London Temping Nightmare: From Dogs to Dead Pigeons

Libby Rodcliffe’s comedic play, “Jobsworth,” draws from her experiences temping in London. Initially seeking flexible, easy work, she encountered a series of bizarre and demanding jobs. These included dog-sitting aggressive canines, working in a shoe shop with impractical stockroom logistics, and serving at various events. The competitive London temp market led to frequent job terminations, even after just one day for seemingly minor infractions like wearing headphones. Rodcliffe describes the constant pressure to be “Enthusiastic! Team Player! Happy to Help!” while facing the reality of unsupportive office environments. Her experiences escalated to absurd requests, such as reprogramming a washing machine, booking a company ski trip without proper authorization, and removing pigeon carcasses from a building’s guttering while on crutches. The climax involves cleaning up human waste from a building recess to appease a luxury apartment viewing, culminating in her boss hiding her crutch. These experiences, documented in her “Little Black Book,” formed the basis of “Jobsworth,” a play exploring the chaos, instability, and absurd demands of temping, highlighting the lengths people go to survive financially and the shared experiences of workplace struggles.

(Source: https://londonist.com/london/comedy/jobsworth-temp-jobs-libby-rodcliffe)