I remember typing pools...

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
  • I have just remembered being interviewed for a secretarial job for the Regional Director of a well known insurance company and being told (by his current secretary) that I would need to collect his evening paper at 4.30 pm every day and (using the iron and ironing board tucked away in the coat cupboard) have it ironed and on his desk with a cup of Earl Grey at 5.00 pm!

    They too still had a Directors' Dining Room, loos and parking spaces and, although you may think it was the 1940s, it was actually 1993!  I didn't take the job as I may have beaten him with the newspaper and that wouldn't have been good!

     J

Reply
  • I have just remembered being interviewed for a secretarial job for the Regional Director of a well known insurance company and being told (by his current secretary) that I would need to collect his evening paper at 4.30 pm every day and (using the iron and ironing board tucked away in the coat cupboard) have it ironed and on his desk with a cup of Earl Grey at 5.00 pm!

    They too still had a Directors' Dining Room, loos and parking spaces and, although you may think it was the 1940s, it was actually 1993!  I didn't take the job as I may have beaten him with the newspaper and that wouldn't have been good!

     J

Children
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