I think I need to make a complaint about this home worker, but I feel bad about it.

[OhWhatFuckeryIsThisNow]

I called a booking line yesterday to arrange a prison visit. This is the first time I’ve done this so was a bit nervous about it. This service is outsourced to a company (I didn’t know this) and the woman on the phone was obviously working from home (could hear tv noise) and that’s fine. But half way through the call a child started shouting, telling her to stop the computer, shut up, you’re a stupid mother, you shut up now stupid woman. Lots of banging. She put me on hold, without telling me so I thought I’d been cut off. She came back, no apology. Couldn’t make my booking, promised to call back today. She didn’t. Now I understand the problems with hw and kids, and it sounded like for whatever reasons her child wasn’t coping with it, but this is quite a sensitive and awkward area for many people, but I’d feel bad if this woman got in trouble or lost her job due to this. She said it was the first day the company had run this contract, so I can see there is teething problems. I got through to someone else today and he suggested I complain. But I’m a bit conflicted about doing it.

I would complain because she never called you back. I wouldn't feel bad about it. She's being paid to do a job and she didn't do it. Her employers need to know.

Yes I WOULD complain. That’s WFH for you. No, I’m not saying everyone WFH like this, however I don’t agree personally to reduce my expectations to be treated professionally and be provide with a service I deserve.

I have precious few minutes in the day to sort out ‘life admin’. When I call a call centre I don’t expect to hear TV or children in the background, I want my call dealt with promptly and efficiently.

I have WFH since before the pandemic. To work efficiently like this is a skill that doesn’t suit everyone. My company had a no children whilst working policy.

This needs to be seen as a feminist issue (because it is usually women). Mother’s who WFH ineffectively with children present, will become the yardstick by which women WFH get measured.

I'd complain. Wfh is no excuse to not have childcare provisions in place, how many people who are not wfh could bring their children into work if childcare fell through? I know in my industry we certainly couldn't. Bottom line is she's getting paid by her company to work for them and can't if she's distracted by her children.

@FixItUpChappie
Mind own business? Interesting point. Maybe you don’t work in a profession where you’re criticised continuously for what you do and also have to actually go out to work instead of staying at home with tv on.

If she can't do her job, what are the implications?

There are very vulnerable women, children and indeed prisoners who may not get important visits.

They are completely at the mercy of the system.

Yes there are criminals but its beyond this. These people are in the care of the state. The state should actually be efficient and smooth in how it handles things. The punishment is the deprivation of liberty of the individual. Not the obstruction of others to see that individual.

It is a massively stressful thing for those not in prison to deal with. They shouldn't have to deal with the family issues of state employees too.

This woman won't lose her job. She will be given a disciplinary at most. If she's getting multiple ones then there is a problem she really needs to address.

The problems of someone else are not for service users to suck up at the best of times. Given her occupation, it should apply even more not less - she's dealing with potentially vulnerable people.

This. Yes I'd complain

Change won't happen otherwise. This was SO unprofessional

I think it is unacceptable to WFH with young children and I would complain

FFS Work from home is not supposed to be used for childcare! I would complain, it is because of people like her that employers are reluctant to have people WFH.

That poor woman! Imagine being spoken to like that by your child!

Why are you assuming it was the woman's first day? She said it was the first day of her company running this contract - that is entirely different.

First day taking over a new contract - there may be some glitches with software, scripts, booking systems etc.

It doesn't excuse children shouting and loud TVs in the background, nor does it excuse the failure to call back. Homeworkers need childcare just like anyone else, especially when providing a sensitive service.

Companies get away with providing poor quality cut price service in the public sector because so few people complain about it. Shareholders somewhere are profiting from this poor service.

I wfh against my will ( 😂 ) and it’s tough shit if you hear my dog or radio 🤷🏼‍♀️
a couple of times I’ve HAD to open the door for a parcel (despite a ring doorbell and a sign 🙄)
i always however, acknowledge and apologise
our offices have been sold so it’s not an option

I think in your shoes I’d actually not complain (I’d not use that term) but I’d feedback that she didn’t ring me back - that’s where she failed really.
she was unprofessional for sure, but we’ve been told over 50% of our new starters drop out within a couple of weeks. It’s pretty impossible to feel secure and supported when you’re sat in your home and no one answers your teams message or internal call
our calls are also ALL recorded so she was probably hoping that if she didn’t acknowledge it, maybe you wouldn’t…

If l was to complain about everyone who said they would call back and didn't l would be getting a good few people into trouble as it seems to be the general trend. I know you were dealing with a sensitive area but l would leave it this time..unless it happens again.
Saying that l know someone who is not only minding her own children at home..after school..while she works she also has her neighbours school children too and is getting paid for that!!

I do agree with this. Just looking from her point of view as to why she didn’t acknowledge

call centres are notorious for being arses about emergency leave. It’d be unpaid obvs and the supervisor can often be really unsupportive

interestingly, our next level workers often nip off for the school run and have their older kids around, don’t use full time crèche etc plus they openly sit in a public place working- paid more but have the luxury of being able to pay for less childcare …

She may have paused the call to hiss at her partner who was in charge of childcare whilst she worked…

As a manager who employs people to do a similar WFH role, I would want you to complain as she did not deliver the standard I'd expect my customers to receive.

She wont 'get sacked' but we'd support her with extra training and discuss our expectations on childcare while she was at work.

“Maybe you don’t work in a profession where you’re criticised continuously for what you do and also have to actually go out to work instead of staying at home with tv on.”

ah…..jealousy. Not attractive. I don’t wfh but I don’t begrudge those that do and I feel our society could benefit from shifting to more openness around wfh and yes even the presence of children at times. I’m not condoning the way she handled OPs call but the only reason it seems to me the complaint is being made is the presence of a child.

There have been odd times I’ve worked from home with poorly children because the consequence of me taking time off to look after them is a lot of unhappy people with cancelled appointments. However, if I was interrupted, I would always explain to the person I am speaking to and apologise. In truth I am rarely interrupted because the children know not just to come in the room. I suspect if she had said she’d been caught short on childcare with a poorly child and had called you back as she said you wouldn’t be thinking of complaining.

I wouldn't complain, it wasn't professional but might have been a one off that her child was at home.
I make up scenarios in my head - she's a single mum, child is off school unwell, she's flustered and trying to hold it all together.

What if the child was Ill and was home from school? 🤷‍♀️

This. Wfh is just that wfh and not childcare. She wasn’t focussed on your care but her child. That’s a big no

@FixItUpChappie
It’s not jealousy, but bitterness for being treated unfairly. It’s not fair to receive a poor service from a person who’s presumably getting paid her wages but not doing her job. Many don’t have the luxury to stay home and understandably feel bitter when they see that people abuse the system. I’m all for WFH but you know it’s WORK. I provide service and have to do it to the high standard. I need other professionals to do the same for me, from home or from the office.