[Ammi]

..I just lost my internet connection/power cut and when I got it back I was still logged on....it was probably trying to tell me I'd been online to long and needed to get off and do some stuff...HOW CAN I DO STUFF WITH NO ELECTRICITY.....


..another guy Greg..?..sorry have I missed something/a post..?..

[Z]

Well last summer one of the guys (small company, 6 employees, one of whom is a part time accountant so really just 5 employees doing the operational stuff) was injured and has been off work ever since and it's not looking likely that he'll ever return. So I started working there over summer to help reduce the workload because 4 people were doing the work of 5, and it was summer and people had holidays booked so then it was 3 people doing the work of 5, plus me doing whatever I could to help out. Then one of the 4 guys handed in his notice to go travelling round the world with his wife but he gave my dad as much notice as possible so he went and found somebody to replace him and that guy is now working there being trained up so currently there are 5 people working there but one of them is still new and is still learning so 4 doing the work of 5 still, really... but getting there. The idea being that the new guy would be trained up by the time the other guy left so they'd still have 4 trained people doing the work of 5. Now another one of the guys has announced he's leaving but he's given my dad barely any notice at all, he's leaving 2 weeks after the other guy leaves, so now he needs to find someone else new to come in and that'll mean that there'll be 2 experienced guys (my dad and someone else) working with 2 new guys and all the while trying to carry on business as usual, and STILL a person short because you can't fire someone for being injured obviously. It's such a nightmare.

[Ammi]

..oh crikey..and he's got the holiday season coming up again as well so that'll stretch it even more...why is this guy leaving, could your dad persuade him to stay, pay him a bit more money..?..I know he probably can't afford to but maybe the better option..?...

[Z]

Nah this guy's been a pain in the ass for years, my dad reckons he's just done this to stick the knife in - why would you give the bare minimum notice when you've seen one of your co-workers give as much notice as possible and be as helpful as possible before he leaves, and when you know that everyone's just as stressed out as you are - it's just really bad, that guy's worked there for like 20 years, all of them have worked there for a long time because it's such a small business, so it's a bit shocking really... And yeah they can't afford to give anyone better wages because they're having to pay the injured guy statutory sick pay, paying everyone else's salaries as normal but also paying this new guy who's being trained up, and then once the first guy leaves and they're back down to 4, I'll be going back to help out for a while so they'll be paying me too... and obviously they're not paying me salary levels (not that I'd expect them to, I'm happy to be paid a really great wage and work there temporarily while I figure out what to do next)... just so unfair on my dad, his hair's gone practically white over the last year, it's like when you see pictures of presidents of the USA before and after they are in office... the stress ages them!

[Ammi]

..yeah, you're right, stress does age people quite quickly, especially with something particularly traumatic so it shows the effect this is all had on your dad...there isn't really anything he can do except to just carry on as best he can and with the workers he has and you in the summer/I guess there are no other family members who aren't working atm who could help out as well..?...it's incredible to think that someone would behave like that after all of those years working with your dad and feel no loyalty at all, it kind of makes you lose faith in people and their self-centeredness...


..is he having to pay any sort of compensation to the injured guy as well..?...

[Ammi]

..and also, if this guy was always a pain and your dad can get through this, then maybe it'll turn out that he'll get a really good employee/much better...

[Z]

Well yeah that's what my mum's been saying to him, think of it as a good thing, you're losing someone who was never that great in the first place, it'll be better off without him once the initial issues are out of the way. I think they're trying to get my younger brother to go in and work there but he's dead against it because he hates the atmosphere in the office my dad likes to work in silence so there's never any chat in the office or anything, my brother refers to it as "the morgue"... LOL

[Ammi]

..yeah, it's always really annoying though when people say..'it's for the best thing/things happen for a reason..' when you're so stressed and having to deal with it/it's not until much later that you can reflect on things and that's only if they 'work out', you can see the positive...I do feel for him though although I must say that I think your dad will look extremely handsome with grey hair...


...ahhh LOL at your brother, it's strange working with parents, my son worked for my OH for a few months between jobs once and I think he put a little bit of 'life' into the office from what people have told me/just kind of teasing his dad all of the time while his dad was trying to be all serious and business-like......

[Tom4784]

Originally Posted by Z

Well yeah that's what my mum's been saying to him, think of it as a good thing, you're losing someone who was never that great in the first place, it'll be better off without him once the initial issues are out of the way. I think they're trying to get my younger brother to go in and work there but he's dead against it because he hates the atmosphere in the office my dad likes to work in silence so there's never any chat in the office or anything, my brother refers to it as "the morgue"... LOL

He should go for it, Work Experience is invaluable and it'll put him ahead of other people his age when he's looking for a job.

[Ammi]

..yeah, Dezzy is right, it's just the experience thing and it's great if he gets that chance with family..he might even get to like it as well and decide he wants to stay for longer...(if he can stand the dead bodies..)...

[Z]

Well he's worked for other similar companies in the last couple of years so it's not even like he really needs the work experience, he's 19, he's got experience working full time for a company like that one... think he's just totally against the idea of working in that office hahahaha

[Tom4784]

Originally Posted by Z

Well he's worked for other similar companies in the last couple of years so it's not even like he really needs the work experience, he's 19, he's got experience working full time for a company like that one... think he's just totally against the idea of working in that office hahahaha

Oh I thought he was younger, like 16/17.

[Ammi]

..maybe he could liven up the office a bit/suggest some things to do that and maybe your dad could think about a few changes..that would be a good thing..?..it's good to have other people's input because maybe the other people working there think that the environment could be 'tweaked'...

[Z]

Well my mum's said to him "how about you put a radio on in the corner of the office down really low so there's a bit of an atmosphere in there" and my dad was apparently like "A RADIO IN THE OFFICE?! ARE YOU MAD!?" pmsl

[Ammi]

...haha, it's funny how people get stuck in their ways and I think it's quite common for older people to have a fixed idea of 'businesslike/working atmosphere' type thing..it was only recently..(in the last few months..) that my OH has stopped wearing a tie because no one he knows does but I still don't think he feels comfortable with it..and he always put his suit on when he was working from home just to feel in 'work mode' but he's stopped that as well now...

[Ammi]

..I think he needs your brother working there though.....

[Vanessa]

hello!

[Z]

I think my mum's going to keep trying to get both of them to give in a better office environment so that my brother will work there so that my dad is less stressed, haha

[Ammi]

..hey ho Vanessa..you up to much..?...



..yeah, fathers and sons eh Zee, maybe they're actually quite alike but would never admit it.....

[T*]

Hi!

[Ammi]

..lo Tom..you ok/at school today..?..

[T*]

No i'm not in school, Because my dads still at hospital

[T*]

Ammi, My brothers girlfriend had her nails done in the style of audrey hepburn; They were really cool, they had her hat and her cigarette thingy on them

[Vanessa]

Originally Posted by Ammi

..hey ho Vanessa..you up to much..?...



..yeah, fathers and sons eh Zee, maybe they're actually quite alike but would never admit it.....

Nothing much. Just lazing around.

[Ammi]

..oh, how are things with your dad, will he be coming home soon/is he ok..?...




..the nails sound spectacular as well/any pics of anything similar..?..