helps if you read the handbook

The average IQ of my coworkers isn't the greatest, but it's not that bad either. For the most part, they're just average blokes trying to earn their keep. We do have a couple of winners (and I mean "winners" in a negative sense) who's axe couldn't chop a roll of toilet paper, but it's OK. I can cope.

The greatest display of the collective lack in brain power of my fellow employees is in our parking lot. I have come to expect chaos and utter disarray in the parking lots of Walmarts and malls from east to left coast during the holiday shopping season, but not while trying to get to work. After a couple inches of compact snow and ice covers the blacktop, my coworkers begin to drive like circus monkeys and park their cars as if they've never seen a parking lot before in their lives. Logic and common sense are thrown out the window. (I'm not intentionally being repetitive, to some people logic and common sense are two very different things) It appears as if the skies have opened and puked up a bunch of scrap metal, let the cars fall where they may.

The general population of North Idaho is among the least likely to qualify for Mensa. Let me rephrase that... Most of North Idaho does not know what Mensa is. When it comes to the people I work with on a regular basis, I've gotten used to a certain level of dumbness. And I except their intelligence shortcomings as status quo. If you have read some of my earlier posts (thieves, Buddha and gas) you know what I'm dealing with.

But I expect more from our leadership. Here's an e-mail sent out to my department by someone who is more or less in charge of our department. It reads as follows:

visitors on the floor
From: Bhos S. Mann
To: My whole department + some


Hey Team,
Just wanted to reiterate that unfortunately we can not have any visitors on the floor whether or not they are employed by us or not.
We work with very confidential customer information and have agreements with the clients that this info will not be accessible by anyone that is not part of this account.
As beautiful as some of your children are and/or family and friends, you must visit with them off of the floor. Feel free to use the break room or lunch room.
Also, if you are on break/lunch and want to stay at your desk your welcome to do so, but if you are wanting to visit or chat, you need to take your break/lunch off of the floor.

Thank you all for your attention regarding this,
Bhos S. Mann
Operational type person in charge
Location - Company


At first this sounds like a simple and obvious request. However for those of us with small children, banishing them from the workplace is not always possible. As much as I would like to follow the advice and pleas of my superior, I just can't. Not only is it unfair to my wife and kid, his request is against company policy.

Here's a nifty little quote from our employee handbook.

"Visitors under the age of 16 are not allowed in the call center floor without adult supervision. Visitors over the age of 16 are allowed in the work area, but for a limited time and only if the employee's productivity is not impacted."

If my wife wants to sit at my desk while I finish up a spreadsheet or answer some questions when she picks me up at the end of the day, is that allowed??? Not according to the Mann, but let me check the handbook again. "visitors over the age of 16 ARE allowed in the work area." If my wife and son wants to come visit me, great! NO ONE is going to tell me they're not allowed.

Guess it helps if you read the rules.