Quitting work on the spot

Blue Maverick said:
Bloody hell mate you didn’t work in the military and fire service as well did you, ha ha, seen both of those didn’t even know they had labels.
Click to expand...
No, a large Civil Service department in which the work environment could only be described as toxic. Full of useless, arse-licking, self-serving wankers many of whom routinely shat on their own colleagues to get on. As a career civil servant, I saw what was originally a genuine team ethic become gradually eroded over the years to the point where it was every man and woman for his or her self. I eventually got out, in part at least, because of the toll it took on my mental health. Only when I look back do I realise just how damaging it was. In the last few years, whenever one of the younger guys raised concerns, my advice was consistent. Don't make my mistake; get out while you're still young enough.
 
Glad I’m retired after reading this thread, I once walked out a job after about three months with a Company called SIS who were a Horserace Broadcaster. I’d previously worked for them for 9 years but they moved to Milton Keynes. They came back to Manchester at Salford Quays, a once great company to work for became a fucking horrible organisation. All down to the Management led by a guy called Brent Dolan and my immediate boss Helen Scott, what a pair of twats, toxic in the extreme. I’ve called them out just in case anyone had the misfortune to meet them.
 
hammocity said:
Glad I’m retired after reading this thread, I once walked out a job after about three months with a Company called SIS who were a Horserace Broadcaster. I’d previously worked for them for 9 years but they moved to Milton Keynes. They came back to Manchester at Salford Quays, a once great company to work for became a fucking horrible organisation. All down to the Management led by a guy called Brent Dolan and my immediate boss Helen Scott, what a pair of twats, toxic in the extreme. I’ve called them out just in case anyone had the misfortune to meet them.
Click to expand...
I had a friend who went to Milton Keynes for a year to work for them. She was a camera operator.
 
Gareth Barry Conlon said:
I had a friend who went to Milton Keynes for a year to work for them. She was a camera operator.
Click to expand...
MK was where the Broadcast vehicles ran from, they had a contract to do all the BBC’s OB work, from News to Sport to Political conference both UK and overseas. They lost the contract after around 3 years and loads of the staff were laid off. It used to be a really good company, salary, bonus, good pension and share options. When I returned the only benefit that remained was the Pension, company was very badly run.
 
SkyBlueFlux said:
I think it’s a fine line whether what he’s said will be excused as just unprofessional or crossing a line into something worse. There was a lot of telling me about my supposedly “shit” and “measly” work, a stream of aggressive questioning - some targeting my team members (“what the fuck is X doing?”). And this on a non-work platform at that time of day. I’m not beyond criticism, but I would have been more than happy to have an adult conversation to educate him on why things were done the way they were - because all of his comments have easy responses. The way he does things I have no right of reply. His messages are a relentless conscious stream of thought with no filter.
Click to expand...

I've got a horrible feeling this guy sits directly behind me at the South Stand.
 
Lovebitesandeveryfing said:
Very interesting reading this thread. Tell me, is it now normal in the UK to receive emails (of any tenor) from a work colleague or boss at 11 pm on a Saturday evening these days?

For me, it would be completely and utterly out of order.
Click to expand...

Crazy to me aswell, I don't even look at messages from work while I'm off the clock. Slavery was abolished in this country a long time ago!
 
Lovebitesandeveryfing said:
Very interesting reading this thread. Tell me, is it now normal in the UK to receive emails (of any tenor) from a work colleague or boss at 11 pm on a Saturday evening these days?

For me, it would be completely and utterly out of order.
Click to expand...
Wouldn't reply to it mate..

If it gets brought up in conversation, make it very clear that you'll continue to ignore emails which are received in unsociable hours.

These days you can schedule an email to be sent at 8am on a Monday morning, there really is no excuse to be sending anything that hits someone's inbox over the weekend.
 
Lovebitesandeveryfing said:
Very interesting reading this thread. Tell me, is it now normal in the UK to receive emails (of any tenor) from a work colleague or boss at 11 pm on a Saturday evening these days?

For me, it would be completely and utterly out of order.
Click to expand...
I don't have an issue receiving an email any time of the day. It won't be read though until I'm in work......
 
chris85mcfc said:
Wouldn't reply to it mate..

If it gets brought up in conversation, make it very clear that you'll continue to ignore emails which are received in unsociable hours.

These days you can schedule an email to be sent at 8am on a Monday morning, there really is no excuse to be sending anything that hits someone's inbox over the weekend.
Click to expand...
Assuming you are working a 9 to 5 Mon to Fri job of course.
 
Lovebitesandeveryfing said:
Very interesting reading this thread. Tell me, is it now normal in the UK to receive emails (of any tenor) from a work colleague or boss at 11 pm on a Saturday evening these days?

For me, it would be completely and utterly out of order.
Click to expand...

I wouldn’t say it’s “normal” across the spectrum of all jobs but for some industries there is an unspoken expectation that you are always contactable. Management Consulting is one of those. I get emails at that time (and later) literally every day.

You can of course choose not to be online/contactable, but that will get you unofficially marked as “career limited”. As in you will never get above average ratings and will be passed over for promotions. Pair that with the fact a lot of consultancies have an “up or out” policy (basically meaning that if you don’t get promoted in the expected time frames you get the elbow) and you can see how you’re effectively coerced into these behaviours. You have two choices… either work for a company like that - you get well paid but have to accept the unwritten “rules”… or just don’t bother and work somewhere with a more structured work pattern.

For the record I didn’t justify his email with a response. I haven’t responded to it since. My response was my notice.
 
SkyBlueFlux said:
I wouldn’t say it’s “normal” across the spectrum of all jobs but for some industries there is an unspoken expectation that you are always contactable. Management Consulting is one of those. I get emails at that time (and later) literally every day.

You can of course choose not to be online/contactable, but that will get you unofficially marked as “career limited”. As in you will never get above average ratings and will be passed over for promotions. Pair that with the fact a lot of consultancies have an “up or out” policy (basically meaning that if you don’t get promoted in the expected time frames you get the elbow) and you can see how you’re effectively coerced into these behaviours. You have two choices… either work for a company like that - you get well paid but have to accept the unwritten “rules”… or just don’t bother and work somewhere with a more structured work pattern.

For the record I didn’t justify his email with a response. I haven’t responded to it since. My response was my notice.
Click to expand...
I work a 9 - 5 office job in senior management. I will sometimes work outside of those hours either in the office or from home. That's my choice but there is an expectation that I will work if needed. I quite regularly come in to emails from the night before or early that day from customers/suppliers so it is a very normal thing to do a bit extra.
 
SkyBlueFlux said:
I wouldn’t say it’s “normal” across the spectrum of all jobs but for some industries there is an unspoken expectation that you are always contactable. Management Consulting is one of those. I get emails at that time (and later) literally every day.

You can of course choose not to be online/contactable, but that will get you unofficially marked as “career limited”. As in you will never get above average ratings and will be passed over for promotions. Pair that with the fact a lot of consultancies have an “up or out” policy (basically meaning that if you don’t get promoted in the expected time frames you get the elbow) and you can see how you’re effectively coerced into these behaviours. You have two choices… either work for a company like that - you get well paid but have to accept the unwritten “rules”… or just don’t bother and work somewhere with a more structured work pattern.

For the record I didn’t justify his email with a response. I haven’t responded to it since. My response was my notice.
Click to expand...

I understand you (and by the way, three cheers to you for not replying), but you see what that implies: in certain companies, for certain jobs, you are assumed to be available 24/7. Well, unless I was a futures trader, or something like that, pulling down a five figure bonus at the end of the year (or six?), and obviously in a job where markets are worldwide and shifting all the time, there is no way I would accept that. No way.
Certain doctors are, I believe, on call like that. That also, you can understand.
Otherwise, I think it's downright rude. Your ex-boss is clearly someone who doesn't have a life. Sad, in a way.

Edit: I should add that I've known a number of people who are actors in my life. My eldest brother, for one (the other one, too, but I have no contact with him). One of my best friends is also an actor. They have to be on immediate call, pretty much. Whoever's hiring can get someone else who's probably as good, in a heartbeat. It's understood.
 
Last edited:
Thaksins Love Child said:
I work a 9 - 5 office job in senior management. I will sometimes work outside of those hours either in the office or from home. That's my choice but there is an expectation that I will work if needed. I quite regularly come in to emails from the night before or early that day from customers/suppliers so it is a very normal thing to do a bit extra.
Click to expand...

Yes the odd few bits either side of your working hours is totally normal, especially for folks who spend all day trapped in meetings and therefore need a bit of extra time to re-group/reconcile. My experience is that in roles like that performance is judged less on bean-counting the hours and more on whether I’m delivering on what I’m accountable for. So sometimes that means a few more hours, sometimes it might mean a bit more flexibility. I think that’s pretty common.

In my post above I should clarify I’m only referring to the rather extreme practices I see in my company and others like it of people back-and-forthing on emails at 3am on a Sunday. That’s not about doing a bit extra to fulfil your duties, it’s an exercise in demonstrating your sacrifice at the altar of the company.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Unread Posts

Don't have an account? Register now and see fewer ads!

SIGN UP
Back
Top