Timing bathroom breaks !!!

duchy

I work on the phones but in a "virtual callcentre" -ie although I work from home I'm logged into the system the same way my collegues in a callcentre are. We are given -in addition to statutory breaks a set length of time (11 mins I think) per day. Some people use it all up every day -most people use it if and when they need to. Quite honestly this kind of nonsense with the emaail is simply a sign of an inadequate manager and any HR dept worth their salt would shut him down straight away.

I suspect if I was presented with a similar email-I'd be emailing the manager back telling him it was a joke in very poor taste -as no company would be so crass as to share such personal data in a team email and cc it to HR

imatt

What is staff morale like in such workplaces?

dandelionclock30

If you need to go to the loo you need to go its a basic human function its not like having a cigarette.
I wouldnt stand for this, If they sacked me I'd take it for a unfair dismissal If I been there over a year. As an adult I would nt have someone telling me I coldnt go to the toilet. What an awful workplace.

dandelionclock30

I dont think its gross misconduct sitting in the toilet all day so an employer would have to take him through the warnings before dismissing him. If he had a proper bowel condition then he would have to prove it with DRs notes etc.

166million

that's disgusting :mad:

I would get a plastic sandwich bag, fill it with apple juice and selltape it to my waist - outside clothes... then I would also take in a bucket and leave it by my desk....:D

'You said we aren't allowed to go to the toilet...'

Following rules to the letter is one of the best forms of rebellion..

Evilm

Some interesting information on this page that suggests this would be frowned upon: http://www.hazards.org/toiletbreaks/toiletbreaks2

A call centres circular from HSE's local authority unit says "call handlers must also be allowed to go to the toilet and fetch water/drinks when they need to."

Asked if an employer can penalise or discipline a worker for taking toilet breaks, DTI responded: "Only with good reason," adding that workers should have a right to appeal under disciplinary rules.

Hazards asked if an employer stop wages for time spent on a toilet break, to which the answer was: "Technically, yes." He added that the action could be challenged at an employment tribunal.

The DTI spokesperson added that an employer could "not normally" require that an employee only take a toilet break after receiving permission, but added "there are circumstances, perhaps on a production line or furnace environment, where taking a toilet break without permission may put the safety of co-workers as risk."

westv

ILW wrote: »

What was the original "offensive" name?

yvonne13 wrote: »

I don't know I never asked.

Maybe your friend was having you on? Is it an American company?
What else could it be called but "toilet break".

LadyMissA

westv wrote: »

Maybe your friend was having you on? Is it an American company?
What else could it be called but "toilet break".

a few things I can think of

westv

westv wrote: »

Maybe your friend was having you on? Is it an American company?
What else could it be called but "toilet break".

LadyMissA wrote: »

a few things I can think of

What might have been said by staff in conversation should have no relevance to the term used in company correspondence.

hcb42

this sort of thing is often junior management gone mad.......

in a call centre, one of the key requirements is "adherence to schedule", I spent a long time in senior management in call centre and at no time did we ever even discuss toilet breaks etc. what was important was an overall percentage adherence, which gave plenty of ...ahem...slack...for toilet breaks etc, esp as there were also breaks every 2 hrs as well (on top of the built in slack).

the adherence to schedule part is important, the call volumes are forecast using very accurate methods...but any decent call centre builds on top of that an allowance for holidays, sickness, training and other general "slack" i.e. ad hoc reasons for not being on the phone.

PS I say Bathroom at work not toilet and I am not american!