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Original poster

Horrible day @ Work ; IT issues

19 replies

Userxxxxx · 11/02/2022 18:52

Hi,

Just wanting to understand if I could have done anything else in this situation.

Blooming hell I was to quick to say work from home was a doddle.

Went to log in on time this morning, on works lap top - had no internet connection but could get the net no problems on my phone and personal laptop so it seemed strange.

Struggled for half hour constantly restarting the machine - no luck so I got access into my work 'gmail' email on my phone, I could not think of how else to get in touch with work (there's no phones at our company and numbers of team leaders aren't given out) (I didn't know what to do for the best but wanted to reach out to someone) anyway I get the impression I was wrong to get into my inbox on my phone to get hold of work. (perhaps I should have tried from my personal address)

I got hold of a team member/friend as soon as I could but I didn't want to get her in trouble - I didn't want them to say I was distracting her trying to work as we were due to be in same time.

Just before 10am I am called by IT (2 hours late eeek, I was really freting) who with having confirmation of the lap top number suddenly get me online - AIBU to know what caused the problem and prevented me working at 8am? When I asked IT they just giggled and said they had the magic touch!

Whilst my work were quite good about it and I've worked the missed time back as felt very awkward, I'd really have liked to know why I had issues - does anyone else get told why? (if it's happened to you)

OP posts:

11stonesomething · 11/02/2022 19:05

This reply has been deleted

This post has been withdrawn at the poster's request.

JemimaMuddledUp · 11/02/2022 19:06

I had a problem with my laptop today - couldn't connect to the internet (home wifi or mobile hotspot) at all. My phone and work laptop were both connecting fine. It was a problem with a Windows update, once I sorted that it connected fine. Could have been a similar problem?

Connecting to work email on a personal device is against our IT policy, if your organisation has ISO 27001 or Cyber Essentials it likely will be too.

I'd keep the IT email address either in your phone contacts or written down somewhere so that if it happens again you can contact them from your personal email.

Heartofglass12345 · 11/02/2022 19:11

Did you really have to work the time back??!! I make phone calls for my job and was without a headset for days last year after the laptop decided to reject it or something and was never expected to make up the time. It was out of your control and I'm gobsmacked lol

BashfulClam · 11/02/2022 20:49

So you use teams at work? I downloaded the app, logged in using my work e-mail as my computer keeps dropping teams. That way you can let your manager know by a teams message that you have issues.

LightSpeeds · 11/02/2022 21:13

Don't worry about it too much. All my team work from home and the people with laptops have issues all the time and need technical support to sort things out (and quite often they're stumped too). I use an ethernet cable from my router to my computer to ensure a really reliable link and because I have a software phone.

It's a bit odd that you can't easily get in touch with your work if there's a problem. It's not very professional. What sort of place do you work for where you're not supposed to contact anyone??

BashfulClam · 11/02/2022 23:31

@LightSpeeds I’ve started plugging in as every time I had a call via my laptop the vpn dropped it’s infuriating. That’s why I installed teams on my mobile as it doesn’t drop,

user1487194234 · 12/02/2022 09:11

Is there a procedure for what happens when there are IT issues
If you don't have that I would ask for it and then follow it

daisypond · 12/02/2022 09:16

You should not have worked the hours back. It is not your fault. The company should have a proper means of getting in contact with tech or line managers. Internet problems are bound to happen, in an office or at home.

Seemssounfair · 12/02/2022 09:19

Was IT open at 8am? Dont understand why it took 2 hours to call them?

daisypond · 12/02/2022 21:29

@Seemssounfair

Was IT open at 8am? Dont understand why it took 2 hours to call them?

No, IT called her at 10.

Original poster

Userxxxxx · 13/02/2022 11:44

Hi and thanks all,

Sadly we don't log into teams or zoom unless called to a designated meeting, we use Slack instead but I would have thought maybe from that it could been seen I was not on duty at time expected, perhaps it was just to early a start time for anyone to notice. Looking back I recall Thursday evening as I logged off the staff planner had me unusually in on a late for Friday. (we were given set fixed shift patterns when given the job) So that seems odd.

I'm going to try and bring it up during the 1-2-1 what the process is, because as I thought about it yesterday, there must be a phone number as I remember one time in the office, hearing someone saying how unclear some of the 'I'm sick and won't be in' voicemails were.

I only made up the time, because I was concerned I'd lost 2 hours productive time and could effect stats.
here's hoping it never or rarely happens again! (who am I kidding)

OP posts:

ProfYaffle · 13/02/2022 11:53

I wouldn't worry about it too much. Time wasting IT issues can happen anywhere, whether you're in the office or at home

It is sensible to have the number for IT stored on a personal phone so you can use it if you don't have access to work systems. Also probably be prepared to need to work in the office sometimes if the issues are tricky to solve.

Onlyrainbows · 13/02/2022 12:10

Couldn't you contact IT on slack from your phone? That happened to me a few weeks ago and that's how I got in touch with IT

Original poster

Userxxxxx · 13/02/2022 23:34

Thanks for the tips but I'm put off as it was made out I was wrong and it's a disciplinary to access the company gmail email account on my phone which very bare and holds no customer data whereas slack will surely hold more of this as it is the primary place we have to ask for help concerning tickets we can't solve without 'help' of senior agent.

But neither did I want to use my personal gmail account to email the team leader and it is only fortunate they have an easy spelt surname.

It's my own fault in 2 weeks of training it never occurred to ask that what if. I did ask at my interview about connection probs but was told you book a desk at the office.

It just seems like big mistakes all round and no care for 'pastoral needs' I've even managed to end up with a 1-2-1 booked on my day off.

OP posts:

KindredKeely · 15/02/2022 14:14

OP, i'm a manager and i think you need to handle this slightly more professionally.

check your employee handbook - what is the process for when you have IT issues? if one of my direct reports came to me and said they weren't sure of the process, and expected my input, well.. what have you done to find out? unless it's a tiny business, find out from colleagues, your handbook, the intranet, etc. and unless you really don't find anything to help, "hoping" that it won't happen again isn't acceptable.

on the plus side, it would be fairly unusual in most organisations to expect you to make up those 2hrs if it was a genuine work laptop issue and a one off - i would never expect my employees to do that.

"I've even managed to end up with a 1-2-1 booked on my day off."-> this response from you is bizarre. just tell your manager that's on your day off? you aren't working why haven't you requested to re-arrange? if my 9-5 M-F employees booked a meeting with someone on a Sunday at 3pm in the afternoon (i.e. an obvious non work day) would you still just attend? er, no, you're not working. It's fine to show flexibility, but attending non-urgent, regular work meetings on your day off is a strange reaction here.

Original poster

Userxxxxx · 15/02/2022 22:44

It's ok the team leader has made it perfectly clear they don't want me on their team.

I looked over the intranet and there is no telephone number to call, except it intermates you should already have a direct line manger's number number which I simply do not and never had, had to date.
There is also no similar topic under disciplinary either.

I appreciate I met the team leader 3 weeks ago who didn't get to chose me and who never interviewed me, I'm big enough to understand what this means.

I've explained why I worked the time back and going forward it won't happen again for someone prepared to support the rest of team, it's been made clear I don't receive the same yearly salary as others until 2023 so lesson learnt.

OP posts:

KindredKeely · 16/02/2022 11:50

fine to notify a manager of IT issues (i.e. i won't be available for our meeting because i'm liasing with IT on a major issue).. but there MUST be some sort of IT support process/team.

unless you're working for a tiny company with a handful of employees, you need to find out what the IT issue process is at work. google it if it's a big employer - or find the switchboard number and ask to be put through to IT support.

Comefromaway · 16/02/2022 11:56

I think you are majorly overthinking.

I had connection issues many times when I was working from home. I messaged in (from my phone) then just made myself a cuppa whilst I waited for IT support to get back to me. Which as we use an external company could be anything from an hour to a day.

I certainly never worked the time back.

Original poster

Userxxxxx · 16/02/2022 21:11

Thanks, I actually work for a medium size company who have c.550 agents. So I've been baffled by it all, just the lack of a human showing another human what to do in some situations, but I'll get there and this is the modern way of the world.

There is no switchboard number, no receptionist/switchboard it is essentially a former call centre type very much online company who've switched their phones off to the public and customers and now solely deal with tickets and live chat where you would once have spoken to a human being.

I know for next time the internet goes down to chill and not worry. I'm starting to understand the negative staff reviews left about the lack of management so trying not to take it personally any longer.

I'll be ok.

OP posts:

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