Our First Week at Work

My tram arriving on a rainy
morning

Up at 5.15am with coffee in hand, sitting out on the balcony, shivering in the darkness, we slowly came to and pondered the day ahead.

Paul left at 6.00am, leaving plenty of time for his half hour journey, and I left at about 7.30am leaving me plenty of time to get lost on the tram system and still be at the office by 9.00am.

My journey was uneventful, the tram took me into the city and I managed to find my next tram without incident, and even more miraculously managed to get off at the correct stop just outside the office.  However, Gladys the GPS took Paul to the wrong way and he initially tried to get onto the wrong site.  He eventually located the correct warehouse and was still at work in good time for his 7.00am start time. 

We regrouped in the evening, both arriving home around 6.00pm.  We soon established that we were well within our comfort zones but being paid much more than back in the UK.

My job was within the law firm of an insurance company which provides cover for medical professionals and represents them in legal matters ranging from coroner’s inquests to patients’ complaints, disciplinary proceedings and professional audits.  It was really varied, really interesting and the work that was expected of me, once I mastered the computer system, was fairly easy.  The people were very friendly and helpful, and most of the other staff seemed happy to be working there.  This was a completely alien concept to me as the last few places I have worked have been full of overworked, stressed employees, working in an environment where they are constantly living in fear of finding themselves out of a job looking for work in a market where jobs are few and far between.

The Eureka Tower in
Melbourne CBD as seen
from my tram

As this was an in-house law firm, the solicitors were not subject to the same pressures that you are in private practice of unattainable billing targets and endless time recording requirements (where you have to account for every second of your working day so that someone, anyone, will get billed for your every working hour). In the Melbourne office there are 5 lawyers, all of whom work hard and are passionate about what they do. My own job was much less pressure than I was accustomed to and it was made clear from the outset that I could make the job what I wanted, taking on as much (or as little) responsibility as I cared to.  Clearly this would be above and beyond taking responsibility for accuracy and actually accomplishing the tasks I was set but if I wanted to take a more proactive role, it was clear I would be encouraged to do so.  Remember, I am still only a temp so I am hoping all the time that this means they are seriously considering me for a permanent role.

Paul’s first day also passed without incident.  There was the usual establishing of hierarchy and apparently animalistic rituals that are seemingly endemic on building sites worldwide but he kept his head down, worked like a Trojan and came home aching from head to toe.  The work was such that his skills were underused, being used to working on housing developments where his carpentry expertise was coveted as he is capable of completing complex work quickly and efficiently.  Laying floors in a warehouse was hard work for him physically but didn’t stretch his capabilities.

It is sobering to find yourself close to destitution.  We have both found ourselves on the edge before in different circumstances but our choices this time were steeped in irony.  We couldn't afford to stay in Australia without a job for very much longer but employment prospects in the UK were bleak to say the least.

Waiting for my morning tram

Last year before we left the UK to head out on our trip we had increasingly noticed that since the downturn in the economy workers were being exploited with the barely unspoken threat of unemployment. Employers were using the economic downturn to get more out of their employees, paying them less, encouraging them to work longer hours, and placing those people under sometimes intolerable levels of stress.  This obviously has the effect of increasing profits at the top end, reducing income for the majority, not to mention to affect working like this has on your general health. More and more people were working in an environment where, if you didn't like it, there were plenty of other people who would just be grateful for a job.

But so far, my own experience of the working environment in Australia was positive.  Australia is known for its excellent labour laws but it does seem to be the case that employers know that happy, well rewarded staff, will work hard and demonstrate loyalty and commitment.  I’m sure there are exceptions and it is different for Paul because he is effectively self-employed but he is still well paid.

The iconic Espy Hotel

As the week wore on we both agreed we were doing what was expected of us, if not more, and both hesitantly hoping that our luck was changing and we had an opportunity to make something of our promising starts in our respective jobs.  Paul was hoping to be kept on and I was hoping for a shot at a permanent job.

My week ended on Friday but Paul had another day’s work before he could rest on Sunday.  I slept until 7.00am on Saturday and spent most of the day bored waiting for Paul to come home.  On Sunday we had to head out to buy tools, go shopping and buy a rug for the front room which would hopefully hold in some heat and dull the echo in a room lacking furniture (or curtains). 

Paul also bought some tools and we planned to pick up a vacuum cleaner and a coffee table the following weekend.  We were earning money so we could finally invest in our future in Melbourne, still hesitantly, but all the same the feeling lent itself to a feeling of stability that had been seriously lacking for the past 6 or 7 weeks.

We were both feeling very optimistic.  Tired but optimistic.

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