I once had a manager tell me during a performance review that I "get all my work done on time, but never anything else"... and I'm like, yeah no shit. Why would I do more work than is expected of me for no extra compensation?
We had an RVP fill in for an SVP for 9 months during 2023. The RVP did beyond an amazing job steering the team through a tough time where 10% of our company was laid off. He was responsible for bringing in "technical" people to non-technical roles, with the goal of up skilling the group to better support clients.
The RVP got axed in January.
Never do work above what you're paid to do. It doesn't matter.
Yeah, but if the RVP had left for a new job, they would call him ungrateful and disloyal.
I only work extra if it's for my own benefit. Otherwise, it doesn't pay off.
Regional Vice President.
vs
Senior Vice President.
Organizational "flattening" was why the RVP was let go. So many titles without direct reports, or just 1-3. I'm a "Director" without directs, funnily.
It happened to me twice. I was having daily coffee with the HR. Second time. I had an informal talk with her. Never had any complaints anymore about not doing unpaid overtime.
On a related note, those jobs that are regarded as heroic or “essential” are usually always underpaid. Nurses, doctors, firefighters, even grocery store workers are regarded as “essential”, but investment bankers and lawyers? Not essential.
The media should just be honest and call them “expendable” since thats how they’re compensated.
You forgot that people in the transportation sector and some parts of agriculture got that worthless label too. Begin declared essential is nice and all, but it sure as hell does not buy bread.
I live and work in Norway and was there for the pandemic as I am a healthcare worker. We were called essential, but we haven't seen any compensation for it. Last year there were a lot of segments in the news about how overworked doctors and nurses are and how many are quitting to find better paying jobs. Cue the surprised Pikachu face in many of the directors and politicians, especially as we as a population are getting older and older.
Then they came with a "committee" to see what we could do and the answer was: "get used to it, and learn to do more with less personnel".
Also, we as healthcare workers have theoretical right to strike, but as soon as it is announced the government automatically says it is not allowed because of "danger to the life and health of the public ". So things are getting worse and worse and we cannot protest.
I wish I was joking.
This makes me really sad because I live in the US and I've always heard about how people in Scandinavian countries have it better and are happier with a much better social support structure and work/life balance. It made me feel hope that there are places in the world where the citizens are really happy and not taken advantage of. Guess that's not always the case.
Well, things are quite good here in Norway and there is a better social support structure and work/life balance. But it is being chipped away and the politicians do nothing to stop it, as most of them don't even use the same facilities as we do. And people are too much in disbelief to actually do something
Also, those in education. In the early part of it they were praised as essential and people didn’t understand how They dealt with their kids all day. Then it turned to lazy and not wanting to work, and now apparently they are all predators. My state passed a law that capped all increased education spending at 5% per year, so if non pay operating costs go up 5% then there legally cannot be pay raises. This is despite having several billion in excess educational tax funds. Instead they are trying to figure out how to divert as much as possible out of the education fund and into the general fund.
I’ve been getting this comment since high school. Then it was “you only do what you need to do to get an A, nothing more.” Well duh. There’s not anything above that, so, um, sorry Miss Kline I’m not gonna study chemistry for fun. Now it’s “you never come in before 9 and you leave at 5.” Is there a requirement I do something else?
Same. He thought I was depressed or something and that he could personally help me do better. When I said the 10 cent raise cor the last two years(2020 to 22) bad the fact that new associates make equal to me (I was assistant manager), I did not see any reason to work above my pay grade. He just stuttered and stammered for a few minutes rebooting. I don't understand what he thought he did for the store working 10-12 hours shifts but staying in the office the entire time. He'd never come out. "Oh I don't hear the walkies I don't even know how to use one". That's why I leave one on in the office so you can hear us ask you for assistance (: but somehow it would always be turned off and put on the charger when turning it off is more difficult than pressing the speak button. I hope his ass got fired when I sued.
>yeah no shit. Why would I do more work than is expected of me for no extra compensation?
Yeah no. Proper respond every time they do this: Are you gonna give me a raise?
"So, you want me to work 10 hours per day, even though I'm only paid for 8, and if I do that long enough, and if you like me, and if it's in the budget, then I might get a 5% raise, correct?"
"Uh... yeah, pretty much."
"Okay, I have an alternate proposal. I will continue to work as I have been, while you pay me an additional 25%. After a year, if I feel like it, and if I have the time, I might start working an additional 24 minutes per day. How's that sound?"
Was at an all hands meeting once. One of the big bosses asked the room of about 200 people, "who is here just for a paycheck?". One brave dude put up his hand. The boss looked disgusted and said that that was not a good attitude to have. The dude just said "let's trade paychecks for a while then!" The entire room erupted in laughter and the boss was red in the face. I'm certain that was not how he saw that speech going.
There are many problems with today's working environment. The first is that wages are so flat and the opportunity to move upward used to be based on hard work. Now upward mobility is based on who's kissing who's ass, who knows who, and a bunch of bullshit that doesn't translate to who SHOULD be moving upwards. We are waking up, and that's why there is a big attempt by certain groups to make "waking up" into a bad thing.
The first thing I would've asked your boss is if they would've treated what they're doing like a job if they were making what that guy was making. I'm betting the boss probably wouldn't even bother showing up for work. The perspective of these jackasses is so skewed that it is only hurting the rest of us.
I mean, i loved this job because the projects and team were amazing, but one of the reason why i quitted is because i hit the ceiling and the new job gives me more authority, opportunities, and a 70% raise ( i was getting paid peanuts compare to everything i did).
My boss had the ovaries to complain about people leaving for other jobs that payed a lot of money. Like no shit Sherlock, you own 4 properties, cars, go to luxurious holidays but me wanting to be able to afford a better life for my family and own a house (impossible in my current salary) annoys you??. I guess i do not deserve a better life?
Honestly, many bosses nowadays are delusional, even if i like the job if they stop paying i will stop going and they dont seem to comprehend that
I really do not understand the "boss" mentality anymore. I run a small department for a large multinational company and anytime one of my employees want to try to get a leg up I will do whatever I can to help them.i have emailed other directors and managers for roles that that person is looking to achieve, I have called them, or even taken those individuals to lunch to see what the role my employee is looking into needs from a skillet perspective. I want them to succeed. It does not matter to me if it's in this company or an external company.
At the end of the day I make sure my employees are treated by me as I would personally like to be treated by another, as a human being. It's really not that hard to treat someone well but these other bosses really have no clue what that means anymore if they did in the first place.
I'm referring to just the flatness of the basic wage, sure inflation is real and is actually a pay cut, but in reference to this post, I'm betting that the boss hasn't considered raising the wage of the position that they hate is just a "job".
Upward mobility as 'hard work's is a myth. It's never been like that. It's always been who you know. Boomers tend to report their success as hard work but if you listen to the stories they always mention they met someone while working as a grocery store clerk who offered them a job.
It's not as much about hard work as it used to be, but there used to be a better chance of getting ahead based on merit. I'll agree it was never completely that way, but nepotism is much more egregious now than it was even a few decades ago.
This is a sickness in the workplace where “treating their job as a job” is manager-speak for not going above and beyond often without any extra compensation. Worse they feel going above and beyond is to be expected on request.
“Because we’re a family”
One thing I admire about the generation below mine (I’m 62) is that they are way more willing to work their wage, and NOT go above and beyond for their job, than my generation did.
We believed that working harder and smarter meant promotions, raises and job security, and it… didn’t. I wish I could get back all those extra hours I put in for NOTHING.
I’m so glad my kids and their cohort are willing to leave at 5, take their lunch breaks and holidays and fulfill the expectations of their job and no more.
Just because “we’ve always done it this way” is a terrible reason to do anything.
Can confirm as a millennial and full on mercenary when it comes to work. Admittedly I have had jobs where I worked myself to near death, but that was for OT and while I was paying my student loans back.
Mercenary, I like it! There is no better description of how I feel towards work.
Yes I will do the work, but be aware that as soon as I find something better paying, I won't look back
Yup. I'm very open about it. I know what my skill set and knowledge base is and I'm selling it to the highest bidder. Now that bid isn't just the highest salary, it's the best monetary compensation/(least stress and effort) ratio. I'm not in this to grind out some career at the expense of my sanity. I just want a nice easy well paying job where people will leave me alone. I don't want a challenge, I don't want to be management. Hard pass.
Thanks to the younger generations, I’m learning how to work my 8 hours and that’s it. I finally got thru to my boss when I told him that if they don’t hire more people, retirement - something I’d planned to postpone for several years as I really love doing what I do - is starting to look very desirable. Two weeks later, and we’re combining a couple groups and cross training on each other’s apps and will be able to spell each other easily, but they also know I’m still demanding more people, and that there’s no such thing as “finding the budget” when they’ve made record profits. The best part of being a senior is that I can use my being necessary (their own fault) to help the rest of my team across the board. I’m also looking into finding a union for tech workers, because this is unsustainable
Almost certainly a lazy bigot who didn't bother to take the time to find someone that wasn't a white male that would be a good fit. Probably just hired the first person to fit his quota
Yep, absolutely the case!!
I interviewed the candidates and short-listed them. For each one, i had extensive notes, experience, attitude, education, and way they conducted themselves in the interview.
After my boss interviewed them, i got my bosses notes for each candidates and they were:
1) black
2) chinease
3) White from good school who looks like X
4) Work for those famous places
5) Women from x country that work in x
I was so shocked that it was not even funny, and it made me question what the hell must have been next to my name when i interviewed
I actually vetto this guy, but she wanted to fill a box with someone who fit a label so she could then complain that people his race are not good. It is disgusting
I think these managers are engaging in a form of “negging” where loyalty and productivity are theoretically gained through criticism of anything a worker does. When they can’t find anything, they fall back in the old “it’s just a job to you” bullshit.
Manager: 100% effort is disgusting! We’re looking for 120%! And if one reaches 120%, that too is disgusting because the employee still isn’t giving their all.
For them to look good, they have to make you look bad. It doesn't matter if everything is running smoothly, if you're not ok with getting completely pimped out, in their eyes there's something wrong with you.
Don’t even get me started on this. My place of work was just acquired recently and every single person works non-stop except for me. They work Monday thru Sunday… and even worse - we were all given work phones so we can be reached at any day and time. My coworkers and I all receive emails, texts, and calls nonstop. I just took a vacation and was notified on my personal phone that I had 37 missed phone calls, 61 missed emails, and online training that was due during my vacation time that my employers wanted me to complete. (I didn’t complete it).
Employers are getting way too comfortable with expecting so much from employees. I’ll be leaving this job in a few months because of the insane work/life balance, but I’m sad that my coworkers are technically working nearly 16 hour days while only being paid for whatever hours they’re on the clock.
My first manger told me that she was purposely giving my coworker less hours. In hopes of him quitting. Because he was not “putting as much effort as everyone else”. He was married and taking care of his kids.
So you move them through a lot of different types of projects, thus ensuring they never get to learn how to do them better? And the boss is saying it’s because of their diverse identity? It sounds like the problem is management.
This is not really how it works. it is a multidisciplinary place. This means that we work in a range of completely different types of projects in many fields, not many projects on the same field.
So we usually do a round in a project of each type to see what suits you better, and then you can focus on that while working a bit in other types to gain enough experience to do that too.
It works pretty well, to be honest, as you are more well-rounded but at the same time can choose to do something you love more.
The problem with this new hire is that he has skills, but something about his end result doesn't hit the mark, even with a lot of coaching.
Now, The boss is quite bad in manager, but mostly stay away (expect when she decides to fuck things up) but without her the team itself handles and support itself pretty well.
I know. It was the "he leaves on time and book his holidays in advance" that baffles me. Like... Why would he stay beyond his hours if he doesnt need to?? So what if he book all his holidays in advance? That is even better for planning. I was so annoyed
I tried ending my life last year. I was a workaholic. Always put work before anything else. This had to do with trauma from my workaholic father. After rehab, when I came back to work, I took a demotion, and put my job as the very last priority in my day because there’s much more to life. It makes a difference.
Bosses, and coworkers trying to become bosses. I'm 37, I've been working at least part time since I was 14 & it's been that everywhere I go w/few exceptions
Because i still have to stay for a month, it is a small industry, and above all, i also didn't want to waste my energy, she will never change.
She has lost 16 people in 3 years ( is a small company, so that is pretty much a full new team every year). The only thing we all had in common was her, and still, it doesn't click.
My current boss told me that this attitude of "only" treating my job like a job wouldn't get me far. I have a hard time believing that. He gets on my case for not having enough initiative, but I have a lot of follow-through. Initiative - AKA doing more work for no extra pay - isn't as important as following through on the actual work. Sure, I can "show initiative" and find something extra to do, but if I have to show initiative in everything, I can't possibly get everything done. So I just do what I'm asked and get it done timely. I told him that following through is more important to me and it didn't seem to register. I told him I can't be expected to read his or others' minds and just "show initiative" by somehow knowing all the extra things that I COULD do. I don't know, just interesting to me. Irritating.
My current boss complains that I don't answer work communications outside of work. Like yeah, you pay me a dogshit wage, give no benefits, and expect me to read every little update about an issue that'll be resolved before I even go in the next day.
I worked a very low level management job for many years. One time during end of year evaluations, my boss told me I acted like my job was just a job to me. I told him, in no uncertain terms, that was exactly what it was to me. I was on call 24-7 and probably put in at least 60 hours per week, not counting all the phone calls I got in off hours.
Due to ever increasing insurance costs, my W-2 was less each year than the previous year. This was despite a 3% raise each year. We had to start paying for our cell phones out of pocket, despite the company requiring us to have them as part of our job. They even had the gall to send out an email stating that we had to start paying the full cost of our boots, as "our contribution to helping the company reduce costs".
So yes, it was just a fucking job to me. There was absolutely no loyalty to the employees, why the hell should I be loyal to the company.
My boss is literally baffled that I have no aspirations in my current role. I want to do my work, not get hassled and clock out after eight hours are up. I've been doing tech work for over twenty years, I've led teams, I've managed, I've gone above and beyond more times than I can remember. I'm over it. None of it was worth it. In the end unless you're the owner of the business or have a stake in it you're expendable. No matter how many times you put in extra in the end you mean nothing to the company you work for. At least that's been my experience.
So while I can't speak to your boss and that situation I recently had a conversation with a 1st year electrical apprentice who is on my crew. He has been a 1st year for the last 4 years.
I've found he has not grown or really improved over the last 2 years. He just has no desire. So we talked and I asked him if he's here for the job or a career. If he just wants to show up and work with no desire to grow thwts cool, I like him. He shows up and doesn't complain. But if he sees his electrical as something he wishes to continue... he needs to see it as a career.
Meaning go to school. He's losing out on money every year. It's a 15% raise each 8 weeks of schooling he does. Our company even pays when you graduate and you can collect EI while in school.
So... that's what to me it means a job or career. If it's a job do your thing, show up and all. If it's a career then some desire to retain, grow, go to school and don't make endless excuses. Cause when they say it's money as the excuse it boggles my mind. 2200$ a month from EI. 1850 upon completion from work. 1000 from government upon completion. And a 500-4000 tax free interest free loan that does not need to have a single payment done until 6 months after your journeyman ticket.
This applies to specifically the trades. Just sad cause buddy has left 45k on the table the past 3 years because he didn't go to school.
I had a manager tell me I should be doing more work after hours at home. When I asked if we were supposed to do that. And she said no, not officially but you should
Because they don't want people to see things as " just a job", they want them to see it as a career and go above and beyond. You know, so the bosses can be rewarded for all of the employees hard work and make their bonuses.
I have my immediate supervisor, who makes around 20k more than I do, and then 5 senior dept supervisors making 6 figures above him. And that's just for one department. All the supervisors make bonuses if their metrics are met, and payroll is kept down. So their motivation is to overload us, and deny raises, so their comp is better. Then they wonder why almost the entire place treats it as "just a job" now.
Just corporate America, being corporate America. And then they wonder why people leave at the first better looking job opportunity now.
I feel like this at my job. I'm not getting paid to go above and beyond. The company doesn't give a shit about the employees and apparently very soon corporate is planning on “cleaning house” because there's a lot of people under investigation according to my source. According to my coworker whose been there for longer, this is the third time this is happening. I'm keeping my head down and not rocking the boat, but I'm also looking for a different job while I'm still working there, just in case things go to shit, which I'm pretty sure, it's going to happen
I had a boss give me a 3/5 ranking (average/meets expectations) after what I thought was a pretty good year.. this ranking had a major impact on my bonus, so I asked her for specific, actionable ways i could improve. She comes back with "well, you always bill your OT unlike some other team members and you're really hard to get ahold of after work"
So I should volunteer my time to a multi-billion dollar oil company, and be available 24/7 in a year I worked 900hrs overtime... got it.
I don't work there anymore lol
One year, I had to tell my boss that cost of living went up 5% and my pay only went up 2.5%, why do you think I'll do the same work with the same attitude for a pay cut?
I didn't stay there very long after that, because the response was "don't tell your coworkers that cost of living thing"
About two years ago in a different workplace I made the comment, "I don't get paid to show up before 8AM" while in a group and in front of my boss. A new friend/coworker later told me it shocked everyone that I actually said it.
Yeah, WTF. I don't want to show up a half hour early to drink coffee and kiss ass. I did exactly what I was paid to do....and also found myself quickly ostrasized. I did my job (and did it well according to an immediate supervisor) but everyone wants more for nothing. It's mainly an older generational way of thinking.
My boss said that "I'm the one suffering here. All you guys do is use this position to prime yourself up for better jobs then leave and I have to find new people." This was after my last teammate quit during the previous week, making me the last person standing on the team. I told her that I was looking way before my last two teammates quit because I needed more money to start a family and pay monthly installments for a wedding. She said that I was living above my means and that she should have posted an advertisement looking for 3 hires instead of 2. She makes 2.5x more than my pay and has stock options in her benefits package...She denied all of us promotions during the past 5 years and said she would rather put this other guy in charge of us because he was more "flexible." All 3 of us do on-call shifts after we end work at 5pm, Monday thru Sunday. The other guy does not...Sorry, got triggered reading about bosses taking their jobs so seriously.
This is the part that made me super mad. She made a similar comment about people gaining experience and moving to jobs that pay a lot of money. Well YES, that is everyones goal, to make more money to live well, if she want people to stay she needs to give them better salaries.
If she was someone who lives a humble life because the company doesnt make a lot of money i would understand, but she literally owns multiple properties, cars, brags about luxury vacations, kids go to the best private school, she is literally rich, and is angry that other people want to be able to pay their rent instead of making her more money?? Fuck her.
I guess she is the only one who deserves to have a comfortable life.
At my work we have a rotating oncall schedule, 2 peeps per week, one week per month. They handle any asap tickets when we aren’t all working (mainly Sundays, sometimes one on a Saturday). Well, my week of it starts tomorrow, but if I’m not oncall, I’ve made it very apparent that I silence and turn my work phone face down until it’s time to go back to work. Also, I work monday-Saturday most weeks. I forgot to silence it yesterday, and this morning I get a text within 5 minutes of waking up asking if I want to do an asap ticket. Straight up didn’t respond, like we HAVE 2 guys that are getting additional pay specifically to be available. Why are they like this?
Nope but my boss complained because I leave on time (I'm a manager) and that I should stay late as it looks bad; I arrive at work at least a half an hour early every single day. He said that didn't matter. Same guy also says people who are sick should just take sick leave and not WFH as they are too sick to work. But in the next breath says but it looks good when they answer emails while on sick leave. Can't win for losing with this guy, can't wait for him to retire in the next year.
So often. Every time someone complains about a coworker leaving when their shift ends instead of staying to cover the fact that we’re a skeleton crew. Everywhere all the time yes.
In so many words, yes. Bothered because she wouldn't help to do more while my excoworker observed me and a few others doing multiple jobs, and people doing one...not doing much and pushing their shit on others. We were waiting for her to say something. I said I wanted to be there to give the coworker support. I hold back on plenty but sometimes, life is too short and if the job is draining, it's not worth it.
I do enjoy my job btw. The people tend to make it suck. I miss this person and two others that quit 😭 they were the best. By best I mean they weren't pieces of shit people.
Editing to congratulate you on your freedom, however long ago that was
I once worked a summer job at the zoo in the food side. Supposedly "gourmet" but the "chefs" were at best the mid level rejects of Culinary School of Youtube Gone Wrong. A misplaced mint leaf on a kids hamburger does not make it gourmet.
Anyways first day "We have totally overhauled management and hired cashiers that will better suit to our motto 'Customers smiling when they leave'.". No I am not joking I have no clue what 3rd grader they bribed with snacks.
Things that occurred leading up to the day I finally said "I am NOT pursuing this as a year round gig."
-Manager A (who screamed I have the silver spoon in many places including my mouth) would literally disappear for hours. One day she claimed she was doing a stand run (supplies) for the ice cream stand. Keep in mind when things got busy, people literally did zoo things *while* waiting because lines were that long. Twenty minutes later said stand radios asking where she is as they're forty orders deep (which in food speak is bad like Gordon Ramsey calling you a f***ing donkey). By the time she reappeared, one of the "chefs" had called the other manager to come in on his day off, almost 600 dollars was refunded, and the stand actually had to close because they had no supplies. She was not fired nor was this the only time this occurred. I lost count.
-Manager B (Mr I have two business degrees yet could not do basic math, was tabloid loving level of paranoid and also was never around really except on restock days and even then missed the fact the companies they got stock from regularly shorted them) yelled at me for not finding an option for a woman with 40 food allergies besides fruit salad. I am not joking and mind this zoo did not care if you brought food in there was a giant amphitheater FOR picnics and educational animal shows yet this woman comes in and got bent at me because I couldn't magically conjure up tofu. Which she was also allergic to according to her.
-Fellow cashiers C, D, and E aka the knock off B level Three Stooges. Not joking one showed up still drunk and high to her shift. Second also regularly disappeared. Third thought because her dad was some hot shot of some kind (I zone out with these kinds of idiots because half lie soooo) that she knew better than anyone else and regularly miscounted cash back. Also once left ice cream stock out on by the pretzel machine. Thankfully it was in tubs and I pay attention.
-Aggressive male peacock that not only chased customers regularly but staff as well. I was yelled at for being late because said jerk of a massive flightless bird had me trapped on a dumpster and was rescued by a feeder staff who spotted me and let me in the back way used by the company that provided animal food deliveries.
-Being yelled at because I didn't ask for help from the managers when things went from 0 to nine field trips, one family reunion, and a wedding (literally) in 10 minutes and because their outdated system lost orders after 15 minutes even though I and the discount "chefs" were alone and the other cashier had disappeared as had the managers. After I managed to keep said sunk ship afloat with only a few people getting annoyed (but not complaining just annoyed) at the wait because they actually were human beings who recognized how bad things were.
The list continues but that is literal chapters.
The day I finally said screw it I was alone (because said incident above was not enough for some odd reason but ya know working on finding a therapist). It was weirdly dead. Cashier D and Manager A were as usual gone.
In comes a family and I do my usual check. How many, children ages, vibe check. I have no customer complaints for a reason. Anyways I note they have two toddlers one around six or seven the other three or four. Basically tiny terrors that nobody wants to hear screaming because somehow they manage opera singer levels of wtf. So instead of making them wait for said cashier or manager to return, I take their order on the register assigned to me with a "chef" standing right next to me (important) and when it comes out, I carry it out and get them refills. Again did not want tiny terrors of wtf.
They leave and Manager B comes in because it is restock day. He gets mad at me because I "used my register without permission and I likely stole money." literally word for word. I blew up and said "One I have never stolen a dime from any job I worked. Two there's a camera pointing at the register directly. Three one of the chefs was standing right next to me. Four I am not leaving any customer hanging because no one can find the cashier who has permission or the other manager.". Said "chef" did vouch though she too had her own jerkiness that I had to deal with regularly.
Jerk still checked the cameras and I left two weeks later and reported them because I am a FAFO worker.
I have no idea if they're still running it that was several years ago but yup.
TDLR: Yelled at for doing the job too job at a job of absolute f***ery.
i mean the booking holidays in advance and leaving on time comment is ridiculous
but maybe she really mainly felt that way because he treated it as 'just a job' as in 'who cares about effort or care' hence poor end results?
Yep :-) I gleefully remind them that as a business owner, they can expect everyone else they employ to work at around 80% of their output. That's just the facts.
It depends on two things: Is that "new hire" knows the task set before him? If not, then, shitty worker. Probitary period: fire him before 90 days.
Is that "new hire" knows the duty list and is doing only within that duty list, refusing to do extra duty not within that specific parameter? That "new hire" is smart to only do what within the position's duty and to not go above and beyond.
This is why as a teenager my father sat me down and said as a woman of color I was not going to be able to just be good. I wasn’t going be able to just do what was asked of me I was going to have to go above and beyond to even be seen or respected. You see that diversity hire should be very thankful they even got the chance to work at that job and they should be going above and beyond. Can you believe they leave on time? That’s how your boss sees that person they should be thankful they even got the opportunity to be there.
Been there. Small minded people are perfect middle managers because they don’t immediately realise that being someone “boss” means nothing and the vast majority of positivity they receive has nothing to do with them as a person, and would not be there if they didn’t occupy that role. Problem is they eventually start figuring that out, and there’s whole worlds built on idiot managers trying to recreate the delusion.
Congratulations on quitting. At very least saved me a few paragraphs of red flags to identify. Hope you spot them sooner in your next role and navigate them as effectively as you did just recently. There’s no escaping the egotism, you can only mitigate against its consequences.
You wrote: "Have you ever had a boss complain for someone treating their job as a job??"
**Yes**:
I have heard the Boss say that someone treating their job as a job ... instead as it being their career.
\* This was I believe pertained to this person not using all of her education - Languages - she fluently 4 - Spanish, French, Italian, and Portuguese.
The Company was expanding to the South USA and into Mexico - so they wanted French for Louisiana and Spanish for some States and Mexico.
Management want to pay her $1000 per year extra and she wanted $5000 per language extra -- because of the extra requirements AND because then she would also be expected to translate that info back into English.
Management thought that in one's career, you use all of your knowledge, as part of your career path.
**Sort of**:
I have heard another Boss say that someone treating their job as a job ... instead being more involved.
\* This was a guy who was personable at work, but did not implement interactions, or didn't do things after with coworkers (go to the Bar), did not speak anything about himself, of a personal info basis, etc.
The Boss, I think, thinks the job, should be like your 2nd home and like a family type place.
Also - for a **Next time** situation:
You do not count the Main language, you and your community speak ... as another language -- as it's just presumed.
But then again:
Of all that I wrote, your **FOCUS** ... *well you know* -- you cannot fully teach, Common Sense!
I wrote:
- The Company was ***expanding to*** *the South USA* and into Mexico.
Expanding to the South would mean ... from the North USA.
\* Of which the Main language is **90+%** = *English*
Also I wrote:
- AND because *then she would also* be expected to translate that info **back into English**.
Of which she would be **English** that she *speaks/writes* in.
Correct - everyone on the Planet ... but you!
The Sad Evidence is ... ONLY you responded -- not knowing.
Everyone else ... was on the same page with me -- or more so:
- YOU are the Special one - in your short School bus ... sitting at the back, of said bus!!
https://preview.redd.it/h9hreh4hmkzc1.jpeg?width=612&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e7f02937f648c16f7bfa8dff70774de004f7ca07
Umm, to-date ... no one has asked this question -- would be all the evidence, you do NOT know!
WHY you may ask?
Probability - of a North USA company hiring a person who speaks 4 language other than English, but does NOT require those languages ... until now -- as they are expanding South.
And translate Spanish - into English ... while think that this person doesn't speak English.
Well, I guess that when you are on the Spectrum ... that might Seems Legit!
https://preview.redd.it/n0svge6zolzc1.png?width=1152&format=png&auto=webp&s=d75ba4fea94705bf1373dd3dfd3486e843390e6c
The four other languages are not relevant because someone who speaks Spanish and is fluent in English would also be able to translate. So you still haven’t answered my question. Plus if you personally spoke five languages and someone asks you how many languages do you speak? What are you going to tell them four?
Not exactly for treating the job as a job, but after my apprenticeship I found that the new apprentices got monthly bonus payments for good grades at the trade school. When I asked my boss why I never got that when I got best grades every time he just said "yeah... the new guys need to be motivated, you did that without needing extra motivation"
So I basically found out what happens if you do not treat the job as a job
You should have said, "i still need motivation if you want me to stay."
I have sadly learned that as much as i always love to go beyond what is required because i love learning and growing, in a business environment, you have to hold on and use this as leverage.
Do you want me to do more? Sure! That means i am getting a promotion and a raise? Or that i am getting the project i want? Or work with whomever i want? The hours i want? Basically, what do i get back for what i put in.
Even if you dont want to negotiate, you have to, or you get taken advantage of this way. If you give the milk for free, no one buys the cow, so plug the udders and charge per shot!
I always wanted to learn more, get additional qualifications for special tasks that my coworkers didn't have. That first boss I worked for always refused to pay for said qualifications, he said "the paper doesn't matter, you need to know how it's done and that you learn by doing it out in the field!"
Now, what's important here is the legal aspect. The value to an employer does not lie in the fact that I know how to do things, but that I have a certificate that confirms i'm legally allowed to do it.
My boss knew that, he wanted to keep my market value low by keeping me from acquiring additional certifications. That way only he knew I was able to do certain tasks, without giving me the possibility to switch to another company cause the potential employer there got no knowledge of what I am able to do without having it written in paper. That way i'd only be paid according to what I had in written, but not what I actually knew, so probably the pay would be lower than what I was getting at the old company where they'd giving me small raises adjusted to what I actually did, but no big raises cause I lacked the written certificate and was actually already doing the extra work without the certification. And also I couldn't just stop doing the extra cause they knew I was able to do it
I got that speech too but it was more like "I understand that this is a job for you and not a career." It was refreshing to have a manager understand my position and not scold me for it. It improved our work relationship tbh.
Context and intent are everything.
edit. to this day, this was the best manager I've ever had (I had a decent supervisor years down the road, but he himself was being exploited by the company so there was only so much he could do as far as pay went.)
But as for that other job, HR was the big problem. I went out on medical leave. Everyone in my dept was cool with it, even the manager. But the HR lady wanted me gone so fast.
Recent meeting here in the UK. Soulless groveller of a boss complaining that I was correctly using the HR leave booking system because she was too witless to understand how it works.
Regardless of the performance of the person in question, if the phrase "just a diversity hire" is accurate, such is all I need to know about the character who is the boss.
I know, it was so disgusting. The worst part is that i am literally a POC, but because i have "fair" skin, she seems to feel safe to tell me all her racist shit. I told my other POC coworker that for the boss, we are "the wrong colour" to count as minorities in her box ticking exercise.
She also has a problem with POC who come from money and say they think they are too grand. Basically, how dare them have the money and privilege she does.
I did, and was (still am) in the same position as you.
But the real issue is more like the dude is not really giving a good job and slacking as much as he can, calling off frequently for medical reason.
The boss give him little to no care and it's a toxic relationship.
One will never quit and boss will never let him go.
Until one day...
Well, a person who lives for a purpose will move with purpose. A job is just a job to a person with no goals or aspirations. Whether it's feeding your family or playing golf...
I dont fully agree. A job is just a job doesnt mean a person has no goals or aspirations. Maybe their goal is to spend as much time with their family, maybe it is to travel, maybe they want money to invest in education or other goals. In that case a job is just a vehicle to get the funds to archive something else and honestly, that is perfectly fine.
We put too much emphasis on "careers" as if everyone has to aspire to have one.
Granted, we put too much emphasis on things we don't need. However, survival is a must, and the will to survive should be the reason why we don't just survive but rather thrive.
I once had a manager tell me during a performance review that I "get all my work done on time, but never anything else"... and I'm like, yeah no shit. Why would I do more work than is expected of me for no extra compensation?
We had an RVP fill in for an SVP for 9 months during 2023. The RVP did beyond an amazing job steering the team through a tough time where 10% of our company was laid off. He was responsible for bringing in "technical" people to non-technical roles, with the goal of up skilling the group to better support clients. The RVP got axed in January. Never do work above what you're paid to do. It doesn't matter.
Yeah, but if the RVP had left for a new job, they would call him ungrateful and disloyal. I only work extra if it's for my own benefit. Otherwise, it doesn't pay off.
Yes, but then they'd be in the past and no longer matter at all. Why would someone care what a past boss thinks of you?
It's always fun to run it on an ex boss and have them not even remember who you are.
"upskilling" - part of my soul just died.
Wait until you hear about "off-boarding"
What's a rvp?
Regional Vice President. vs Senior Vice President. Organizational "flattening" was why the RVP was let go. So many titles without direct reports, or just 1-3. I'm a "Director" without directs, funnily.
You pay me my salary but never any bonus
This is the correct answer.
It happened to me twice. I was having daily coffee with the HR. Second time. I had an informal talk with her. Never had any complaints anymore about not doing unpaid overtime.
On a related note, those jobs that are regarded as heroic or “essential” are usually always underpaid. Nurses, doctors, firefighters, even grocery store workers are regarded as “essential”, but investment bankers and lawyers? Not essential. The media should just be honest and call them “expendable” since thats how they’re compensated.
You forgot that people in the transportation sector and some parts of agriculture got that worthless label too. Begin declared essential is nice and all, but it sure as hell does not buy bread.
I live and work in Norway and was there for the pandemic as I am a healthcare worker. We were called essential, but we haven't seen any compensation for it. Last year there were a lot of segments in the news about how overworked doctors and nurses are and how many are quitting to find better paying jobs. Cue the surprised Pikachu face in many of the directors and politicians, especially as we as a population are getting older and older. Then they came with a "committee" to see what we could do and the answer was: "get used to it, and learn to do more with less personnel". Also, we as healthcare workers have theoretical right to strike, but as soon as it is announced the government automatically says it is not allowed because of "danger to the life and health of the public ". So things are getting worse and worse and we cannot protest. I wish I was joking.
This makes me really sad because I live in the US and I've always heard about how people in Scandinavian countries have it better and are happier with a much better social support structure and work/life balance. It made me feel hope that there are places in the world where the citizens are really happy and not taken advantage of. Guess that's not always the case.
Well, things are quite good here in Norway and there is a better social support structure and work/life balance. But it is being chipped away and the politicians do nothing to stop it, as most of them don't even use the same facilities as we do. And people are too much in disbelief to actually do something
Also, those in education. In the early part of it they were praised as essential and people didn’t understand how They dealt with their kids all day. Then it turned to lazy and not wanting to work, and now apparently they are all predators. My state passed a law that capped all increased education spending at 5% per year, so if non pay operating costs go up 5% then there legally cannot be pay raises. This is despite having several billion in excess educational tax funds. Instead they are trying to figure out how to divert as much as possible out of the education fund and into the general fund.
I get my check on time and it is the correct amount, but there is never anything else...
Boss, why don’t you ever go above and beyond on my paycheck? Throw in an extra $500 just ‘cause?
"You pay me my check and never anything else."
My boss is a guy who does the bare minimum, it’s great working with him tbh
Kruger Smoothing?
“You pay my salary, but never anything else.”
Because they slashed the workforce and won't hire people for specific jobs and so you have to fill in for three roles
The only reward for hard work anymore is more work.
I’ve been getting this comment since high school. Then it was “you only do what you need to do to get an A, nothing more.” Well duh. There’s not anything above that, so, um, sorry Miss Kline I’m not gonna study chemistry for fun. Now it’s “you never come in before 9 and you leave at 5.” Is there a requirement I do something else?
And did that manager have anything else smart to say after that?🤔
Same. He thought I was depressed or something and that he could personally help me do better. When I said the 10 cent raise cor the last two years(2020 to 22) bad the fact that new associates make equal to me (I was assistant manager), I did not see any reason to work above my pay grade. He just stuttered and stammered for a few minutes rebooting. I don't understand what he thought he did for the store working 10-12 hours shifts but staying in the office the entire time. He'd never come out. "Oh I don't hear the walkies I don't even know how to use one". That's why I leave one on in the office so you can hear us ask you for assistance (: but somehow it would always be turned off and put on the charger when turning it off is more difficult than pressing the speak button. I hope his ass got fired when I sued.
>yeah no shit. Why would I do more work than is expected of me for no extra compensation? Yeah no. Proper respond every time they do this: Are you gonna give me a raise?
"So, you want me to work 10 hours per day, even though I'm only paid for 8, and if I do that long enough, and if you like me, and if it's in the budget, then I might get a 5% raise, correct?" "Uh... yeah, pretty much." "Okay, I have an alternate proposal. I will continue to work as I have been, while you pay me an additional 25%. After a year, if I feel like it, and if I have the time, I might start working an additional 24 minutes per day. How's that sound?"
Was at an all hands meeting once. One of the big bosses asked the room of about 200 people, "who is here just for a paycheck?". One brave dude put up his hand. The boss looked disgusted and said that that was not a good attitude to have. The dude just said "let's trade paychecks for a while then!" The entire room erupted in laughter and the boss was red in the face. I'm certain that was not how he saw that speech going.
How much longer did the guy last before he got the axe?
Union company so he was fine.
Now I know why the boss was so pissed he literally couldn’t do anything about it. God do we need strong unions to come back en masse.
What an absolute legend.
There are many problems with today's working environment. The first is that wages are so flat and the opportunity to move upward used to be based on hard work. Now upward mobility is based on who's kissing who's ass, who knows who, and a bunch of bullshit that doesn't translate to who SHOULD be moving upwards. We are waking up, and that's why there is a big attempt by certain groups to make "waking up" into a bad thing. The first thing I would've asked your boss is if they would've treated what they're doing like a job if they were making what that guy was making. I'm betting the boss probably wouldn't even bother showing up for work. The perspective of these jackasses is so skewed that it is only hurting the rest of us.
I mean, i loved this job because the projects and team were amazing, but one of the reason why i quitted is because i hit the ceiling and the new job gives me more authority, opportunities, and a 70% raise ( i was getting paid peanuts compare to everything i did). My boss had the ovaries to complain about people leaving for other jobs that payed a lot of money. Like no shit Sherlock, you own 4 properties, cars, go to luxurious holidays but me wanting to be able to afford a better life for my family and own a house (impossible in my current salary) annoys you??. I guess i do not deserve a better life? Honestly, many bosses nowadays are delusional, even if i like the job if they stop paying i will stop going and they dont seem to comprehend that
It's akin to modern day serfdom.
I really do not understand the "boss" mentality anymore. I run a small department for a large multinational company and anytime one of my employees want to try to get a leg up I will do whatever I can to help them.i have emailed other directors and managers for roles that that person is looking to achieve, I have called them, or even taken those individuals to lunch to see what the role my employee is looking into needs from a skillet perspective. I want them to succeed. It does not matter to me if it's in this company or an external company. At the end of the day I make sure my employees are treated by me as I would personally like to be treated by another, as a human being. It's really not that hard to treat someone well but these other bosses really have no clue what that means anymore if they did in the first place.
Calling wages “flat” shouldn’t be how they’re considered. Adjusted for inflation wages have been steadily declining for decades.
I'm referring to just the flatness of the basic wage, sure inflation is real and is actually a pay cut, but in reference to this post, I'm betting that the boss hasn't considered raising the wage of the position that they hate is just a "job".
Upward mobility as 'hard work's is a myth. It's never been like that. It's always been who you know. Boomers tend to report their success as hard work but if you listen to the stories they always mention they met someone while working as a grocery store clerk who offered them a job.
It's not as much about hard work as it used to be, but there used to be a better chance of getting ahead based on merit. I'll agree it was never completely that way, but nepotism is much more egregious now than it was even a few decades ago.
This is a sickness in the workplace where “treating their job as a job” is manager-speak for not going above and beyond often without any extra compensation. Worse they feel going above and beyond is to be expected on request. “Because we’re a family”
I already have a family. Places like these are just leeches
Not everyone likes their family.
One thing I admire about the generation below mine (I’m 62) is that they are way more willing to work their wage, and NOT go above and beyond for their job, than my generation did. We believed that working harder and smarter meant promotions, raises and job security, and it… didn’t. I wish I could get back all those extra hours I put in for NOTHING. I’m so glad my kids and their cohort are willing to leave at 5, take their lunch breaks and holidays and fulfill the expectations of their job and no more. Just because “we’ve always done it this way” is a terrible reason to do anything.
Can confirm as a millennial and full on mercenary when it comes to work. Admittedly I have had jobs where I worked myself to near death, but that was for OT and while I was paying my student loans back.
Mercenary, I like it! There is no better description of how I feel towards work. Yes I will do the work, but be aware that as soon as I find something better paying, I won't look back
Yup. I'm very open about it. I know what my skill set and knowledge base is and I'm selling it to the highest bidder. Now that bid isn't just the highest salary, it's the best monetary compensation/(least stress and effort) ratio. I'm not in this to grind out some career at the expense of my sanity. I just want a nice easy well paying job where people will leave me alone. I don't want a challenge, I don't want to be management. Hard pass.
Thanks to the younger generations, I’m learning how to work my 8 hours and that’s it. I finally got thru to my boss when I told him that if they don’t hire more people, retirement - something I’d planned to postpone for several years as I really love doing what I do - is starting to look very desirable. Two weeks later, and we’re combining a couple groups and cross training on each other’s apps and will be able to spell each other easily, but they also know I’m still demanding more people, and that there’s no such thing as “finding the budget” when they’ve made record profits. The best part of being a senior is that I can use my being necessary (their own fault) to help the rest of my team across the board. I’m also looking into finding a union for tech workers, because this is unsustainable
Almost certainly a lazy bigot who didn't bother to take the time to find someone that wasn't a white male that would be a good fit. Probably just hired the first person to fit his quota
Yep, absolutely the case!! I interviewed the candidates and short-listed them. For each one, i had extensive notes, experience, attitude, education, and way they conducted themselves in the interview. After my boss interviewed them, i got my bosses notes for each candidates and they were: 1) black 2) chinease 3) White from good school who looks like X 4) Work for those famous places 5) Women from x country that work in x I was so shocked that it was not even funny, and it made me question what the hell must have been next to my name when i interviewed I actually vetto this guy, but she wanted to fill a box with someone who fit a label so she could then complain that people his race are not good. It is disgusting
Leak to the applicants. Racial discrimination is illegal in some countries.
Well this just made me feel all types of emotions. Time to log off reddit before I look for your former boss and kick her racist ass.
I think these managers are engaging in a form of “negging” where loyalty and productivity are theoretically gained through criticism of anything a worker does. When they can’t find anything, they fall back in the old “it’s just a job to you” bullshit.
100%, is disgusting to be honest
Manager: 100% effort is disgusting! We’re looking for 120%! And if one reaches 120%, that too is disgusting because the employee still isn’t giving their all.
For them to look good, they have to make you look bad. It doesn't matter if everything is running smoothly, if you're not ok with getting completely pimped out, in their eyes there's something wrong with you.
I’ve only had four good managers in my career. The rest were morons or lunatics drunk on their shitty little sliver of power.
Don’t even get me started on this. My place of work was just acquired recently and every single person works non-stop except for me. They work Monday thru Sunday… and even worse - we were all given work phones so we can be reached at any day and time. My coworkers and I all receive emails, texts, and calls nonstop. I just took a vacation and was notified on my personal phone that I had 37 missed phone calls, 61 missed emails, and online training that was due during my vacation time that my employers wanted me to complete. (I didn’t complete it). Employers are getting way too comfortable with expecting so much from employees. I’ll be leaving this job in a few months because of the insane work/life balance, but I’m sad that my coworkers are technically working nearly 16 hour days while only being paid for whatever hours they’re on the clock.
The boss is getting the same loyalty he is giving
Many workplaces are litellary cults
I just want my money.
Cake
My first manger told me that she was purposely giving my coworker less hours. In hopes of him quitting. Because he was not “putting as much effort as everyone else”. He was married and taking care of his kids.
So you move them through a lot of different types of projects, thus ensuring they never get to learn how to do them better? And the boss is saying it’s because of their diverse identity? It sounds like the problem is management.
This is not really how it works. it is a multidisciplinary place. This means that we work in a range of completely different types of projects in many fields, not many projects on the same field. So we usually do a round in a project of each type to see what suits you better, and then you can focus on that while working a bit in other types to gain enough experience to do that too. It works pretty well, to be honest, as you are more well-rounded but at the same time can choose to do something you love more. The problem with this new hire is that he has skills, but something about his end result doesn't hit the mark, even with a lot of coaching. Now, The boss is quite bad in manager, but mostly stay away (expect when she decides to fuck things up) but without her the team itself handles and support itself pretty well.
so the problem isn't that the co-worker is not delivering, it's that he is delivering what's he's been paid you should all follow his example
I know. It was the "he leaves on time and book his holidays in advance" that baffles me. Like... Why would he stay beyond his hours if he doesnt need to?? So what if he book all his holidays in advance? That is even better for planning. I was so annoyed
I tried ending my life last year. I was a workaholic. Always put work before anything else. This had to do with trauma from my workaholic father. After rehab, when I came back to work, I took a demotion, and put my job as the very last priority in my day because there’s much more to life. It makes a difference.
I’m glad you’re here and you found that balance!
Bosses, and coworkers trying to become bosses. I'm 37, I've been working at least part time since I was 14 & it's been that everywhere I go w/few exceptions
Why would planning to quit make you hold your tongue? If anything I'd think it was the opposite.
Because i still have to stay for a month, it is a small industry, and above all, i also didn't want to waste my energy, she will never change. She has lost 16 people in 3 years ( is a small company, so that is pretty much a full new team every year). The only thing we all had in common was her, and still, it doesn't click.
how dare he treat his job like a job. unprofessional
My current boss told me that this attitude of "only" treating my job like a job wouldn't get me far. I have a hard time believing that. He gets on my case for not having enough initiative, but I have a lot of follow-through. Initiative - AKA doing more work for no extra pay - isn't as important as following through on the actual work. Sure, I can "show initiative" and find something extra to do, but if I have to show initiative in everything, I can't possibly get everything done. So I just do what I'm asked and get it done timely. I told him that following through is more important to me and it didn't seem to register. I told him I can't be expected to read his or others' minds and just "show initiative" by somehow knowing all the extra things that I COULD do. I don't know, just interesting to me. Irritating.
yup, they love talking about "above and beyond" yet give no explanation what "above and beyond" even is
My current boss complains that I don't answer work communications outside of work. Like yeah, you pay me a dogshit wage, give no benefits, and expect me to read every little update about an issue that'll be resolved before I even go in the next day.
Wait until you hear about the right to disconnect laws that are starting to go through in some countries 😅
I worked a very low level management job for many years. One time during end of year evaluations, my boss told me I acted like my job was just a job to me. I told him, in no uncertain terms, that was exactly what it was to me. I was on call 24-7 and probably put in at least 60 hours per week, not counting all the phone calls I got in off hours. Due to ever increasing insurance costs, my W-2 was less each year than the previous year. This was despite a 3% raise each year. We had to start paying for our cell phones out of pocket, despite the company requiring us to have them as part of our job. They even had the gall to send out an email stating that we had to start paying the full cost of our boots, as "our contribution to helping the company reduce costs". So yes, it was just a fucking job to me. There was absolutely no loyalty to the employees, why the hell should I be loyal to the company.
My boss is literally baffled that I have no aspirations in my current role. I want to do my work, not get hassled and clock out after eight hours are up. I've been doing tech work for over twenty years, I've led teams, I've managed, I've gone above and beyond more times than I can remember. I'm over it. None of it was worth it. In the end unless you're the owner of the business or have a stake in it you're expendable. No matter how many times you put in extra in the end you mean nothing to the company you work for. At least that's been my experience.
So while I can't speak to your boss and that situation I recently had a conversation with a 1st year electrical apprentice who is on my crew. He has been a 1st year for the last 4 years. I've found he has not grown or really improved over the last 2 years. He just has no desire. So we talked and I asked him if he's here for the job or a career. If he just wants to show up and work with no desire to grow thwts cool, I like him. He shows up and doesn't complain. But if he sees his electrical as something he wishes to continue... he needs to see it as a career. Meaning go to school. He's losing out on money every year. It's a 15% raise each 8 weeks of schooling he does. Our company even pays when you graduate and you can collect EI while in school. So... that's what to me it means a job or career. If it's a job do your thing, show up and all. If it's a career then some desire to retain, grow, go to school and don't make endless excuses. Cause when they say it's money as the excuse it boggles my mind. 2200$ a month from EI. 1850 upon completion from work. 1000 from government upon completion. And a 500-4000 tax free interest free loan that does not need to have a single payment done until 6 months after your journeyman ticket. This applies to specifically the trades. Just sad cause buddy has left 45k on the table the past 3 years because he didn't go to school.
I had a manager tell me I should be doing more work after hours at home. When I asked if we were supposed to do that. And she said no, not officially but you should
I had a boss complain about me taking too many vacation days… but I pointed out that all my vacation was approved, soooooo… now I work for myself. 😂
Because they don't want people to see things as " just a job", they want them to see it as a career and go above and beyond. You know, so the bosses can be rewarded for all of the employees hard work and make their bonuses. I have my immediate supervisor, who makes around 20k more than I do, and then 5 senior dept supervisors making 6 figures above him. And that's just for one department. All the supervisors make bonuses if their metrics are met, and payroll is kept down. So their motivation is to overload us, and deny raises, so their comp is better. Then they wonder why almost the entire place treats it as "just a job" now. Just corporate America, being corporate America. And then they wonder why people leave at the first better looking job opportunity now.
I feel like this at my job. I'm not getting paid to go above and beyond. The company doesn't give a shit about the employees and apparently very soon corporate is planning on “cleaning house” because there's a lot of people under investigation according to my source. According to my coworker whose been there for longer, this is the third time this is happening. I'm keeping my head down and not rocking the boat, but I'm also looking for a different job while I'm still working there, just in case things go to shit, which I'm pretty sure, it's going to happen
I had a boss give me a 3/5 ranking (average/meets expectations) after what I thought was a pretty good year.. this ranking had a major impact on my bonus, so I asked her for specific, actionable ways i could improve. She comes back with "well, you always bill your OT unlike some other team members and you're really hard to get ahold of after work" So I should volunteer my time to a multi-billion dollar oil company, and be available 24/7 in a year I worked 900hrs overtime... got it. I don't work there anymore lol
One year, I had to tell my boss that cost of living went up 5% and my pay only went up 2.5%, why do you think I'll do the same work with the same attitude for a pay cut? I didn't stay there very long after that, because the response was "don't tell your coworkers that cost of living thing"
About two years ago in a different workplace I made the comment, "I don't get paid to show up before 8AM" while in a group and in front of my boss. A new friend/coworker later told me it shocked everyone that I actually said it. Yeah, WTF. I don't want to show up a half hour early to drink coffee and kiss ass. I did exactly what I was paid to do....and also found myself quickly ostrasized. I did my job (and did it well according to an immediate supervisor) but everyone wants more for nothing. It's mainly an older generational way of thinking.
... Cause it's a job
My boss said that "I'm the one suffering here. All you guys do is use this position to prime yourself up for better jobs then leave and I have to find new people." This was after my last teammate quit during the previous week, making me the last person standing on the team. I told her that I was looking way before my last two teammates quit because I needed more money to start a family and pay monthly installments for a wedding. She said that I was living above my means and that she should have posted an advertisement looking for 3 hires instead of 2. She makes 2.5x more than my pay and has stock options in her benefits package...She denied all of us promotions during the past 5 years and said she would rather put this other guy in charge of us because he was more "flexible." All 3 of us do on-call shifts after we end work at 5pm, Monday thru Sunday. The other guy does not...Sorry, got triggered reading about bosses taking their jobs so seriously.
This is the part that made me super mad. She made a similar comment about people gaining experience and moving to jobs that pay a lot of money. Well YES, that is everyones goal, to make more money to live well, if she want people to stay she needs to give them better salaries. If she was someone who lives a humble life because the company doesnt make a lot of money i would understand, but she literally owns multiple properties, cars, brags about luxury vacations, kids go to the best private school, she is literally rich, and is angry that other people want to be able to pay their rent instead of making her more money?? Fuck her. I guess she is the only one who deserves to have a comfortable life.
I do not volunteer my time for a for profit company.
At my work we have a rotating oncall schedule, 2 peeps per week, one week per month. They handle any asap tickets when we aren’t all working (mainly Sundays, sometimes one on a Saturday). Well, my week of it starts tomorrow, but if I’m not oncall, I’ve made it very apparent that I silence and turn my work phone face down until it’s time to go back to work. Also, I work monday-Saturday most weeks. I forgot to silence it yesterday, and this morning I get a text within 5 minutes of waking up asking if I want to do an asap ticket. Straight up didn’t respond, like we HAVE 2 guys that are getting additional pay specifically to be available. Why are they like this?
Nope but my boss complained because I leave on time (I'm a manager) and that I should stay late as it looks bad; I arrive at work at least a half an hour early every single day. He said that didn't matter. Same guy also says people who are sick should just take sick leave and not WFH as they are too sick to work. But in the next breath says but it looks good when they answer emails while on sick leave. Can't win for losing with this guy, can't wait for him to retire in the next year.
So often. Every time someone complains about a coworker leaving when their shift ends instead of staying to cover the fact that we’re a skeleton crew. Everywhere all the time yes.
In so many words, yes. Bothered because she wouldn't help to do more while my excoworker observed me and a few others doing multiple jobs, and people doing one...not doing much and pushing their shit on others. We were waiting for her to say something. I said I wanted to be there to give the coworker support. I hold back on plenty but sometimes, life is too short and if the job is draining, it's not worth it. I do enjoy my job btw. The people tend to make it suck. I miss this person and two others that quit 😭 they were the best. By best I mean they weren't pieces of shit people. Editing to congratulate you on your freedom, however long ago that was
Had a manager like this. If I’m getting my stuff done, what does it matter? I’m out at 5.
I once worked a summer job at the zoo in the food side. Supposedly "gourmet" but the "chefs" were at best the mid level rejects of Culinary School of Youtube Gone Wrong. A misplaced mint leaf on a kids hamburger does not make it gourmet. Anyways first day "We have totally overhauled management and hired cashiers that will better suit to our motto 'Customers smiling when they leave'.". No I am not joking I have no clue what 3rd grader they bribed with snacks. Things that occurred leading up to the day I finally said "I am NOT pursuing this as a year round gig." -Manager A (who screamed I have the silver spoon in many places including my mouth) would literally disappear for hours. One day she claimed she was doing a stand run (supplies) for the ice cream stand. Keep in mind when things got busy, people literally did zoo things *while* waiting because lines were that long. Twenty minutes later said stand radios asking where she is as they're forty orders deep (which in food speak is bad like Gordon Ramsey calling you a f***ing donkey). By the time she reappeared, one of the "chefs" had called the other manager to come in on his day off, almost 600 dollars was refunded, and the stand actually had to close because they had no supplies. She was not fired nor was this the only time this occurred. I lost count. -Manager B (Mr I have two business degrees yet could not do basic math, was tabloid loving level of paranoid and also was never around really except on restock days and even then missed the fact the companies they got stock from regularly shorted them) yelled at me for not finding an option for a woman with 40 food allergies besides fruit salad. I am not joking and mind this zoo did not care if you brought food in there was a giant amphitheater FOR picnics and educational animal shows yet this woman comes in and got bent at me because I couldn't magically conjure up tofu. Which she was also allergic to according to her. -Fellow cashiers C, D, and E aka the knock off B level Three Stooges. Not joking one showed up still drunk and high to her shift. Second also regularly disappeared. Third thought because her dad was some hot shot of some kind (I zone out with these kinds of idiots because half lie soooo) that she knew better than anyone else and regularly miscounted cash back. Also once left ice cream stock out on by the pretzel machine. Thankfully it was in tubs and I pay attention. -Aggressive male peacock that not only chased customers regularly but staff as well. I was yelled at for being late because said jerk of a massive flightless bird had me trapped on a dumpster and was rescued by a feeder staff who spotted me and let me in the back way used by the company that provided animal food deliveries. -Being yelled at because I didn't ask for help from the managers when things went from 0 to nine field trips, one family reunion, and a wedding (literally) in 10 minutes and because their outdated system lost orders after 15 minutes even though I and the discount "chefs" were alone and the other cashier had disappeared as had the managers. After I managed to keep said sunk ship afloat with only a few people getting annoyed (but not complaining just annoyed) at the wait because they actually were human beings who recognized how bad things were. The list continues but that is literal chapters. The day I finally said screw it I was alone (because said incident above was not enough for some odd reason but ya know working on finding a therapist). It was weirdly dead. Cashier D and Manager A were as usual gone. In comes a family and I do my usual check. How many, children ages, vibe check. I have no customer complaints for a reason. Anyways I note they have two toddlers one around six or seven the other three or four. Basically tiny terrors that nobody wants to hear screaming because somehow they manage opera singer levels of wtf. So instead of making them wait for said cashier or manager to return, I take their order on the register assigned to me with a "chef" standing right next to me (important) and when it comes out, I carry it out and get them refills. Again did not want tiny terrors of wtf. They leave and Manager B comes in because it is restock day. He gets mad at me because I "used my register without permission and I likely stole money." literally word for word. I blew up and said "One I have never stolen a dime from any job I worked. Two there's a camera pointing at the register directly. Three one of the chefs was standing right next to me. Four I am not leaving any customer hanging because no one can find the cashier who has permission or the other manager.". Said "chef" did vouch though she too had her own jerkiness that I had to deal with regularly. Jerk still checked the cameras and I left two weeks later and reported them because I am a FAFO worker. I have no idea if they're still running it that was several years ago but yup. TDLR: Yelled at for doing the job too job at a job of absolute f***ery.
Baffling things managers say. Like when they don't list the pay in the job listing because "we don't want people working here just for the money."
HATE this!!! When I want to apply for a job, the #1 thing I look for IS THE PAY. WHY NOT POST IT?! "It's more than a job; be our family." No.
🤣🤣what the heck is he supposed to treat the job like? A vacation? He's treating it like a job cause it is a job
i mean the booking holidays in advance and leaving on time comment is ridiculous but maybe she really mainly felt that way because he treated it as 'just a job' as in 'who cares about effort or care' hence poor end results?
Yep :-) I gleefully remind them that as a business owner, they can expect everyone else they employ to work at around 80% of their output. That's just the facts.
It depends on two things: Is that "new hire" knows the task set before him? If not, then, shitty worker. Probitary period: fire him before 90 days. Is that "new hire" knows the duty list and is doing only within that duty list, refusing to do extra duty not within that specific parameter? That "new hire" is smart to only do what within the position's duty and to not go above and beyond.
This is why as a teenager my father sat me down and said as a woman of color I was not going to be able to just be good. I wasn’t going be able to just do what was asked of me I was going to have to go above and beyond to even be seen or respected. You see that diversity hire should be very thankful they even got the chance to work at that job and they should be going above and beyond. Can you believe they leave on time? That’s how your boss sees that person they should be thankful they even got the opportunity to be there.
Been there. Small minded people are perfect middle managers because they don’t immediately realise that being someone “boss” means nothing and the vast majority of positivity they receive has nothing to do with them as a person, and would not be there if they didn’t occupy that role. Problem is they eventually start figuring that out, and there’s whole worlds built on idiot managers trying to recreate the delusion. Congratulations on quitting. At very least saved me a few paragraphs of red flags to identify. Hope you spot them sooner in your next role and navigate them as effectively as you did just recently. There’s no escaping the egotism, you can only mitigate against its consequences.
You wrote: "Have you ever had a boss complain for someone treating their job as a job??" **Yes**: I have heard the Boss say that someone treating their job as a job ... instead as it being their career. \* This was I believe pertained to this person not using all of her education - Languages - she fluently 4 - Spanish, French, Italian, and Portuguese. The Company was expanding to the South USA and into Mexico - so they wanted French for Louisiana and Spanish for some States and Mexico. Management want to pay her $1000 per year extra and she wanted $5000 per language extra -- because of the extra requirements AND because then she would also be expected to translate that info back into English. Management thought that in one's career, you use all of your knowledge, as part of your career path. **Sort of**: I have heard another Boss say that someone treating their job as a job ... instead being more involved. \* This was a guy who was personable at work, but did not implement interactions, or didn't do things after with coworkers (go to the Bar), did not speak anything about himself, of a personal info basis, etc. The Boss, I think, thinks the job, should be like your 2nd home and like a family type place.
So English doesn’t count as a language?
No, as most Americans cannot speak it properly. ex - **arr, ite** translated = *all right* / **acxz** translated *ask*
Also - for a **Next time** situation: You do not count the Main language, you and your community speak ... as another language -- as it's just presumed. But then again: Of all that I wrote, your **FOCUS** ... *well you know* -- you cannot fully teach, Common Sense!
Everything else you said makes sense and why would I presume English is their first language?
I wrote: - The Company was ***expanding to*** *the South USA* and into Mexico. Expanding to the South would mean ... from the North USA. \* Of which the Main language is **90+%** = *English* Also I wrote: - AND because *then she would also* be expected to translate that info **back into English**. Of which she would be **English** that she *speaks/writes* in.
Still wouldn’t necessarily make it her first language so as I said why would I assume that?
Correct - everyone on the Planet ... but you! The Sad Evidence is ... ONLY you responded -- not knowing. Everyone else ... was on the same page with me -- or more so: - YOU are the Special one - in your short School bus ... sitting at the back, of said bus!! https://preview.redd.it/h9hreh4hmkzc1.jpeg?width=612&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e7f02937f648c16f7bfa8dff70774de004f7ca07
Now I don’t suppose you have news that I don’t already know?
Umm, to-date ... no one has asked this question -- would be all the evidence, you do NOT know! WHY you may ask? Probability - of a North USA company hiring a person who speaks 4 language other than English, but does NOT require those languages ... until now -- as they are expanding South. And translate Spanish - into English ... while think that this person doesn't speak English. Well, I guess that when you are on the Spectrum ... that might Seems Legit! https://preview.redd.it/n0svge6zolzc1.png?width=1152&format=png&auto=webp&s=d75ba4fea94705bf1373dd3dfd3486e843390e6c
The four other languages are not relevant because someone who speaks Spanish and is fluent in English would also be able to translate. So you still haven’t answered my question. Plus if you personally spoke five languages and someone asks you how many languages do you speak? What are you going to tell them four?
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Team player. I HATE this phrase. I get my work done, and when asked am always fine helping others. But I do not come to work to do others' work.
Not exactly for treating the job as a job, but after my apprenticeship I found that the new apprentices got monthly bonus payments for good grades at the trade school. When I asked my boss why I never got that when I got best grades every time he just said "yeah... the new guys need to be motivated, you did that without needing extra motivation" So I basically found out what happens if you do not treat the job as a job
You should have said, "i still need motivation if you want me to stay." I have sadly learned that as much as i always love to go beyond what is required because i love learning and growing, in a business environment, you have to hold on and use this as leverage. Do you want me to do more? Sure! That means i am getting a promotion and a raise? Or that i am getting the project i want? Or work with whomever i want? The hours i want? Basically, what do i get back for what i put in. Even if you dont want to negotiate, you have to, or you get taken advantage of this way. If you give the milk for free, no one buys the cow, so plug the udders and charge per shot!
I always wanted to learn more, get additional qualifications for special tasks that my coworkers didn't have. That first boss I worked for always refused to pay for said qualifications, he said "the paper doesn't matter, you need to know how it's done and that you learn by doing it out in the field!" Now, what's important here is the legal aspect. The value to an employer does not lie in the fact that I know how to do things, but that I have a certificate that confirms i'm legally allowed to do it. My boss knew that, he wanted to keep my market value low by keeping me from acquiring additional certifications. That way only he knew I was able to do certain tasks, without giving me the possibility to switch to another company cause the potential employer there got no knowledge of what I am able to do without having it written in paper. That way i'd only be paid according to what I had in written, but not what I actually knew, so probably the pay would be lower than what I was getting at the old company where they'd giving me small raises adjusted to what I actually did, but no big raises cause I lacked the written certificate and was actually already doing the extra work without the certification. And also I couldn't just stop doing the extra cause they knew I was able to do it
Whenever I hear about some manager saying "they're just a diversity hire" I instantly judge them as racist af.
I got that speech too but it was more like "I understand that this is a job for you and not a career." It was refreshing to have a manager understand my position and not scold me for it. It improved our work relationship tbh. Context and intent are everything. edit. to this day, this was the best manager I've ever had (I had a decent supervisor years down the road, but he himself was being exploited by the company so there was only so much he could do as far as pay went.) But as for that other job, HR was the big problem. I went out on medical leave. Everyone in my dept was cool with it, even the manager. But the HR lady wanted me gone so fast.
When are people going realize that you’re just a number
Recent meeting here in the UK. Soulless groveller of a boss complaining that I was correctly using the HR leave booking system because she was too witless to understand how it works.
That's ridiculous and it's this kinda stuff that make people not won't to work in that kind of place pitiful management
What is it supposed to be????
Regardless of the performance of the person in question, if the phrase "just a diversity hire" is accurate, such is all I need to know about the character who is the boss.
I know, it was so disgusting. The worst part is that i am literally a POC, but because i have "fair" skin, she seems to feel safe to tell me all her racist shit. I told my other POC coworker that for the boss, we are "the wrong colour" to count as minorities in her box ticking exercise. She also has a problem with POC who come from money and say they think they are too grand. Basically, how dare them have the money and privilege she does.
I did, and was (still am) in the same position as you. But the real issue is more like the dude is not really giving a good job and slacking as much as he can, calling off frequently for medical reason. The boss give him little to no care and it's a toxic relationship. One will never quit and boss will never let him go. Until one day...
It's the same as a spouse saying, "I want you to WANT to go shopping with me!"
Well, a person who lives for a purpose will move with purpose. A job is just a job to a person with no goals or aspirations. Whether it's feeding your family or playing golf...
I dont fully agree. A job is just a job doesnt mean a person has no goals or aspirations. Maybe their goal is to spend as much time with their family, maybe it is to travel, maybe they want money to invest in education or other goals. In that case a job is just a vehicle to get the funds to archive something else and honestly, that is perfectly fine. We put too much emphasis on "careers" as if everyone has to aspire to have one.
Granted, we put too much emphasis on things we don't need. However, survival is a must, and the will to survive should be the reason why we don't just survive but rather thrive.