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I remember typing pools...

Steve Bridger

I remember my first day at work. The summer of 1981. County Hall. The smell of polished corridors and trolleys laden three-feet high with leaver arch files and buff folders. I opened a door and there it was: The Typing Pool. Page 3 of The Sun were always plastered on the walls of the printing unit whenever I was asked to make errands. We still had a few discussion threads on that topic in the early days here - in 2004!


And I've seen Made in Dagenham, the movie!


I only mention this as the CIPD published a report called Work Audit today, a fascinating look at how the world of work has changed
in Britain since 1952.


I thought we could share our own compelling vignettes of social history comparing changes in the way we work.


What do you reckon?


Steve

Parents

  • Good subject thread Steve

    I'm showing my age here but I do remember pre-email when you typed out a memo, copied it several times (I think we had photocopiers!!) and had to run downstairs to reception and post each memo in a series of different people's 'pigeon holes'. These were basically individual wooden boxes for each employee, fixed in a grid on the wall. Then people would pop along from time to time and pick up their mail.


    Everyone took an hour's lunchbreak religiously and you had to go and knock on the boss' door and apologise if you were 5 minutes late in the morning. Working 'flexibly' was not the norm at all.


    At the time it was all perfectly normal and quite enjoyable really! Definitely slower paced than 2012...


    Johanna

Reply

  • Good subject thread Steve

    I'm showing my age here but I do remember pre-email when you typed out a memo, copied it several times (I think we had photocopiers!!) and had to run downstairs to reception and post each memo in a series of different people's 'pigeon holes'. These were basically individual wooden boxes for each employee, fixed in a grid on the wall. Then people would pop along from time to time and pick up their mail.


    Everyone took an hour's lunchbreak religiously and you had to go and knock on the boss' door and apologise if you were 5 minutes late in the morning. Working 'flexibly' was not the norm at all.


    At the time it was all perfectly normal and quite enjoyable really! Definitely slower paced than 2012...


    Johanna

Children
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