Need management advice

[Gypsy]

I supervised a department where data entry was done on documents that included people's account numbers for mutual funds. Accuracy was key for this type of data entry because payments were being recorded. I must stress that accuracy and speed are the main points of the job. We allowed people to listen to music on their headphones but excessive talking was really discouraged. Was it forbidden? No. Given the nature of the job, a person couldn't be accurately inputting account numbers AND talking about their latest personal drama. It just isn't humanly possible. If a person was talking excessively, they either weren't inputting their numbers accurately (a very big problem) or their productivity was poor. The productivity would show on reports and that was an issue we could address on a weekly basis. The accuracy was actually QC'd here and there, but you could never check the thousands and thousands of documents that were input. My point is that lack of accuracy didn't always show, giving more reason for encouraging a quiet atmosphere.

I worked and supervised in a similar environment for a couple years. We were reviewing documents for litigation and you really couldn't talk and do your job. We allowed ipods. And talking at breaks.

Still sucked. The job was boring, repetitive and attention to detail required a high degree of focus.

Funny thing is now, by choice work apart from others and do a no chit-chat environment at my current job. But I am the phone for work 3-4 hours a day and the quiet is a blessed relief from that, so I value it.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

I supervised a department where data entry was done on documents that included people's account numbers for mutual funds. Accuracy was key for this type of data entry because payments were being recorded. I must stress that accuracy and speed are the main points of the job. We allowed people to listen to music on their headphones but excessive talking was really discouraged. Was it forbidden? No. Given the nature of the job, a person couldn't be accurately inputting account numbers AND talking about their latest personal drama. It just isn't humanly possible. If a person was talking excessively, they either weren't inputting their numbers accurately (a very big problem) or their productivity was poor. The productivity would show on reports and that was an issue we could address on a weekly basis. The accuracy was actually QC'd here and there, but you could never check the thousands and thousands of documents that were input. My point is that lack of accuracy didn't always show, giving more reason for encouraging a quiet atmosphere.

I worked and supervised in a similar environment for a couple years. We were reviewing documents for litigation and you really couldn't talk and do your job. We allowed ipods. And talking at breaks.

Still sucked. The job was boring, repetitive and attention to detail required a high degree of focus.

Funny thing is now, by choice work apart from others and do a no chit-chat environment at my current job. But I am the phone for work 3-4 hours a day and the quiet is a blessed relief from that, so I value it.

Yeah, after 3-4 hours of phone talk, you for sure need a break!

We have music playing while we work so that's helping keep us moving at a pace & not have silence. For our future venture, I was thinking of ipods for all employees or itunes gift cards (even) if they already have ipods...that way they can listen to the music they like. There will be a regular break room, etc., and it'll be very structured and HR can handle the drama for me