About minute silences at work

[onesupplied]

We had a one minute silence today to recognise the Grenfell tragedy.

We all received an email well in advance about this. Our office manager sets off an alarm at 11am and when the silence is over. We've (sadly) done this a couple of times now in the past month.

There still remain a few colleagues who seem to take no notice. Although not talking they're typing, clicking, scrolling, shuffling papers.

AIBU to think that this is bloody disrespectful and that everyone can afford to take one minute out of their day?

[WinifredAtwellsOtherPiano]

We do this at work in theory but since there's no noise to notify us of the start we always end up in the middle of a conversation or engrossed in work and only remember at 11:04. It's mortifying. Next November I'm going to set an alarm on my phone.

[Saucery]

It's a mark of respect. If you don't want to do it take yourself off to the toilets or something.
DS's school didn't do the one today. I am quite annoyed they observed the other silences but not this one.

[leccybill]

Is it political? I thought it was just about taking a moment to think about those who have died.
I don't understand those here who don't understand. It's one minute out of your day. Just stop typing, or you know, working.

[NormaSmuff]

you can't ignore people who are asking you questions at work though.

[Trb17]

Our office is incoming call based. We switch off phones for the minute and ask any existing callers to allow us to put them on hole while the silence is respected. This is done from the MD down to all staff. I think it shows respect and I'm always gobsmacked at people that find any reason to take a moral stand against it.

[Trb17]

*hold

[Scrumptiousbears]

Thing is there seem to be so many minute silences these days they almost loose all meaning. Where do we stop?

[user1476869312]

Oh they are absolute wank anyway - just like all that posting a shitty photoshopped picture of a candle and some terrible poetry on your Facebook feed when something bad happens.

[Saucery]

Colleagues shouldn't be asking you questions. If you work with the public then you announce it and put notices up.
I still had someone ask me a question during a Remembrance Day silence once, large public building, wtf did he think we were all stood there with our hands crossed and our heads bowed for . I just shook my head and pointed to the notice. He was ok about it afterwards, said he had never heard of the Two Minutes Silence before and was sorry to have asked me a question during it.

[LaGattaNera]

I was having brunch in Frankie & Benny's the other week and the manager came to every table ahead of 11am to say they were observing the minute's silence for the Manchester Arena victims - sadly she didn't tell the chef who not only carried on cooking but then rang the bell to tell waiter to come and get the food - unreal!

[Asmoto]

What do you do if the phone rings? My workplace switches the phones to a recorded message during silences. Anyone mid-phone call explains what's happening and puts the caller on hold.

[harderandharder2breathe]

I work in a call centre. During the silence for the London attacks I was being ranted at by a customer. Today's one the caller heard our fire alarm go off at the start, I explained why and asked if they were ok to observe it, they were but I do admit I used it to bring up the info they needed so I wasn't keeping them waiting further. I normally observe them fully if I'm not on a call or I'm on my break though

[NormaSmuff]

well the colleagues who asked me a question obviously missed the information about a minute's silence

[Aliveinwanderland]

I was in Asda today, they did a tannoy announcement, had all spare staff go to the front of the store and the checkouts stopped for 1 minute.

[thatdearoctopus]

I work in an operating theatre and was dealing with a particularly risky anaesthetic at 11am. Some of us have to be fully focused on our work.

Well, that's totally different then, isn't it?

[Phoebefromfriends]

Unfortunately our office forgot so it wasn't observed. During the last one I announced loudly that we were observing it and according to my manager no-one moved for at least three minutes because I was so forthright. In the end I had to tell them it had ended, despite there being a clock in the office. I do think it's up to individuals whether they observe it but those that don't should be quiet.

With regards to schools it's completely different to a workplace and I do wonder whether the kids are actually reflecting on what has happened or thinking of other stuff. We can't police people's thoughts so just because they are silent doesn't mean they are more reflective than the person typing. Sometimes I can get so overwhelmed with the emotion of things that I risk sobbing into my keyboard, maybe others will reflect privately at home.

[Floggingmolly]

Totally disrespectful. I tapped a girl on the shoulder on the tube once, chattering away into her phone despite the announcement of the minutes silence.
I half expected a mouthful, but I couldn't let it pass. She actually looked abashed and put the phone away, surprisingly.

[BigChocFrenzy]

The employer pays the staff for their time and - obviously excluding the agreed break times - has the right to specify whether work should be done during that one minute, or not.

Observing the minute's silence is probably part of the company's strategy for their public image

[beepbeepimasheep]

My children's school did it, they have done them all so far. My workplace didn't do it.

[ThanksMsMay]

Unless you're literally saving a life I don't see how anyone cannot take one minute out of their day to observe

I can and I do because I can't be arsed to discuss why I think it's a bit stupid. The people who are affected aren't there it's a meaningless forced gesture that gets a bunch of people to be quiet and contemplate their shopping list so they can feel like they did something useful.

How is it showing the dead respect to be quiet?

How does it mean anything if it's forced? It's like making a 6 year old say sorry. THey don't mean it. They don't care.

[BigChocFrenzy]

An individual in their own time can choose for themself, but should not disturb others observing the silence.

[grungeneverdied]

1 minutes silence was originally to show respect for the fallen soldiers of ww2 (that I know of please tell me otherwise). I don't agree with doing 1 minute silence for every tragedy that manages to make the news. Not that I'm being disrespectful just don't see it as a thing I need to do as there are hundreds of tragedies everyday that go by unknowingly.

[Rufus27]

This has reminded me of when I was a kid, attending a Armistice Day Parade with my mum and DB (aged 3). We were standing close to a group of VIPs. Part way through the two minutes' silence (which was impeccably observed) DB grabbed mum's long umbrella, 'fired' it at a passing seagull and shouted 'BANG! BANG! Ha! Shot that bird!' at the top of his voice. My poor mother.

[LRDtheFeministDragon]

DP and I were in Wilcos for the silence for the Manchester victims and we honestly didn't hear the announcement as the baby was screaming. I was vaguely aware of something on the tannoy but assumed it was a staff message so didn't listen.

Then we felt mortified as we stood chatting in a queue that seemed to be moving more slowly than usual (!) until we realised the people on the tills were silent and not serving anyone.

I hope no one thought we were being deliberately disrespectful.