To think that it's not hard to take a minute's silence?

[justwonderingtbh]

I work in Manchester. Today was the second anniversary of the attack, which is always going to be a sad day.
I work in an office call centre environment and everyone was briefed about a minute's silence that would be taking place at 2:30. Was told to not take calls after 25 past etc.
It came to half past and a bell was chimed for the silence, I was the only person who stood up for the silence which didn't bother me much but I did think that's the done thing. Also there were people still on their calls! More bothered about making a sale than remembering the 22!
Yes I understand that these people are just trying to hit their commission but just call the customer back afterwards. It has really angered me.

What if they'd taken a call which began before 25 past though and couldn't end it before the bell?

Annoys me too.if you don't want to do the silence fair enough, but show some respect to those that do.

Raise it with management and think about a solution for future silences.

From working in a call centre, we either turn the lines off or the advice given on the line is normally just to say "excuse us for a moment, we are just having a moments silence for ....." whatever the cause is.
Same for practice fire alarms, although we actually have to hang up on the person.

Could you suggest to management about doing something like that?

I'm sorry. I know how upsetting it is when these aren't observed. It feels so disrespectful.

'I will be observing a minute's silence at 11' o'clock. You're welcome to join me, or alternatively I can call you back.'

Exactly, if I was on a call I would've explained to the customer that I'll be observing a minutes silence and will ring back afterwards.
If they didn't answer and I lost the sale, then so be it. There'll be other sales, I think it's monumentally disrespectful to people affected to ignore the silence just because you want to hit you commision!

Even if the cause doesn’t mean anything to you then out of respect for others in the area you stay quiet for a minute.

I doubt any customers would object if told why and if so let management who had rightly agreed to the silence deal with them at 2.31

'I will be observing a minute's silence at 11' o'clock. You're welcome to join me, or alternatively I can call you back.' have you worked in a call centre? I have and it is incredibly difficult to get that into a call let alone to remember whilst being abused for something completely out of your control to remember to actually say "I know you are busy swearing at me but its 11am so please can you be silent for a minute"

How can this not mean anything to people ughhh!!!!
There were people in the office who's life had changed forever because of what's gone on, people are so selfish!

How can this not mean anything to people ughhh!!!!
There were people in the office who's life had changed forever because of what's gone on, people are so selfish!

Don't take it so personally. You have no idea what it means to those people who didn't cut off calls. You took your moment to reflect at 1430, they might have done it before they left for work this morning.

I've taken part in 'silences' that are anything but, but you can still do the necessary with chatter/traffic noise/music in the background.

When I worked in a call centre we would have been bollocked ending a call, and call dropping was gross misconduct.
You mention commission op, is it outbound/ sales calls?

I must admit that I never understood the whole minutes silence thing. I don’t go up and try to talk to people who are taking on but equally I wouldn’t stop what I am doing to observe one.

Sometimes it’s not easy to get off a call if you’re right in the middle of one, or that particular client might react badly to ending the call.
Also I absolutely agree that having a moment of silence in aid of a tragic event is respectful and a nice thing to do for the memory of those lost, I always do the armistice silence for example. However, I understand not everyone wants to join in - and I respect that is their right even though I don’t agree with their view.

Given that it's been 2 years since the attack which was, sadly, one of a great many worldwide, I suggest that a minute's silence was unnecessary and I reckon a good many people would quietly agree with me.

I remember being in a very busy restaurant the first anniversary of Feb 22, the Christchurch Quake. Very touristy. The waitresses walked around just quietly telling patrons that the bell would be going, it would be for a 2 minutes silence, and it would be very much respected if everyone would respect it, as the staff would be so doing.

And everyone fell silent. Even people that didn't speak English got the gist. It was so moving. . .

Another one who doesn't really 'get' the minutes silence thing, though of course I would respect others doing it, I'd rather reflect/show my respects in my own way. Standing and being quiet for a minute at a time dictated by others just seems strange to me.

Given that it's been 2 years since the attack which was, sadly, one of a great many worldwide, I suggest that a minute's silence was unnecessary and I reckon a good many people would quietly agree with me.

Here's one that not so quietly disagrees. Especially in Manchester.

Isn’t the problem though that your forcing the minutes silence on those who for what ever reason might not wish to take part.

You can do the silence but by insisting that others stop you are not giving them a choice. Others may have shown their respects in other ways.

Or think it’s a bit unnecessary as someone suggested.

@TomPinch , if you live in Manchester it's not just something on the tv.
@justwonderingtbh , it's very difficult when you are handling calls.
The managers should make it work for you.
I was once in a supermarket fora Remembrance Day silence. Bloody managers/supervisors didn't support the staff trying to observe it by getting them to keep scanning in silence.

For people who don't want to take part, I just don't understand why.
It was an arranged thing across Manchester, if you don't get why then just shut up for 60 seconds anyway because it isn't hard. I don't get why people want to make such a point, just shut up and show some respect.

I don't understand it either.

Having everyone with one designated minute to think about something it's dictated they think about.

I do lots of practical things for various charities and causes, but observing a silence is pretty meaningless to me (and if it was a choice between earning money to feed my kids and observing a silence there would be no contest I'm afraid).

There is more than one way to show respect.

If you are in a call centre I assume that people are calling in from outside Manchester?

And if so they wouldn't be aware of the organised minutes silence.

justwonderingtbh can I please offer you a big hug and a glass of .

My husband's family is from Manchester originally, my home town just went through a completely unexpected terrorist attack, where people died.

Combine the two - I totally get it. I'm sorry.

Again, the managers had a duty of care to staff. They should have made it happen.
And if it's not for you, just let people who feel the benefit get on with it.

We do outbound sales. We are all paid a basic wage so it was never a contest between observing a silence and feeding their kids.
I understand that a minute's silence may not be everyone's choice of a way to remember but if it was organised across the office, with specific instructions, with a girl in the room who's family member died really grateful for the gesture, how a colleague of that girl can sit gabbing away on the phone like they're high and mighty because that's "not how they want to remember" is just beyond me.