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I looked around and everyone seemed pretty relaxed, no phones ringing off the hook, office empty by 3:30, plenty of emails planning staff dinners for Xmas and lots of nice long lunch breaks for everyone. I can't help but feel I've wasted 15 years not working in an office.
+1 - well pretty similar..
I did 10 years doing woodwork/construction before going back to uni @ 31 to do an Engineering/technology degree.
I've now been working in my current role for 11 years, Engineering/manufacturing project management.
Whilst it does annoy me at times - for various reasons - I'm well aware I'm onto a good thing, as I generally get left alone to do the job as I see fit.
I get 28 days holiday, get a day off for the Christmas lunch (paid for by employer) two days a year doing 'team building' activities (went curling last week) and a day off to do a regular charity project.
I think I get paid fairly for what I do, particularly when you take into account the company car/phone/laptop/healthcare/etc.
I'd certainly rather be doing this than be outside in the cold, or doing shift work in some warehouse where nobody knows my name.
Or teaching, like my wife, who gets home from work an hour after me then does 4 hours of work most evenings, whilst being paid around 25% less than me..
Big dummy is Boris Johnson and I claim my £350 m for the NHS
I am the laziest workshy person I have ever come across. I'm reasonably well educated but loathe working with people, loathe structure and rules and lack any type of ambition and drive. I now drive a black cab two days a week and its the only job I've ever done that I haven't hated. I earn buttons but I don't dread going into work (a first for me) and have a great quality of life.I would be the last person I would ever employ. I just take the piss and cannot be replied upon in a work environment.
Poor but very happy.
You sir are an inspiration (says someone who more often than not is the last d*******d in the office at gone 6pm...)
There's a lot I could learn in my job... if I was interested in it! I just switch off.
Still I get to ride here and never have to spend those daily hours commuting in the car, that would kill me, I'm sure.
Theres a old saying that when the factory maintenance guys are sat around playing cards, then that's a good sign. I see the same thing in much of computing, if you are busy all day then you are the wrong person, automating most of your job is an essential part of the job.
I used to work very long hours striving for promotions but the stress killed my immune system. It was only when the same thing happened again that I realised radical changes were needed. I moved to Scotland away from the SE England and I commute to work by bike on a traffic free path. I enjoy my job but can do it blindfold. Every now and then I get an urge to seek a promotion or to move to another company but deep down I know it would be the wrong thing to do because I am fundamental happy. I just have to fight the urge to screw that up.
Every now and then I get an urge to seek a promotion or to move to another company but deep down I know it would be the wrong thing to do because I am fundamental happy.
I think being happy or at least stress free is pretty much priceless....
Hence I've been at the same place for 17 years, bar a 6 month nightmare excursion to another company, which ended in a nervous breakdown.
Theres a old saying that when the factory maintenance guys are sat around playing cards, then that's a good sign.
you've just reminded me of a funny conversation I had with my (recently retired) dad last month. It felt like it summed up a certain difference in perspective between the boomer generation and their kids...
Dad: ...so Brian built this machine from scratch.
Me: why didn't they just buy one?
Dad: Well, that would have been expensive.
Me: As expensive as paying Brian a wage to design, source and build something that was already on sale?
Dad: But Brian was being paid anyway. They didn't pay him any extra.
Me: But presumably he'd have stopped doing his normal work, to build this machine? So that was a cost.
Dad: Ah, yes, well, there wasn't always much work to actually do...