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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

  • Oh my goodness!  I remember all of these things - the telex machine, the manual typewriter, carbon paper, typewriter rubbers  that just made a horrible mess(!!), etc etc.  We also had 'messengers' for each department who spent the whole day taking memos, mail and messages around the whole building.  My first proper job was as an invoice typist working a 37 hour week for the sum of £14 - slave labour!!!   It was a very large engineering company that I worked for which employed hundreds of men and relatively few women.  The one thing that sticks in my mind is that on Wednesdays and Fridays the women got an extra 15 minute lunch break so that they could go to the market to do their shopping!!!  


    All this was way back in 1974 and although it sounds very archaic, but it was what was the 'norm' at the time and I loved it!  No e-mails, no mobile phones, and you actually had a life outside work!  These days we're contactable 24/7 so there's no 'switching off'.


    I wonder what will have changed and what memories people willhave of the workplace when they look back in another 40 years.   

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  • Oh my goodness!  I remember all of these things - the telex machine, the manual typewriter, carbon paper, typewriter rubbers  that just made a horrible mess(!!), etc etc.  We also had 'messengers' for each department who spent the whole day taking memos, mail and messages around the whole building.  My first proper job was as an invoice typist working a 37 hour week for the sum of £14 - slave labour!!!   It was a very large engineering company that I worked for which employed hundreds of men and relatively few women.  The one thing that sticks in my mind is that on Wednesdays and Fridays the women got an extra 15 minute lunch break so that they could go to the market to do their shopping!!!  


    All this was way back in 1974 and although it sounds very archaic, but it was what was the 'norm' at the time and I loved it!  No e-mails, no mobile phones, and you actually had a life outside work!  These days we're contactable 24/7 so there's no 'switching off'.


    I wonder what will have changed and what memories people willhave of the workplace when they look back in another 40 years.   

Children
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