Random Thoughts

[Gravdigr]

I guess that shoots the 1040EZ all to hell, don't it?

[monster]

doesn't exist any more

[Griff]

Hmmm... VAT

[Gravdigr]

Originally Posted by monster

doesn't exist any more

Neither does the Edsel, but we still make fun of it and use it for jokes.

[Gravdigr]

[xoxoxoBruce]

Today is Monday, but don't let it bother you.
Just change your perspective.

[DanaC]

Upper management sucks.

They have brought in a new system which should eventually cut everybody's stress levels down and allow for a more 'claim ownership' approach where we are primarily dealing with our own claims and newly assigned claims, rather constantly having to deal with other people's claims which are often very complex: policyholder calls in for an update on their claim, it lands on a claims handler who has never touched it before so they end up having to do a full claim review before they can help.

Yay - Direct dial, what we've been asking for is finally here.

So why do management suck?

1. They know for this system to work the team needs to be at 70% strength - minimum - e.g normal levels of holiday, sickness, appointment absence
2. They know for this system to work the entire team needs to be trained to handle bespoke / high net worth policies.

This is because they need us all in Ready status on the phones - the direct dial call ins won't come through to us if we are in 'wrap up' status and would therefore ping across to someone else, which defeats the purpose.

So - no wrap time - you take or make a call, at the end of it you go back into Ready - if a new claim referral comes through on the main line it will go the person who has been in ready the longest, and if it's a call to your direct line from one of your customers, or a supplier, you try to deal with it but can also book a callback with them and go back to what you are doing. If people are off work, or in training someone else will need to pick up that call.

So the idea is that it will take quite a while for another call to come through so that should give plenty of time for appointing suppliers, reading adjustor reports etc. But it only works if we aren't limping along with half the team away or unable to pick up calls.

3. They know that to get the entire team trained up will take approx. 6 weeks as they filter small groups through the training.

4. They know that while the training is going through there will groups of 3-4 on a full day of training with a second consolidation day where they only deal with high net worth calls, and one of the HNW experienced handlers will also be on protected lines - meaning with normal levels of absence, the team will be at about 50% strength for 2 days a week for 6 weeks.

Did they wait until everybody was trained?

No. They started halfway through.

Did they introduce it on a day when the whole team were in (less the normal absences) ?

No - the new system went live on a training day which meant for the first 2 days of this brand new way of working which requires everybody to be doing the same thing and not be on protected lines - we were at 50% strength.

Three weeks of 2 days a week of everything falling apart - racking up mountains of follow up work which then makes the other 3 days hellishly busy as we all play catch up.

It's a long time since I have felt depressed at the thought of going to work, but that's how I felt all last week.

They made such an almighty hash of introducing the new Buildings Team process when I first started in the team in May, that it's taken to about the last couple months for things to start calming down - and we very rarely more than a bad day away from meltdown (way too few people with way too little working time to do what they want us to do).

During the past few months they have changed how we work several times - usually it leads eventually to a more workable system, but usually it is done in the most stress inducing way possible - and we always tell them: X will lead to Y - and they always say, look just try it and then feedback - so we try it, and X leads to Y and so we feed it back and they basically tell us to live with it for a few months, because it will work when Z is in place - so why the fuck not just wait until Z is in place before implementing?

*deep breath*

Hoping things will settle down in a couple of weeks - until the next time.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Sorry to rear than, unfortunately it's all to common.
Rich connected people get their kid into the “right schools” because it’s first base and success always starts at first base. Then the wealthy people’s friends make sure the kid gets into the best internships, leading to the most prestigious jobs. The folks social connection get the kid into the right clubs and appointed to the board of the most high profile charities. Now the kid is ready for a corporate board of directors where just showing up for meetings is good enough to make the kid a candidate for CEO/CFO/COO. It doesn’t matter if he knows his ass from a hole in the ground because he’ll be surrounded by people who actually know how to run the business but can’t because they didn’t get to a prestigious first base. The people who know aren't allowed to object or criticize higher ups so stupidity trickles down.

[DanaC]

True dat.

I think it's pretty standard practice across most major organisations - I doubt my employers are worse than most. In many ways they're pretty decent - or at least, the middle and low management are better able to mitigate the corporate bullshit than most.

They've been very supportive of my going for light treatment for my eczema - allowed me an hour and a half appointment time 3 times a week for about 13 weeks (possibly longer, possibly shorter depending how I respond to treatment) and shuffling my shifts around so I don't have to do the early shift when I have appointments and stuff. That way o don't have tto come to work then go off to the hospital and back - I can just go straight to the hospital and then go from there to work.

It's just bloody frustrating when they overload us unnecessarily and then wonder why the system falls apart for a few weeks lol

[monster]

Is it just me, or does HoMedic seem a poor choice for a brand name? Unless they're selling on the spot penicillin shots

[Gravdigr]

...I went home with this 43 yo nurse, I was 22. She was a big 'un, but she was fun. We got back to my place and she gave me a penicillin shot before we did anything, which I thought was really nice of her. Lotta women won't tell ya there's something down there that'll get ya, but she had a heart, and she cared about ppl.

~Rodney Carrington

[Undertoad]

I’ve found myself doing this thing a bit recently, where, if someone asks me what sort of music I like, I say "well I don’t listen to the radio because pop lyrics annoy me". Or if someone asks me what food I like, I say "I think truffle oil is overused and slightly obnoxious". And I see it all the time online, people whose idea of being part of a subculture is to hate Coldplay or football or feminists or the Liberal Party. We have tendency to define ourselves in opposition to stuff; as a comedian, I make a living out of it. But try to also express your passion for things you love. Be demonstrative and generous in your praise of those you admire. Send thank-you cards and give standing ovations. Be pro-stuff, not just anti-stuff.

- Tim Minchin

(i am a miserable contrarian but i do try to do this)

[sexobon]

There are several threads for quotes; but, somehow they end up here.

[lumberjim]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

- Tim Minchin

(i am a miserable contrarian but i do try to do this)

That's good advice

[henry quirk]

That's good advice

oh, no. wait. the opposite of that.