So, I did it - a whole week at the business park! Thanks to my husband, Porkchop and the Expert Friend, Friday afternoon didn't drag as much because they sent me encouraging texts...to keep going! I don't remember ever watching the clock so closely; two hours seem an eternity in that place.
I finally worked out why I hate this job; there is minimal job satisfaction. In essence, I am chasing information, which forms part of a bigger picture. There are several stages in this process of information gathering (which leads to a report) and I am in the middle stage - part one would be keying in all the basic information - and part three would be writing the report. Now, it just so happens that my area of work - which has an international feel - is fairly repetitive but extremely time consuming; getting the bits of information requires phoning/faxing/emailing the same people, over and over again until you obtain the critical piece, which may take days, weeks or months. And this particular client will not accept "could not find information" as an answer!
(Reader, is this as boring to read as it is to write?! If so, apologies.)
I tried to find out if the report writing - which seems more interesting - is either better paid or more senior but the temps have only advised me that it's not as interesting as it appears and that being on the phone is better. At least you get to talk to people, they said! If the rate of pay is higher (no one will discuss the cash!), I'd like to upgrade!!
Anyway, the other temps have told me that we are entitled to a 15 minute break in the morning and a 15 minute break in the afternoon. So, IF there were tea and coffee provided in the kitchen, that"s where we would go. As it is, on Friday, the company had run out of coffee. (The tea supply was long gone!) Incredible! I have never worked in a place like this. I got the lowdown on the beverage situation; our company was recently bought out (by a FTSE 100 company, according to my husband!) and whereas it used to be a petty cash item, the new owners are clamping down. Second, the person in charge of the temps ie 75% of the workforce, does not drink tea or coffee so doesn't understand their importance!
Aha!
This week I haven't been taking these 15 minute breaks but I think I will next week; yesterday, I went for a walk in the glorious sunshine with a lovely Algerian girl. We have clicked since day one and we sit near each other. She is super bright, super chatty and rather frustrated that she cannot use her translation skills in a way that she was promised! We discussed the monotony of the work and the very strange work culture; she agreed it isn't a friendly place at all. And there are definite divisions; the permanent British staff really don't mix with the permanent foreign staff (which I find shocking)! The temps don't mix with the permanent staff either and then each division keeps itself to itself. Everyone is very territorial, which is insane in an open-plan office! I just keep smiling at everyone and try to be happy at work, even though, sometimes I want to scream.
My favourite moment was being told on Thursday that the parent company's MD was visiting on Friday so we couldn't, therefore, have dress-down Friday. The management team spent the whole afternoon clearing and cleaning the office (which doesn't have much stuff in it anyway) - well, correction, telling us to tidy the office environment. We were told we couldn't have anything on the desks and nothing on the backs of our chairs like coats or cardigans. We were also given name badges (to be put on the computers) so that the management team could, obviously, pretend they knew who we were! I wish I were joking. We also had to disguise all the computer wires, destroy any bits of paper lying around and, to my mind, pretend we weren't really there at all!!! I guess they wanted to create the impression of a lean, mean and super efficient working environment. I think I mentioned that I did a post-grad course; I studied the wonderful world of work (oh yes!) and this organisation is anything BUT efficient! There is so much duplication of effort, which a simple training manual would sort out.
I really do need to stop taking this all so seriously but the perfectionist inside me likes to do a good job! And the inner pedant in me has to ensure that any communication sent from me (generated from the system) is grammatically correct. It's not healthy, is it?!!!! Even my Algerian friend told me to stop caring so much because no one else does!!! I think it's a combination of having worked for myself for so long - where these things really DID matter and running a team, where the buck stopped with me. Now, I am a lowly worker bee and, it seems, my co-workers are very obviously disengaged from their jobs. Hmmmmm.
On Friday, the MD did indeed visit. He turned up in jeans! How I laughed (to myself, obviously)! He didn't speak to any staff - he just went to his meetings.
What a farce!
Anyway, I digress from the wonderful world of...food! There is a vending machine in the office and, this week, I have purchased two bags of coated peanuts, one tracker bar (just HOW many calories in one of those?!?!?!?) and one can of diet coke. On Friday, I was getting into the swing of things - I had fruit (apples) to hand for moments of hunger. I had my own tea and coffee supplies. I drank four litres of water - the first time I have done that in months so that was a major milestone. And when I didn't have time to buy a sandwich, I asked my colleague to get me one but it had bacon in it so I couldn't eat it. Next week I am going to try to be organised and have lunch that I can take with me. Although I come home at lunchtime, by the time I have walked the dog, it's time to go back again. My challenge, next week, is to have breakfast sorted out too. Yesterday morning I really fancied porridge but I didn't have time so I had two chocolate biscuits instead. I know, I know - these are bad habits that are creeping in everywhere!
Yes, lovely readers, the worker bee must be SUPER organised, which will be a challenge. It's funny; I always ensure the dog has everything she needs (sometimes it's last minute but she is never without her supplements, food, etc), I ensure my husband has what he needs (clean clothes, ironed shirts) but I leave myself to chance. As Mrs Jupiter reminded me, if a baby is to come along, I have to get myself sorted, too. And that's what our LLC says - in an aeroplane, we would always put our own oxygen masks on first. Yes!
Right, it's 7am and I want to catch up with everyone's blogs! Have a great weekend everyone! xxxxx
I agree about making time for yourself. it makes such a difference to have good things to hand. Makes you feel better too so less likely to want to snack on bad stuff. I so want to tell my sister to put herself fis=rst every now and again - she is last in a queue of 4 kids, one husband 2 dogs and God knws what else. I don;t think it's healthy NEVER to prioritise your own needs. Then again I'm am pretty selfish (in a nice way)!!!
The job still sounds horrible but I laughed at the bit about the MD in jeans - ridiculous eh?
Have a great weekend.
Lesley x
Posted by: Lesley | February 09, 2008 at 04:50 PM
Oh dear; maybe it's in the blood ...
When I was expecting you, I temped and was given a job so mind-numbingly boring that I thought I would go quietly insane. It was in the ordering department of a small factory on an industrial estate; I typed orders (in triplicate) for widgets large, medium and small. The older women in the office were very disapproving of the fact that I had not started knitting.
As my bump (ie you) got bigger, I had to stretch my arms further and further to get to the typewriter until the day came when I just couldn't reach it. So it was bye bye widgets, bye bye industrial estate. Only then did I start knitting.
I hope you have a better week but just keep treating it as research so that you can keep us all entertained with more tales from the call centre. (Because you couldn't make it up, could you?)
And fingers crossed for you know what. XXX
Posted by: Mamma Mia | February 10, 2008 at 06:53 PM