Work calls on trains

[the7Vabo]

But of a rant but I’m sick of people using their commute time to do work calls.

I just moved location on a train as it looked like I was going to be subject to a call for almost the whole journey (an hour). He’s so loud I call still hear him from the other end of the carriage.

I also work in one of the largest organisations where I live and I regularly overhear calls relating to it.

The guy this morning had his laptop open, basically acting as if he was at a desk.

Is it unreasonable to expect that people consider that others may not want to be subject to the noise during their morning commute?

So you also get that if people make work calls in a public place, that information is fair game for anyone in the carriage who might have a use for it? Or do you never say anything that couldn’t be safely heard by whoever else happens to be nearby?

Of course. It's nothing top secret anyway. 😅 My employer knows I have to use my phone on the train. I wfh regularly and speak about anything more 'sensitive' on those days, but really there's nothing much like that.

Well you've planned your life and workday in a way that has a negative impact on other people then - as seen in the voting and the numerous responses to you. You're right there's nothing that other people can do about your inconsiderate behaviour, but that doesn't mean it isn't inconsiderate.

I can't really plan it any differently. People are allowed to work and make calls on trains, you are aware of that? If I use trains outside of work and people are working/making calls, I don't class them as inconsiderate. They've got to work and trains are public places, not your own private room.

People who are answering - I absolutely have to take work calls on trains! If they were being honest how many of them plan their day around it?
It wasn’t as bad before Covid, a lot of people worked in offices and commuted. Now people have more flexibility so they travel at different times. My boss gets an early train home as she prefers missing the crowd. Fair enough but if she did a work call during that time it wouldn’t be true to say she had to, she could have stayed on the office and taken it.

I think once it goes to the level I saw it this morning - someone on a Teams call shouting at a laptop on a local area commuter train it’s another level of rude altogether. And the icing on the cake I got into a empty carriage and the guy came and seat in the 4 seats across from me.

Why do you have to take calls on a train instead of in an office or at home?

I feel your pain. My boss got me into the First Class BA lounge last week. We were quietly tapping away at our laptops and enjoying the free food while phone wanker was arguing with a colleague first how he didn't want to travel with work, then how he hated working with Jeremy and how he would prefer to work alone. Finally, he kept threatening to hang up because he was bored of the conversation.

Reader I was bored shitless too. I just wanted to enjoy a bit of quiet while waiting for my delayed flight. It spoilt the whole experience.

If they are making work calls, then it is not commute time. It is work time, and time is money.

Do you take umbrage with someone who taking a non-work call?

So what if someone has a laptop open on a train? I can't recall ever seeing anything that says it is forbidden. Most services have charging points and wifi so people can use laptops. You are getting mad at people for not following your own made up rules.

Saying that, I do agree with sensitive information should not be discussed on work calls in public.

Why do you have to take calls on a train instead of in an office or at home?

Because I have visit sites throughout the country so spend a lot of time travelling.

I once had to listen to someone discuss the tax elements of a transaction in a spa. People really just don’t care or they are incapable of thinking outside their own orbit.

🤣

Just sit in the quiet carriage? I cannot get worked up over people taking work calls on a train. Or stick your headphones in like everyone else?

When did this become a thing? People holding a phone like a sodding kazoo! Why???

I think that’s more understandable than what my experience is, of people using their morning commute to go on work calls.

But it’s still an intrusion on people and I wonder if you have really been honest with yourself about how much of that could be done by email or after you get to your destination.

1. quiet carriages are not universal, 2) sometimes it just nice to have a bit of peace before you start your day without having to listen to some self important guy on an IT project loudly delegate tasks when he could have gotten an earlier train and done it as his desk, or have to drown him out with music loud enough to infringe on others

I think that’s more understandable than what my experience is, of people using their morning commute to go on work calls.

But it’s still an intrusion on people and I wonder if you have really been honest with yourself about how much of that could be done by email or after you get to your destination.

Once I'm on a site, I'm talking to the people that work their/doing an inspection, so no time for calls. I much prefer email so if I can do that I will, but sometimes a phone conversation is needed as an email back and forth would take too long.
If I waited til I got home, I'd be working very late and then the people I need may be gone home for the day. There's really no way around it.

there

Well to be fair it’s sounds like there’s not in your case.

I've worked in a regional role that meant lots of train travel. No choice but to work and take calls on the train. Just wasn't an option. And given the choice of taking calls on the three hour journey home or when I got home and needed some rest I'd deffo use the train time.

COVID neighbours (knowing nod). 🕵

I think the idea of special carriages on the train for people who are going to make phone calls, along with people who want to play music, is making more and more sense. Families with toddlers could be in there too, & then everyone can make whatever noise they need to without worrying about disturbing each other.

And the rest of the train would be the quiet peaceful part for people who just want to read, doze, chat quietly to the person next to them or use their headphones.

I know it would never be enforceable but it’s a great idea IMO.

I don’t know. If I’m on a train and having to listen to someone boring me with a noisy load of potentially sensitive information, I could easily get irritated enough to do a bit of revenge googling & then drop them in it.

Agree. The entitlement of these people who think they’re SO important that everyone needs to hear their private business.

The concept of privacy and respect for anyone else really has been lost.

Id love to put the guy I had beside me on a Teams call yesterday beside a toddler!

I think people forget how loud they speak on phone calls when they are on the train. I think it's obnoxious and rude to have more than a quick quiet call on the phone. It's also obnoxious to watch media or listen to music without headphones.

I've travelled in countries like Japan and S Korea where no one makes noise on the train and it's amazing. It's so pleasant.

People also speak like knobs on the phone when they are on the train sometimes. It's like they know they have an audience.

Slightly amusing story I've just remembered....
When my daughter was about 4 we were on a packed train. I was reading her a book (Horrid Henry I think) out loud.
We hadn't got to the end when we got to the stop. As we got up to leave there were a few folks disappointed - they'd all been listening and wanted to know how the story finished 😂😂

I took a photo of an email on the screen of a guys computer once when I was on the train as it had a big red CONFIDENTIAL watermark across it. I could read everything. It was about a court case. How stupid can some people be. I googled him and the people involved. I obviously didn't do anything with the information but I was tempted to email him and let him know that if I was one of his clients I'd be extremely pissed off. Changes are his charge out rate would be over £500 an hour