Should These Things Seem Unusual?

I've been told that each February, rather than throughout the year, all personal changes within the company are made at the same time. For me this meant a few changes, a new boss - who was surprised to meet me and doesn't speak English, my project being moved out of the global department, and a location for my desk.

Last Friday was moving day for the changeover. Sixteen new people moved into the area that was previously occupied by the global department which required that the desks be rearranged to create more space. My office has an open layout without walls or cubicles, we use small metal desks arranged in rows by project. On Friday at a specified time everyone was given a new seating chart and instructed to move their desk - that's right we had slide our physical desks across the room. But that's not all, we also had to pry up the carpet squares and rewire phone cords, LAN cables and electric extension cords to create a new project row. Where did the desks for the sixteen additional team members come from? Those unlucky people had to move their desks down from three floors above. Surprisingly this circus was not complete chaos, it only took about three hours to rearrange around 100 people. There wasn't even any contention when it came to moving the desks of people who had taken the day off - not surprisingly it was the messiest people in the department who scheduled vacation last Friday.

During the move I was reminded of some things that seemed novel when I first arrived, but have since ceased to shock me. First, we share phones. With the new arrangement my row of 9 desks shares one phone. When it rings anyone picks it up. The person calling may be trying to reach someone in the row or anyone across the room. If the caller is looking for someone who isn't nearby the answerer yells out to the room whom has a phone call and that person yells back the number of the extension they would like the call transferred to. There is no voicemail and no cell phones for working level employees. The second thing which I have slowly confirmed during my assignment is that OLs have indoor sandals as part of their uniform. Not all OLs wear them and some choose a spiffier version than what appears to come standard with the uniform. The sandals a soft plastic with two Velcro straps, this description doesn't do the ugliness of the things justice, my eyes are peeled for the opportunity to get a photo.

PS On the subject of ugly shoes, my team leader came in today with a new pair of Crocs. I have yet to see him pair anything else with his dress pants, dress shirt, tie and company jacket.