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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think having to ask my manager if I can fo for a wee is just wrong?

68 replies

KayloHalo · 28/01/2010 10:58

I'm sorry I just don't agree with this.

I work in a call centre and if anyone needs a wee you have to wait until there are no calls in the queue and then ask your manager if you can please go and urinate before you make a puddle!

It doesn't matter what time of the month it is either. Or if you're pregnant apparently

I'm sorry, as you may guess I am currently pregnant and more than a little hormonal!!!!

OP posts:
heQet · 28/01/2010 11:00

I have heard this is quite common in call centres. Awful, isn't it?

I am sure it must be unlawful, or if it isn't, it ought to be.

fernie3 · 28/01/2010 11:01

its awful isnt it - my husband worked in a call centre a few years ago and they used to time them in the toilet to make sure they were not gone too long. Very unreasonable if you ask me.

ImSoNotTelling · 28/01/2010 11:03

God I HATE employers who treat their staff like children. It's disgusting. Haven't they read that happy employees make good employees? No exceptions for pregnant women? FFS makes my blood boil.

BecauseImWorthIt · 28/01/2010 11:04

Presumably you have regular breaks, though? Can't you hang on until then? Or is the being pregnant bit that's making you want to go more often?

Trouble is, call centres efficiency is often measured by how quickly the phones are answered, and if one person isn't there to answer them, then it impacts on this.

When you ask to go are they refusing you? If they are, then that is a real issue. Otherwise I can't see it's a problem, to be honest. No different from people who sit on a check out or work behind the counter in a bank, for example. They can't just get up and go when they want to either.

Sorry - I'm not trying to be unsympathetic, just trying to look at it rationally and without the benefit of pregnancy hormones!

ImSoNotTelling · 28/01/2010 11:04

If I worked there I would be sorely tempted to piss on my chair. Don't think I would quite have the balls to do it though.

Twats.

upahill · 28/01/2010 11:05

OMG!!!! That is awful!

There would be a riot if they tried to implement that at our place. You would see us on News at 10!!

Bloody Hell Fire!

Rindercella · 28/01/2010 11:05

I read your thread title and thought, I bet you work in a call centre! Yes, it is really bad that you have to do that and there's probably some employment law to prevent this - or if there's not, there should be. Call centres are all about service level agreements though: a % of calls must be answered within x seconds, etc., so I guess the management must be doing everything they can to ensure these SLAs are met - including dictating when you can go to the loo

heading4home · 28/01/2010 11:07

That's terrible! I can't believe they make you do that honestly. Like being at school.

Can also picture my line manager's face if we all had to tell him everytime we were going to the toilet!

ImSoNotTelling · 28/01/2010 11:08

I suppose it used to happen all the time when there was more manufcturing, you couldn't stop a production line because someone needed a piss.

So I bet there isn't a law against it.

What breaks do you get? Just 1/2 hour for lunch?

Fluffyone · 28/01/2010 11:10

You could ring ACAS and find out the answer to this. They are really helpful.

BecauseImWorthIt · 28/01/2010 11:13

But - as I pointed out - there are lots of jobs where you can't just go to the loo when you want to!

And are you being refused when you ask? That's when you have an issue with them!

thedollshouse · 28/01/2010 11:13

Call centres do not treat their staff well. I used to work for a company that provided staff to a call centre and I was shocked by the treatment of staff there.

I think it is reasonable for them to know where you are so your calls so someone can field your calls. Next time I would suggest that you say to your manager "Excuse me for a moment I am just nipping to the loo". You are still informing them that you are away from your work station without the humilation of actually asking if you can go to the loo.

Original poster
KayloHalo · 28/01/2010 11:15

we get 2 10 minute breaks, and an hour for lunch. which is reasonable I have to admit.

we do 9 hour days - which is the only reason we get an hour for lunch.

The call centre I work in is a solicitors, which handles RTA notifications. It's sooooo frustrating - and embrassing.

Some of the team leaders are pretty good and the female ones tend to be sympathetic when you tell them.

It's reeeeally infuriating to see the t/l's in the kitchen area chatting about weekends/holidays/staff... tho. They kinda congregate in there and then theres no-one you can ask anyway? But if you go anyway they're straight on the phone when you get back.

Hate it Hate it hate it!! But need to stay cos I need the maternity package, which isn't fantastic but hey...

Thank you for your replies - at least I'm not the only one who thinks it's stupid!!!

OP posts:
CheeeseOnToast · 28/01/2010 11:16

When I worked in a call centre for a bank (around 5 years ago now) we were making outbound calls on an automatic dialler and we had 12 minutes per hour (in a three hour shift) we could use for 'comfort breaks'. Any longer than the 12 minutes we had to explain ourselves to the supervisor.

Then I became a supervisor and I refused to check up on people if they were longer; they respected that I had my targets to reach and they didn't take the piss (pun not intended )

But we were calling out and there were hundreds of us, so i guess it all evened out. We didn't have to ask to go, just logged off the system using a special 'logoff' code (one for comfort breaks, one for team meeting, one for system problems, etc etc)

It is terrible making no allowances for pregnant women though... what about if you have a genuine medical condition? stress/urge incontinence?

BecauseImWorthIt · 28/01/2010 11:16

Why is it humiliating to ask?

Just imagine that you're in a queue at the bank. It's your lunch hour, so you haven't got that much time. Just when it's your turn, the next available cashier just gets up and closes her till because she wants to go to the loo.

You'd be cross, wouldn't you?

It's exactly the same principle at a call centre. Just because there isn't a physical queue of people doesn't make it any different!

Goodadvice1980 · 28/01/2010 11:19

Crikey! I hope people don't restrict their fluid intake to try and curb the bathroom breaks

upahill · 28/01/2010 11:20

BecauseI'm..... That seems to happen to me every time I'm in a bank anyway!!!

Original poster
KayloHalo · 28/01/2010 11:20

dollshouse I tried Telling them I was off to the loo, that didn't go down well.

"you'll have to wait til these calls are gone"

Grrrr

Really hate it!! Stupid job. Stupid service levels!

OP posts:
ImSoNotTelling · 28/01/2010 11:20

Are you needing to ask an awful lot?

Once when you start, once mid morning, beginning and end of lunch and once in afternoon and at home time is quite a lot I guess? Unless you're pregnant or have something else going on.

I guess that this why you get the "tea breaks" twice a day - to use the loo and have a quick drink.

it is embarassing having to ask but it's not really huge great long stretched of time.

Original poster
KayloHalo · 28/01/2010 11:22

Cheeseontoast we used to have a special 'auxed out' code for personal time. Then it got completely taken away from us as 3 identified people abused it.

OP posts:
pigletmania · 28/01/2010 11:23

YANBU how awful, thats why i would hate to work in one of those places, and no i am not snobby i used to work in care doing personal care.

Veritythebrave · 28/01/2010 11:23

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BecauseImWorthIt · 28/01/2010 11:24

I know that's what happens in banks! It's what happens in supermarkets too - and it is annoying.

So not doing it is about giving better customer service. And let's face it, we all expect good customer service and complain when we don't get it.

Kaylo - just have to hang on till you get your maternity leave!

upahill · 28/01/2010 11:25

Everyone at my place always has a brew in their hand (including me!) If I'm on an office day I'll have about 6 brews. In our department meeting which lasts 9.30 -12.00 we have a tea break. Thinking about our lot must never be off the loo. If we had to ask our managers they would spend the day sanctioning toilet breaks!!

imaginewittynamehere · 28/01/2010 11:25

I don't think it is wrong or humiliating. The analogy from BIWI is a good one.

Also in my experience because of the nature of call centres many many of the staff just don't care, so if you allow breaks at their discretion they just all go at once, just because you are not like this doesn't mean your supervisor doesn't need to be aware of this as a problem.

Ask to speak to your supervisor. Most will be willing to make allowances for a pregnant mamber of staff, have you actually asked? Explain the issue & ask for a way to work around it, maybe a shorter lunch in return for more breaks?? (I would have snapped your arm off for this offer btw)

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