Q: Worst part of your j*b?

[truenorth418]

I spent a few hours yesterday doing some spring cleaning. Before leaving MegaCorp I had saved a huge pile of work-related documents that I thought I might want or could be of interest in ER. In total the documents had stacked about 3 feet high. But now, ER'ed for about 1 1/2 years, I realized there was actually no use after all in keeping all of these old documents that had seemed important enough to pack away in the waning days of my employment.

The thing that struck me as I was finally hauling this pile of paper to the shredder was the vast quantity of performance reviews, objectives, HR-related profiles, and other bureaucracy-driven forms I had completed over the course of my 12 years at my final company. In addition to the hours of annual objective setting and mid year and year end evaluations we were forced to complete for ourselves and our direct reports, we also spent hours on organizational health surveys and psychological self-analyses meant to "improve" our performance. One year it was the Myers-Briggs, the next it was FIRO-B, and so on.

So much time spent, so much paper, and in the end, what for? What was so important to agonize over in, say, 2006 or 2010, is today worth nothing, garbage.

I am convinced that much of the HR function is self-perpetuating, a bureaucracy dedicated to justifying its existence via endless forms, questionnaires and processes that really contribute little to the top line or bottom line results of the business.

 

[Amethyst]

I recently changed jobs and have been getting a bellyful of this behavior from 20-something employees. Previously I was not inclined to be cynical about them one bit. However, the ones I work with in this job, all seem to have been told by higher management that they're the smartest people in the world, indispensable, and ever so much savvier than older people, and they obviously believe it to the max. They are pretty good, but they don't have the background or experience to back up their arrogant attitudes. (Plus they steal my medically-prescribed back support chair when I'm not there, because it's nicer than the standard chairs, and use it like a recliner, which is starting to ruin it. I better not catch them on our lawn).

Amethyst

O. At my job, that self-absorbed attitude seems to run the gamut from young to old, but I have noticed it more among younger people. Not ALL of 'em, mind you, but enough to make generalizations.

 

[FUEGO]

I recently changed jobs and have been getting a bellyful of this behavior from 20-something employees. Previously I was not inclined to be cynical about them one bit. However, the ones I work with in this job, all seem to have been told by higher management that they're the smartest people in the world, indispensable, and ever so much savvier than older people, and they obviously believe it to the max. They are pretty good, but they don't have the background or experience to back up their arrogant attitudes.

Maybe they are the smartest people in the world.

 

[Sarah in SC]

Maybe they are the smartest people in the world.

Trust me, they're not!

I call them (or at least the one I tolerate daily) Unicorns, because they are so special and rare and we are lucky to even get to see them.

 

[FUEGO]

Trust me, they're not!

I call them (or at least the one I tolerate daily) Unicorns, because they are so special and rare and we are lucky to even get to see them.

I don't know, I'm pretty happy with my 20-something workers. Dirt cheap, scrapping for work, trying to impress, not cynical (yet), and no overbearing sense of self-importance (yet). Seems the more experience one gets, the more they seem to feel mediocre is ok. Just a personal observation, and it could be industry specific.

 

[Sarah in SC]

Just a personal observation, and it could be industry specific.

TOTALLY INDUSTRY SPECIFIC!!!!!! Gaaahhh! The ones I know are very entitled, very lazy, and very "me" oriented.

 

[FUEGO]

TOTALLY INDUSTRY SPECIFIC!!!!!! Gaaahhh! The ones I know are very entitled, very lazy, and very "me" oriented.

Oh wait, they don't give you unfettered hire/fire power where you work?

Just axed a bunch of extremely highly paid non-responsive barely contributing unicorns last week. Thinning the herd a little. Efficiency is important.

 

[chasesfish]

Dealing with idiots, I feel like that's what I spend half my day doing. I enjoy clients, but internal coworkers at time drive me nuts. Do megacorps just breed cynicism?

 

[Amethyst]

No, it's that way everywhere. There is a reason why they are called cow-orkers!

Dealing with idiots, I feel like that's what I spend half my day doing. I enjoy clients, but internal coworkers at time drive me nuts. Do megacorps just breed cynicism?

 

[brewer12345]

Lately I have nothing to do for days at a time. I know this will not be the case forever, but it is harder to sit in the cube all day and stare at the walls than it is to actually do the work.

 

[M Paquette]

Lately I have nothing to do for days at a time. I know this will not be the case forever, but it is harder to sit in the cube all day and stare at the walls than it is to actually do the work.

Ah! I've seen THIS before. Develop an on-the-job hobby, and explain it as a way to 'stretch' and develop new job skills.

Actual ones I've witnessed:
1) Be proactive and perform 'preventive maintenance' on the copy machine. Bonus points for disassembling to the point where the hallway is completely blocked with parts.
2) Redecorate. Take some initiative and repaint your work space. Bonus points if you surprise the facilities manager to the point where he is unable to express his gratitude.
3) Got cubicles? Redesign the cubicle array layout to provide exciting new pathways between your favorite destinations.
4) Take up paddleball.
5) Learn to fly. Those new miniature four-rotor drone aircraft are ideal for practicing missions down hallways or over the cubicle farm.

Just trying to be helpful...

 

[MooreBonds]

(Plus they steal my medically-prescribed back support chair when I'm not there, because it's nicer than the standard chairs, and use it like a recliner, which is starting to ruin it. I better not catch them on our lawn).

Amethyst

Just tell another co-worker (and let the young punks overhear you) that you happened to develop a case of bed bugs in your house, and have the exterminator over several times, and that the doctor recommended that no one drive your car or come over to your house to sit on your furniture while the exterminator is doing their thing. And throw in an absent-minded scratch of your leg while you're telling the coworker this (again, in view of the young punks using your chair).

Should keep them off of it for at least a little while....

 

[CorporateSoldier]

Politics.

It's a great business with some great people but we do SO many dumb things just for political reasons. Been here for 17 years and it only gets more political.

 

[fh2000]

For a while, I was the only staff in our California office. Everyone else on our team is in other states. I was quite isolated.

This all changed last year when company actually encouraged working from home. So, I filled out my application and granted approval. I now work from home. At least, I can watch some TV and listen to some music. My commute now is about 10 seconds. I am still isolated. DW said I am practicing retirement now and getting paid for it too.

 

[brewer12345]

Help, I am drowning in horseshit and everyone around me keeps tossing me a cinderblock when they see me about to submerge!

Today was really "special." This is allegedly "employee appreciation week" which translates to a few comped meals served by management (it is very awkward to have officers scooping out your mashed potatoes). For some reason, top brass chose this week to have today's forced 6 hour videoconference among all offices where they blathered about strategic direction, how wonderful it is that we are running under budget (by not paying us), and how cost control will require expense management (i.e. we will not be paying you in the future, either). I finally escaped only to get dragged into a 2 and a half hour conference call where some of my chief tormenters argued the whole time about unbelievably trivial nonsense that nobody on the call has the power to change in any case.

I don't know how I will make it through the next 6 to 8 months. I can barely force myself out of the truck in the morning when I get to the train station lot. I wonder how many sick days I can take. I am getting real close to getting back into the truck one morning and disappearing into the mountains with a rifle and a pack.

 

[W2R]

Help, I am drowning in horseshit and everyone around me keeps tossing me a cinderblock when they see me about to submerge!

Today was really "special." This is allegedly "employee appreciation week" which translates to a few comped meals served by management (it is very awkward to have officers scooping out your mashed potatoes). For some reason, top brass chose this week to have today's forced 6 hour videoconference among all offices where they blathered about strategic direction, how wonderful it is that we are running under budget (by not paying us), and how cost control will require expense management (i.e. we will not be paying you in the future, either). I finally escaped only to get dragged into a 2 and a half hour conference call where some of my chief tormenters argued the whole time about unbelievably trivial nonsense that nobody on the call has the power to change in any case.

I don't know how I will make it through the next 6 to 8 months. I can barely force myself out of the truck in the morning when I get to the train station lot. I wonder how many sick days I can take. I am getting real close to getting back into the truck one morning and disappearing into the mountains with a rifle and a pack.

Just focus on the money. That regular paycheck is what you are there for.

Believe me, I do sympathize but AFAIK the above is the best way to handle it.

 

[Milton]

Just focus on the money.

AFAIK the above is the best way to handle it.

Best way is to look for another (i.e., better / less worse) job.

Hanging on in not-so-quiet desperation to earn a few bucks is no way to live.

 

[Meadbh]

Best way is to look for another (i.e., better / less worse) job.

Hanging on in not-so-quiet desperation to earn a few bucks is no way to live.

IIRC, Brewer has already done that within the past few years. He doesn't seem any happier in his present j*b than in his previous one.

As W2R said, just think of the money, brewer. It's a transaction. You need the money, therefore you have to put up with the BS until you have reached your financial goals. At least you have a wonderful outdoor environment to explore on your days off!

 

[jon-nyc]

I don't know how I will make it through the next 6 to 8 months.

When I was in your shoes, one of the things I did was to start counting down the number of Mondays left. It was manageable number even when you have several months left. Plus there are several Monday holidays during the year which lowers it even more.

 

[lhamo]

Counting your money and counting down the Mondays are both good suggestions.

You could also try to imagine that your next job is as a scriptwriter for The Office, Version 2.0 and that all this silliness is being put on as inspiration for you.

 

[GalaxyBoy]

Wow. You sound so much like me right now it's just amazing.

Before DW did the RE, her state job had employee appreciation food once in a while. Once it was a dough-nut, another time it was a hot dog. As in singular, and she had to sign for it. Nothing makes one feel so appreciated as having to sign for stale pastry.

 

[Meadbh]

You could also try to imagine that your next job is as a scriptwriter for The Office, Version 2.0 and that all this silliness is being put on as inspiration for you.

This is a good suggestion if things are truly bizarre. Imagining that you are a participant in a situation comedy (for which you are well paid) can help you to distance yourself from the nonsense and keep your sense of humor. I used this myself.

 

[scrabbler1]

Brewer12345, your story reminded me of one of my worst days I barely avoided at my old company.

Back in 1989-1991, we had an annual party in which all employees from all the New York City-area office gathered in a large room in a hotel or convention center to have a rah-rah party session for a few hours one afternoon.

For the first 2 years, we had it in lower Manhattan near the main office I worked in but after that second year those who worked in a large office complex in Rockland County (about an hour's drive north on lower Manhattan) squawked, understandably, about the extra travel to and from the party. Some of the employees who worked in that office actually lived closer to our Manhattan office than the RC office but were not able or permitted to shorten their traveling by reporitng to our office instead.

So in 1991 they moved to party from Manhattan to a convention center in Westchester County, a much shorter trip for those who worked at the RC office. But now they had to get everyone from the Manhattan office to Westchester County so they chartered a bunch of buses. They also provided a bag lunch for everyone to eat during the trip. On the return trip, the buses would also drop people off at popular mass transit hubs such as Penn Station and the Port Authority bus terminal.

This arrangement sounded like a total nightmare to me and to many others. While I wanted to attend the party, although not that badly, the added commute and lunch-on-the-bus I wanted no part of. I happened to have a 1/2 vacation day available (although if I hadn't, it would not have changed things) so I opted to use it for the morning part of work and drive up to the party from where I lived, about a 45-minute drive at 11:30 AM when there was no traffic. I would then find a place to eat lunch near the convention center after I arrived and meet up with everyone when the party started. After the party, I would visit a friend who lived nearby for dinner and drive back home after the rush hour.

But my boss originally did not want to grant me the half vacation day. I am not sure why, though. Perhaps he was concerned about others wanting to take a half-day but why that would be bad I do not know. I told him I was not getting on some bus to eat lunch and if I were denied this I would request a full vacation day and just skip the whole event. My boss knew I was serious so he granted me the half vacation day.

Everything went as planned for me. I also used this midweek sleep-in morning to go out the night before, not caring if I got home later than usual. One coworker wanted to hitch a ride with me back home (he lived in my area) but I told him I was not heading right home so that would not work. I arrived home around 8:30 PM after dinner and hanging out with my friend.

When I returned to work the next morning, I heard about the nightmare which ensued on the return trip on the buses. That was during the PM rush hour and it was a disaster. Some coworkers did not get home until after I did! The buses got lost and were not able to get to the transit hubs to drop people off to get home.

The company never held any more of these parties again and nobody was upset about it.

 

[ER Eddie]

Having a countdown is somewhat helpful (especially as you see the numbers drop), but I found that what helps me more is to develop a clear vision for my retirement and focus on that. Focusing on a countdown keeps me focused on how much drudgery I still have to endure. I've learned that, to keep my spirits up, I need to keep my focus on my goal, what I'm working towards. So I spend time thinking about what my retirement will be like -- what I will be doing, where I will be living, etc. -- describing it on paper, reviewing it, trying to imagine it. It helps to encourage me along the way.

 

[JoeWras]

Wow. You sound so much like me right now it's just amazing.

Before DW did the RE, her state job had employee appreciation food once in a while. Once it was a dough-nut, another time it was a hot dog. As in singular, and she had to sign for it. Nothing makes one feel so appreciated as having to sign for stale pastry.

Wow.

Someone just mentioned "The Office". They actually had a whole episode about the "yearly pretzel day" (Stanley's favorite day). The best comedy is based on reality.

Old Megacorp stopped the food in the last recession. Then suddenly some departments started doing it on the sly using some slush funds with bogus account coding. This caused all sorts of infighting. I'm just trying to ignore it. What a bunch of nonsense. An occasional free lunch is not worth worrying about. But I understand Brewer's point. Nothing like having the high-ups "serve" you.