Multitasking is an illusion

Most of the time multitasking is an illusion. You think you are multitasking, but in reality you're actually wasting time switching from one task to another.

(Bosco Tjan)

This one was drawn a while ago, reflecting a role I held at a council run venue about 9 years ago. I knew when I took it on that it was... varied... but what no-one had thought about was how one staff member would handle the different aspects if they all came along at once.

Because surely a school visit in the gift shop (they would try to eat marbles, thinking they were boiled sweets), visitors wanting tickets and phone calls won't ever happen at the same time?...

It seems apt to post it while the debate rages about staff cuts, roles being consolidated, pay cuts, unfair differences in pay grades for people doing the same job, replacing staff with cheaper contractors, and the impact on venue and artifact safety of these changes.

Last month, a museum that has lost all of its council funding posted a recruitment advert seeking a museum assistant. The responsibilities of the job included helping visitors, conducting guided tours and demonstrating exhibits, assisting with the use of equipment, and security patrols of the museum.

The advert continued: “This varied role will also include working with reception, ticketing, shop/cafe sales, cashing-up, stock control, answering the telephone and relaying messages.” 

The salary offered – for a role spanning almost every public-facing aspect of the museum’s work – was £15,917-£15,941 a year (or £7.65-£7.66 an hour). The museum is by no means the only offender, but the advert is an indication that some cash-strapped institutions may be asking more of their employees for less than ever before. 

This snippet is taken from some very interesting reading on the matter, see the Museums Association's full article about the impact of wages and roles on museums staff  here.