Contracting at SSE

[SeekingIT]

Fun Part the Memories...

Part of the fun of contracting is reminiscing about the bad roles, I remember discussing why the toilets
always stank...
Apparently, the site was used by Volvo before, for crash dummy testing, then circa 400-500 staff.

When I was there, there were more like 700+...

Of course no parking for contractors, so a piece of land close by, bod would charge £2.50 per day parking, fine, but insisted vehicles get close to each other
so more vehicles on the land, never mind about dinged doors......

[simes]

Ah, I did wonder if it was Penner.

I went for an interview there and so completely unimpressed was I that I didn't wait for the agent to inform me of feedback. I just said I would not be progressing.

Sounds a bit IR35 heavy from a control point of view. So better off out. Good luck.

By the way, you say..."had a reputation for getting rid of clients at short or little notice for trivial reasons. " Do you mean '..rid of contractors at...'?

[Batcher]

If was the Penner Rd, site, in Havant...

You've done yourself a favour....next to sewage works, 20 mins walk to shops, 20 mins to station, no taxi's on rainy days, don't mention the toilets......
Did you do the 5 or 6 safety principle thingly, including regulation holding the banister when using the stairs...........

I can remember the mission statement written on the wall at the stairs where looking after the needs of the customer was about 3rd on the list

[SeekingIT]

Happier in the Long Run

If was the Penner Rd, site, in Havant...

You've done yourself a favour....next to sewage works, 20 mins walk to shops, 20 mins to station, no taxi's on rainy days, don't mention the toilets......
Did you do the 5 or 6 safety principle thingly, including regulation holding the banister when using the stairs...........

[Sub]

Sorry to hear about your experience.

Only thing that 'leaving badge and walk' will expose you to potential contract breach. Why after you decided that you don't want to work there not just politely say to your hiring manager that you will be using your phone as much and for any purposes you consider right as that is not part of the contract (of course if it isn't) and you also will file compliant to their HR about colleague behavior and non-reaction to this from the manager? That probably will lead to pretty much immediate termination but significantly reduce likelihood of negative consequences for yourself.

[chineseJohn]

Sounds like a contract I worked at many moons ago where the last manager I worked for (I was at this place for 5 years) wanted to micro manage his team. But it wasn't as bad as yours.

If you come up against this again (rare though), tricks you can do:
- go to the loo to check your phone
- setup a "meeting" with another person

[chineseJohn]

I don't see why you're not revealing the site in question. Perth?

Could be Reading as they've just moved to a huge office in the town centre.

[Lance]

If you want some fun report him and other chap to HR for bulling, big companies go ape over these things

add discrimination as well

[Cirrus]

Quite unacceptable behaviour, and you were 100% right to tell them to stuff their job.

I don't see why you're not revealing the site in question. Perth?

[uk contractor]

OP what you describe at SSE can be applied to many financial services companies. Trade Floor work for instance your usually not allowed to use a smart phone its a sackable offense on many so live prices cannot be streamed elsewhere (this would cost the banks millions if a competitor got a spy into a trade floor & live streamed their trades or sensitive price data).

SSE use their own energy market traders its probably just a default HR policy & certainly not uncommon nowadays outside of the Trading arena.

Not being funny but you should always keep your personal financial circumstances to yourself trying to close a house deal will anger many perms as they probably cannot afford this as much as contractors can you would do well in future to avoid revealing any income info like you can afford this to others as they can get very funny about it as you have just found out!

The existing staff already have the hump your even there to begin with so bear that in mind as there is a LOT of jealousy & anti contractor bias going around!

[GhostofTarbera]

If you want some fun report him and other chap to HR for bulling, big companies go ape over these things

[GhostofTarbera]

My god, I complained at my last client when they ran out of beer and nibbles when showing the 3pm World Cup games on the big screen

[UncleAlbert]

I guess because they keep getting lumbered with lazy contractors that play on their phone all day and then just leave in the spot when questioned

perhaps they do but not from me.
Anyway the word of warning is there for anyone considering a contract with them.

[northernladuk]

It begs the question, as to why there is such a high contractor turnover at this part of SSE.

I guess because they keep getting lumbered with lazy contractors that play on their phone all day and then just leave in the spot when questioned

[UncleAlbert]

A MASSIVE word of warning to anyone considering contracting at SSE.

I very recently started a contract at SSE in a town not a million miles away from where I live.

Very soon after arriving there, I was advised by a fellow contractor who had been there for 4 months that the said client had a reputation for getting rid of clients at short or little notice for trivial reasons. This fellow contractor said that in 4 months the said client had got through 8 contractors covering 3 roles.

A week ago one contractor went home for the weekend and his contract was terminated by the client who did not even have the courtesy to speak to him face to face.

On Thursday of last week, the hiring manager took me to one side and said they did not want me to use my mobile phone whilst on their premises or to talk to business and team colleagues whilst on their premises, except if talking to them on business related matters. I explained to the hiring manager that my mobile telephone use was merely checking my email as I am in the process of purchasing a house and that I wanted to check on progress of the purchase.

On Friday of last week, I had to use my mobile phone to check the balance of my bank account prior to making a time constrained payment with regard to the purchase of the house and a person unknown to me, who I'd never even spoken to before, very rudely said "haven't you got any work to do" to. I challenged this person and explained what I was doing. Incidentally, my time usage of my mobile amounted to just short of 3 minutes. As a direct consequence of this intervention, I have now lost out on the purchase of the house.

I spoke to the hiring manager this morning and tried to explain what had happened. It became apparent that the hiring manager was not prepared to listen nor to be flexible as I was interrupted. I then explained the hours that I had worked last week, in order to meet a deadline, were in excess of my contracted hours and that the difference was much more than the time I spent using my mobile.

This was a deal breaker for me and I informed the hiring manager that I no longer wanted to provide services to the client. I handed back my pass and walked out.

It begs the question, as to why there is such a high contractor turnover at this part of SSE.