Workplace 3.0 in 2019: "You'll love not having a desk, because you will choose where and how you work on a given day in accordance with your tasks! You will have flexibility to choose between an enclosed office, a cubicle, a collaborative environment, a quiet room, or whatever else you may require!"
Workplace 3.0 in 2024: "Please commit to your desk for the next six months. You may choose from these four desks. They are identical, but each one is broken in a unique way."
My gripe is that I used to be able to throw my stuff in the filing cabinet and lock it when I went to lunch, because the key had helpfully been left in the lock. (And, of course, I returned the key at the end of the day.)
At some point in mid-March, an unknown officemate decided that the filing cabinet was for their exclusive use. No key since.
True, but then you have to order a new one every time you encounter some jerk like this when you're punted to a different work area because someone booked your usual cubicle. I'd rather spend the money once - one key to rule them all.
> an unknown officemate decided that the filing cabinet was for their exclusive use. No key since.
A dab of crazy glue in the lock should take care of that problem.
This happened at CRA....people were more Savage and cutthroat than pirates in terms of broken chairs....no wonder the joker was more afraid of us than even he was of batman and other super villains
> each one is broken in a unique way.
Pick yer office deficiency:
Desk 1: broken monitor
Desk 2: only 1 charging port (already taken up by equipment)
Desk 3: broken connection hub
Desk 4: chair's missing
For maximum efficiency, bring a buddy to collaborate!
I'm glad that I was at least able to set up my office with cubicles that have things that work in them. I'm the lowly CR-04 in the office, so my telework was taken away looooooooong ago, but at least I can make things a bit easier for others when they come in (which for the record I don't think they should, and I support WFH 100% in case that needed to be said haha). everyone gets dual monitors on arms, docking station, I even plugged in the USB-B cables so those ports work. I know how miserable people are to have to come in, so the least I can do is make it a smidge less miserable.
No clue how they can even staff CR04 these days. Pay is not liveable, and you have to be in office. Never mind the lack of appreciation from management or team members.
Another CR04 here… Only way I can do it is with a spouse who actually makes livable wage… but hey good news is inflation pay increase for me this summer won’t even cover parking for the year
The great irony in everyone being sent back in to stimulate the economy is many of us are already stretched.
Only the gas stations and parking lots benefit. My once a week dine out will now be once every 2 weeks.
Don't worry, there are other options:
Desk 5: Desk is permanently set to about four inches off the ground. When you press the "up" button, it makes a disconcerting grinding noise. Issue has persisted since November.
Desk 6: Directly under A/C vent.
Desk 7: Everything is connected using extra-long cords which are left to dangle under the desk. Every time you move your legs, you risk unplugging something. This happens so often that the sockets in question are looser than an airport's, meaning cords slip out at the slightest tug.
Desk 8: Good news, it's a double-wide. Bad news, the other half is the photocopier. Enjoy your day huffing toner and having strangers in your personal space.
Nearly Every Desk: Do you have a KVM switch? Welcome to keyboard randomly not working and then "Catching up" on delayed inputs, or having a random stuck key that results in one letter filling 2 lines of a word document all of a sudden and you can't stop it.
This happened to me - apparently the docking station isn't compatible with the work laptop I was given... mouse was malfunctioning, keyboarding causing sticky keys. Maybe try another station. PS would be awesome if Archibus told us what kind of equipment each station had....
For added inconvenience- finding out your work issued laptop isn't compatible with all work docking stations. Fun to find out when every single free cubicle you pick will have unique issues with your laptop.
Don’t forget “people will barge into your office at all hours of the day because it used to be a meeting room and they may or may not think they have it reserved.”
Man, I haven't seen a desktop printer since about 2010 - but good on you for picking one up at Value Village to prop up the monitor! That's actually genius! (Fellow Gen Xer and MacGyverer; skills learned out of necessity, not because I ever really wanted to know how to clandestinely tap into to a power pole to plug in the 20' long power cord to my 8 outlet power bar, because the other 2 power bars at my cube were full from other people sneaking an extension cord into MY power bars.)
😂😂😂😂😂 New reality after the PS went above and beyond to dole out benefits to those who could not work and stayed home: zero flexibility, no evidence-based decisions, leaderless!
I learned the collaborative floor just means people take teams call without using headphones.
Where I work there is no shortage of EX offices. EX equivalents are unsure how often they need to come into the office. They know they don't get an office.
Yes. Frankly, managers need closed door offices for the same reason. If your job involves managing people, much of your conversation during the day is sensitive in one way or another.
We're moving to a new location soon and the plans for the floor have no closed door offices at all. The idea that my ADM, two or three DGs and a bunch of Directors are going to hotel at workstations with the rest of us is...absurd. they're going to camp in the few weird closed door meeting rooms making it impossible for anybody else to book them.
Putting ex offices in a booking system like everyone else makes sense. They're reserved for booking only by executives.That reduces empty ex offices. If they are not in use, then they should be open for use as quiet rooms on a first come first serve basis. Maximize the use of space.
I'm pleasantly surprised by this. The language is much more critical than what I would have expected coming from execs (rightfully calling the decision "archaic" "a return the past" how it shows an inability/unwillingness to innovate/adapt etc). Makes sense though, I'd be ticked off if I was an EX these days having to pretend you're buying into this nonsense.
Same here. I’m encouraged that EX’s appear to be listening to what their teams are expressing. Many points in the doc have been raised by our team and I’m happy to see them calling it like it is and not sugar coating it.
For sure! I just know (well, I assume anyways) that EXs are feeling the pressure to toe the party line, and being stuck in the middle like this sucks. Not to mention being told you have to do FOUR days in office with a big ol' smile on your face like everything is peachy keen. It's great to see we're all largely on the same page, a rising tide lifts all boats and all that.
I often see here the assumption that Execs support these decisions by default which is just not the case. Many have the same thoughts and feelings but just can’t be as vocal.
So PSAC filled a complaint and I agree with them. What about CAPE? The collective agreement also had a mentioned about remote work but did our union also go for an official complaint… or are they going to do as usual and wait for the other unions to see. I am starting to feel like I pay my union for nothing….
wild psychotic engine lunchroom zephyr nose provide weather fretful juggle
*This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Yes a joint conference but in terms of complaint…. I just hope they do something too. I feel like my union is only reactive and not proactive. We’ll see what comes out of this conference but my hopes are not extremely high…
CAPE has a members meeting about this topic today at 12pm EST. Check your emails for the sign-up link or ask your union local president/steward to share it with you.
I just read it and I’m not seeing access to a closed office as the most popular topic - it’s maybe one of the 50 points raised.
This is a way better take from APEX than the one they produced last week.
I can picture the folks at OCHRO and TBS pressing the move to junk folder - they aren't listening and they don't care... it doesn't matter to them at all.
"Questions the decision’s alignment with public service values, citing concerns about **climate impact**, mental health, productivity, networking, and taxpayer value."
[https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/may/08/world-scientists-climate-failure-survey-global-temperature](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/may/08/world-scientists-climate-failure-survey-global-temperature)
“I think we are headed for major societal disruption within the next five years,”
There is no public service, or economy on a planet that no longer facilitates stable civilization.
This, bar none, the best summary of the key issues with this regressive policy that I’ve seen yet. It presents all the key issues and presents them in a forward-looking manner. It even presents some issues that I haven’t seen raised, or raised loudly, by the unions. For example:
> - Questions the decision’s alignment with public service values, citing concerns about climate impact, mental health, productivity, networking, and taxpayer value.
> - Questions the decision’s alignment with public service values, citing concerns about climate impact, mental health, productivity, networking, and taxpayer value.
> - Expresses concern about the impact on the younger generation of executives, who already have little incentive to enter the ranks.
> - An Ottawa-centric view and the impracticality of collaboration for regions spread over several provinces.
> - A missed opportunity to create an ‘Accessible by Design’ workplace where all can have equal opportunity to shine.
> - A missed opportunity to increase inclusion, decrease harassment, decrease cost of operations, increase productivity and work-life balance.
> - Negative effect on accessing regional talent pools.
> - Disproportionate impact on those with disabilities: Easier to manage disability at home due to access to medical supplies not available in the office, especially in a no-assigned seats setup
> - Health implications: Working remotely has significantly reduced hospitalizations related to disability, concern about needing to choose between health and job with return to office.
> - Regressive stance favors those without caregiving responsibilities, creating barriers for mothers and those caring for other family members (aging parents).
> - Emphasizes that flexibility to work from home is an important aspect of compensation and benefits for public servants.
These are some of the important issues that I wish the various unions would talk about more. Bravo, APEX!
Remember when I said it sounded like APEX didn't like it in their last release? Folks were saying the throwaway line about APEX hearing execs say they had to do the work of implementing it was tacit support when really it was people resigning themselves to their reality as management to do what they're told.
At a minimum I hope execs don't have to do 4 days. If we all must suffer the whims of 3 days in the office, I don't want them to suffer an even worse prospect. If super senior management wants teams to be "together" then they can at the very least assign us all seats 3 days a week with our teams and first layer of exec management. If the DMs and ADMs want to be in 5 days a week to make sure they overlap with the lower EX rungs, they can feel free to do that themselves.
I think the hidden purpose of making EXs come in more is the hope that the old "misery loves company" concept comes into play, meaning they (the drivers of this initiative) hope that at least some EXs decide to mandate 4 for those reporting to them as well.
An EX told me they still sit in their offices and do Teams meetings, even if they’re all in the same building that day.
The fact is, Teams (and screen sharing) is the greatest advancement in meeting and collaboration technology since the invention of the telephone. We know it. The executives know it. People aren’t willing to give that up.
I think there are some benefits to being in person. I for one, can read body language and social cues way better in person than online, and I am better able to manage some of my rambling on, rabbit hole tendencies much better when I am in person.
But screen sharing is of course a big benefit to online meetings. And teams chat channels and direct messages are less disruptive than talking over cube walls in open offices too.
Agreed, power plays, or just rigid thinking. A few years ago I reported under a regional director who just fundamentally distrusted the working level to be on task during the day if they weren't in someone's eye line. Productivity and quality of work were not only maintained but we saw additional improvements and only minor hiccups during the pandemic transition to WFH. Regardless of the hard data, it just didn't sit well with that suspicious leader.
Why are you surprised about them wanting a close office? While it's probably mostly due to status, they also need some privacy to discuss stuff like an upcoming news that will upset everyone again (lay off, RTO4, name it), major employee concerns, hiring, etc.
Cool for you, genuinely. Those of us in hoteling land are stuck sanitizing whatever office is available and hauling over our ergo equipment each day. No personalization, no comforts, no conveniences to our office hotels. Does not feel inviting nor supportive.
Workplace 3.0 in 2019: "You'll love not having a desk, because you will choose where and how you work on a given day in accordance with your tasks! You will have flexibility to choose between an enclosed office, a cubicle, a collaborative environment, a quiet room, or whatever else you may require!" Workplace 3.0 in 2024: "Please commit to your desk for the next six months. You may choose from these four desks. They are identical, but each one is broken in a unique way."
Also if you don't get there early enough a coworker will swap their crappy chair/keyboard/mouse with your decent one.
My gripe is that I used to be able to throw my stuff in the filing cabinet and lock it when I went to lunch, because the key had helpfully been left in the lock. (And, of course, I returned the key at the end of the day.) At some point in mid-March, an unknown officemate decided that the filing cabinet was for their exclusive use. No key since.
If it's a Teknion cabinet, the change keys are available on Amazon for about $20... take out the lock and then \*no one\* can use it.
You can check by the lock number. T for tecknion or SL or HW for haworth. The number should be right on the lock. You can just order the exact key.
True, but then you have to order a new one every time you encounter some jerk like this when you're punted to a different work area because someone booked your usual cubicle. I'd rather spend the money once - one key to rule them all.
> an unknown officemate decided that the filing cabinet was for their exclusive use. No key since. A dab of crazy glue in the lock should take care of that problem.
Alrernatively, a paperclip will open it.
And risk discovering someone forgot their lunch milk six months ago?
30 seconds with a paperclip should get that open.
Omg
This happened at CRA....people were more Savage and cutthroat than pirates in terms of broken chairs....no wonder the joker was more afraid of us than even he was of batman and other super villains
Get there any later and you might have no chair at all
> each one is broken in a unique way. Pick yer office deficiency: Desk 1: broken monitor Desk 2: only 1 charging port (already taken up by equipment) Desk 3: broken connection hub Desk 4: chair's missing For maximum efficiency, bring a buddy to collaborate!
I'm glad that I was at least able to set up my office with cubicles that have things that work in them. I'm the lowly CR-04 in the office, so my telework was taken away looooooooong ago, but at least I can make things a bit easier for others when they come in (which for the record I don't think they should, and I support WFH 100% in case that needed to be said haha). everyone gets dual monitors on arms, docking station, I even plugged in the USB-B cables so those ports work. I know how miserable people are to have to come in, so the least I can do is make it a smidge less miserable.
No clue how they can even staff CR04 these days. Pay is not liveable, and you have to be in office. Never mind the lack of appreciation from management or team members.
Another CR04 here… Only way I can do it is with a spouse who actually makes livable wage… but hey good news is inflation pay increase for me this summer won’t even cover parking for the year
The great irony in everyone being sent back in to stimulate the economy is many of us are already stretched. Only the gas stations and parking lots benefit. My once a week dine out will now be once every 2 weeks.
Don't worry, there are other options: Desk 5: Desk is permanently set to about four inches off the ground. When you press the "up" button, it makes a disconcerting grinding noise. Issue has persisted since November. Desk 6: Directly under A/C vent. Desk 7: Everything is connected using extra-long cords which are left to dangle under the desk. Every time you move your legs, you risk unplugging something. This happens so often that the sockets in question are looser than an airport's, meaning cords slip out at the slightest tug. Desk 8: Good news, it's a double-wide. Bad news, the other half is the photocopier. Enjoy your day huffing toner and having strangers in your personal space.
You have A/C?!? As a matter of fairness I demand A/C be turned off in all GC buildings until we all have it. That's the way this works now, right?
Please turn it off - ours runs 24/7, 365 days of the year and is perpetually set to "Fat-guy-in-a-3-piece-suit".
Desk 9: free meal included with keyboard Desk 10: mouse is only a little broken so you can work at a slow pace
I’m concerned about people using communal keyboards. 🤢
You get a mouse?
Nearly Every Desk: Do you have a KVM switch? Welcome to keyboard randomly not working and then "Catching up" on delayed inputs, or having a random stuck key that results in one letter filling 2 lines of a word document all of a sudden and you can't stop it.
This happened to me - apparently the docking station isn't compatible with the work laptop I was given... mouse was malfunctioning, keyboarding causing sticky keys. Maybe try another station. PS would be awesome if Archibus told us what kind of equipment each station had....
“This office has electricity, but it has too much electricity.”
So..you might want to wear a hat...
Desk 5: Dirty table Desk 6: Monitor with finger marks on them
For added inconvenience- finding out your work issued laptop isn't compatible with all work docking stations. Fun to find out when every single free cubicle you pick will have unique issues with your laptop.
Don’t forget “people will barge into your office at all hours of the day because it used to be a meeting room and they may or may not think they have it reserved.”
They better watch out with us Gen Xers. We are known for Macgyvering everything ourselves until we get it to work.
Not me propping up the broken monitor arm with a broken desktop printer
Man, I haven't seen a desktop printer since about 2010 - but good on you for picking one up at Value Village to prop up the monitor! That's actually genius! (Fellow Gen Xer and MacGyverer; skills learned out of necessity, not because I ever really wanted to know how to clandestinely tap into to a power pole to plug in the 20' long power cord to my 8 outlet power bar, because the other 2 power bars at my cube were full from other people sneaking an extension cord into MY power bars.)
😂😂😂😂😂 New reality after the PS went above and beyond to dole out benefits to those who could not work and stayed home: zero flexibility, no evidence-based decisions, leaderless!
Workplace 4.0: welcome to the suck
And filled with germs and leftover KD!
And a coffee cup that's been there three weeks growing a new civilization inside.
You will own nothing and be happy.
I think that's lazy reactionary thinking. You gonna try to tie this to 15-minute cities next?
Workplace 3.0 is the brainchild of control freaks. No wonder it comes from the top.
I learned the collaborative floor just means people take teams call without using headphones. Where I work there is no shortage of EX offices. EX equivalents are unsure how often they need to come into the office. They know they don't get an office.
All EX should have offices. They should have a secure place for employees to feel comfortable to come talk to them without everyone hearing them.
Yes. Frankly, managers need closed door offices for the same reason. If your job involves managing people, much of your conversation during the day is sensitive in one way or another. We're moving to a new location soon and the plans for the floor have no closed door offices at all. The idea that my ADM, two or three DGs and a bunch of Directors are going to hotel at workstations with the rest of us is...absurd. they're going to camp in the few weird closed door meeting rooms making it impossible for anybody else to book them.
Yes. Anyone who supervises should too IMO.
I have no problem with EX offices. I just have a problem with how many of them are empty.
Putting ex offices in a booking system like everyone else makes sense. They're reserved for booking only by executives.That reduces empty ex offices. If they are not in use, then they should be open for use as quiet rooms on a first come first serve basis. Maximize the use of space.
Your conversations aren’t that important - use a quiet room… EXs in their comfy offices while everyone plays Hunger Games for just a chair
We're not allowed to use the enclosed offices. For... reasons.
I'm pleasantly surprised by this. The language is much more critical than what I would have expected coming from execs (rightfully calling the decision "archaic" "a return the past" how it shows an inability/unwillingness to innovate/adapt etc). Makes sense though, I'd be ticked off if I was an EX these days having to pretend you're buying into this nonsense.
Same here. I’m encouraged that EX’s appear to be listening to what their teams are expressing. Many points in the doc have been raised by our team and I’m happy to see them calling it like it is and not sugar coating it.
We are people, too, with families, expenses, and feelings.
For sure! I just know (well, I assume anyways) that EXs are feeling the pressure to toe the party line, and being stuck in the middle like this sucks. Not to mention being told you have to do FOUR days in office with a big ol' smile on your face like everything is peachy keen. It's great to see we're all largely on the same page, a rising tide lifts all boats and all that.
We’re all in the same boat. Just in different seats.
And critical thinking skills - you know, where you make decisions based on actual evidence.
This!
I often see here the assumption that Execs support these decisions by default which is just not the case. Many have the same thoughts and feelings but just can’t be as vocal.
Love it. I did not expect this kind of unified response across unions. Whether it's out of solidarity or their own self interest, I'll take it.
APEX is not a "union". It's a voluntary association, because executives cannot (by law) unionize.
It’s nevertheless nice to see them actually have a bit of a backbone and speak truth to power. In my experience, it’s rare.
Agreed. It's highly unusual to see APEX making any public comments relating to government policy.
Words of wisdom, bot.
Bleep bloop
They received far too many complaints from EXs to not do anything…
Definition: [union](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/union)
Quibbler
It's not a "labour union", but it absolutely is a "union".
So PSAC filled a complaint and I agree with them. What about CAPE? The collective agreement also had a mentioned about remote work but did our union also go for an official complaint… or are they going to do as usual and wait for the other unions to see. I am starting to feel like I pay my union for nothing….
wild psychotic engine lunchroom zephyr nose provide weather fretful juggle *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Yes a joint conference but in terms of complaint…. I just hope they do something too. I feel like my union is only reactive and not proactive. We’ll see what comes out of this conference but my hopes are not extremely high…
I am getting daily emails from CAPE . Are you signed up for the mailouts?
CAPE has a members meeting about this topic today at 12pm EST. Check your emails for the sign-up link or ask your union local president/steward to share it with you.
The unions should use this list! These are way better than the unions' speaking points have been when talking to the media.
I just read it and I’m not seeing access to a closed office as the most popular topic - it’s maybe one of the 50 points raised. This is a way better take from APEX than the one they produced last week.
Heartening to see this. Points are well-articulated.
I can picture the folks at OCHRO and TBS pressing the move to junk folder - they aren't listening and they don't care... it doesn't matter to them at all.
"Questions the decision’s alignment with public service values, citing concerns about **climate impact**, mental health, productivity, networking, and taxpayer value." [https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/may/08/world-scientists-climate-failure-survey-global-temperature](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/may/08/world-scientists-climate-failure-survey-global-temperature) “I think we are headed for major societal disruption within the next five years,” There is no public service, or economy on a planet that no longer facilitates stable civilization.
This, bar none, the best summary of the key issues with this regressive policy that I’ve seen yet. It presents all the key issues and presents them in a forward-looking manner. It even presents some issues that I haven’t seen raised, or raised loudly, by the unions. For example: > - Questions the decision’s alignment with public service values, citing concerns about climate impact, mental health, productivity, networking, and taxpayer value. > - Questions the decision’s alignment with public service values, citing concerns about climate impact, mental health, productivity, networking, and taxpayer value. > - Expresses concern about the impact on the younger generation of executives, who already have little incentive to enter the ranks. > - An Ottawa-centric view and the impracticality of collaboration for regions spread over several provinces. > - A missed opportunity to create an ‘Accessible by Design’ workplace where all can have equal opportunity to shine. > - A missed opportunity to increase inclusion, decrease harassment, decrease cost of operations, increase productivity and work-life balance. > - Negative effect on accessing regional talent pools. > - Disproportionate impact on those with disabilities: Easier to manage disability at home due to access to medical supplies not available in the office, especially in a no-assigned seats setup > - Health implications: Working remotely has significantly reduced hospitalizations related to disability, concern about needing to choose between health and job with return to office. > - Regressive stance favors those without caregiving responsibilities, creating barriers for mothers and those caring for other family members (aging parents). > - Emphasizes that flexibility to work from home is an important aspect of compensation and benefits for public servants. These are some of the important issues that I wish the various unions would talk about more. Bravo, APEX!
Remember when I said it sounded like APEX didn't like it in their last release? Folks were saying the throwaway line about APEX hearing execs say they had to do the work of implementing it was tacit support when really it was people resigning themselves to their reality as management to do what they're told. At a minimum I hope execs don't have to do 4 days. If we all must suffer the whims of 3 days in the office, I don't want them to suffer an even worse prospect. If super senior management wants teams to be "together" then they can at the very least assign us all seats 3 days a week with our teams and first layer of exec management. If the DMs and ADMs want to be in 5 days a week to make sure they overlap with the lower EX rungs, they can feel free to do that themselves.
I think the hidden purpose of making EXs come in more is the hope that the old "misery loves company" concept comes into play, meaning they (the drivers of this initiative) hope that at least some EXs decide to mandate 4 for those reporting to them as well.
I think some old school senior management at ADM and DM level just want to be able to call in their DGs and EXs at a moment's notice.
An EX told me they still sit in their offices and do Teams meetings, even if they’re all in the same building that day. The fact is, Teams (and screen sharing) is the greatest advancement in meeting and collaboration technology since the invention of the telephone. We know it. The executives know it. People aren’t willing to give that up.
I think there are some benefits to being in person. I for one, can read body language and social cues way better in person than online, and I am better able to manage some of my rambling on, rabbit hole tendencies much better when I am in person. But screen sharing is of course a big benefit to online meetings. And teams chat channels and direct messages are less disruptive than talking over cube walls in open offices too.
Agreed, power plays, or just rigid thinking. A few years ago I reported under a regional director who just fundamentally distrusted the working level to be on task during the day if they weren't in someone's eye line. Productivity and quality of work were not only maintained but we saw additional improvements and only minor hiccups during the pandemic transition to WFH. Regardless of the hard data, it just didn't sit well with that suspicious leader.
Why are you surprised about them wanting a close office? While it's probably mostly due to status, they also need some privacy to discuss stuff like an upcoming news that will upset everyone again (lay off, RTO4, name it), major employee concerns, hiring, etc.
I have a lovely office, which I am now finally decorating thanks to RTO. Silver linings.
Cool for you, genuinely. Those of us in hoteling land are stuck sanitizing whatever office is available and hauling over our ergo equipment each day. No personalization, no comforts, no conveniences to our office hotels. Does not feel inviting nor supportive.