Random Irritations

[Slab]

It’s nothing generational, and it’s absolutely wrong to suggest today’s younger generation are any worse than those who preceded them.

Of course skiving has been around since that one hunter/gatherer sloped off behind a pile of rocks for a wee sit down smoke break, while his mates continued the chase. It has always been present in the workplace. We've all seen these types.

My irritation point was the volume and frequency of the absences is higher than we had previously

My experience for pre & post covid, the numbers show an increase in absenteeism from staff in that age group, but working environment and conditions remain unchanged. The job role is unchanged and Basic salary has increased by 40%+ in that same period

I believe there is a mistaken belief from a notable section of younger workers that employers need employees way more than the reverse (when it should be a partnership) & so they think they can get away with it

Often the excuse/reason for absence is pitiful, lacking effort and imagination and so full of holes its actually insulting they expected it to be believed & are taken aback when its challenged

 

[Neilds]

The ball valve isolater are a pain as they get older. If it’s just a small wrap, a 3/4 BSP cap will do. The other option is to remove the blue lever and using engineer pliers slowly rotate to shaft until is at 90 degrees to the fitting and the water stops getting out.
I admit that can be a touch interesting as the shaft can really stiffen up. You do have to use some judgement on it.

Is this sort of filth allowed on the forum?

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Often the excuse/reason for absence is pitiful, lacking effort and imagination and so full of holes its actually insulting they expected it to be believed & are taken aback when its challenged

Does management have discussions with these people, formally, as to why these absences are happening so regularly? They probably need to have these discussions so that they themselves can be taught what is acceptable and what is not. If they don't understand what is acceptable, they need 'guidance'. Otherwise, there's the door............

If it is left casually, nothing will change.

 

[Slab]

Does management have discussions with these people, formally, as to why these absences are happening so regularly? They probably need to have these discussions so that they themselves can be taught what is acceptable and what is not. If they don't understand what is acceptable, they need 'guidance'. Otherwise, there's the door............

If it is left casually, nothing will change.

Yeah, obviously there's little point in tracking the absenteeism if we don't use the data to have discussions, support, educate, discipline/dismiss etc

That we're having more of these discussions, with greater frequency than of old & with more ppl, is also an irritation

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Yeah, obviously there's little point in tracking the absenteeism if we don't use the data to have discussions, support, educate, discipline/dismiss etc

That we're having more of these discussions, with greater frequency than of old & with more ppl, is also an irritation

Is it worth looking at running a workshop, training day etc regarding what is expected etc? If the problem is that identifiable it may be worth looking at. Might sound daft to have to do that but maybe it is needed?

I went to a seminar a few years ago given by a HR firm that was excellent in terms of the contract between employee and employer, the responsibilities of both. That type of thing may be useful as an eye opener to people. Some think they are untouchable, it may make them think otherwise.

 

[Lucifer MorningStar]

Does management have discussions with these people, formally, as to why these absences are happening so regularly? They probably need to have these discussions so that they themselves can be taught what is acceptable and what is not. If they don't understand what is acceptable, they need 'guidance'. Otherwise, there's the door............

If it is left casually, nothing will change.

We track it and we can do absolutely nothing about it. We can’t even speak to them about managing absence because of the protection they get through our medical centres. People can self certify for 2 days up to 8 times a year with no repercussions so many are using it as getting an extra 16 days off effectively playing the system.

Wit regards to longer term sickness or downgraded duties as long as they speak to the Medical centres they’re covered as they get a “chit” excusing them from certain things and light duties. We can’t argue it or question it !

 

[Arthur Wedge]

Self certification makes it a little easier

For us if you self certify 3 times in 12 months you are flagged and called in


There have been glass backs and all sorts of stuff created for years within the military when people were looking to get out of deployments

It’s not a new issue though but doing without having a docs note etc makes it easier

 

[Slab]

Is it worth looking at running a workshop, training day etc regarding what is expected etc? If the problem is that identifiable it may be worth looking at. Might sound daft to have to do that but maybe it is needed?

I went to a seminar a few years ago given by a HR firm that was excellent in terms of the contract between employee and employer, the responsibilities of both. That type of thing may be useful as an eye opener to people. Some think they are untouchable, it may make them think otherwise.

Yeah we've done team meetings, 1-to-1's, informal meetings, formal & disciplinaries.
We actually incentivise attendance every single month. So I see who doesn't get a bonus and its invariably young singles still living at home

I work in a transient industry where staff turnover is pretty high but its not usually due to needless disciplinaries for attendance
Your bit in bold is the change I see in younger staff in recent years where a higher % appear to think like this than in earlier years

 

[Lord Tyrion]

We track it and we can do absolutely nothing about it. We can’t even speak to them about managing absence because of the protection they get through our medical centres. People can self certify for 2 days up to 8 times a year with no repercussions so many are using it as getting an extra 16 days off effectively playing the system.

Wit regards to longer term sickness or downgraded duties as long as they speak to the Medical centres they’re covered as they get a “chit” excusing them from certain things and light duties. We can’t argue it or question it !

That's local govt level system abuse . I'm amazed your line of work allows that.

 

[Lucifer MorningStar]

That's local govt level system abuse . I'm amazed your line of work allows that.

It doesn’t allow it but the policies in place can do nothing to combat it. As long as self cert is done in accordance with the guidelines we can’t do a thing about it. As part of the policy to self cert is register it on the admin system, contact med centre to advise you’ve done it and then contact line management. So as long as they follow those first 2 criteria they’re safe guarded by the med centre whose argument is prove someone you haven’t physically seen wasn’t sick!! It’s laughable we all know it happens but the policy put in place protects the lead swinger and hinders the management process of sickness

 

[backwoodsman]

That's local govt level system abuse . I'm amazed your line of work allows that.

Hmm. Methinks that's rather tarring a whole bunch of people with one brush...

 

[Beezerk]

US tv channels, absolutely horrific

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Hmm. Methinks that's rather tarring a whole bunch of people with one brush...

That's a very fair point. Guilty as charged

 

[jim8flog]

Lack of detailed manuals these days

Put a standard LNB in my satellite dish this morning to put sat in to the TV.

TV not seeing the sat, checked the dish it out with an HD sky box- fine,
on with the computer to check on line for instructions.
On line instructions said to get to X screen on the TV.
On the screen 'Sat missing' from the page
20 minutes of try this and and that and finally got there, more by luck than judgement.

 

[chellie]

I suspect part of the problem is that many of them finished/left school/started first jobs, during covid lockdowns, saw the population doing WFH or (worse still) paid to stay there under furlough schemes (as essential as they were) and they appear to have a adopted a totally false impression of what it means to have a job/work for a living

From my recent experience working with some under 25's they just think of it as extra holiday allowance!

 

[Lucifer MorningStar]

Ignorant and intolerant people that rather than minding their own business or politely asking questions about something they don’t understand they choose to point, laugh and mock others who are simply trying to find their way in the world

 

[Tashyboy]

It’s true every the amount of people under 25 we have self certifying every week or getting themselves medically downgraded to avoid easy tasks is becoming laughable and then they moan when older guys complain they’re having to cover their work for them!

Open it you know you want to

Let me finish counting to ten

 

[4LEX]

Totally agree.

I don’t see it as any better or worse now than it ever has been. I have worked with some terrible malingerers down the years, including one officer who managed somehow to rack up over three years on the sick before she retired on ill health grounds with less than 25 years in the job. Those close to her knew she was swinging the lead but weak supervision allowed her to get away with it. Her retirement was ultimately as much to do with getting rid of someone who had become seen as too difficult to manage as it was down to her actually being too incapacitated to work.

She was far from alone. A guy I joined with had an appalling sickness record - he genuinely never went a full calendar month without time off somewhere for some minor ailment. Again, weak supervision was the key to allowing him to get away with it.

People exploiting weak management and taking sick leave at the drop of a hat is absolutely nothing new. It’s been happening since I entered the workplace all those years ago, and will always be a problem where there are supervisors and managers who see it as too much of a problem to address.

A lot of it is also down to upbringing, as all things are. My wife and I rarely had days off school with ailments, or anything else. I even went to school the day my dad passed away, so strict was my mum. And we rarely took time off work. As a consequence, my kids both had a near 100% attendance at school and have carried that ethos into their adult lives.

It’s nothing generational, and it’s absolutely wrong to suggest today’s younger generation are any worse than those who preceded them.

Dossers notwithstanding. Do you think the average copper now is any different to the average one 30 years ago?

 

[Tashyboy]

Dossers notwithstanding. Do you think the average copper now is any different to the average one 30 years ago?

What suprised me was the amount of police sacked over the last year. 735. Be interested to hear Billy’s views on that as well.

 

[4LEX]

What suprised me was the amount of police sacked over the last year. 735. Be interested to hear Billy’s views on that as well.

That's a huge issue but quite a complex one. I do wonder if the box ticking in regards to recruitment is to blame? Or maybe the Police take complaints more seriously these days?

The truth is probably somewhere in the middle!