Christmas is less than four weeks away. So why is the fact there's been some snow in the UK causing such consternation and causing chaos?
Midlothian Council has announced tonight that all its schools will be closed tomorrow as a result of 'adverse weather conditions'. It as if we never have snow in this country and that last year never happened. I wonder if schools close because some teachers can't be arsed digging their cars out of the snow (I've just helped daughter Michaela dig her car out on a Sunday night in readiness for Monday morning) I hate the winter, rain, snow and ice but I don't stop going out or working, I resign myself to the fact that come winter I will have to wrap up warm, have the heating on full blast and put up with the constant rain/wind/snow. This is the same every year one way or another and we should be ready for it.
Back in the 1970s I remember trudging to school in all manner of bad weather, it was never even mooted that schools would close. What damage or trauma did I suffer? (okay, don't answer that) Should I be worried about the lasting effects this could have had on me? (don't answer that one either) More importantly, should I be worried about the effects this "taking the easy way out" or "any excuse for a day off" is going to have on my grandchildren? How is this going to instil a good work ethic?
Snow and bad weather should be seen as part of our normal weather not an excuse to have time off work, shut trains down, stop buses running or to simply stop every day normal living. As a non-driver if public transport lets me down tomorrow I shall simply switch on the laptop and work from home. However, as I work in human resources there will be the inevitable phone calls and emails from staff asking if they can get an unofficial day off because they couldn't get in to the office. Or because they had to take the day off because little Johnny couldn't go to school. A suggestion of taking unpaid leave will cast me as the most evil person in the world.
I've just looked outside my window. Yep, it's snowing again. And there's the phone ringing...
10 comments:
I will think of you from my bed as it's too cold to get up tomorrow morning!
Lucky you, you have the choice to work from the comfort of your own home.
Some of us live in the real world of employment.
If your so pissed off at people taking the day off due to the bad weather you could lead by example and get off your backside and join the rest of us on the long trudge to their workplace.
Try practicing what you preach.
Grumpy - you seem to be missing the point. It's those who want a day off work I'm getting at - the key word in working from home is 'working'.
But thanks for contributing from 'the real world of employment'.
Like you, back in the day, I walked 2 miles in the snow, up hill, to school every day and lived to tell the story :-)
Kids today are wimps.
Cheers, jj
Did you have a good Monday?
I was the only one in HR today. Nuff said!
The real world of employment is down to the simple fact of whether we can actually get to work or not. If a road is closed, or a bus can't run on its normal route then there isn't much the average person can do is there? We don't all work in the town or city we live in nowadays.
You can spend all the hours you want digging the snow from around your car if you drive but if the road isn't driveable or closed the simple fact is some people just can't get to work.
Yes some people 'enjoy' the snowy weather just as much as the kids do if they can't get to work or school but after a few days the novelty soon wears off.
I don't have the luxury or being able to work at home unless its pre-planned, however what I didn't pre-plan was all this snow - when moving house :-(
Good points well, made young Vicky! I accept there are some people who genuinely can't make it into work. However, there are those who don't make every effort to do so - and expect to get a full day's pay or a free day off whilst others who struggle in have to work! As Grumpy said 'getting off their backside'...
Young Vicky... Behave yirsel man!!
I was wondering if people have to take unpaid leave or use their holidays. A bit of a nightmare for all concerned I guess.
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