To be fair most of the firms I've worked for while in London have been understanding about the London transport situation as a generalisation.
Olympic congestion - Employers stance
- Thread starter robfosters
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To be fair most of the firms I've worked for while in London have been understanding about the London transport situation as a generalisation.
So you didn't type that what companies "should" do is a "shut case"? What did you mean by that?
I'm sorry but in Manningtree, population 900, people are always expected to get to work on time and during term-time it can take up to 3 or 4 minutes to commute, so this rule should therefore apply completely exactly to London during the largest event ever held there, contrary to what every decent company (which is most) is doing.
What it says, they don't have to do anything if they don't won't.
'Should' implies what would be the 'right' thing to do, not what they are legally obliged to do. The 'right' thing to do is to be flexible wherever possible, even at the employer's inconvenience.
They don't have to do anything that's the point. You're taking should in the wrong way. Should /= right .
Should in my context is legally, so change of law. They shouldn't have to do anything, doesn't mean they won't as good will and keep employees happy and increase or at least keep static moral.
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http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/should_1?q=should
"used to say or ask what is the correct or best thing to do"
The correct or best thing to do is very different in the context of any normal discussion to what one is legally obliged to do.
I live in Mile End and work in Chigwell so my commute essentially revolves around the central line. Normally leave at 6:50 every morning and get to work in just under an hour. 8-4 day.
Will be seriously surprised if my commute is made more difficult by already leaving quite early, but my employers are aware of the situation
Will be seriously surprised if my commute is made more difficult by already leaving quite early, but my employers are aware of the situation
TfL aren't predicting anything significant for Mile End at those times of day.
And that applies? Oh wait it doesn't. Correct /= doing things to keep moral, be kind and get better work.
Still a mere 3 minutes from Stratford and will have to go through after work, enough to raise a slight eyebrow. We'll see.
It is the employees responsibilty to arrive on time, if the Olympics means they need to take delays into consideration then that is also their responsibilty. Whether the employer wants to, or can afford to be flexible is for them to decide, they have no obligation to accomodate anyone however.
LOL
I don't currently live/work in central but about 20 minutes away by train to Waterloo. I've been in and out of London about six/seven times over the last two weeks and for whatever reason I have found both the overground and underground services much worse than usual.
While I agree that employees should make an extra effort to get to work as on time as possible, I have a feeling that this may be incredibly difficult if all X-amount of commuters who travel in and out of London all set off 40 minutes earlier etc. Leaving earlier won't help if everyone does it. Any hardened London commuters on here will most likely have experienced the network when it hits capacity - its not pleasant.
While I agree that employees should make an extra effort to get to work as on time as possible, I have a feeling that this may be incredibly difficult if all X-amount of commuters who travel in and out of London all set off 40 minutes earlier etc. Leaving earlier won't help if everyone does it. Any hardened London commuters on here will most likely have experienced the network when it hits capacity - its not pleasant.
I get the train (good old Southeastern) into central every day and then tube out to Hammersmith. Given that the predictions are 30min queues to get into the central national rail stations I'm not looking forward to the next few weeks.
I normally get into London at around 7am, so hopefully just before it starts to get really busy. However the afternoon commute home is going to be hell! Going to try working from home (where possible), but unfortunately I still need to be in some days. One things for sure I'm not working over my hours over the next few weeks (I normally put in at least 5 hours unpaid overtime a week) and my employers normally pretty flexible.
At the end of the day as others have said its the largest event ever put on in London. The transport network is expected to be so far over capacity at peak times (which depend on the events!) that its just silly. TfL, the Mayor and the government are all requesting that companies be flexible. I don't think it's unresonable to expect them to offer flexible working conditions, or encourage working from home where possible. Yes you should make extra effort to get into work (leaving early etc), but when a normal commute goes from 1-1.5hrs to 3-4hrs each way it starts affecting office productivity if your not at least a little flexible.
As I said for me at least my employer is flexible and I'll certainly be making as much use of that as possible. Heaven help those that don't have flexible employers is all I can say
I normally get into London at around 7am, so hopefully just before it starts to get really busy. However the afternoon commute home is going to be hell! Going to try working from home (where possible), but unfortunately I still need to be in some days. One things for sure I'm not working over my hours over the next few weeks (I normally put in at least 5 hours unpaid overtime a week) and my employers normally pretty flexible.
At the end of the day as others have said its the largest event ever put on in London. The transport network is expected to be so far over capacity at peak times (which depend on the events!) that its just silly. TfL, the Mayor and the government are all requesting that companies be flexible. I don't think it's unresonable to expect them to offer flexible working conditions, or encourage working from home where possible. Yes you should make extra effort to get into work (leaving early etc), but when a normal commute goes from 1-1.5hrs to 3-4hrs each way it starts affecting office productivity if your not at least a little flexible.
As I said for me at least my employer is flexible and I'll certainly be making as much use of that as possible. Heaven help those that don't have flexible employers is all I can say
Soldato
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Getting into London in the mornings will be fine, but getting out will be a pain. I've got to go on the Victoria and Bakerloo lines, so we'll see how that goes.
After the snow last Christmas I planned to deploy Remote Desktop for all staff to work remotely. Finished the project in March and I've been trickling them on to the system since. Apart from the few people who need to physically be on site, most can work from home.
Woo technology.
After the snow last Christmas I planned to deploy Remote Desktop for all staff to work remotely. Finished the project in March and I've been trickling them on to the system since. Apart from the few people who need to physically be on site, most can work from home.
Woo technology.
I work at a company near an Olympic venue, everyone has been given the option of flexible working and working from home if needed and indeed if possible. It makes complete sense, no point making employees travel 4 hours if they don't have to no matter if Glaucus thinks they 'should'.
Luckily for me I live within walking/cycling distance but I'd say 95% of my colleagues don't.
Luckily for me I live within walking/cycling distance but I'd say 95% of my colleagues don't.
Soldato
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The people overdoing the 'IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO GET TO WORK' are pathetic and deluded.
Of course, no one is saying it isn't. However, 2012 is an extraordinary event on a city already way over capacity (roads, buses and trains). It would not take much for businesses to offer a bit of flexibility on working hours or working location.
Would you have said the same thing during the 7/7 attacks?
Of course, no one is saying it isn't. However, 2012 is an extraordinary event on a city already way over capacity (roads, buses and trains). It would not take much for businesses to offer a bit of flexibility on working hours or working location.
Would you have said the same thing during the 7/7 attacks?