to ask how good is your employer?

[Merryoldgoat]

I'm just being nosey. I just had my hair done and was chatting to my hairdresser and we started talking about work etc. and she said that she thought my employer was unusual with how flexible they have been/are and the general working conditions.

I think they are too and I really like where I work for a number of reasons but is it unusual? Do most people have difficult employer/bosses etc?

Most places I've worked have been really good and the ones that haven't I've left quickly but I was just musing and procrastinating.

What is the most valuable thing to you in your workplace? What will you not compromise on?

Well yes - that's pretty high up on any list I'd expect!

My employer, more specifically my direct line manager, is amazing. I returned to work after 18 months off with serious health issues, and from interview onwards she was so supportive. I'm part time and she allows me to structure my hours around flare ups and bad days, which has meant not needing to take time off sick. She manages to hit a balance between being caring and supportive but never patronising me.

Some teams in my area of work can be quite negative and toxic but she's built an amazing nurturing team with great morale and an ethos of having each other's back, it's a fantastic environment to work in, especially as our job is incredibly stressful. I appreciate her so much.

That sounds really good @Welshmaenad

Both of my boys have ASD and as such all of the various appointments etc have been much easier to fit in as my manager lets me manage my time without any real input (hence being able to have my hair cut today!)

You get so much more from people when you trust them.

Very good but it's public sector

Like @CrazyNeighbour the absence of nastiness is the main thing I look for, along with someone who can be timely and not have 'urgent' things that would never be if they could plan ahead.

Overall, it's good, but it can depend a lot on individual departments.

My bosses are awful. It can be difficult to get a day off on annual leave (a reason is usually sought) - never mind being off sick!

My Civil Service department is very good, and has been incredibly good throughout the pandemic. I think most people appreciate the good conditions, and do their best to respond in kind by not taking the piss. However, there’s also a very robust performance management structure in place which means that pisstakers are dealt with properly and see their pisstaking reflected in their pay and bonus award, find themselves subject to intense scrutiny, and will have privileges like flexible working hours, WFH days and special leave removed.

Both the privileges and the performance management are important to me in an employer. The opportunity to work flexibly and to some extent to a pattern which suits me is very welcome, but so is knowing that I won’t have to pick up the slack for colleagues who don’t pull their weight because they’ll be sanctioned or managed out.

Above average but not amazing. The CEO is very flexible and understanding, and actively works hard to create an inclusive, supportive, and happy work culture. She's allowed me to bring the DC to work after school every day, approved flexible working where possible (there is some grumbling from the quarters where it is not possible for data or safety reasons) and generally advocated for a positive work environment all around.

We've definitely still got some things I don't like -- maternity benefit is lousy, holiday time is minimal, and there are some culture issues for me, but I also acknowledge that not all decisions fit all people and the positives outweigh the negatives for me.

She's a massive PITA. Always has a thousand ideas she wants worked on, but finds it hard to settle on one. She takes breaks whenever she feels like it, and her desk is a chaotic mess.

Did I mention I'm self-employed?

My current employer is probably the best I’ve had, they are very trusting (well my department is anyway), you aren’t micromanaged and they are quite flexible as long as you’re getting the work done which for me is the most important thing. I hate when bosses don’t trust you and are breathing down your neck.

The union reps have a good relationship with the bosses and it’s all quite open. There are good perks, the pension is pretty decent and we get Friday afternoons off in the summer if we work a bit longer in the days before.

One of the worst employers I had was huge on having ‘bums in seats’ for the sake of it. I worked in an admin/support team. You couldn’t work from home, you couldn’t take holiday at the same time as someone else even if there was adequate cover elsewhere in the team. They used to insist we took turns to come in between Christmas and New Year (couldn’t book off the whole thing) ‘in case someone needed you’ even though the teams we supported all worked from home or booked time off during that period. I remember sitting in an empty office on the 27th December one year, nothing to do except organise my desk. I wouldn’t ever like to work somewhere like that again.

I would say the trade off is the volume of work is quite high, you’d quickly be caught out if you weren’t working hard. But in a way that’s a good thing as I’ve worked places where some staff have coasted and taken the piss a bit at the expense of their colleagues.

Truthfully? Being well-rewarded financially for what I do and being able to solve problems as I see fit, rather than being encouraged to ignore them. I can compromise on some other things, like being slightly overworked.

Certain things aren’t really within an employer’s gift: they can’t do much about colleagues being blockers, for example, or only wanting to do the absolute minimum required. Neither of those things are misconduct, although they drive me barmy. Luckily I don’t get much of that in my current role.

One thing I did like was, as of last year we were given the option to work from home whenever we want, even when the world returns to normal, and my employer offered a contribution towards bills and fitting out a home office without being asked.

Mine is fantastic. Always have been and why I've stayed there for 20 years in a male dominated industry. D&I is finally on the up, fully flexible.

A lot depends on the industry. I work in a fast paced high earning role. If I was still in a call centre I doubt there would be that flex.

I'm not being derogatory or incendiary but it's an unfair market, particularly to women.

I work for the NHS, so overall a pretty good employer with policies in place for flexible working and so on

BUT my direct line manager is a waste of fucking space, couldn't manage her way out of a wet paper bag and is incapable of dealing with any issues

She has been in the job too long and does not posses any actual managerial qualifications (she's ended up with a team of 6), but due to her longevity, she is loved by all and put on a pedestal meaning those who work under her have no way to raise any concerns about her being a shite manager!

It's absolutely infuriating

I’m glad so many people have reasonable conditions - being unhappy at work is soul destroying.

I think one issue for me is thar having such a relaxed and flexible employee has stopped me challenging myself so I get restless and bored from time to time. However with two children with ASD I have to prioritise thar at the moment.

@RottieMum21

That sounds utterly hideous - how do you hold your tongue?

@BlueMoonRising

She's a massive PITA. Always has a thousand ideas she wants worked on, but finds it hard to settle on one. She takes breaks whenever she feels like it, and her desk is a chaotic mess.

Did I mention I'm self-employed?

Recently started a new job. Previous employer was very flexible so was worried about starting the new job. However, it's permanent wfh, excellent annual leave, with an extra day off before Xmas and even their own "Bank Holiday". Been sent a hamper last week and found out we're all receiving a bonus in next payroll. They're also flexible around me having the kids and a health issue. I can do the school run or start a bit earlier and have a longer lunch when the kids are off school and can have time off for hospital appointments and work back the time when it suits. Honestly can't complain.

With GREAT DIFFICULTY

However, there’s also a very robust performance management structure in place which means that pisstakers are dealt with properly and see their pisstaking reflected in their pay and bonus award, find themselves subject to intense scrutiny, and will have privileges like flexible working hours, WFH days and special leave removed.

Never known this to be the case in the teams I worked in, in the CS- most useless people were promoted to get them out of the team.

I think the manager makes a huge difference, I worked in several teams within the same department, so all had the same policies etc, and the difference between each was quite ridiculous.

A good immediate boss. My current boss is awful, has destroyed my confidence in my work snd my self esteem and generally made my life miserable for the last 18 months I've worked there. I basically applied for jobs within 2 months of starting, but then covid hit.
I left my last job as I wanted to move cities back to where I'm from and to be with my partner. But my boss there was fantastic! Great at her job, helpful, approachable, allowed me autonomy to do my job and make decisions but I always felt supportive. I was there 3 years, the first two years I was a trainee. But even as a trainee my opinion mattered snd was counted towards the running of the business. It was just great.

I lost 3 businesses in Covid and after 25 years of being self employed I had to get a job.I now am a civil servant this week I am
On Annual leave what even is that 😂😂😂 I cannot believe the working conditions and policy wow it’s insane even a days holiday for the Queens bd I am looking for a permanent contract now. The civil service is an awesome employer

My employer is great - I'm NHS, have just moved from one NHS organisation to another and gone from great to great. I was in post for all of 3 weeks when my DD went down with acute appendicitis. She's 18, but obviously needed me. I got total support and flexibility to fit my work around hospital visits and aftercare. Everyone has each other's back in my team.