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Messages from the archive of Rutherford Hall, critical communications strategist
WhatsApp to Stephen: You’re kidding? Can Alan work from the seaside over August? I don’t know. Is he a lifeguard? No, well then obviously not. This is getting ridiculous. We already offer early close Fridays in summer; we allow people to work from home up to twice a week, but pretending you are at work because you answer a few emails and take your mobile to the beach is going too far. There is no such thing as Waterfront Wednesdays, Mai Tai Mondays or Just Popping out for a Pub Lunch and Long Walk up the Coast Thursdays.
WhatsApp to Stephen: We are a client-facing business. We need to be where the clients are, so unless they are all in Southwold — actually you can’t rule that out — I don’t see how this works. We want our people out hustling. I know things slow down over August but that’s why we encourage people to take their holidays then.
WhatsApp to Stephen: That’s different. I am not claiming to be at work while I’m in Como. I’m taking holiday but doing some work during my annual leave.
WhatsApp to Stephen: Do you have any idea how much a villa at Bellagio with a pool and a view of the lake costs? If I billed the company for every hour I worked on holiday, I could afford to eat every day at the Villa d’Este. I’m off but will jump on a quick call because I own the business.
WhatsApp to Stephen: Sorry, mate, co-own obviously. And no, I’ll probably eat there only two or three times a week. Anyway, I’m going to draft a note to staff on this.
WhatsApp to Stephen: Yes, I’ll show it to you first. And the last one did not begin: “Hello slackers”. That was just someone’s idea of a joke.
From: [email protected]
Hi, Stephen and I have had a few inquiries about whether staff can work from their holiday location over August. I understand the appeal. It means you can save leave days and spend longer with your families. But we also want you to take your holidays.
We want to be flexible. You can already leave after lunch on Summer Fridays. Our existing WFH rules also mean you can take long-weekends and work from a holiday home Monday and Friday. We will try to help in special cases, but we cannot agree to a general policy of whole weeks working full-time outside London or the UK. We need to be where our clients and their interests are. Surf, sun, summer and sand sound so much better with Saturdays and Sundays. Rutherford.
Find me on Strava, KoM Sydenham Hill, PR Al Jubailah/Bawdah Loop — 42 mins
WhatsApp to Alan: I’m sorry Alan, but there is a line between work and holiday and we have to draw it.
WhatsApp to Alan: It’s nothing to do with not trusting you. It’s about the culture of the company.
WhatsApp to Stephen: Of course I don’t trust him. No one works as hard from holiday. They just do what’s necessary to tick over. And he doesn’t work that hard from the office. If it wasn’t for the fact we can tell clients he once worked for Rachel Reeves, he’d be toast.
WhatsApp to Alan: I consider that reply very disrespectful. My three weeks in Como are holiday, taken as part of my annual leave. I may interrupt my holiday to work but that’s on me.
WhatsApp to Stephen: Stephen, did you tell Jean she could work from abroad while her family is on holiday? You might have mentioned that before I sent the memo. We are meant to specialise in communications.
WhatsApp to Jean: If Stephen agreed to it, that’s fine. But can we say this is a special case?
WhatsApp to Jean: I’m not asking you to lie to colleagues. Just hoping you could help me out.
From: [email protected]
Further to my note on summer working. There’s been some confusion which saw some private arrangements made before my note went out. We can’t have different rules for people. So we will agree to working away from the office over August this year. We will monitor this closely but, let me stress, this is not a precedent.
Rutherford
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WhatsApp to Stephen: OK, if we have to do this, let’s make sure they aren’t taking the piss. No 9am or 4.30pm calls. I want all team calls scheduled for the middle of the day. Ideally between 11 and 3.30. And mix up the times.
WhatsApp to Stephen: No I won’t blur my backdrop on zoom. I really am on holiday, remember.
Messages recovered by Robert Shrimsley
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