Near Utopian Conditions

I've been reading The Great Train Robbery by Michael Crichton, a novel based on true events. I'm glad I listened to Ian Clary and started reading this book.

I enjoyed reading about these "Rules for Office Staff" posted in a bank in 1854:

1. Godliness, cleanliness and punctuality are the necessities of a good business.
2. The firm has reduced the working day to the hours from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
3. Daily prayers will be held each morning in the main office. The clerical staff will be present.
4. Clothing will be of a sober nature. The clerical staff will not disport themselves in a raiment of bright color.
5. A stove is provided for the benefit of the clerical staff. It is recommended that each member of the clerical staff bring 4 lbs. of coal each morning during cold weather.
6. No member of the clerical staff may leave the room without permission from Mr. Roberts. The calls of nature are permitted and clerical staff may use the garden beyond the second gate. This area must be kept clean and in good order.
7. No talking is allowed during business hours.
8. The craving of tobacco, wines or spirits is a human weakness, and as such is forbidden to the clerical staff.
9. Members of the clerical staff will provide their own pens.
10. The managers of the firm will expect a great rise in the output of work to compensate for these near Utopian conditions.

And you thought your workplace was bad!

Comments

[Ken Davis]

Except for #5 and the second half of #6 and possibly # 8 (if it meant outside the office as well as in it)these don't sound too bad. Starting work at 8:30 a.m. and finishing by 7:00 p.m. sounds pretty good don't you think? Want to give it a try for a month?

[Art]

"The calls of nature are permitted and clerical staff may use the garden beyond the second gate. This area must be kept clean and in good order." Um,... say again? Does this mean they had to use the garden beyond the second gate when answering the "calls of nature," AND they had to poop and scoop? Just wondering...

[Darryl Dash]

That's how it would appear! Don't forget that it's historical fiction, based on a true story. No idea how fictional, or true to fact, this list is.

[Art]

I don't think I would qualify for ANY job if I had to obey some of those rules. Imagine ME obeying #7 and #8! I'd even have problems with the punctuality requirement these days. I've actually seen similar lists of rules of conduct as applied to teachers in those days. The main difference between those lists and this one is the reference to "the calls of nature." I merely thought it humorous that they linked the use of the use of the garden with the calls of nature in that way.