Company treating team like refugees

[uberpa]

This is a rant:

The team I work in has been asked to leave the office we are in because it's operated by the client and we don't specifically work with the client and they are very hardcore about this issue.  Fine, we understand they are paying for it and we're riding for free basically.  My boss has been begging around the company (which is nation wide btw) for space.  We are a small team of only 5 at the moment and only two of us really need a permanent seat the others can float/hot desk.

Well only 1 office in our area said we could temporarily sit with them as they are in the process of moving into a new office and some of the group won't move in for a few months.  However, this didn't work out because BT kept moving fwd the date of the phone installation for that office and by the time we would be able to move in there we would have to move out again.

We've been searching for Serviced Office Space in London and hit on an office we really like and has everything we require.  Now our company says we have to pay for it all out of our own budget (which is basically drained now) and we're not getting any help from the infastructure.  I've bassically had to beg and cajole the IT support people to help us with making sure we have network access as without it none of us can do our jobs.

The office we're in now, I'm being asked every day when we are leaving and being given real attitude by the guy who runs the office because he wants his big plush office back which my boss has because he is the MD and this guy is a subordinate.  He keeps telling me I am not moving quick enough and letting it slide and he wants a firm date when we are leaving.  Yet he won't help us do anything to move and won't let his staff help us with the IT side.

We're basically on our own on everything and my boss is getting flack for how much this is all going to cost a month yet the head office won't help finance it and won't force anyone to let us into their office!  It's ridiculous.  We can't win and I am very fed up at the moment.  We being treated like unwanted Asylum Seakers.

I would be very happy to work from home and just charge on expenses use of my DSL and telephon, but the company won't let a PA work from home.

I find it a bit absurd.  My boss says it's typical.  I've never worked for such a big company before and am really flumuxed by the attitude and behavior.  Shouldn't it be the companies responsibility to make sure we have a place to work? and if not provide us the means to work from home?  It would actually be cheaper as they wouldn't have any overhead.  It all seems extremely irrational and the attitude of our colleagues is just ridiculous as if we are some sort of rival tribe they are trying to oust.

It's really depressing me.

[gee4]

This sounds really bad and not good for morale.  Imagine if you were being booted out cos you hadn't paid rent or something - they'd have to find office space somewhere.  Doesn't sound either like there's been much planning or prep done in advance - how long have they known they had to find other premises?

As a fellow PA, I find it ridiculous to be informed that we cannot work from home.  All we need is a laptop and a remote connection to the network - don't other colleagues do it - some of mine do.

Sounds crazy that your company won't support this and action it straight away.

Hang in there!

G

[Katie G]

I'm sitting here with my mouth open in disbelief.

Y'know, I've read a lot of dunderheaded company snafus on this board over the past couple of years, and lived through a couple as well,  but this one just blows my mind.  

And that weasel whose den you have the misfortune to inhabit -- What a sleazeball to try and make this all your fault!  THAT stinks.  If he wants you guys out of there so bad, why doesn't he take it up with someone with the authority to do something about it instead of picking on you?  He sounds like a real coward.
(Would he shut up if your MD switched office spaces with him so he can have "his" office back?  Sounds like an ego problem in part...)

Hope they can come up with something soon........

[sobriquetnic]

Hi there

I do have a lot of sympathy for you here.  

We used to share an office with our sister company.  There were 16 of us against their 126.  Firstly, we had to move out (at our own expense) because they were expanding.  Then, when the travel industry started to fall apart, we had to move back in again to save on costs.  We were always treated like outsiders (even though we were helping them financially!) because we were from the Travel Agency side.  We were excluded from things and were right at the end of the building so they just ignored us when it came to celebrating their brochure launches and stuff.  If it weren't for our side of the company, theirs would never have been 'born'!

Now though, we have moved in with one of our Travel Agencies and couldn't be happier (apart from a few minor niggles - might be posting on those soon!).

I hope this gets sorted out for you soon, it really is most unsettling when you can't have your own space to work.

All the best,
Nicola.

[uberpa]

Thanks guys.  There is a little bad blood here.  The subordinate I mentioned is in charge of this location and basically the client contract.  For about a year there was no MD and he was able to run the show pretty much on his own without much interference.  Then he suddenly had a boss, the MD I work for.  I can understand the resentment but ever since the MD started the other guy has been unpleasant.  Not in a real in-your-face sort of way but I can definitely see it.  

The MD is fairly laid back and experienced so he doesn't let petty stuff get to him very much.  I admire his calm and ability to ignore the more emotional turmoil and politics.  But I feel it even if he doesn't.  Ofcourse the other guy isn't going to say anything directly to the MD because it would show his true feelings and motivations.  He's been trying to play it off like it is all the client's doing us being booted but I know he's somehow made it a bigger deal in the client's mind then it was originally.

He has to play it very carefully because if he makes too big a stink directly to the MD he may lose and won't get he wants which is the MD out of his hair and his big office back.

For my part, I've had to be this guys PA as well although he really has no idea what to do with a PA.  He is good for a laugh and to hang out with after hours but to work with him is a nightmare.

Beacuse I am a PA I get the flack from him constantly asking me what the status of our leaving is and saying things to me like "I just think your letting this slide" which really P'd me off as I've been dealing with trying to get us moved every day for the past month!  

I'm just waiting till we do move and I know longer have to do anything for him.  Also waiting for him to ask me to do something and tell him I am too busy as my priorities now lay elsewhere

The other problem I have with this move is it will be a very small office with just me, my boss and our three other team members who are not around every day.  I will end up spending a lot of days alone in the office.  You may think this is a dream but I've worked like that before and sometimes it's a relief but other times it's really lonely and depressing.  I won't be able to do the friday lunch with the gals anymore.

[claudiamag]

How about next time he asks you for the status tell him, in your nicest PA voice and smile on your lips, "You know John (or whatever his name is), it seems you are in an awful hurry to get rid of us.  I realize this is an inconvenience for all.  We are trying to find a place as soon as possible but these things take time.  Would you like me to make an appointment for you with MD so you can discuss the situation with him?  No, are you sure?  Fine then, I will let you know as soon as we find something but if you feel its not going as fast as you would like, let me know so I can get MD to address your concerns personally."

[uberpa]

Yes if only I wasn't an F I could probably do that but instead I want to punch his face in and of course can't so just bite my tongue and tell him he'll be the first to know when everything is settled.

I felt a little bit better about it later on today.  I went to the new office that we are planning on taking to sort out furniture removal and last minute details and also to have our IT people decide if we need to purchase extra equipment which it turns out we don't which really takes a load off as that was one big hinderance to our move.

It's pretty much settled now it's really just signing  the contract and setting a date which relies on a few other factors out of our control.  The Office Manager at the current office  and I decided probably the best revenge on mr.-when-you-leavin' is to not even  tell him directly but tell everyone else and let him find out through the grapevine.  It will knock him down a peg on the Im-very-important ego trip he is on.

I must say this has all been very stressfull and I've been keeping it in for weeks at least at work but it's been helpful for me to at least be able to write down  my feelings in  this forum without fear of retribution.  

[uberpa]

We have now moved.  Barely got a "farewell nice knowing you" as I exited on Tuesday with all team stuff in tow.  I really love the new office though and the smaller space is more to my likeing.  It's really beautiful as well not all open plan, stodgy corporate.  It's in a listed Georgian town house with high ceilings and windows and lovely pale blue walls and en extremely soft carpet.  It's a bit like working from home.  Everyone keeps saying they want to get beds and stay here on weekends lol.

Of course the guy in charge of the old office came by yesterday for a meeting with my boss and was drooling all over it.  I know he is kicking himself for making us go as he would rather have moved in here instead of us.  His DEFINITE loss not ours

Everyone is so much more relaxed and in a better mood.

I am physically exhausted as I of course had to do most of the moving because my boss wouldn't pay for a moving van and they guys all stood around in their suits yapping whilst I lugged all our stuff over.  Men.  

We had some issues getting our network set-up and I did warn the team that it might take a couple of days to sort out and they should be prepared to not be able to log on for that time.  They said "oh yes we'll be very good little boys and not make a fuss" and what did they do?  After about 2hrs kicking and screaming and hassling the tech guys like 4 year olds.

I was here till bloody 9pm whilst the techs worked on the problems and they all pranced off early but I didn't complain because I knew it would happen and pestering the techs doesn't make it better only worse.   Yesterday morning I came in and they were sitting there mouthing off about the useless techs ( the techs weren here yet) so I told the guys off.  Luckily its a small place just for our team or else I wouldn't have done it but I wanted them to realise they were helping only making the atmosphere tense.  I also had to do a lot of sweet talking to get the help we have and I didn't want them to ruin it by acting like primadonnas.  They shut up after that and were behaved the rest of the day and the techs sorted it out.  

Although our printer decided it doesn't like the new office and had a nervouse break down and now I can't print anything.

[gee4]

Uber - glad you made it!  

I know how you feel - what is a man's suit compared to a woman's dignity and physical well-being??  Been there and done that while many men stood around wondering how they could help but finally came to the conclusion that because a woman had it all organised and under control, that all was in order and they only needed to pack up their desks, smooth down their suits and carry on!

I'm all for equality but a little help goes a long way!

G

[uberpa]

LOL Gee actually as I was unpacking after exhausting myself carrying the stuff one of them said "well what can I do to help since I'm not doing anything?" I promptly handed him a box of new clear paper bins to distribute and remove the little labels.  He did one, put it at his desk and then sat down again.  

I've definitely rubbished my back after that day and made it worse today becaus I had to run out and buy a new printer, as ours died, and lugged it back from the store myself.

My boss has been apreciated and gave me some vouchers and a little speach of thanks this morning but I think I will be taking a day off that won't come out of my leave.

[countrigal]

A well-deserved day off too!

I've found myself in those situations a few time myself.  And I believe in equality, so I take a kind of heavy-handed approach, after the first time when I did it all myself and just got more and more frustrated about the lack of assistance from the men.  Now I just walk up to them and point to a box, or a pile of boxes, and tell them where to take them.  Kind of like dealing with a teenager.  Gotta give them clear, concise, immediate directions and they'll normally do that.  But don't give them a list of directions, as only the first one will be remembered and acted on.  ie: Take this box and load it into the moving truck outside.  Not: Take this box to that truck, and then move that plant, and then....  too many directions blows their minds and makes them shutdown without doing any of the work.  And most men would rather assist after this direct approach than to appear ungentlemanly by ignoring the request.  And then I spend more time directing than doing actual lifting and carrying.  Can be frustrating at times, but after moving 2 times at my last job, with the same guys around me and approaching it this way, the 3rd move was easy as they automatically helped without me bugging them about it.  Learning had occurred.

CountriGal
Peer Moderator

[Katie G]

Well, Uber, I'm glad things seem to be settling down and hope your back is better soon.  

I had to LAUGH OUT LOUD at weasel-boy drooling all over your gorgeous new office!  Payback's a B----, ain't it!

[supergirl]

All this talk of unhelpful men is pretty foreign to me--I'm married to one who does everything and pitches in as needed.  He wouldn't dream of watching a woman struggle without helping her.  But, it reminded me of some of the guys I worked with at the last office.  They wouldn't lift a finger without being begged.  I couldn't understand it.  My husband said it was because they weren't "real" engineers (they were environmental).  He said REAL ENGINEERS love to get their hands dirty.  I have no idea if that is true, but it was funny when he said it!  

Anyway, the smartest guy at the old office was also the most useless.  One day, when I was moving the technical library, and nagging all the guys to lend a hand, Mr. Einstein there was just sitting at his desk.  I finally pried him out of his seat, got him to push a load of boxes through the building on a dolly, and, as soon as my back was turned, he was back in his seat.  You're right, Countrigal, they are just like teenagers.

SG

[sobriquetnic]

I'm really glad that your new office is working well for you - even if your menfolk aren't!  Bless 'em!

My old boss in IT used to walk alongside me carrying a carrier bag of post (only a little!) while I carried either a monitor or CPU or fax machine etc....whatever we were replacing!  The poor lamb had a dodgy wrist from a footballing injury.

I'm lucky that my other half works with me and can't bear to see me carrying too many heavy things.  However, I still seem to do quite a lot of fetching and carrying!  

All the best to you for a great new working environment.....and with a printer now too! (They really don't travel well do they?!)

Nicola.