Workplace Gripes – Vent Here! ! (or just share workplace stories)

[Fishmonger]

Mrs U, lol. I like this thread. This post will be blog-ish. Deal with it.

One of our new owners (by that I mean she owns an apartment we rent for her) is usually bright and friendly but I don't like her. When we were going over the renting agreement she gave us a few conditions: "I don't want any dogs (reasonable, imo) and I don't want any 'moros'" (Moors, any Arab from North Africa). She then launched into a rant about how she hated what they were doing to this country (Spain), coming over, setting off bombs. I'm Irish so this kind of talk strikes a little nerve with me. Noone else in the office batted an eyelid, she might as well have been talking about the weather. She also calls me nino (boy) constantly.

Our handyman, who can be quite a funny guy at times, just doesn't shut up. No observation too trite, no joke too tired, no thought that enters his head without being voiced. Also, I think he thinks I'm stupid, I once heard him call me 'Forrest Gump' when he thought I couldn't hear. He then handed me a bill for repairing a damudged[sic] shower curtain. Hilarity ensued, but only in my head.

On the flipside, one of our clients came in today with a perfect 'Allo 'Allo "Good moaning, I was just pissing this way". I could have hugged him.

[luckyjimm]

Since February I've been working as a legal secretary in the corporate department at a medium-sized London law firm. I'm an English PhD drop-out and I find doing this work degrading, demeaning, and boring beyond compare. It is good work for people who left school at 16, but it really isn't a job any graduate could stand for long. The department is nearly always very busy. The last six weeks I've been working for four very demanding aggressive nasty men; one of them ex-Army so he loves giving orders and everything has do be done urgently. There is a big class divide at the firm: the secretaries are working class while the lawyers are upper-middle class, with cut-glass accents and Oxbridge educations. I am closer to the lawyers in background, yet they don't bother themselves to talk to me.

The recruitment agency that placed me here recently asked if I'd like to come work for them as a consultant. I had an interview two days ago. Most of their business is filling temp/perm legal secretarial jobs, but they suggested I'd be more interested in recruiting lawyers, an area of work they're looking to do more of. I said yes, that could be good - and it can pay very well. I'm waiting to hear back from them whether Ive got the job.

The day before my interview, I had an email from the joint head of the agency. I've lunched with him twice; he suggested I apply to them and is keen to recruit me. He said there was something I could do to help persuade his colleague to give me the job. They had a four-day secretarial booking at another law firm starting the next day that they couldn't fill. It was a new client, so they were keen to send someone in good. Would I mind doing it?

I agreed, but what about the fact I was already working somewhere? He said don't worry, he would call their HR and claim I had a four-day food poisoning. Hmmm. I rang back and said no, tell them instead that my father has fallen ill very quickly and I've had to return home. After him being hospitalised and sedated, it will then transpire he needs his gall bladder removed. This actually happened a few years back so I can talk about it. Perfect cover.

So since Tuesday I've been working at this other firm. Except, I haven't been given any work. It's a Tax department. Most lawyers are away, and the rest look after themselves. In three days, I have had precisely 30 minutes of work to do. I'm being paid $32/hour for this. The first two days another secretary was in the department. I asked her if I could help with anything. She said she had some photocopying and filing, but wouldn't burden me with it. Wow - that's exactly the crap that temps normally get given, and she's told me not to worry? I like this place.

Two difficulties: the whole department at the first firm has been invited for lunch on Saturday at the country house of the senior partner who is head of department. I used to work directly for her, and we get on well. She took me for lunch once and asked me what I was doing working as a legal secretary, and herself told me I was "too good for it." She invited me personally to this lunch. I had said I was going, but now I am supposedly looking after my ailing father. I could still go, I guess. But I don't really like anyone in the department. My only motive would be to see how amazing her house is, and nice food. But it's an expensive train ride away. Do you think I should go?

Whether on Saturay or Monday, I'll have to lie to everyone I see in the department that my father was ill, and possibly with the added negative of not having showed up for the lunch. Oh well - I have no future there, am keen to leave, and no-one will dare doubt my story. Still, it will be awkward working there for another month or so, until I can start working for the agency (if they give me the job) or doing something else.

I have never had an office job I gave a damn about; never had an office job that wasn't administrative. So, I have a low view of offices - they are just a place to kill time. If you're lucky you get perks like nice workmates, pretty girls to ogle, good canteen, situated in a cool area etc. But mostly you don't.

[luckyjimm]

[ QUOTE ]
That's damn good money for a beginning data entry job. I know why it's not enough, though. I worked for years in variations of jobs like that, and have seen it in myself and others.

Those jobs are inhumanly dull. They make it almost impossible to stay awake or pay attention, they're so completely robotic. It's actually far, far easier to do something more difficult, because then at least you aren't falling off your chair in boredom. That much boredom is also psychologically extremely draining. If ever you wanted your life to feel miserable and pointless, a data entry job will do it. It's like being in a sensory deprivation tank. Pretty soon you don't know whether you're singing out loud or it's all in your head, and your spirit guide is cavorting about and showing you how to peel the cosmic potato. You may find yourself literally falling off the side of the chair without realizing it.

Only a small percentage of people have either the willpower, the psychological health, or the sheer sad desperation and hopelessness to make them want to stay in a position like that for long. It's naturally a short-timer position. If you get anyone with a good attitude, well-tempered, with a shred of a brain or any ambition at all, they are going to be out of that job so fast you'll hear a sonic boom when they go.

Add to this that those jobs are often put in the darkest, most decrepit corners of a firm, and you got trouble. If you want to keep people -- good luck in the first place -- you are going to have to make the process less traumatizing. Frequent breaks, let people bring their own music to work, the whole doughnuts in the morning type stuff, etc. Whatever you do, make the ultimate soul-destroying drudgery any worse by lording these guys' misery over them with a bad attitude, etc. Try to keep them from falling off the chairs or howling out loud in despair by keeping things very upbeat. Lots of new bosses try to be the tough guy, but data entry is not the place to squeeze people's nuts or play games with them. They're dying to get out of there in the first place, or will be very soon, so do what you can to make things better, not worse.

Whatever you do, don't give them the impression that you think the job is easy because it's robotic. It's being extremely robotic that makes it incredibly hard.

P.S.: Treasure your naturally stupid people. It's rare to find people with minds and temperaments dull enough for this kind of job, but cross your fingers. Someone with no interior life and few brain waves in the first place won't miss being effectively brain dead as much as others do. Getting one of these folks is like hitting the lottery, though, so don't expect it, and don't expect others to be like him.

[/ QUOTE ]


Hahaha, great post! Much of this applies to legal secretarial work. When the senior lawyer said I was "too good" for this work, she meant simply that she could see I was bright and would find the work very boring and undemanding. The women who are good at it aren't particularly bright and don't display much ambition or have questioning minds. However they are well-organised and efficient. Even they can find it tedious, so yak away on the phone for long periods of the day. By contrast, I will never make or take a call at work but I'll surf the web/2+2 as much as possible, which is actually a lot less noticeable. Oh, then factor in regular cigarette breaks and trips to make tea and coffee. I'll go read the newspaper in the toilets, too. It's demoralising and unrewarding work. Even if you applied yourself to it, there's very little career progression and no sense of achievement or reward from it.

[katyseagull]

[ QUOTE ]

So since Tuesday I've been working at this other firm. Except, I haven't been given any work. It's a Tax department. Most lawyers are away, and the rest look after themselves. In three days, I have had precisely 30 minutes of work to do. I'm being paid $32/hour for this. The first two days another secretary was in the department. I asked her if I could help with anything. She said she had some photocopying and filing, but wouldn't burden me with it. Wow - that's exactly the crap that temps normally get given, and she's told me not to worry? I like this place.

Two difficulties: the whole department at the first firm has been invited for lunch on Saturday at the country house of the senior partner who is head of department. I used to work directly for her, and we get on well. She took me for lunch once and asked me what I was doing working as a legal secretary, and herself told me I was "too good for it." She invited me personally to this lunch. I had said I was going, but now I am supposedly looking after my ailing father. I could still go, I guess. But I don't really like anyone in the department. My only motive would be to see how amazing her house is, and nice food. But it's an expensive train ride away. Do you think I should go?



[/ QUOTE ]

Awesome post. I hope everyone read this!

$32/hour for doing next to nothing? Freaking sweet. I wish I had that job [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Well hell yeah I think you should go to the senior partner's country house for lunch. Are you kidding? She did ask you directly you know. If for no other reason than to entertain us. You write well. (Let's hope no one from the new firm is at that lunch.)

Go sample the food, do a trip report for us. I like lots of details. Describe the people, the house, the meal. Don't forget the lies. Looking forward to it [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img].

[Blarg]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
That's damn good money for a beginning data entry job. I know why it's not enough, though. I worked for years in variations of jobs like that, and have seen it in myself and others.

Those jobs are inhumanly dull. They make it almost impossible to stay awake or pay attention, they're so completely robotic. It's actually far, far easier to do something more difficult, because then at least you aren't falling off your chair in boredom. That much boredom is also psychologically extremely draining. If ever you wanted your life to feel miserable and pointless, a data entry job will do it. It's like being in a sensory deprivation tank. Pretty soon you don't know whether you're singing out loud or it's all in your head, and your spirit guide is cavorting about and showing you how to peel the cosmic potato. You may find yourself literally falling off the side of the chair without realizing it.

Only a small percentage of people have either the willpower, the psychological health, or the sheer sad desperation and hopelessness to make them want to stay in a position like that for long. It's naturally a short-timer position. If you get anyone with a good attitude, well-tempered, with a shred of a brain or any ambition at all, they are going to be out of that job so fast you'll hear a sonic boom when they go.

Add to this that those jobs are often put in the darkest, most decrepit corners of a firm, and you got trouble. If you want to keep people -- good luck in the first place -- you are going to have to make the process less traumatizing. Frequent breaks, let people bring their own music to work, the whole doughnuts in the morning type stuff, etc. Whatever you do, make the ultimate soul-destroying drudgery any worse by lording these guys' misery over them with a bad attitude, etc. Try to keep them from falling off the chairs or howling out loud in despair by keeping things very upbeat. Lots of new bosses try to be the tough guy, but data entry is not the place to squeeze people's nuts or play games with them. They're dying to get out of there in the first place, or will be very soon, so do what you can to make things better, not worse.

Whatever you do, don't give them the impression that you think the job is easy because it's robotic. It's being extremely robotic that makes it incredibly hard.

P.S.: Treasure your naturally stupid people. It's rare to find people with minds and temperaments dull enough for this kind of job, but cross your fingers. Someone with no interior life and few brain waves in the first place won't miss being effectively brain dead as much as others do. Getting one of these folks is like hitting the lottery, though, so don't expect it, and don't expect others to be like him.

[/ QUOTE ]


Hahaha, great post! Much of this applies to legal secretarial work. When the senior lawyer said I was "too good" for this work, she meant simply that she could see I was bright and would find the work very boring and undemanding. The women who are good at it aren't particularly bright and don't display much ambition or have questioning minds. However they are well-organised and efficient. Even they can find it tedious, so yak away on the phone for long periods of the day. By contrast, I will never make or take a call at work but I'll surf the web/2+2 as much as possible, which is actually a lot less noticeable. Oh, then factor in regular cigarette breaks and trips to make tea and coffee. I'll go read the newspaper in the toilets, too. It's demoralising and unrewarding work.


[/ QUOTE ]

Very much so.

[ QUOTE ]
Even if you applied yourself to it, there's very little career progression and no sense of achievement or reward from it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Exactly. There's something in the human spirit that gets slowly crushed by that. Even if the progress is slow, it's vital to think that it's at least steady. A low ceiling wipes that hope out. And then your life is just all about treading water. Forever. Until you die.

Maybe getting poorer while doing it, which is just adding injury to insult. Many of these jobs don't even pay enough to keep place with inflation, and, especially rent(because you'll probably never be able to afford a house). If complete, demoralizing perpetual boredom is psychologically extremely difficult to bear, almost impossible for most, and going nowhere, forever, on top of that compounds it and makes it much worse, then actually going backward the longer you stay at your job and the better you get at it is pretty much eventual bitter, gibbering nervous breakdown material.

I have met people who have been at that kind of job for 15 or 20 years or more. I have only met one who was even close to psychologically healthy even on the surface, and she was actually pretty messed up once you got to know her. It's just an inhuman job.

I used to find it impossible to understand how someone could get in some of the more obvious and painful industrial accidents, no matter how repetitive and mechanical their jobs were. Who wants to lose a finger, an arm, a hand? Now I understand. Sometimes, it's not even that they don't care. They can't.

[katyseagull]

I've got some questions on workplace etiquette and I need some advice from the lounge.


1. Office Parties -
How important is it for me to attend after-work parties thrown by my boss or the company? I hate office parties. This is the 4th party/picnic I've been invited to since January and it's getting harder and harder to come up with an excuse for why I can't attend. What are your feelings on these things?


2. The sick coworkers -

I have 2 coworkers who are continuously sick. They cough and cough non-stop, and they come into my cubicle and tell me how they have strep throat or bronchitis or whatever, always followed by a "don't worry, I'm not contagious." This is driving me nuts. They sound like they have tuberculosis or something. The weird thing is they seem to get better for 3 or 4 weeks and then they get sick all over again. The coughing is gross. Is there any good way to handle this?

I've tried being sort of blunt "wow you sound pretty bad. Hope you're not contagious. [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]." Also, these same people are constantly bumming Advil off of me. I'm a very amiable person so I didn't mind at first but now it's just sort of ridiculous. Advice?

[TheDudeAbides]

Katy - I solved this problem early on in my career here by not being social with anyone from work. Sure I'm pretty miserable 8-10 hours a day, and don't really like anyone I work with. But at least I don't have to attend their after-work social events. Same goes with those people pimping out chocolates for their kids. They know not to approach me.

[dcasper70]

Katy,

I have a similar sickly coworker. About a month ago, a third coworker and I caught whatever this guy had and we were both out for a total of 5 days (me 3, him 2).

At our next department meeting, I had 'don't come to work sick' put on the agenda. This was easy and could have been anonymous. Only the Dept head would have know who asked for it to be put on the agenda. I wanted to make a stink about it, so I didn't care, but no reason for it to be public knowledge if you don't want it to be...

New policy: If someone complains, and it is deemed appropriate, you will be sent home. Three times in a year and you're written up. Here, we all have the ability to work from home, so this never needs to happen in the first place.

Talk to your boss and/or hr dept about this.


My Gripe:
People who leave 1/8th of a cup of coffee in the pot. How difficult is it to just start brewing another batch??? I'm sure you know how. Sink's 2 feel to the left, coffee and filters are right there next to the coffee maker. Lazy d-bag.

[shakingspear]

[ QUOTE ]
1. Office Parties -
How important is it for me to attend after-work parties thrown by my boss or the company? I hate office parties. This is the 4th party/picnic I've been invited to since January and it's getting harder and harder to come up with an excuse for why I can't attend. What are your feelings on these things?


[/ QUOTE ]

I just came right out and said, "You're all very nice, but I don't give a hang about any of you outside work." After that whenever someone asked me to some after work event, they would preface it with "I know you won't come, but..." They knew the end result, so I didn't worry or feel bad about saying I wasn't coming.

[Jeff_B]

[ QUOTE ]
Agree that data entry jobs are pretty freakin boring. This isn't the standard data entry type. 75% DE and like 25% crafting of language, drafting specialty docs..etc. Disagree about attitude towards the employees though. This is a really really laid back CO., BUT these guys are getting a fair wage, medical, IRA, paid holidays and 3 weeks vacation. I don't think expecting them to stay off their phones/internet and actually work, is asking too much.

[/ QUOTE ]

This wouldnt happen to be in the tampa area would it?
I am like 1 class away from graduation and desperately need a job... obviously id want to move up from this quickly though.