that they are the people who bought all the bog roll and are now panicking over where to store the 17 tins of Borlotti beans they don't know what to do with.</div> <div class="message_footer"> <div class="message_footer_links"><a href="lpost.php?webtag=DEFAULT&reply_to=42590.5&return_msg=42590.5" class="reply"><span class="image post"></span>Reply</a></div> <div class="message_vote_form" data-msg="42590.5"> <span class="rating">0/0</span> <span class="image vote vote_down vote_down_off" title="Vote Down"></span> <span class="image vote vote_up vote_up_off" title="Vote Up"></span> </div> </div> </div><a name="a42590_6"></a><div class="message" id="message_42590_6"> <div class="message_header"> <div class="message_from"> From: Manthorp<span class="message_time">29 Mar 2020 12:39</span> <div class="clearer"></div> </div><div class="message_to">To: william (WILLIAMA) <span><span class="image post_read" title="Read: 29 Mar 2020 13:23"></span></span> <span class="message_count">6 of 32</span><div class="clearer"></div> </div> </div> <div class="message_links"> <a href="lmessages.php?webtag=DEFAULT&msg=42590.6">42590.6</a> In reply to <a href="lmessages.php?webtag=DEFAULT&msg=42590.1">42590.1</a></div> <div class="message_body"> God, that's dreadful. Love to you both.<br /> <br /> I sent myself packing a week before the Uni did, and took a week's holiday last week anyway.</div> <div class="message_footer"> <div class="message_footer_links"><a href="lpost.php?webtag=DEFAULT&reply_to=42590.6&return_msg=42590.5" class="reply"><span class="image post"></span>Reply</a></div> <div class="message_vote_form" data-msg="42590.6"> <span class="rating">0/0</span> <span class="image vote vote_down vote_down_off" title="Vote Down"></span> <span class="image vote vote_up vote_up_off" title="Vote Up"></span> </div> </div> </div><a name="a42590_7"></a><div class="message" id="message_42590_7"> <div class="message_header"> <div class="message_from"> From: william (WILLIAMA)<span class="message_time">29 Mar 2020 14:41</span> <div class="clearer"></div> </div><div class="message_to">To: Manthorp <span><span class="image post_read" title="Read: 30 Mar 2020 09:57"></span></span> <span class="message_count">7 of 32</span><div class="clearer"></div> </div> </div> <div class="message_links"> <a href="lmessages.php?webtag=DEFAULT&msg=42590.7">42590.7</a> In reply to <a href="lmessages.php?webtag=DEFAULT&msg=42590.5#a42590_6" target="_self">42590.6</a></div> <div class="message_body"> Some responses from employers has been as dreadful as you might imagine. The usual suspects such as Tim Martin and Mike Ashley have been beaten into behaving properly, or at least better, but probably don't really understand why they're being criticised. There are others, such as Hastings Direct, where my son works, who are keeping quiet and flying under the radar because they can get away with it. Plenty of other businesses are doing the same. Business as usual but a handful of sympathetic sounding emails with platitudes about 'this difficult time' etc. <br /> <br /> My wife is in a difficult position. She had/has a bad chest infection, but she works in a psychiatric unit and simply can't take endless time off, because it's a mixed unit which can't close. If she takes time off the pressure on other staff rises. She tells me that she intends to spend as much time as possible tucked out of sight in an office.<br /> <br /> But it's not all gloom and disaster. My daughter works for the excitingly named Dept for business energy & industrial strategy. When the first hints of the virus were around, their boss was telling them to prepare for home working and they were out of the office, lickety spit, way ahead of the lockdown. <div class="edit_text">EDITED: 29 Mar 2020 14:41 by WILLIAMA</div> </div> <div class="message_footer"> <div class="message_footer_links"><a href="lpost.php?webtag=DEFAULT&reply_to=42590.7&return_msg=42590.5" class="reply"><span class="image post"></span>Reply</a></div> <div class="message_vote_form" data-msg="42590.7"> <span class="rating">0/0</span> <span class="image vote vote_down vote_down_off" title="Vote Down"></span> <span class="image vote vote_up vote_up_off" title="Vote Up"></span> </div> </div> </div><a name="a42590_8"></a><div class="message" id="message_42590_8"> <div class="message_header"> <div class="message_from"> From: milko<span class="message_time">29 Mar 2020 21:31</span> <div class="clearer"></div> </div><div class="message_to">To: ALL<span class="message_count">8 of 32</span><div class="clearer"></div> </div> </div> <div class="message_links"> <a href="lmessages.php?webtag=DEFAULT&msg=42590.8">42590.8</a></div> <div class="message_body"> We were out of the office about a week or so ahead of the official word, so that was nice. I had approx two thirds of a day working with the house to myself, blissful concentration at the desk I recently built, it was lovely. Then the school sent my boy home with a fever, which we suffered for a few days before the doc diagnosed an ear infection by phone and prescribed antibiotics, that took about a day or so to see it off. So yeah, a week ahead of the school lockdown I was already doing the childcare plus work thing, fun times. Then they shut the school and at least Tina also got sent home so we can do split shifts. And now I reckon I’m on approx day 5 of having COVID-19, although I can’t really fathom how, maybe I incubated for a full 2 weeks? I’ve barely left the house or anything otherwise. Bah. </div> <div class="message_footer"> <div class="message_footer_links"><a href="lpost.php?webtag=DEFAULT&reply_to=42590.8&return_msg=42590.5" class="reply"><span class="image post"></span>Reply</a></div> <div class="message_vote_form" data-msg="42590.8"> <span class="rating">0/0</span> <span class="image vote vote_down vote_down_off" title="Vote Down"></span> <span class="image vote vote_up vote_up_off" title="Vote Up"></span> </div> </div> </div><a name="a42590_9"></a><div class="message" id="message_42590_9"> <div class="message_header"> <div class="message_from"> From: milko<span class="message_time">29 Mar 2020 21:33</span> <div class="clearer"></div> </div><div class="message_to">To: milko <span><span class="image post_read" title="Read: 29 Mar 2020 21:33"></span></span> <span class="message_count">9 of 32</span><div class="clearer"></div> </div> </div> <div class="message_links"> <a href="lmessages.php?webtag=DEFAULT&msg=42590.9">42590.9</a> In reply to <a href="lmessages.php?webtag=DEFAULT&msg=42590.5#a42590_8" target="_self">42590.8</a></div> <div class="message_body"> Oh yeah I probably will be furloughed this coming week too. Just hoping the business survives really, we rely on professional sport and things like flagship retail stores that are very much not key infrastructure so it kinda sucks for us right now. Not the most important thing by a million miles, but still a thing. </div> <div class="message_footer"> <div class="message_footer_links"><a href="lpost.php?webtag=DEFAULT&reply_to=42590.9&return_msg=42590.5" class="reply"><span class="image post"></span>Reply</a></div> <div class="message_vote_form" data-msg="42590.9"> <span class="rating">0/0</span> <span class="image vote vote_down vote_down_off" title="Vote Down"></span> <span class="image vote vote_up vote_up_off" title="Vote Up"></span> </div> </div> </div><a name="a42590_10"></a><div class="message" id="message_42590_10"> <div class="message_header"> <div class="message_from"> From: Kenny J (WINGNUTKJ)<span class="message_time">30 Mar 2020 08:25</span> <div class="clearer"></div> </div><div class="message_to">To: milko <span><span class="image post_read" title="Read: 30 Mar 2020 13:24"></span></span> <span class="message_count">10 of 32</span><div class="clearer"></div> </div> </div> <div class="message_links"> <a href="lmessages.php?webtag=DEFAULT&msg=42590.10">42590.10</a> In reply to <a href="lmessages.php?webtag=DEFAULT&msg=42590.5#a42590_9" target="_self">42590.9</a></div> <div class="message_body"> Sorry to hear of your woes Milko. Hope your symptoms clear up soon. As far as your work goes, any luck in getting your animated boards mounted on large autonomous airships which broadcast slogans like "STAY THE FUCK HOME", "REALLY STAY THE FUCK HOME" and "A NEW LIFE AWAITS YOU IN THE OFF-WORLD COLONIES"?</div> <div class="message_footer"> <div class="message_footer_links"><a href="lpost.php?webtag=DEFAULT&reply_to=42590.10&return_msg=42590.5" class="reply"><span class="image post"></span>Reply</a></div> <div class="message_vote_form" data-msg="42590.10"> <span class="rating">+1/1</span> <span class="image vote vote_down vote_down_off" title="Vote Down"></span> <span class="image vote vote_up vote_up_off" title="Vote Up"></span> </div> </div> </div><a name="a42590_11"></a><div class="message" id="message_42590_11"> <div class="message_header"> <div class="message_from"> From: Kenny J (WINGNUTKJ)<span class="message_time">30 Mar 2020 08:50</span> <div class="clearer"></div> </div><div class="message_to">To: william (WILLIAMA) <span><span class="image post_read" title="Read: 30 Mar 2020 10:00"></span></span> <span class="message_count">11 of 32</span><div class="clearer"></div> </div> </div> <div class="message_links"> <a href="lmessages.php?webtag=DEFAULT&msg=42590.11">42590.11</a> In reply to <a href="lmessages.php?webtag=DEFAULT&msg=42590.1">42590.1</a></div> <div class="message_body"> I've been working from home for two weeks now. Should have been on holiday, but it was cancelled just in time to prevent me going to a locked-down resort, and I got my money back, so can't complain too much.<br /> <br /> My company has been reasonably ahead of the game -the plan had been to split into two broadly similar teams and alternate working from home with working from the office. That all changed, and we're now all working from home, with the offices all closed. It's not too much of a hassle - we're pretty much all capable of working remotely. The marketing and sales teams have had their activities curtailed somewhat, however. We've been doing weekly Zoom-based social activities on a Friday afternoon, and the boss has let us claim for beers and takeaway, which is nice of him.</div> <div class="message_footer"> <div class="message_footer_links"><a href="lpost.php?webtag=DEFAULT&reply_to=42590.11&return_msg=42590.5" class="reply"><span class="image post"></span>Reply</a></div> <div class="message_vote_form" data-msg="42590.11"> <span class="rating">0/0</span> <span class="image vote vote_down vote_down_off" title="Vote Down"></span> <span class="image vote vote_up vote_up_off" title="Vote Up"></span> </div> </div> </div><a name="a42590_12"></a><div class="message" id="message_42590_12"> <div class="message_header"> <div class="message_from"> From: ANT_THOMAS<span class="message_time">31 Mar 2020 08:25</span> <div class="clearer"></div> </div><div class="message_to">To: william (WILLIAMA) <span><span class="image post_read" title="Read: 31 Mar 2020 09:06"></span></span> <span class="message_count">12 of 32</span><div class="clearer"></div> </div> </div> <div class="message_links"> <a href="lmessages.php?webtag=DEFAULT&msg=42590.12">42590.12</a> In reply to <a href="lmessages.php?webtag=DEFAULT&msg=42590.1">42590.1</a></div> <div class="message_body"> Been WFH for 2 weeks as of today.<br /> I bailed before our work was allowing it. I've got a blood condition that means I'm higher risk. I was on holiday for a week then got back two weeks yesterday, went in on the Monday and thought "fuck this, I need to WFH". Rang my doctor for a bit of advice, he said if I could WFH I should.<br /> <br /> We have a lot of people at head office who often WFH so there's infrastructure and systems in place, but it would be fair to say they're not 100%. Best option IMHO would be work computers (or laptops) at home then connect over a VPN.<br /> <br /> Instead we have a virtual remote desktop which just isn't the same and resources are limited - open a hefty spreadsheet and it grinds my session to a halt. It also has limited licences it seems considering the recent All Staff emails asking people to logout. I've been nagging the IT Manager a bit too much, but he has setup an RDP connection to my work desktop PC. This is definitely better, but because I think it is going <br /> My Site --- Head Office (or other data center) --- Home<br /> there's laggggggg.<br /> And because it's being presented over VMWare Horizon rather than a direct RDP there's some keyboard issues.<br /> <br /> There's definitely been resistance to people WFH from the senior management (who are all at home). We're a food manufacturer and it is pretty much business as usual. This means we're entering one of our busiest new launch periods and nothing has changed, very little delayed or put on hold. It feels a bit ridiculous and I'm definitely struggling a bit when the work feels somewhat futile.</div> <div class="message_footer"> <div class="message_footer_links"><a href="lpost.php?webtag=DEFAULT&reply_to=42590.12&return_msg=42590.5" class="reply"><span class="image post"></span>Reply</a></div> <div class="message_vote_form" data-msg="42590.12"> <span class="rating">0/0</span> <span class="image vote vote_down vote_down_off" title="Vote Down"></span> <span class="image vote vote_up vote_up_off" title="Vote Up"></span> </div> </div> </div><a name="a42590_13"></a><div class="message" id="message_42590_13"> <div class="message_header"> <div class="message_from"> From: william (WILLIAMA)<span class="message_time">31 Mar 2020 09:22</span> <div class="clearer"></div> </div><div class="message_to">To: ANT_THOMAS <span><span class="image post_read" title="Read: 31 Mar 2020 09:27"></span></span> <span class="message_count">13 of 32</span><div class="clearer"></div> </div> </div> <div class="message_links"> <a href="lmessages.php?webtag=DEFAULT&msg=42590.13">42590.13</a> In reply to <a href="lmessages.php?webtag=DEFAULT&msg=42590.5#a42590_12" target="_self">42590.12</a></div> <div class="message_body"> A virtual remote desktop is what I said goodbye to when I retired. As a DBA team we also had actual terminal access to our mainframe and SSH, remote desktop etc. to live servers, but most of the developers and testers had to make do with a virtual remote desktop. On the other hand, all our admin systems were accessible through VPNs. The other issue was that our client was HMRC and the live systems were all air-gapped so no homeworking on them. </div> <div class="message_footer"> <div class="message_footer_links"><a href="lpost.php?webtag=DEFAULT&reply_to=42590.13&return_msg=42590.5" class="reply"><span class="image post"></span>Reply</a></div> <div class="message_vote_form" data-msg="42590.13"> <span class="rating">0/0</span> <span class="image vote vote_down vote_down_off" title="Vote Down"></span> <span class="image vote vote_up vote_up_off" title="Vote Up"></span> </div> </div> </div><a name="a42590_14"></a><div class="message" id="message_42590_14"> <div class="message_header"> <div class="message_from"> From: william (WILLIAMA)<span class="message_time">31 Mar 2020 09:32</span> <div class="clearer"></div> </div><div class="message_to">To: william (WILLIAMA) <span><span class="image post_read" title="Read: 31 Mar 2020 09:32"></span></span> <span class="message_count">14 of 32</span><div class="clearer"></div> </div> </div> <div class="message_links"> <a href="lmessages.php?webtag=DEFAULT&msg=42590.14">42590.14</a> In reply to <a href="lmessages.php?webtag=DEFAULT&msg=42590.5#a42590_13" target="_self">42590.13</a></div> <div class="message_body"> <div class="quotetext"><strong>Quote:</strong> </div> <div class="quote">There's definitely been resistance to people WFH from the senior management.</div> That was always the way. There are classes of manager who strongly believe that they should have you where they want you to be, quite literally, because somehow that's how they get their money's worth. There are cost etc. arguments but the driving force is bums-on-seats. </div> <div class="message_footer"> <div class="message_footer_links"><a href="lpost.php?webtag=DEFAULT&reply_to=42590.14&return_msg=42590.5" class="reply"><span class="image post"></span>Reply</a></div> <div class="message_vote_form" data-msg="42590.14"> <span class="rating">0/0</span> <span class="image vote vote_down vote_down_off" title="Vote Down"></span> <span class="image vote vote_up vote_up_off" title="Vote Up"></span> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="message_page_footer"> <ul> <li class="right_col"><form accept-charset="utf-8" method="get" action="lmessages.php" target="_self"><input type="hidden" name="webtag" id="webtag" class="bhinputtext" value="DEFAULT" dir="ltr" /><input type="hidden" name="msg" id="msg" class="bhinputtext" value="42590.15" dir="ltr" /><input type="submit" name="submit" id="keep_reading" value="Keep reading…" class="button" /></form></li> </ul> </div> </div> </body>