Better To Be Furloughed?

[JackDanielsU]

Hiya everyone..

Working from home here (customer service in the construction industry), and last week the company I work for put 7 of the team on furlough..leaving 7 of us still working..though one of those was on annual leave...and 2 of those are managers...

Thing is it was and is crazy busy (I've checked the emails and its nearly 100 unread emails now so expecting that to be a bit more by tomorrow morning) and customers still expecting to get their product next day!! - they do get an automatic response advising of the volume of calls/emails but doesnt seem to be heeded.

Also the company is paying the extra 20% so doesn't that mean that the furloughed staff are able to sit at home whilst getting full pay, while the others take calls pretty much none stop and try to answer and process as many emails as possible.

[JJ109]

Yes - but the alternative is for the company to lay off staff. Would you prefer it if some of the staff who were furloughed were laid off?

Presumably you are paid by the hour, so there is no difference in your pay. If there is "too much" work for you, it simply won't get done.
Or is it that you want to swap with them?
They are not on holiday, they are still stuck inside their homes and your company is trying to be as fair with them as it can.

You could of course resign if the work is too much for you, and then one of the furloughed staff would be brought back and they can experience how you feel.... but that doesn't help you much does it?
BUT it would help your company!

[Zacs-Master]

Those of you who haven’t been furloughed stand a much better chance of retaining your job when (if) the economic recovery begins. Still working means you’re job is important to the survival of the company.

[Zacs-Master]

Your job.

[THECORBYLOON]

Perhaps you should be dealing with the e-mails and the 'phone calls rather than spending time on here?

[douglas9401]

I was under the impression that the construction industry had shut down.
No sites that I've seen on my extensive travels over the last while have any activity at all.

[THECORBYLOON]

Building construction can continue as long as social distancing is observed.

[JackDanielsU]

THECORBYLOON - Easter Monday today, so the "office" is closed...

[Ken4155]

Douglas, there are bungalows being built at the top of my street and there are 3 workers still going about their jobs. One is on the digger, another is laying what I presume to be 'footings' and the other just seems to be watching them:-/ I must add, at no time have I ever seen them in close proximity to each other.

[THECORBYLOON]

I'll let you off then...

[douglas9401]

Fair enough but I haven't seen those sites.
The ones I have are shut down. Maybe it's a Scottish thing.

[Ken4155]

JackDanielsU, i would like to know how your company chose who was to work and who was to be furloughed? Was it a case of who had children off school that no-one else could care for? The reason i ask is because i wonder why companies who put a percentage of staff on furlough while keeping the rest at work don't alternate. Say two weeks work, two weeks furlough, etc. Surely that would be more beneficial for the mental well-being of all staff?

[JackDanielsU]

THECORBYLOON - ah you're too kind! - though I will probably log on later and see if I can clear anything..

[Ken4155]

"Maybe it's a Scottish thing." Or, Douglas, it could well be that those construction companies who employ a massive workforce are the ones totally shut down. Must admit that the operation on my street only has a workforce of about 10 - 12 people at any one time.

[Maydup]

I think it must be really tough to be working hard, and alone at home whilst colleagues are furloughed. I'm furloughed and aware that a handful of my colleagues are busting a gut to keep their heads above water.

But the truth of the matter is that its the only way to protect the future of the business. Quite often its the higher paid people who are furloughed for ecenomic reasons, but lets hope the people doing the work are rewarded in some way when its all over.

Being stuck at home is bad enough without having to graft all day and away from colleagues. Well done you, just remember that you helped that business to survive and shout about it loudly.

[fiction-factory]

Some companies are tackling this by having staff work on a rota basis- say 4 weeks on, 4 weeks furlough. I think the furlough period has to be at least 3 weeks so they can't do a week by week changearound

[JackDanielsU]

Ken4155 - Im not sure how they chose..doesn't seem to be any firm reasoning..ie we're all pretty much in the same boat regarding childcare etc..Your idea of alternating is a great one, but probably a nightmare to put into place...handovers etc, making sure the next lot know what's happened the previous week

[JackDanielsU]

douglas9401 actually our Scottish plants etc have all closed for the foreseeable, but still going strong down here

[THECORBYLOON]

I had forgotten the Scots Government said only essential construction could continue but there's no such restrictions in England.

[douglas9401]

There you go, all pals again. :-)

[youngmafbog]

"Building construction can continue as long as social distancing is observed."

Yes but what has happened round here is the builders merchants have shut down so you cant get materials. So guys cant work.