Cheery's path to fulfilment - finishing the DIY, looking after myself, appreciating the garden 🌻

KajiKita

Don’t estates have a minimum external temp at which they start using the heating? 

Good luck with the cafe research … 😊

KK

rtandon27

Yikes! Hot-desking?! That is so not on for all kinds of reasons! Any chance the need for an ergoonomic set-up could give you your own space?

beckstar1975

I work for a uni (admin) and we've been hot-desking since Covid. The powers that be have decided it's so successful (I have to sit on the other side of the building to my team due to my internal thermostat issues) that they're moving us to a rented building several miles away -not even on a campus. I think it's the way many are going, given the pressure on real estate and attempts to improve the 'student experience'. 

We are all meant to be in 2 days a week but someone has worked out that there's only enough space for 1.7 days per week and woe betide if you want a Tuesday!

Sorry, rant over, point is solidarity and I think it's going to be more and more common

Cheery_Daff

KajiKita said:

Don’t estates have a minimum external temp at which they start using the heating? 

Good luck with the cafe research … 😊

KK

Yes, theoretically, and most of the buildings are temperature controlled these days - in my old office the windows opened and closed by themselves (all the bloody time, it was a bit annoying 😂). However,  we were temporarily shifted to a rather old building without such fancy controls,  and our heating is ancient and frequently breaks. So we were assuming it hadn't kicked in yet,  but it turns out the equally old building next door is actually warm, so it's should be on, but it's just broken. We often have to ring up to get them to reset it every week 🙄 is annoying but we were only ever in there temporarily as we're moving to a new build - but that's now been delayed for a year until next spring...

rtandon27 said:

Yikes! Hot-desking?! That is so not on for all kinds of reasons! Any chance the need for an ergoonomic set-up could give you your own space?

It might for some, but they'll very much be the exception and I don't have any such need. It's utterly ridiculous if you're thinking from anything other than an entirely financial perspective, which, of course, they're not 🙄 they think 'people want to work from home sometimes, so desk space often isn't used, so they can just share'. I do understand the argument, but they also want us to produce 'world leading' and 'internationally excellent' work (literally in my job description) and that requires a level of concentration and peace and quiet which we're not going to get. Not to mention not being able to pin things on walls, have a bookshelf, have somewhere to easily store confidential papers close by, have a drawer under the desk for stapler etc. 

Of course plenty of people work in far worse conditions so we shouldn't complain! I imagine we'll get used to it in time, although it'll take a while.  People had individual offices and were moved into open plan before I got there and everyone's still complaining about that ten years later 😂

To be fair I think complaining is basically written into our job descriptions too 🤭😂

We'll manage, but there's definitely an expectation that working practices will change and everything will be online, hence having a book amnesty, because we'll no longer have room for them. But it's the nature of the job that we are book lovers and wielders of highlighter pens and I don't think any of us will transition to paperless any time soon, so our homes will just fill up instead 🙄

Consultations came and went and made little difference (we did manage to get them to acknowledge the need for INDIVIDUAL confidential storage...). But it's a far cry from my day when you could pop and see a lecturer in their own individual office 😂😂 now we have to arrange to meet people on sofas or in the cafe space, or book a room (all in a different building, although it'll be the same one in future) or online, of course.

Someone's actually doing a bit of research (independently) about how people use spaces now and how they will then, and there are definitely a few rogues who plan to just set up camp and make a particular desk unattractive to others. There'll be no policing of them of course, but I'm not that stubborn (or selfish) so I'll play the game, however stupid.

Cheery_Daff

Anyway, blah blah blah - that's a moany old way to start the weekend! 😂

Mr C and I are going to have one final attempt at our old favourite cafe this morning, before we ditch it for good. The sun is shining, and I imagine we'll go for a bit of a potter, and I will see if I can get some hay shifted later.

Tonight might be the night I move back into the marital bedroom! I've been in the spare room for over a week as my combination of face and foot issues has meant a lot of tossing and turning, and Mr C is a very light sleeper. We'll see. 

Might get the spare room bedding in the wash before we go actually, give it a few hours outside later 😊

beanielou

Happy Friday. 

Tescodealqueen

Cheery said
Someone's actually doing a bit of research (independently) about how people use spaces now and how they will then, and there are definitely a few rogues who plan to just set up camp and make a particular desk unattractive to others. There'll be no policing of them of course, but I'm not that stubborn (or selfish) so I'll play the game, however stupid.

That plan  didn’t work  for those intent to stay put in my old office as all desks had to be totally clear of anything on one day per week when cleaners were Required to deep clean every desk in that area on a set rota for the building

rtandon27

LOL - we have signs on our desks at work (insttalled during covid) to tell the cleaners not to touch or clean our spaces!  If you want your space cleaned the desk has to be cleared off!  Our cleaner disregards these signs and hates what she sees as my clutter.  We've had 'discussions' about the fact that I only deep clean my desk once a week and don't dust it enough!  My beef is that her well used cleaning rag smells mouldy and she routinely disconnects the numerous bits of tech that need to remain plugged in!  My cleaning regime includes Dettol, clean microfiber dusting rags! and vanilla scented air freshener.  She also comes by at the most awkward times to hoover and I've been in online meetings when she's asked me to vacate so she can run it over the floor!  Thankfully we have a no eating at desks policy so other than my coffee mug, there is no forgotten pile of dishes for her to moan about!

Viking_mfw

Sorry to hijack, but I think you are a topcashback user, so highlighting there's a Bonus £2 on a £10 spend today. (I note the spend to get the bonus has doubled!)

Cheery_Daff

Viking_mfw said:

Sorry to hijack, but I think you are a topcashback user, so highlighting there's a Bonus £2 on a £10 spend today. (I note the spend to get the bonus has doubled!)

Thank you! 

Ha, I think there are issues in every office, and probably every single workplace. I think the main problem is being at work! 😂

Had a nice time sitting outside burning some old paperwork 😊 not an ideal day, and our tiny fire pit isn't an ideal way of doing it, but it's been nice to be outside while I still can't do much heavy exercise 😊 Hands getting a bit chilly now though.