Delta seeking volunteers to help out in loyalty lounges amid staffing shortage

[Sheilbh]

It's not necessarily similar because it's not volunteering but I know everyone who works in TfL head office has a mandatory two week placement on the front line every year. The cushiest option if you can get it is the riverboats

Similarly I know all office and HQ staff in Royal Mail are required to help out on the front line in sorting offices or delivering mail over the Christmas period.

[Jacob]

It's not necessarily similar because it's not volunteering but I know everyone who works in TfL head office has a mandatory two week placement on the front line every year. The cushiest option if you can get it is the riverboats

Similarly I know all office and HQ staff in Royal Mail are required to help out on the front line in sorting offices or delivering mail over the Christmas period.

Presumably they're paid their regular wages during these placements?

[Sheilbh]

Presumably they're paid their regular wages during these placements?

Yeah - in both cases I think it's part of the job, I think there's something similar with some retailers in the run-up to Christmas too. For Royal Mail it's certainly that it's their busiest time of year and the need everyone working some days a week on actual mail delivery/sorting so it's part of your job in December/November - everything non-essential stops and everyone moves to just getting Christmas cards into people's doors

In TfL I think it's more of a thing about everyone working practically on the network ever year to I suppose stay in touch with what they're there for but also, in theory, maybe see practically things they normally just hear/read about.

[Zoupa]

Btw Delta's CEO made over 13 million USD in 2020. Capitalism is fun innit? 

[HVC]

Btw Delta's CEO made over 13 million USD in 2020. Capitalism is fun innit? 

someone's gotta get paid to organize the volunteering

[The Brain]

If my employer asked for me to do unpaid work (in this sense, ie not in any way connected to my normal job for which I get a salary) I would assume that the company was close to going under (which I suppose Delta may well be) and I would likely do some volunteer work but I would also start looking for a different employer (but if the crisis blows over I may still stay).

But aren't you an engineer at a nuclear power plant? For better or worse, a lot of consumer facing companies have the culture "your job is to either sell the product or support the people who sell the product". Which I understand from one perspective, but from another means Home Depot is hiring high powered attorneys from Ivy League schools (I think it is a fortune 100 company) and then having them put on a smock and help people find what they need in the lumbar aisle.

Maybe I am and maybe I'm not. Who can say, really? Regardless, I'm sure there are big differences between American retail and what I do.

[Valmy]

Btw Delta's CEO made over 13 million USD in 2020. Capitalism is fun innit? 

If only somebody would cut that dude's taxes.

[Zoupa]

It would surely trickle down to his volunteers. Damn Demoncrats.