Another Furlough one...

[mommydragon]

For those working, while their colleagues on exactly same pay scale, position and grade are on Furlough until end of October. How do you stay positive and motivated? In my case, it has been made very clear to me that it is because I am more dedicated and show more initiative than they do. So in a way they are being rewarded for say their lack of initiative? I have 2 primary aged Dc at home. I am finding in really hard to not have bitter feelings towards my furloughed colleagues. Share your thoughts please. Manager had tried to sell it to me in a way that incase there are redundancies, I will be safe... but to be honest, given the nature of our business, redundancies are highly unlikely. I know that there are a lot of people out there without work who would be grateful to be in my position work wise. And I am very grateful that I have work. But just can't help feeling bitter as indeed there are issues with colleagues' attitude towards work.

Furlough in our organisation is merely a way of staying afloat until business resumes at full pace in the near future. Colleagues know this. Also these are the same colleagues who were jumping for joy when it was announced that people will be put on furlough. I don't believe their mental health is really being affected adversely when you are constantly seeing on FB them enjoy a lovely walk and picnics in the sunny weather with their kids. I have also received an inconsiderate message from a colleague 'phew my furlough has been extended for another month yippee'. I know there are many people in same boat as me with their colleagues on furlough, but I am bitter because the reason stated is their work ethic and standard. I just don't feel motivated and constantly am thinking of resigning because I feel they have been rewarded in a way. I am in a lose lose situation.

Mommydragon - are these people on 100% of full pay?

I don't want this to turn into a furlough bashing thread... I didn't start it with that intention. Only yesterday I found out that colleagues would be on furlough until end Oct ... another 4 months. So feeling very down at the moment.

I 100% agree with you @mommydragon ..... i dont know any of my furloughed colleagues who are struggling with being at home, see photos of lovely days out, holidays being booked, comments about mortgages being paid whilst sat at home, the fact they are better off as not paying for bus/trains etc.

Just because you see a picture of a smiling face at the park it doesn’t mean they are having the time of their lives. I’m putting a brace face on for the sake of my kids and you would probably look at pictures and think everything is fine, but the reality is my head is wrecked with worry and anxiety over the whole situation

@therealkittyfane I work for a small business manufacturing furniture for retailers. People are not buying at the moment and with unemployment on the rise, orders will continue to fall so I and many others won't be needed.

Again, you’re making the assumption that there won’t be many redundancies - even in v large organisations that seems optimistic.

Wouldn’t resign in the current economic climate unless you have plenty of money! It’s not on for your employer to say negative things to you/working colleagues about your furloughed colleagues’ performance.

Another poster says “ if my company make any redundancies then we are all in the same pot, it wont be the case that those that are furloughed go first”.
Of course not, that’d be unfair. but being selected for furlough will be a disadvantage in competing with colleagues for the remaining jobs.

@Medievalist I run payroll schemes for various companies 95% are topping up the salaries to 100%.

I have also received an inconsiderate message from a colleague 'phew my furlough has been extended for another month yippee'.

When I told a colleague I was being furloughed, she said, 'oh I'm so sorry'. My instinctive response was to lie and say, 'oh no, it's fine - I can't wait!' I didn't want her pity or for her to feel that she was in a 'superior' position to me by not being furloughed.

Your colleague may be loving furlough and her message may indeed be Inconsiderate. Or she may not be enjoying furlough and feel irritated with you because you're considered to be more valuable by your organisation, so she may want to have a dig at you.

The shadow of redundancy isn't restricted to those who are furloughed.

It's ludicrous to say that furloughed workers receiving the same salary but having to do nothing in return are in a harder position than those still working 100% because they 'might' be made redundant in the end.

I've been made redundant with no notice and being owed 6 weeks pay, the idea of having 3+ months on full pay at home to prepare for 'possible' redundancy sounds quite nice in comparison.

I can understand how you feel OP. I was furloughed for 6 weeks and once nurseries re opened DS went back and I went back to work. I have a colleague with no kids who lives in a house (2 spare rooms) but says she can't WFH and can't come to the office as her boyfriend is shielding for some vague non specified reason. At first I missed DS so much and I was quite bitter about it. But I've had so many friends lose their jobs and DH is furloughed and worried and would do anything to just get back to normal. I just feel grateful now to have a job and I know that if they do make redundancies my colleague hasn't done herself any favours.

When I started work as a 16 year old many years ago, I was working with someone that was fundamentaly lazy , a wise old man said to me something along the lines of only worry about what you are doing and how hard you work and try to progress in life and not be concerned about others, helped me no end become reasonably successfull.
When the furlough issue came up in April my colleague who does exactly the same job as me said would you rather go off or stay working ( work load was halfed).
I chose to work and he offered to go off not been an issue for me so I would suggest trying the same thought process.

I have great sympathies all round. For you OP and I can understand your bitterness and frustration and for those people who certainly did not want to be placed on furlough. But I do think that those people who are furloughed and are having a whale of a time (and there are some) should show some decorum and sensitivity and not be posting on social media about days out etc. That message that you received was also considerably in poor taste as well. It amazes me how many people post inappropriate messages/pictures on SM and if I was in HR and having to make judgements on redundancies in the future I would be looking at things like that as well.