Manx Workers

[bluemonday]

Examiner 11th December.

REGARDING your recent feature on Polish workers settling in the Island.

We operate an expanding business within the finance sector and would not be able to operate without UK and Eastern European workers.

We have found that Manx workers are often so laid back and unwilling to go the extra mile that they can make themselves unemployable.

The exception to this is Manx workers who have spent some time working in the UK and have developed a work ethic. Quite often at 5.30pm there will be several empty seats and several people still on the telephone working.

The empty seats always belong to the locals who have never left the Island. Perhaps the nationalists should bare this in mind before criticising outsiders for taking their jobs

FROM: Steven Tuffail, Address supplied.

[x-in-man]

Examiner 11th December.

REGARDING your recent feature on Polish workers settling in the Island.

We operate an expanding business within the finance sector and would not be able to operate without UK and Eastern European workers.

We have found that Manx workers are often so laid back and unwilling to go the extra mile that they can make themselves unemployable.

The exception to this is Manx workers who have spent some time working in the UK and have developed a work ethic. Quite often at 5.30pm there will be several empty seats and several people still on the telephone working.

The empty seats always belong to the locals who have never left the Island. Perhaps the nationalists should bare this in mind before criticising outsiders for taking their jobs

FROM: Steven Tuffail, Address supplied.

 

Maybe a simple reply to Mr Tuffail would be - but if you only pay them till 5pm - why should they work for you - for nothing - to ramp up your profits?

 

Maybe he should just shut the fuck up - or explain why he is on the island - as I dont think Tuffail is a Manx name - sounds like a slave driving, tight wad of an arab to me.

[Mr. Sausages]

That's got to be a wind up.

[Albert Tatlock]

Examiner 11th December.

REGARDING your recent feature on Polish workers settling in the Island.

We operate an expanding business within the finance sector and would not be able to operate without UK and Eastern European workers.

We have found that Manx workers are often so laid back and unwilling to go the extra mile that they can make themselves unemployable.

The exception to this is Manx workers who have spent some time working in the UK and have developed a work ethic. Quite often at 5.30pm there will be several empty seats and several people still on the telephone working.

The empty seats always belong to the locals who have never left the Island. Perhaps the nationalists should bare this in mind before criticising outsiders for taking their jobs

FROM: Steven Tuffail, Address supplied.

Er...is he implying that locals aren't stupid enough to work for nothing? It's not just jobs that need protecting, it's working conditions too - and just because more immigrants are willing to do free overtime, doesn't make it right does it - especially if wgaes drop or freeze at the same time?

 

'Manx workers are often so laid back' - also implies most - which I think is a gross overexageration and a bit of an insult. Employers will always try and get something for nothing, but there has to be a sensible balance.

[BigDave]

Nail on the head. They are lazy and seem to think that a job is their right, no matter how little effort they expend doing it. It's not so much a Manx born and bred thing though - more those that have exited the education system here in the last 20 or so years.

 

The fact is we have more jobs here than people to fill them. What they gonna do? Fire you?

Er...is he implying that locals aren't stupid enough to work for nothing? It's not just jobs that need protecting, it's working conditions too - and just because more immigrants are willing to do free overtime, doesn't make it right does it

 

What I interpret from this comment is that people are paid to actually work until 5:30. This means they should finish whatever they are doing at 5:30, pack up and go home. Not get ready to go 10 mins before and think it's acceptible to push the door open at bang on 5:30.

The reason I'd interpret it this way is because it's the pet-hate of so many bosses!

[TerryMcCann]

I'm quite happy to work late (and often do) when the task in hand necessitates it.

 

However, if staff are expected to work late all the time to get the work done then surely that means there are not enough staff in the first place? That work culture belongs in the 1980's. Just because immigrants are prepared to do it doesn't mean it is the right way to go.

[=^..^=]

My stopover manager complained yesterday because I was in work (and working) half an hour early yesterday ! Then today I was again in half an hour early and worked from 8 till 5 with no lunch break as the job needed doing and I couldn't really stop..

 

Yeah us manx workers are lazy..

 

Dum fckr...

[loaf]

Come on, it's a universal thing that some people think that work consists of warming their seat for their allotted business hours, whilst others, perhaps with a bit more range of work experience tend to focus more on the task in hand. It's not exclusive to the Isle of Man, or even the UK, but the world over. Anthony Bourdain mentions the phenomena about migrant kitchen workers vs citizens in the USA, for instance.

[DjDan]

In your contract of employment, you agree to work for your employer for a specified time period. You are paid to work a number of hours for your employer. That is the whole agreement. You work the time... you get paid.

 

Whilst I am usually 15-20 mins early to work each day, I have no intention of working any longer than the time for which i signed my agreement.. in other words, the time for which I am paid.

[bluemonday]

To my mind, there is another side.

There are a number of bosses/managers/companys who know sweet f*ck all about treating staff properly. A close friend of mine has just changed jobs. This friend now works for a company who are frankly useless as regards resource management.

The particular 'manager' in question micro manages to such an extent that very little gets done as he is always fussing around stopping people from working. He is incapable of delegation. He is incapable of organising. The place in question should have sacked him for a major balls up that went on for a very long time but somehow he survived. Recruiting and retaining staff in his area is clearly a problem but the higher echelons have not yet realised cause and effect.

Frankly, he treats them like crap. He ensures that he gets his lunch and doesn't give a toss if his staff don't. Typically he also throws hissy fits when things go wrong. And then he blames everyone except the person with overall responsibility viz himself.

 

Not one condition as specified in the contract of employment is honoured...

 

I also know a few people in middle/upper level financial areas who have looked at their work volume compared to a modern efficient set up, compared their work load and salaries and voted with their feet. Result, unfilled vacancies as the word gets around.

 

It works both ways.

[Mission]

There is also another option. Those that want to get on in life will put themselves out and go the extra mile.

 

This may be abused by some employers but I bet there are plenty that take note of the clock watchers and also those that are willing to put in the extra effort for the good of the company.

[Amadeus]

A lot depends on the employer as well. Still too many "Managers" around that have an apparent lack of people skills and don't know or don't want to treat employees as assets, rather than burden, in order to get the best possible performance. Treat them like a number, bullshit them with management speak and make'em feel undervalued and it's no wonder seats are empty at 5 to 5...

[ans]

Maybe he should just shut the fuck up - or explain why he is on the island - as I dont think Tuffail is a Manx name - sounds like a slave driving, tight wad of an arab to me.

 

Nobody want to take this one?

 

I think there's a case for both sides really. If you want to be a clock watcher and just work the contracted hours, that's perfectly fine, but if you don't offer any flexibility yourself, you can't expect your employer to. I'm very lucky that I have a great employer who is happy to make allowances for my childcare situation and in return, I work a bit from home and I work through lunches and don't have a problem working past my official finish time when I can and it's needed.

 

It's very much swings and roundabouts with some employers. You scratch my back, I scratch yours. I agree that to be asked to work extra hours for no reward shouldn't be an expectation though.

 

Non manx people do have a greater work ethic though, that much I'll concede.

[Mr. Sausages]

It's obvious to anyone in any company that there are a vast array of attitudes towards work.

 

Some people are career minded, put in extra hours, work hard, and are usually rewarded for it. Some people work the necessary hours, and aren't interested in moving on career wise. Both are important. If everybody wanted the promotions and wanted to control the company then it wouldn't work.

 

But, to say "manx people are lazy" is on a par with saying "Scottish (or Arabs) people are tight" or "Pakistanis are terrorists". It's a fucking ridiculous thing to say.

 

Granted, we have a different culture to, e.g. London, but that's not a bad thing. That's actually a very good thing.

[bluemonday]

Good managers generally make a good place to work and motivate the workforce. Bad ones compound problems. Anyone with staff problems should look at the management as well as the workers.