People on Furlough....

[Spindles]

Hi mate, not sure what's going wrong, I'd replied to the message you sent, no idea where the reply is 😕

[MrZigster]

On 5/14/2020 at 3:05 AM, Spindles said:

Hi mate, not sure what's going wrong, I'd replied to the message you sent, no idea where the reply is 😕

Yeah. I've just read others are having trouble with quoting tweets and getting completely different ones posted up. I just presumed things were going tits up because I'm still using Vista OS.

Honestly I'd had about three or four goes at replying, hitting submit and then having it all vanish. Every day I tried the story got longer and more convoluted so thankfully on my last attempt I remembered to do a quick highlight and Ctrl+C just in case. Didn't post. Hence the DM.

Are you still furloughed? I've got really behind on here.

Edited May 15, 2020 by MrZigster

[dotdash79]

14 hours ago, MrZigster said:

I'm still using Vista OS.

What crimes have you committed to be stuck with that OS? 

[Spindles]

I'm shocked to hear anyone is still using vista, that's insane.  Yeah, still furloughed, officially til 31st May but waiting to hear if that's going to be extended.  If not I might suggest just letting me stay off without pay a couple of months as the other job is paying extremely well and I've got into a nice rhythm working on that and staying home.

[philipsteak]

Currently furloughed until end of June, just waiting for that to be formally extended until the end of July. Then we'll have to see. No idea if I'll have work at that point, or what will happen with the changes to the scheme. Unless the employer contribution is massive, it'll cost a lot more to make me redundant rather than continue it if necessary. Not the same for a lot of my colleagues though, a lot of seasonal staff or not very long length of service. 

[Bisque]

I’ve still got XP on my MacBook on Parallels.

[dotdash79]

15 minutes ago, Bisque said:

I’ve still got XP on my MacBook on Parallels.

I understand running XP, but not vista 

[Neil]

looking forwards to getting back to some work (flexible furlough) from tomorrow - which will be a relief. I much prefer to pay myself for a bit of work than have to pay someone to do a bit of work while i sit idle watching them.

 

[squirrelarmy]

I’m hoping my work will call me back in soon. I was hoping it would be next week but if parts of the midlands are being locally locked down and as we supply a lot of businesses in that area I can’t see there being enough demand to pay me to do nothing at work so my boss will prefer to let the government pay me to do nothing at home. Although I’m technically on annual leave now as we had to take all pre booked leave. 

[gooner1990]

I’m coming off furlough tomorrow, my manager has sent round an email also stating that when conducting teams meetings she expects us to put our cameras on (a few of us have been keeping them off) 

Possibly this is a generational thing as a lot of our team are under 30 and don’t mind. but I find the whole webcam thing a bit creepy and intrusive and I just don’t feel comfortable with it.  

[Zoo Music Girl]

2 minutes ago, gooner1990 said:

I’m coming off furlough tomorrow, my manager has sent round an email also stating that when conducting teams meetings she expects us to put our cameras on (a few of us have been keeping them off) 

Possibly this is a generational thing as a lot of our team are under 30 and don’t mind. but I find the whole webcam thing a bit creepy and intrusive and I just don’t feel comfortable with it.  

We had that where I'm working too. I hated it at first but I did get used to it. I do understand your reticence though - it's weird having people look at your house! I also hate seeing myself.

[gooner1990]

1 minute ago, Zoo Music Girl said:

We had that where I'm working too. I hated it at first but I did get used to it. I do understand your reticence though - it's weird having people look at your house! I also hate seeing myself.

Yes, I don’t mind photos being taken but I find it a bit uncomfortable looking at a video of myself when trying to talk about work.  I just find it far too much Big Brother and it’s like there’s no privacy anymore but as the pandemic has shown its pushing it to become the norm.

I may email my manager and say I will comply but I don’t feel comfortable with it as it may cause me to freeze up on the camera.

my last job (I changed jobs last year) we still did phone conferences and that worked fine, I just don’t get the obsession with seeing each other on cameras 🤷‍♂️

[gigpusher]

1 hour ago, gooner1990 said:

Yes, I don’t mind photos being taken but I find it a bit uncomfortable looking at a video of myself when trying to talk about work.  I just find it far too much Big Brother and it’s like there’s no privacy anymore but as the pandemic has shown its pushing it to become the norm.

I may email my manager and say I will comply but I don’t feel comfortable with it as it may cause me to freeze up on the camera.

my last job (I changed jobs last year) we still did phone conferences and that worked fine, I just don’t get the obsession with seeing each other on cameras 🤷‍♂️

A lot of people are actually doing it to help mental health (seeing a face even by screen when talking is meant to replicate the feelings of seeing people face to face) and because so much communication we do is non-verbal but yes I'm not a fan of it unless it's a group of people I know pretty well. You can get fake backgrounds for teams if that's what you use if that makes you feel better. 

[gooner1990]

37 minutes ago, gigpusher said:

A lot of people are actually doing it to help mental health (seeing a face even by screen when talking is meant to replicate the feelings of seeing people face to face) and because so much communication we do is non-verbal but yes I'm not a fan of it unless it's a group of people I know pretty well. You can get fake backgrounds for teams if that's what you use if that makes you feel better. 

We’ve been using teams since mid-March and I and a few others always had our cameras off.

its also a bit of a distraction as inevitably someone’s cat gets thrust on camera or something else going on in the background becomes part of the conversation.

again it might just be a generational thing, I’m nearly 40 and half of our team are under 30 so to them it’s just normal, to me it’s just yet more invasion of privacy.

[gigpusher]

11 minutes ago, gooner1990 said:

We’ve been using teams since mid-March and I and a few others always had our cameras off.

its also a bit of a distraction as inevitably someone’s cat gets thrust on camera or something else going on in the background becomes part of the conversation.

again it might just be a generational thing, I’m nearly 40 and half of our team are under 30 so to them it’s just normal, to me it’s just yet more invasion of privacy.

I'm older than you. I normally don't bother mainly because where I sit has the sun right behind me so I close the curtains and look like a protected witness talking to Crimewatch as you can only see me in shadow! Where I work I've actually noticed it's mainly the more senior people who are doing it and they are usually older but I think it's more wanting to see how people are really feeling about things and for the good ones just wanting to check in and see that people really are ok. 

[Homer]

Looks like I’ll have to go back to work in August! At least it’s given me some more impetus to get out of London and visit friends and family over the next few weeks. Also, we will be part time for the first month, so can’t really complain!

[gooner1990]

17 minutes ago, Homer said:

Looks like I’ll have to go back to work in August! At least it’s given me some more impetus to get out of London and visit friends and family over the next few weeks. Also, we will be part time for the first month, so can’t really complain!

I’m part time throughout July doing 9am-1pm then full time from August onwards (still working from home) 

[circus92]

2 hours ago, gooner1990 said:

We’ve been using teams since mid-March and I and a few others always had our cameras off.

its also a bit of a distraction as inevitably someone’s cat gets thrust on camera or something else going on in the background becomes part of the conversation.

again it might just be a generational thing, I’m nearly 40 and half of our team are under 30 so to them it’s just normal, to me it’s just yet more invasion of privacy.

I am a bit older than you - 46.  I haven't been furloughed, but have been working at home now since lockdown started and only been into the office 3 times in that time.  Having the camera on is a such a good thing as you actually get to see people and I find it really helps to keep everyone connected.  I am spending 3 - 4 hours every day on Teams, and I can honestly say that I think seeing people has really helped keep me sane - just seeing someones initials on the screen would just not be the same.  If anything, we have had to encourage some of the younger ones to turn their cameras on!

[gooner1990]

7 minutes ago, circus92 said:

I am a bit older than you - 46.  I haven't been furloughed, but have been working at home now since lockdown started and only been into the office 3 times in that time.  Having the camera on is a such a good thing as you actually get to see people and I find it really helps to keep everyone connected.  I am spending 3 - 4 hours every day on Teams, and I can honestly say that I think seeing people has really helped keep me sane - just seeing someones initials on the screen would just not be the same.  If anything, we have had to encourage some of the younger ones to turn their cameras on!

Tbh I’m not bothered about seeing people if I can hear them that’s enough for me. 

also as it stands now most of us are getting out of home a bit more so I’m not just stuck in my house with only my girlfriend for company.

i know I’m on a losing battle with it as the tide has turned with the use of video becoming more common place but I’m just not a fan of it at all. 
 

Glad it’s worked for you though!  

[circus92]

6 minutes ago, gooner1990 said:

Tbh I’m not bothered about seeing people if I can hear them that’s enough for me. 

also as it stands now most of us are getting out of home a bit more so I’m not just stuck in my house with only my girlfriend for company.

i know I’m on a losing battle with it as the tide has turned with the use of video becoming more common place but I’m just not a fan of it at all. 
 

Glad it’s worked for you though!  

Fully understand - everyone is different and some like it and some don't.  The tide has definitely turned though.

The worst thing about it is you have to look half presentable most of the time, which given the state of my hair at the minute is getting increasingly difficult 😂

[gooner1990]

1 minute ago, circus92 said:

Fully understand - everyone is different and some like it and some don't.  The tide has definitely turned though.

The worst thing about it is you have to look half presentable most of the time, which given the state of my hair at the minute is getting increasingly difficult 😂

Before I was furloughed one of the team meetings my manager was in an old university hoodie with her hair all over the place looking half asleep. Hardly set a good example.

when I go back to work tomorrow I will be presentable for the camera.

[ghandi]

I'm furloughed until the end of July and then I am being made redundant at the age of 58. I fear of not getting another job. My job is rather in a Niche printing field which I have been in since I was 18. I do not own the house we are living in, luckily my wife is working  and has a good salary. I'm crossing my fingers something comes up and I see a job ad I can apply for and get, I'm worried. With the redundancy payment I can pay Bill's up to approx January.

[DareToDibble]

The furlough dream is over. Had a message from our manager today saying we’re returning on a part time furlough basis. Thursday/Friday this week then 3 days a week, building up to full time by the end of July. 
 

Sounds daft but I was hoping for more warning in returning. Now I feel like I haven’t made the most of my last few weeks of freedom. Although I don’t know what I was really expecting to do even if I had warning  

[stuie]

16 hours ago, gooner1990 said:

I’m coming off furlough tomorrow, my manager has sent round an email also stating that when conducting teams meetings she expects us to put our cameras on (a few of us have been keeping them off) 

Possibly this is a generational thing as a lot of our team are under 30 and don’t mind. but I find the whole webcam thing a bit creepy and intrusive and I just don’t feel comfortable with it.  

I hope you don’t think I’m being ignorant but how is it different to having a one to one or a team meeting?

I haven’t been furloughed but have been working from home since before lockdown... zooms with my colleagues have been how we’ve kept it all together really... and lately I’ve been doing catch ups with key accounts the same way. 
 

You don’t have to show off your house or let people in, just you in front of a plain background is sufficient! We don’t all have massive library’s of books and interesting wall art like the folks on the news talking from their homes! 

[dotdash79]

20 hours ago, gooner1990 said:

Yes, I don’t mind photos being taken but I find it a bit uncomfortable looking at a video of myself when trying to talk about work.  I just find it far too much Big Brother and it’s like there’s no privacy anymore but as the pandemic has shown its pushing it to become the norm.

I may email my manager and say I will comply but I don’t feel comfortable with it as it may cause me to freeze up on the camera.

my last job (I changed jobs last year) we still did phone conferences and that worked fine, I just don’t get the obsession with seeing each other on cameras 🤷‍♂️

Or do what I sometimes do and say the Internet is patchy and having video on may cause issues. 
 

that way you don’t always need to have it on.