May 17, 2006
Dear Everyone:
Last October, when they moved us out of the “flag ship” Building V, with its state-of-the-art cubicles, into Building K (as in “Kansas”), I was moved into a two-person office. However, instead of an office-mate, I got four three-high lateral filing cabinets intended to hold files and such office supplies as we need to do certain work for our customers.
I promptly filled one of the cabinets with all the supplies I use for training people in how to use the electronic document management system that we have here at work. Another cabinet was promptly filled with extra cables, ehubs, some port replicators, extra keyboards, mice and other electronic devices. (An ehub is a small box, about double the size of a deck of playing cards, which allows people to hook more than one computer up to the network at the same time.)
One more cabinet was filled with folders, office supplies, extra Styrofoam cups, and unused paper plates from some office lunch or other. In other words, all the comforts of home.
And one cabinet just stood there empty. There was also a table, in case anyone actually needed to sit down with a file and a chair. The table was promptly covered with flat boxes for holding files. (The box stays “flat” until you actually fold it into a box, a feat which requires at least ten steps – and fairly long arms.)
Naturally, I immediately began putting things down on all these handy surfaces. What one person calls, “horizontal filing”. The table was particularly useful for holding up the newspapers that I buy every day, knowing full well I won’t have time to read them. And the cabinet tops became logical places to hold candy dispensers of various sorts. I believe in keeping the people around me on a sugar high. There were several baskets and bowls on top of the cabinet just inside the office door, along with a colorful sign which read, “Please, have one!”
All of this has changed, needless to say, because of one thing: Our manager decided she wanted to work less.
She’s moving towards early retirement and wanted to see how her life would change if she only worked three days per week. Sort of like easing into the swimming pool in case the water is too cool. However, there’s a catch: She can’t be our manager if she doesn’t work full time.
So the search was on for a new manager. They posted the job on the Intranet. Various people may have applied. They did interviews and may have already made a decision, although it will be a while before we peons find out who the new manager will be. But one thing is certain; the new manager will get the “old” manager’s office.
Where to put the “old” manager in the meantime? Three guesses.
Not that I’m complaining, because I know a good thing when I see it. They’ve shoehorned three people into an office down the hall. This “old” manager (she’s younger than I am) will only be in the office three days each week. One of those days she may actually be in another location. And when she is here, she will most likely be in meetings, so she won’t be here at all, almost.
There is, however, the matter of the four filing cabinets and table that have to move out so the “old” manager can move in. That started last Monday, when we began moving the contents of the cabinets to various other locations. It is interesting to note that we never really needed those cabinets in the first place. Everything fit somewhere else; although the “old” manager may get a shock the first time she tries to hang something in the closet. It’s sort of filled with training supplies at the moment.
But the biggest challenge was figuring out where to put the candy. (Priorities, people, priorities!) Two M&M dispensers (one for plain, one for peanut), a wire basket (assorted “fun” size chocolate bars) and a Tiffany glass bowl (fruit chews). I had a metal shelf that I’ve used to hold certain things up off the desk over on the right side where the laptop and phone reside.
I moved it to the front left corner of my desk and put the candy there. This means if anyone actually sits in my “guest chair”, they’ll have to look over the M&Ms to see me, or we’ll have to temporarily move the dispenser to carry on a conversation. It’s a work in progress (WIP). I also got two more metal shelves to replace the one I’d moved and “verticalized” the return on the right.
So the first time one of my co-workers ducked in the doorway to “snag” a piece of candy on his way back to his own office… And saw a blank space where the candy used to be… He just about went into shock. Luckily, I was sitting at my desk at the time and could redirect him to the new location.
He has readily adapted, as have others. They now have to step completely into the office to reach the front of my desk, instead of just reaching in from the doorway; but it’s a change they’re willing to make. The only problem may be the “old” manager.
She’s addicted to peanut M&Ms and they’re going to be very close by in the future.
Love, as always,
Pete
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