Smokewatch

[House]

I was going to give up smoking but I have decided not to let the bullies win.

 

The next assault will be to ban smoking during working hours, and I've already seen one report where anti-smokers even want us banned from pub doorways.

 

 

Employers should ban smoking during working hours. The non smokers are sick of having to continue grafting while you slack gits slope off for up to 1/4 hour at a time for a fag.

 

Would you mind if I sloped off to the pub for a quick pint during working hours?

 

Having said this, you work for Government, so anything goes I suppose.

 

As a non-smoker I should be inclined to agree with you, but in reality, you're talking shite.

 

It's good employment practice to encourage employees to take short breaks throughout the working day, as it's impossible to maintain total concentration and 100% effort for hours at a time without any respite.

 

As such, taking periodic breaks to make a cup of tea, chat to a colleague, or pop outside for a fag if that's your thing - will have a beneficial effect on someone's quality of work.

 

The very best employers (such as Google) go one step further and provide an environment that's as 'un-work like' as possible, and have one of the happiest and most productive workforces in the world.

 

The old fashioned view that an employee should be chained to a desk and only allowed to escape for an hour at lunch is not only bad for the people concerned, it's bad for the business that tries to enforce such a policy.

[nipper]

Oh come on now!

 

Trying to use the Google work ethic to illustrate your point is beyond the pale. Google is worth how many $billions?

 

Don't answer that question because no one in the world knows, let alone knows why. The company remains a shining and enduring illustration of the mysteries of the dot com boom.

 

Flip-flops, frisbees and endless fag breaks?

 

Not in my work place mate.

[Amadeus]

Oh come on now!

 

Trying to use the Google work ethic to illustrate your point is beyond the pale. Google is worth how many $billions?

 

Don't answer that question because no one in the world knows, let alone knows why. The company remains a shining and enduring illustration of the mysteries of the dot com boom.

 

Flip-flops, frisbees and endless fag breaks?

 

Not in my work place mate.

And how did Google grow so quick and achieve its value? By recruiting good people and looking after them, and by creating an atmosphere where people really want to give their best and see it as more than "just a job" - that's how.

 

I agree with House here - the old fashioned thinking of "work - lunch break - work" is way out of date. Doesn't mean endless fag breaks every 5 minutes, but short breaks in between (for smoking or general "me time" ) have proven to be beneficial - heck, even the holy BBC Click reported on it, complete with brain scan test to show that concentration increases afterwards.

[nipper]

How can I guess that you are a smoker Amadeus!

 

The only places I have worked where you can do what the heck you like when you like, within the bounds of your conscience, are Local Government offices (UK) and extremely wealthy oil companies in the pre 1980s crash.

 

Game of office fris-bee anyone?

[pongo]

I agree with House here - the old fashioned thinking of "work - lunch break - work" is way out of date. Doesn't mean endless fag breaks every 5 minutes, but short breaks in between (for smoking or general "me time" ) have proven to be beneficial - heck, even the holy BBC Click reported on it, complete with brain scan test to show that concentration increases afterwards.

 

I like the modern approach too - and Google definitely recruit in their own image (- as people used to say in the 80s). But remember that the other side of that relative freedom is that when you work in an environment like that you more or less live your job. If you have a bright idea at 3 o'clock in the morning at a weekend then you get straight on it. Want to work all night because you're in a groove ? Not a problem.

[kevster]

The BBC Radio 4 kids programme 'Go 4 it' has just been on and the main issue discussed has been smoking.

Local interest - interviews done with pupils at Ballacottier School

 

It should be available on the BBC Radio 4 listen again website

[Amadeus]

How can I guess that you are a smoker Amadeus!

 

The only places I have worked where you can do what the heck you like when you like, within the bounds of your conscience, are Local Government offices (UK) and extremely wealthy oil companies in the pre 1980s crash.

 

Game of office fris-bee anyone?

Yes, I smoke but that doesn't really have anything to do with my point. I don't mean "do what the heck you like" piss taking, but a more modern approach towards managing people and workload.

[triskelion]

Having said this, you work for Government, so anything goes I suppose.

He works for Manx Radio?

[%age]

Perhaps our kid is more or less right.

 

He who pays the piper . . . .

[Port Erin]

Having said this, you work for Government, so anything goes I suppose.

He works for Manx Radio?

 

 

Which is partly funded and accountable to Government, therefore to my mind it's just an extension of Government.

 

Speaking from experience, working for the IoM Government is the cushiest little number you could ever have - if that's your thing. It's full of lazy buggers that have no accountability to anyone, with weak leadership to boot.

 

Suffice to say, I work in the Private Sector now.

[Silentbob]

Has anyone experienced any Smirting yet?

 

Yup, and it is GREAT!! We went to a huge gathering in the UK a few weeks ago, the place had a really nice gazabo type thing outside for smokers with heating and everything, so we had a choice.

 

1. Stay in the club, dark (possibility of picking up a minger) noisy (possibility of pickup a scouser/brummy) or

2. Take drinks to smoking area otuside, sit down and wait for targets...erm I mean female smokers to come out for a smoke.

 

Suffice to say it was great fun, and the contant stream of ladies mean't we were never sat alone for more than 5 minutes before the seats were replaced with yet more drunken lasses up for chat etc etc.

 

Went over for a night out in London on Saturday, same thing, Soho at 2am, outside was more interesting than in the club, and no shouting required. Smoking has become useful again.

[Lonan3]

I took a customer to a local pub last night and there was another one waiting to be picked up outside. It meant that (truthfully!) the pub was only completely without customers for a couple of minutes.

Bitterly cold night + outside smoking facility = drastically reduced business.

 

(And yes, I know the excessive price of alcohol is a factor. Don't be so pedantic!)

[nipper]

In reply to Silentbob regarding Smirting, I can't resist reposting:

 

When I see all this chatting going on as smokers bond in their misery and in the rain outside pubs I sometimes think it must be a great way to meet girls. Then I realise that by definition those girls' breath will be forever stinking of an old ash tray and be the types that get irritable if they don't have their drugs.

 

Like Fag Ash Lil, or Patty and Selma.....you can keep 'em.

 

The ban is a canny piece of social engineering. Keep the smelly addicts well segregated.

 

Any females you pick up in the ash can - you just keep 'em, mate.

[bluemonday]

Note to Corpy.

 

No point having those nice cylindrical ashtray things at Lord Street if they don't have bottoms.

 

Due to gravity, the butts fall down, out of the bottom and onto the pavement.

 

And thus it remains....................................

[Albert Tatlock]

Any females you pick up in the ash can - you just keep 'em, mate.

A short-sighted view, especially when so many are so obviously good at sucking and blowing