Staff at Manhattan Coops

are they not doing their job as a result? If not, who cares.

do you do anything not related to your job while at work ?

well if they are sitting around for a few hours chatting, i would say they are probably not doing their job or they dont have enough to do which would lead me to think we are overstaffed....but i totally agree with you marco.....i can also do unrelated stuff at work.....was just wondering what others opinions were on here.

I say let them have a little downtime, within reason. Attempting to be "on-duty" continuously with no mental break can actually be more exhausting than working; I'd rather see them be able to sit and chat but then be ready to jump when the bell rings. Being able to do unrelated stuff at work -- provided your work gets done -- is what keeps you sane.

I thnk as long as the work is being done, having a relaxed envirnment for a home is the best possible situation even if you are overpaying a bit.

The doormen in my former condo building were using their computers at the front desk while on duty.
So distracted by it that they couldn't notice when people were entering the building and certainly unable to watch the security monitors.
Mostly you-tube viewing.
It's a crappy building and the staff and managing agent suck.

Just send an e-mail to the managing agent that gave them instructions not to talk on their cell-phones.
You obviously aren't the only resident who doesn't like it.

marco_ : No. And I'm not responsible for the entryway to a building where people live with their families, pay for doorman services and the doorman expect a holiday tip.

Im in a non doorman building so I guess its easy for me to say no big deal.

They have downtime,Trip. They get breaks and lunch hour as per their union contracts.
Their job is to be alert and watchful. They are watching the entrance to the building where you live, your family and kids live (if you have any) and your apt. is located.

There are security monitors, deliveries to announce and sign for,visitors to announce,contractors and repair people in the building. It's not too much to ask that they pay attention.

When I'm stationed outside the dressing room door at M.S.G. I don't stand there talking on my cellphone. There is a security staff person standing there with me and he isn't talking on his cell phone either.
That's a better comparison than people who work in an office at a desk job and take time from working to talk on the phone to friends. You guys don't have to be aware of everything going on around you.

marco: The staff don't live there, they work there. It's not their home it's your home along with other residents.

Well there you go, marco. You don't pay for a doorman and there is no doorman on duty in your building not doing his job.

those are useless jobs just being placed there to make the rich 1% feel happy/different than the 99%

playing with cellphone on a useless position is certain

Only a person who doesn't live in a N.Y.C. apt. building would think the job is useless.

I agree w Truth - the doorman's job is to help manage security. I'm sure they must have a lot of downtime. I've seen mine watch sports on a mini-TV - however, I don't think that's as distracting as focusing on your cell phone/txt.

If it gets to be too much of an issue then complain to the management company. And tip them less at christmas.

Yes, that's the biggest part of his job. People are coming and going.
When I'm writing and doing work on the computer I can be waiting for return e-mails, or need a break for the bathroom or to eat and I just check out se for a while and then return to what I was doing. Nobody came and nobody went.

When I'm standing outside the dressing room door I need to be aware of what's going on. If somebody is approaching me they should not see me yacking on the phone and have to get my attention. I see them coming and they see me noticing that they are approaching.

It's all distracting,uptowngal. They get focused on the screen, t.v., computer, phone and they aren't alert to what is happening around them.

Our building's approach is they have to look and act professional at all times. If they are doing their jobs, look alert, and are on top of things, no one cares what electronic device they have hidden behind the console at their reception desk. Newspapers are acceptable. The midnight shift is more permissive as there is so much less going on and once in a while I see the overnight guy on his cell phone with an earphone. Whatever the techinical rules, our staff does their jobs: they ALWAYS jump up to open the door, help with packages, even just greet us. In three years I've never seen a single one of them distracted by a device. So long as that continues, they can do whatever they want since they seem to have found a proper balance.

Seems like a mixed opinion.....i think we all have differant expectations especially since we pay so much in maintenance....i think seeing the porter sitting around when i left and finding him in the same spot 90 minutes later on his cellphone was odd...

They always jump for you, kyle. Maybe not always for everyone else. What causes them to jump up to open the door? Because they were looking in that direction and saw you at the door. Jumping up is a result of being startled.

I don't care about reading newspapers because it's spread out on the desk and reading it isn't the same as being absorbed with watching a screen and clicking and and typing.
Playing on a cellphone or any other device does not look like they are acting professional. It looks like they are goofing off and not paying attention.

Of course at night the overnight shift isn't as busy. Why don't you bring your doorman a nice pillow so he can nap at the desk? It's quiet and they can jump up when somebody wakes them by knocking on the door.

Highlined - you have no idea what the porter did while you were out. You obviously are not an employer or manager. You simply don't treat people like this. Unless they are not getting the job done, why should you care? I would presume you have a building manager and a super. Staff management is not the responsibility of a tenant shareholder. Let your employees do their jobs. You may want to consider a hobby to keep yourself occupied.

Exactly, Highlined.
I've walked out of that building in the middle of the day to do errands. The doorman was absorbed with his blackberry as I left and still on it when I returned an hour or so later.
Many times the porter is hanging out there with him. Both absorbed to the point of distraction by youtube.
Every moment they can, they do. Their job description does not include watching youtube.
Very unprofessional.

Get the poor guy a chair so he doesn't have to sit on the radiator.

you gotta assume that all doorman and porters do that but the fact that in your building they are on youtube in plain sight of tenants is bad.

Oh yeah, very bad to see.
The chair issue is a white glove building thing. I don't care if they sit as long as they stand up and open the door. I shouldn't have to stand there waiting for them to notice me. They love the warm weather months when the door is open. In the cold weather I don't want to stand there shivering and waiting. The door is very heavy, maybe I've got packages, whatever.

I always said to them "sorry to disturb you." I just want to get into the building to go home to my apt.

FSBO88.....i didnt treat anyone poorly, in fact i didnt say a thing to anyone....im posting about my experience to see what others are experiencing.....and im SURE NOTHING WAS DONE IN THE 90 MINUTES I WAS GONE.....

those 90 minutes may have required the doorman to answer the intercom a few times, maybe announce a guest or visitors. The porter probably just sat there.
Try my: Sorry to disturb you line. Maybe then they will give you kylewest type service.

"might as well jump
go ahead and JUMP!!!..."

The management company told them to use cellphones only in an emergency.
Somebody complained. Not you. So you are not the only one who would like the staff to do the job they were hired for.

Nothing was done by the porter unless a board member needed something.
Jump, higher!

Attention kylewest's doorman: kyle is walking toward his building.
PREPARE FOR LIFTOFF!

Truth, I don't get your comments here at all. Our staff does nothing differently for me than anyone else I've ever seen them assist in the lobby. Our elevators open a bit of a distance from the desk and by the time anyone exits the elevator the staff is ready to assist. I suppose if they were on a call, they know enough to not be on the phone when a shareholder enters the lobby. The packages are unfailingly logged in and sorted, dry cleaning ready to be handed out, and even if I only accept the help one out of 10 times they always ask if they can carry laundry or boxes to the elevator for me. They've always been professional to guests and great at handling special requests. It is a great staff--nothing else. And if they are doing their jobs this well, of course they can make a call or whatever sometimes. And at 2am I couldn't care less if they watch a movie on an iPad after the lobby is cleaned (that's part of the night shift job). I think it is quite another thing if there is truly a 90 minute break occurring in the middle of the day or you have to get their attention because they're lost in a video game. Seems common sense is all that's needed here. Pretty basic management issues.

O.K. kyle. That's great for you. If anybody else in your building doesn't get that staff reaction then you don't know about it because maybe they didn't complain.

Management already told the staff not to use cellphones except in an emergency. That's a pretty straightfoward instruction to the staff. I'm going by what highlined wrote. My comments about the jumping are my opinion of staff members who are startled by you coming into/leaving the lobby.
Otherwise they wouldn't need to jump.

If you've never seen the doorman or porter jump to attention for a Board member, then I can't convince you that it happens. How do they know a shareholder is entering the lobby when they are so into the blackberry or whatever?
This is what goes on in the middle of the day. You have to be home during that time and entering and exiting the building to notice things like that.
If it doesn't ever happen at your building to anybody else -- your doorman must have ESP to know you are on the way to the front door.

It's not an unreasonable request, Highlined.
It's the building policy that has already been enforced by the management company. It's not your rule to make or to enforce.
You aren't asking for a favor from the staff at the door.
Your building's staff is not, alas, a great staff.