Olympic congestion - Employers stance

[PMKeates]

why?
It's not out of the control of the employer, just leave earlier. There's lots of situations that can make you late, or make it busier. Do you ask for flexibility in term time and it takes three times as long to get anywhere due to all the parents taking kids to school?

1. You are grossly overestimating the additional time it takes to commute in term time. This is because term time is a majority of the working year, and as such the transport infrastructure is designed with the capacity to handle a commute in this situation. In term time the public transport infrastructure provides broadly consistent journey times to out of term time. The roads are probably a little quiet, but you won't see big differences.

2. You are grossly underestimating the additional time it may take to travel during the Olympic games, a period for which the transport infrastructure is not only not designed, but public capacity is being significantly reduced to ensure that key Olympic peoples can travel without delays i.e. the ORN.

To my second point, TfL estimate that at two stations on my commute I will experience a wait to board a train of up to 30 minutes at each. That's an additional 60 minutes, just one way. My typical journey door-to-door, including 20 minutes of walking, is only 1hr 20, and I can assure you that during the school holidays my commute is not instant. In fact, it's exactly the same. My commute increasing to 2hr 20 one-way during the Olympics is an issue that my employer should be just as reasonable and positive about resolving as I am.

 

[Glaucus]

1) no I'm not term out of term time in Bristol is bliss. It doesn't matter that it happens majority of year same principle, you know in advanced it's going to be busy, so leave earlier. It's known in advanced that Olympics is going to busy, work with it, it's upto you to get to work.

2) I'm not estimating anything, someone said they had been advised their train journey could include a 30min wait at train station, assuming they walk either end, that will be the only delay.


And again, it's upto you to get to work on time, I'm sure many companies will be flexible but it's a bonus not a right.

Where on earth did you get an instant commute from?

You've been advised it'll take an extra hour, so leave an hour earlier.

 

[PMKeates]

1) no I'm not term out of term time in Bristol is bliss. It doesn't matter that it happens majority of year same principle, you know in advanced it's going to be busy, so leave earlier. It's known in advanced that Olympics is going to busy, work with it, it's upto you to get to work.

2) I'm not estimating anything, someone said they had been advised their train journey could include a 30min wait at train station, assuming they walk either end, that will be the only delay.


And again, it's upto you to get to work on time, I'm sure many companies will be flexible but it's a bonus not a right,

Ah yes, Bristol - a city that is in absolutely no way comparable to London. Beijing probably bears a more useful resemblence. You seem to be missing the point that in term time things are not predictably 'busy' - I wait 1 or 2 minutes for a train. If there was nobody else using the transport infrastructure other than me, my commute would probably not change at all as I, like everyone else, am mostly at the mercy of walking pace and the train timetable. The situation with the Olympics is that it is known in advance that my journey time will increase multiple times beyond any amount it has predictably increased before, or will after.

You are grossly underestimating in general terms; there are stations experiencing wait times of 30 minutes a piece, so if you connect in to two or three of those (which many well, as they are the major hubs) you will have 60 or maybe 90 minute delays. This is on a completely different scale to the situation with school holidays, which as I said has little impact on public transport in London and a small impact on road travel.

You've been advised it'll take an extra hour, so leave an hour earlier.

So I travel an additional hour in the morning, and lets say 45 minutes in the evening, bringing my commute to nearly 4.5 hours per day? That isn't reasonable and a good employer would make accomodations for that, being that the scale of delays caused by the Olympics is absolutely atypical.

Oh you poor southern softies ... It's up to you to get to work on time and no-one else.

Let me know when the Olympics comes to Sunderland...

 

[Glaucus]

And you seem to be missing the fact, IT'S YOUR responsibility to get to work on time and ontop of that, you've been told in advance of delays.

There's no two ways about it, it's upto you, if your work is being flexible it's a bonus. Check your contract, you'll find it does say we will be flexible in known times of busy periods.

End off. If it takes apextra time suck it up and be thankfully its only three months and not majour roadworks that last years. I'm sure plenty of people have aphid to leave early since we won the Olympic deals due to "permanent" road works.

Oh and Bristol was, probably still is one of the most congested towns.

 

[robfosters]

1) no I'm not term out of term time in Bristol is bliss. It doesn't matter that it happens majority of year same principle, you know in advanced it's going to be busy, so leave earlier. It's known in advanced that Olympics is going to busy, work with it, it's upto you to get to work.

2) I'm not estimating anything, someone said they had been advised their train journey could include a 30min wait at train station, assuming they walk either end, that will be the only delay.


And again, it's upto you to get to work on time, I'm sure many companies will be flexible but it's a bonus not a right.

Where on earth did you get an instant commute from?

You've been advised it'll take an extra hour, so leave an hour earlier.

I'm glad you're not my boss, you seem totally unreasonable. Have you ever worked in London?

Also, what about the people who drive? Will the companies help them out with their increased petrol bills through being stuck in the worst traffic the cities ever known?

 

[RDM]

A decent employer will make allowances, allow time shift or work from home or some degree of flexitime. But there is no requirement for them to do so and it isn't unreasonable for them to expect you to work your contracted hours.

 

[thecremeegg]

Why not? There is huge congestion in that part of the world when both teams are playing at home.

I'm pretty sure that Spurs and Arsenal never play home games on the same day for that very reason

 

[Russinating]

I'm with the "it's your responsibility to get to work on time brigade".

 

[Glaucus]

I'm glad you're not my boss, you seem totally unreasonable.

How am I unreasonable? Have I said what I would do if I was a boss? No didn't think so.
I'm telling you who it is nothing more. Don't expect companies to bend over backwards, many will and that's great. But they have no obligations to.

That makes this thread pointless.

 

[robfosters]

I do like you Glaucus, but sometimes I feel you have a holier than thou attitude about you and just refuse to be reasoned with. It's almost as if you can't have a reasoned debate. Your word is final and that's that.

 

[Glaucus]

I do like you Glaucus, but sometimes I feel you have a holier than thou attitude about you and just refuse to be reasoned with. It's almost as if you can't have a reasoned debate. Your word is final and that's that.

Reasoned with? There's nothing to reason with?
I haven't said what I would do as a boss and this thread is pointless.
Employers have no responsibility for you getting to work on time. What's the discussion? In relation to the OPs question. There just isnt own. If your employer is being flexible eat, if they aren't they aren't. It's as simple as that.

 

[Rroff]

lol at the "it's upto you to get to work on time" brigade... yes upto a point... but theres a point where it stops being reasonable... failure to see theres a point where both sides have to be more flexible isn't very intelligent.

 

[timebomb26]

I'd be quite happy to get on with it if it looked like TFL were actually doing something decent to try and alleviate problems, but so far what they've done will make little difference. It annoys me that bus drivers etc are getting an Olympic bonus for the extra work they have to do, and all other people don't get anything apart from an extra 1.5 hours commute. Hardly seems fair. The fact that tickets are still full price as well is a complete joke.

 

[robfosters]

I haven't said what I would do as a boss and this thread is pointless.

Why is the thread pointless? If you read the op, I ended with asking what are your firms plans? I want to know, isn't that what GD is about. Does every single little discussion in life have to have a major point.

 

[J1mmy]

My employer has offered us a tent outside the building, yes ... a tent! If the congestion is so bad we can't get home before a reasonable hour, or our relieving factors don't turn in - then it's THE TENT!

 

[Glaucus]

Why is the thread pointless? If you read the op, I ended with asking what are your firms plans? I want to know, isn't that what GD is about. Does every single little discussion in life have to have a major point.

That questions fine I'll give you that.
But to what companies should and have to do is a shut case.

 

[PMKeates]

And you seem to be missing the fact, IT'S YOUR responsibility to get to work on time and ontop of that, you've been told in advance of delays.

There's no two ways about it, it's upto you, if your work is being flexible it's a bonus. Check your contract, you'll find it does say we will be flexible in known times of busy periods.

End off. If it takes apextra time suck it up and be thankfully its only three months and not majour roadworks that last years. I'm sure plenty of people have aphid to leave early since we won the Olympic deals due to "permanent" road works.

Oh and Bristol was, probably still is one of the most congested towns.

I'm not debating where technical responsibility lies, I'm debating your completely uninformed and ridiculous views of the effects on commuting during the Olympics. My employer has a responsibility to keep the business operating well, and turning in to a Nazi during a difficult time is not the way to do it. Compromises on both sides are what will make this much more palatable; an employer that sits on the other side of the table with its arms crossed and fingers in its ears will find itself presiding over a very unhappy workforce, and that is not in the short, medium or long-term interests of any stable business.

No, sorry, not 'end off'. The black and white stance you are taking is not the best way for most employers in the City to deal with this, and employees and employers should have put disturbance mitigation strategies in place months ago.

I do not see what relation Bristol's transport infrastructure has to London's, but please do enlighten me.

That questions fine I'll give you that.
But to what companies should and have to do is a shut case.

What they have or should be forced to do is simple, but what they should do is absolutely not what you are suggesting.

 

[Glaucus]

No, sorry, not 'end off'. The black and white stance you are taking is not the best way for most employers in the City to deal with this, and employees and employers should have put disturbance mitigation strategies in place months ago.
.

Did I say it was the best?

 

[PMKeates]

Did I say it was the best?

You said it was what they 'should' do.

 

[Glaucus]

You said it was what they 'should' do.

No, I said its all they had to do and if they are flexible it's a bonus.

I was merely focusing on this apparat of your post, perhaps I should have quoted that specific part

Do you think people should be forced to complete all their work hours, even if it means leaving mega early and getting home mega late with no overtime, or do you think the rules should be relaxed so that workers can try to keep to their normal schedule even if it means a natural shortening of their office hours.

That part there's no two ways about it, of course you should leave earlier and have less time at home.