Welcome To Case's Column
Let me say a big welcome to all of you for joining me here. I'm going to call these blog meetings Case's Column. I wanted to use "Corner", but that was already taken.
Since 2008, it's been a real privilege to come on here and share some of my life with you, and it's a big world where we live.
In these blogs, I'll just speak whatever is on my mind, but we will be playing within the rules here. I may pick a particular topic, point out an event, or shoot the breeze. I'm a little bit of an essayist at times, so I'll just speak what's on my mind, and I might tell a story or two. Or, I might spew out an opinion or three. There will be some serious moments, some tender, some poignant, but there will also be those moments that you'll just bust out laughing. But, hopefully, everything will be in good fun here. And, of course, there's a place below for your comments and thoughts as we go along here. So feel free to join me for the ride -- I sure as heck hope I'm doing this right and not making any mistakes.
Thanks for taking your time in reading Case's Column. Hopefully, you'll enjoy being entertained by it as much as I've enjoyed putting these writings together. And thanks for the time you spend in City-Data.com, where it's great to be alive!
Regards,
case44
Let me say a big welcome to all of you for joining me here. I'm going to call these blog meetings Case's Column. I wanted to use "Corner", but that was already taken.
Since 2008, it's been a real privilege to come on here and share some of my life with you, and it's a big world where we live.In these blogs, I'll just speak whatever is on my mind, but we will be playing within the rules here. I may pick a particular topic, point out an event, or shoot the breeze. I'm a little bit of an essayist at times, so I'll just speak what's on my mind, and I might tell a story or two. Or, I might spew out an opinion or three. There will be some serious moments, some tender, some poignant, but there will also be those moments that you'll just bust out laughing. But, hopefully, everything will be in good fun here. And, of course, there's a place below for your comments and thoughts as we go along here. So feel free to join me for the ride -- I sure as heck hope I'm doing this right and not making any mistakes.
Thanks for taking your time in reading Case's Column. Hopefully, you'll enjoy being entertained by it as much as I've enjoyed putting these writings together. And thanks for the time you spend in City-Data.com, where it's great to be alive!
Regards,
case44
My Office Is Slipping Away As It Caves To COVID
I work for a Fortune 500 company, and it's been around more than long enough to be successful. The department I've worked in for the past few years has also been very successful, with the best work situation anyone can dream of. Great bosses. Great co-workers. Little pressure.
For years, I'd look forward to being with them after having worked in another department (in the same company) which wasn't quite as good for the prior sixteen years. Finally, I got to make the fateful transition. So, you'd think that, because of that, I'd have the best work environment ever. Every morning, I look forward to going to work.
Then came COVID-19.
Workplaces suddenly changed. Mine didn't exactly shut down, but the majority of people in my building had decided to take their business and their workstations home with them. I opted to stay at the office with a few folks. Didn't have adequate room at my abode for a second computer, as I couldn't just disconnect the one I have, which would have prevented me from paying bills and messing around on City-Data, where it's great to be alive. Plus, your writer would have had some work computer issues and too many temptations that it's just better for this buzz-haired critter to work at my regular workplace.
That was in April.
Now, we're almost at November, and as I was waiting for what I hoped would be an exciting announcement that those who chose to work at home would move back to the office, well, such did not happen. In fact, performance numbers across the network were so good that management decided to initiate a work-at-home program for those staying at home. I was not and have not been a big fan of that change. There are too many cons than there are pros. Since I'm not thrilled with the change, I'll touch on these cons: Having a divided work force kills office camaraderie. Yes, we're in it to work first, of course, but we can still get things done when people work together. This latest move will kill any interaction between co-workers and the higher-ups. There will soon be no more Christmas luncheons. No more monthly employee recognitions. No more Safety Bingo. No more costume contests. No more Spirit Days. No more group pictures in front of the lobby while braving the January cold. The new way of doing things lends itself to a near-ghost-town environment, with no one to talk to but my instant messaging or my e-mail, save for the few people who will be gathered in a new space with me.
I think you get the drift.
Is this move permanent?? It's way too early to say. Performance has to be good and everyone at home has to be honest. I still think that this idea will blow up in the company's face over time. Proprietary protection must also come into play. It's one thing to protect people from COVID. Okay, I get that. But what about when things are better? There is going to eventually be an end to this ridiculous pandemic. And what becomes of future hires? Those will be inevitable in the environment which I'm in. And then, there's the cost savings on the building and all that it contains. For now, anyway.
Right now, your writer just has to keep his chin up. My workplace is ruined by a bad company decision, despite the greatest of intentions. Over a period of time, camaraderie in my workplace will be damaged, and I should not be the only one who feels this way. Business decisions are met with different perspectives, sure, but in the end, the real cost comes in the lack of enrichment of people's lives.
Ol' Case will just keep doing what he's doing. I'm going to wake up tomorrow (God willing) and I'm going to go to work just like usual. The thing is, I've got to allow myself to roll with the changes.
For years, I'd look forward to being with them after having worked in another department (in the same company) which wasn't quite as good for the prior sixteen years. Finally, I got to make the fateful transition. So, you'd think that, because of that, I'd have the best work environment ever. Every morning, I look forward to going to work.
Then came COVID-19.
Workplaces suddenly changed. Mine didn't exactly shut down, but the majority of people in my building had decided to take their business and their workstations home with them. I opted to stay at the office with a few folks. Didn't have adequate room at my abode for a second computer, as I couldn't just disconnect the one I have, which would have prevented me from paying bills and messing around on City-Data, where it's great to be alive.
Plus, your writer would have had some work computer issues and too many temptations that it's just better for this buzz-haired critter to work at my regular workplace. That was in April.
Now, we're almost at November, and as I was waiting for what I hoped would be an exciting announcement that those who chose to work at home would move back to the office, well, such did not happen. In fact, performance numbers across the network were so good that management decided to initiate a work-at-home program for those staying at home. I was not and have not been a big fan of that change. There are too many cons than there are pros. Since I'm not thrilled with the change, I'll touch on these cons: Having a divided work force kills office camaraderie. Yes, we're in it to work first, of course, but we can still get things done when people work together. This latest move will kill any interaction between co-workers and the higher-ups. There will soon be no more Christmas luncheons. No more monthly employee recognitions. No more Safety Bingo. No more costume contests. No more Spirit Days. No more group pictures in front of the lobby while braving the January cold. The new way of doing things lends itself to a near-ghost-town environment, with no one to talk to but my instant messaging or my e-mail, save for the few people who will be gathered in a new space with me.
I think you get the drift.
Is this move permanent?? It's way too early to say. Performance has to be good and everyone at home has to be honest. I still think that this idea will blow up in the company's face over time. Proprietary protection must also come into play. It's one thing to protect people from COVID. Okay, I get that. But what about when things are better? There is going to eventually be an end to this ridiculous pandemic. And what becomes of future hires? Those will be inevitable in the environment which I'm in. And then, there's the cost savings on the building and all that it contains. For now, anyway.
Right now, your writer just has to keep his chin up. My workplace is ruined by a bad company decision, despite the greatest of intentions. Over a period of time, camaraderie in my workplace will be damaged, and I should not be the only one who feels this way. Business decisions are met with different perspectives, sure, but in the end, the real cost comes in the lack of enrichment of people's lives.
Ol' Case will just keep doing what he's doing. I'm going to wake up tomorrow (God willing) and I'm going to go to work just like usual. The thing is, I've got to allow myself to roll with the changes.
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