Grrrr...

[brewer12345]

I am so steamed, I am about ready to tell my employer where they can shove it. I sat in almost 2 hours of traffic this morning without getting anywhere near work. I finally gave up and went home to work from home, spending almost 3 hours totalin the car this morning. This is something I have never done, and I have taken 1 sick day in the 2.5 years I have worked here. Yet what do I get? An e-mail saying that me staying at home due to the "weather" is not OK. When I reply saying that I was stuck in standstill traffic for hours due to the highway being closed, I get a lengthy diatribe about not being a team player, that my response was out of line, etc.

I've had it. That is the last effing straw. Time to update the resume and start looking. Nothing is worth this.

 

[haha]

Good luck Brewer. What happened to you this morning fits under "Adding insult to injury".

Hard to put up with, and still feel OK about that job.

Ha

 

[brewer12345]

Hard to put up with, and still feel OK about that job.

Ha

I don't any more. So time to get off my duff and find something less aggravating.

 

[TeeRuh]

pretty old fashioned ...

Telecommuting when needed is pretty well accepted at MegaTech. I think my own old fashioned work habits are probably more of a limiting factor than any "company pressure". With broadband, cell phones, netmeeting, etc. sometimes it seems almost silly to come into the office.

T.R.

 

[brewer12345]

Telecommuting when needed is pretty well accepted at MegaTech. I think my own old fashioned work habits are probably more of a limiting factor than any "company pressure". With broadband, cell phones, netmeeting, etc. sometimes it seems almost silly to come into the office.

T.R.

I agree, but the hidebound dinosaurs who employ me do not. I have not argued with them, but I think that if they don't wish to alter their views they will soon lose access to my skills.

 

[ladelfina]

Argh. I feel your pain. I remember a boss who, after hundreds of unpaid and unrecognized extra hours by me and my immediate colleague over the course of our employment.. one day wrote in his agenda (that was open to all to arrange his schedule) "X & Y" (we carpooled) "10 min. late"..

10 min. late for WHAT? There was no meeting, no client.. just that we came in at 9:10 one day (traffic) after regularly putting in late nights and even weekends. THAT was the day we hatched our escape plan and started our own company without this short-sighted boss!!!

If you go, it's their loss.

What was the "weather" incident that caused all this chaos?

 

[brewer12345]

What was the "weather" incident that caused all this chaos?

A tractor trailer accident (and fire - cool!) that closed the express lanes and some of the local lanes on the main approach to the George Washington Bridge during rush hour. Not just a bit of drizzle.

 

[TeeRuh]

the hidebound dinosaurs who employ me do not.

... and we all know what happened to dinosaurs (or do we?) ...

 

[CuppaJoe]

Sounds like your reaction is spot on, Brewer. Maybe they will apologize?

 

[brewer12345]

Maybe they will apologize?

As the British say: Pull the other one, its got bells on.

 

[W2R]

I am so steamed, I am about ready to tell my employer where they can shove it. I sat in almost 2 hours of traffic this morning without getting anywhere near work. I finally gave up and went home to work from home, spending almost 3 hours totalin the car this morning. This is something I have never done, and I have taken 1 sick day in the 2.5 years I have worked here. Yet what do I get? An e-mail saying that me staying at home due to the "weather" is not OK. When I reply saying that I was stuck in standstill traffic for hours due to the highway being closed, I get a lengthy diatribe about not being a team player, that my response was out of line, etc.

I've had it. That is the last effing straw. Time to update the resume and start looking. Nothing is worth this.

The guy (supervisor?) who sent you the e-mail was probably told by those above him, who were told by those above them (etc), to get tough about people taking time off. Depending on the timing, your e-mail could have caused a knee-jerk reaction. I wouldn't take it personally, unless you are positive that it is personal.

 

[brewer12345]

The guy (supervisor?) who sent you the e-mail was probably told by those above him, who were told by those above them (etc), to get tough about people taking time off. Depending on the timing, your e-mail could have caused a knee-jerk reaction. I wouldn't take it personally, unless you are positive that it is personal.

It is a company with under 20 people. We do not have enough people to have that many layers.

 

[DRiP Guy]

Telecommuting when needed is pretty well accepted at MegaTech. I think my own old fashioned work habits are probably more of a limiting factor than any "company pressure". With broadband, cell phones, netmeeting, etc. sometimes it seems almost silly to come into the office.

T.R.

Working from home today, myself. Did not physically leave the 'plant' until ~7:00 PM last night, was back on my email directing activities and responding to issues at 5:45 AM this morning.

I have worked from home maybe four days in four years, and I still feel guilty doing it. I allow my own staff to do it if they feel they have enough work to make it worth their while, and they seem to do it sparingly and with good judgment.

I also have at least an hour commute one way, and it's getting longer. On the work-at-home days, I use those two hours, plus usually lunch hour to work, so it is a bargain for Megacorp, but I can see it was be very easy for people to abuse.

One of the signs of getting 'eased out' is often stated to include a 'special assignment.' Recently for the first time in my career, I was suddenly asked to take on another dept while they restaff the leadership team of the department I was asked to step into. I have worked on developing my old organization prepping for my ER, so this was a nice chance to see how things will work, with me out of the mix. The old area is so far working like clockwork, but a weird thing is happening: in the new area, even though I intended only to be a short term caretaker, I am seeing a lot of things that things could be improved, and it is difficult for me to be true to my own self-decided limit, which management agreed to, that I would only keep the pot from boiling over and not retool/re-engineer. New faces are coming in, who will doubtless have their own ideas.

So here I am, having been hoping frankly, to find a chance to make a graceful exit, and now I'm at this new assignment that was clearly stated as being temporary with a return to my own digs afterwards. So it might seem the stars are aligning! But, I have a feeling that the results for the short period I am there are going to be positive enough that I will be sent back to my golden handcuffs...

I'm truly ambivalent.

 

[Sandy]

Glad to know I'm not the only one jerked around this week. Wow, that is unbelievable. Is this guy always so unreasonable or is this a shining star even for him?

FWIW, you have my sympathies.

 

[brewer12345]

Glad to know I'm not the only one jerked around this week. Wow, that is unbelievable. Is this guy always so unreasonable or is this a shining star even for him?

FWIW, you have my sympathies.

Misery loves company, I guess.

I dunno, since I don't usually give them the opportunity. What I can't understand is that I schlep a long distance every day through all kinds of weather and traffic, generally without complaint, so why couldn't they cut me some slack just once? What would it have cost them? Instead they will soon be paying a recruiter to try to find them a replacement for a pissed-off ex-employee.

 

[Sandy]

They will get what they deserve...and will be incredulous when the other shoe falls.

 

[DRiP Guy]

Misery loves company, I guess.

I dunno, since I don't usually give them the opportunity. What I can't understand is that I schlep a long distance every day through all kinds of weather and traffic, generally without complaint, so why couldn't they cut me some slack just once? What would it have cost them? Instead they will soon be paying a recruiter to try to find them a replacement for a pissed-off ex-employee.

Exactly.

I believe in the adage from that old Isotoner gloves commercial "Take care of the hands that take care of you", so if you are a steamroller 95% of the time, I am definitely going to cut you a lot of slack for the occasional curve ball life throws us. Makes people know they are appreciated, and cements even more loyalty. Do the opposite, you get the opposite.

Now, if I have someone gaming the system, half-stepping it, gold bricking and trying to get over, I actually keep tabs on them and slack up only when they know I see what time it is... feels like mushing a sled team some days... praise outta one side of your mouth, then two seconds later a bark to a different team member that is out gathering wool...

 

[biosurfer1]

it suprises me you got that from a small company like that, since IF you were not doing your work, it would show a lot faster than if you worked for MegaCorp.

My company only has 12 employees and my boos rarely cares what my hours are since I have set work I need to get done, and if I dont, it only points to me.

i have had several bosses who SAID something like "if you get the work done, i dont care what hours or where you work"...this is the first boss who actually practices it.

good luck in the search!

 

[armor99]

I can remember having a boss once that I complained to about some excessive hours etc. The boss gave me the standard line of "Well do you like you job?" Which is of course a thinly veiled threat meaning, "Do you want me to fire you?" Rather than back away... I started laughing.... then I smiled... and told him, "Men of ability like myself never fear loosing our jobs, there are so many others to choose from." And then the boss was silent... went pale, and had a look of absolute horror on his face! It made my whole day...

 

[TeeRuh]

Of course, as one of my heros said:

Homer: You don't like your job, you don't strike. You go in every day and do it really half-assed. That's the American way.

T.R.

 

[brewer12345]

I can remember having a boss once that I complained to about some excessive hours etc. The boss gave me the standard line of "Well do you like you job?" Which is of course a thinly veiled threat meaning, "Do you want me to fire you?" Rather than back away... I started laughing.... then I smiled... and told him, "Men of ability like myself never fear loosing our jobs, there are so many others to choose from." And then the boss was silent... went pale, and had a look of absolute horror on his face! It made my whole day...

Tempting, but I am too old ad have too many commitments for direct confrontation. I'll let them figure it out when they get the call from my new employer asking to confirm that I really did work there.

 

[dex]

Good luck Brewer. What happened to you this morning fits under "Adding insult to injury".

Hard to put up with, and still feel OK about that job.

Ha

I have to agree. Don't take what I'm about to say in the wrong way. My take is the you care too much about work. Do people tell you you are too intense or too serious at work? I'm only saying this because that is what I was told when working. I was all because I cared too much about work and the company. I put the company first.

It wasn't until the end of my working life that I gained the proper insight. My career goals and growth should have been my focus and come before the company. Once I gained this insight I was more relaxed, worked better with others, was preceived better by others, advanced quicker and made more money. Of course, I never told anyone about my internal outlook change.

Not a team player - find time to walk around and be Mr. Happy backslapper. Watch what is important to your boss - get that done, let him know and don't focus on things that don't concern him. Then move up the ladder.

As I said this was at the end of my working life. If I would have know this at the beginning I think I would have been much further up the ladder.

Good Luck

 

[Poundkey]

I feel your pain. last place I worked decided if you take any time off during the day (whether an hour for a dentist appointment or leaving 15 min. early to pick up a friend at the airport) you were charged 8 hours of vacation time. That was my final straw...
As far as your situation.....it's their loss as far as I'm concerned.
Pullin' for ya Brewer.

 

[brewer12345]

Dex, I really am a mercenary type. I came here specifically to make money and gain very valuable experience, both of which I have done. But I also know that a small shop hasno room for dead weight, so I tried to conscientiously pull mine. I also thought I was valued and appreciated (won't make that mistake again).

But to a certain extent, I think you are right: I have made the mistake of putting the job first. Time to reprioritize. Unfortunately, there is no way that would be accepted at this shop and it is unlikely I could hide it for long. So time for a salvo of resumes.

 

[FinanceDude]

Dex, I really am a mercenary type. I came here specifically to make money and gain very valuable experience, both of which I have done. But I also know that a small shop hasno room for dead weight, so I tried to conscientiously pull mine. I also thought I was valued and appreciated (won't make that mistake again).

But to a certain extent, I think you are right: I have made the mistake of putting the job first. Time to reprioritize. Unfortunately, there is no way that would be accepted at this shop and it is unlikely I could hide it for long. So time for a salvo of resumes.

Sorry to hear that......what a bunch of candy-a$$es............