Demand from manager - for total silence?

Mk14:37

I was beaten to the punch again, but was going to suggest picking up the phone to call the person sitting next to you.

caz2703

I once worked in a company where one particular person on one of the floors didn't like others talking. A direct rule came down that said if you were at your desk before 9am then you were to work quietly or if you wanted to talk then go to one of the kitchens. Needless to say the office remained empty until 8:59 then 15 people would be coming in at once.

Whilst I sympathise with the situation, it doesn't matter if this guy has no sway. As long he is in a higher position than you then unfortunately the rules must be obeyed. However, there are ways of making a point without missing targets. Leave the office for say an hour a day and take yourselves off to a meeting room to discuss cases. You could phone eachother (that made me laugh so much) or you could use Messenger or similar. I know it's more long winded but by requesting the software and explaining the reasoning you can make your point known without raising a grievance.

Is this guy a permanent feature or just a temporary pain in the a55? It may be worth (pardon the phrasing) 'sucking it up' as long as it's not going to last forever.

Personally I couldn't deal with all the childish rules and comments in my first job so I moved onto somewhere more laid back. Somewhere where we could play LAN games on slow days (Xmas Eve, New Years Eve etc), have a laugh without getting told off, grab a coffee when we felt like it, smokers could smoke during working hours and not only at lunchtime and heaven forbid, you could take your lunch and holidays when you wanted and not when the company told you to and if you happened to be a minute late or leave at spot on 5pm no-one huffed and puffed.

Fact is there should be give and take in jobs. The companies that have been the most laid back are those in which you find people taking lunch at their desks and continuing to work; where people don't mind staying late for no extra money to try and get the job done; where people will go the extra mile. Some employers just don't get that staff need a bit of a break from work otherwise productivity starts to be affected. Sorry for the rant but I really do sympathise!

DVardysShadow

CFC wrote: »

Yes, a manager can reasonably make this demand and if you fail to comply it is likely to be treated as gross misconduct with an option to dismiss as an outcome.

This of course, devalues the concept of 'gross misconduct'.

It means that assaulting a customer, for example, is about as serious as talking in the office.

Pete111

DVardysShadow wrote: »

This of course, devalues the concept of 'gross misconduct'.

It means that assaulting a customer, for example, is about as serious as talking in the office.

Personally I would love to see work related talking resulting in a gross misconduct dismissal featuring at a tribunal....

I would not like to be the HR bod justifying that one!

teabelly

I'd assume some HR person would justify it on the grounds of it being 'theft of company time' or some such nonsense. Why the guy with the noise issue just can't wear noise canceling headphones is beyond me.. perhaps everyone should club together and get him some??

caz2703

teabelly wrote: »

Why the guy with the noise issue just can't wear noise canceling headphones is beyond me..

I should also point out that at the time I worked in said company, personal music devices were not allowed! Personal calls were frowned upon as were personal emails. Talking was a no-no, going for coffee at break time meant only one person from each group of 4 was allowed to make the tea run. Kinda makes most jobs seem like a holiday camp now I look at it like that!

DKLS

The 'manager' sounds like a complete tool who has no idea of how the dept is run. I would suggest either educating him as to how the dept is successfully run or going over his head.


I encountered one like that who hated noise, in a team of coders there will always be a need for bouncing ideas back and forth and will be a certain level of noise I managed him out of the job. and another role, where no one spoke to each other all day long unless it was work related, it was the most soulless and miserable place to work

Tygermoth

Hi All,

Thanks for all your comments.

Just an update for you.

We have all been dragged in to a meeting this morning on our team leaders return from leave as:

1. For the first time in ages we are outside our targets (but can back up we have been working just as hard as normal with email times and dates to confirm the extended time taken to gain resolutions)

2. Our manager was confused as we have all come in workwear today as New Manager told us he disapproved of 'dress down' and anyone who came in wearing Jeans/Casual would 'feel the sharp side of his tongue' despite the company handbook stating we are allowed to do this. he feels it promotes a lackadaisical attitude and negatively effects productivity (undemonstrated)

3. There was no toast this morning - our years old Friday tradition of toast at the desk for the whole unit was kyboshed because he 'cant stand the smell' (this was the last straw as our TL LOVES his Friday toast)

4 Our manager was concerned as we usually are a very happy, even tempered team and pro work/company - he noted straight away on arrival we were unnaturally subdued (in fact his first words on arrival were 'hells bells its quiet in here, who died?' 'where's me toast and why is everyone dressed up?'

Our TL has called all the other managers ( who have never had any issues with is nor our work processes/routines/ and happily join in on toast Friday) into a meeting with the New Bloke - there has been some very raised voices so we will see……

I will update to the outcome after the meeting is over.
(I should clarify the 'he holds no sway' comment - he is the unit manager... of another unit. Not us. The other unit was made redundant and he was moved into our office and now works out of here (no one here knows what he now does). So he is 'management' but we have our own unit manager - however New Bloke thinks our manager is 'soft' and because he had 50 under him rather than the 10 or so our unit manager has.. it makes him the 'big I am'.)

Thanks

teabelly

Fingers crossed the 'Big I am' becomes the 'Big I was' and gets the heave-ho

Tygermoth

teabelly wrote: »

Fingers crossed the 'Big I am' becomes the 'Big I was' and gets the heave-ho

Hahaha - would be nice - but I doubt it too high up and expensive to get rid of.

I would be be happy with a 'keep you nose out'