Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Tired of running into it nearly every company I interview at. Have been in the workforce since 1996. First began noticing this rudeness in 2006 but it was not nearly as common as now. What has caused this? It's not just office jobs - I've seen/heard the same thing with my friend's retail job. I miss camaraderie and having fun at work.
Agreed -- In 1991, I worked at a grocery store, my first job. I certainly didn't like a lot of things about it, but there was camaraderie. You could be yourself. Managers were human and had rich personalities. They were good to us, and genuine friendships came out of that place. For the record, we did a good job (goofed off from time to time, sure), but we were the #2 volume store in the company (out of about 50 stores), and continued to do a very good job meeting the needs of the customers and the standards of the company.
Jump to 2005, I had to take a part-time job for a while, and got hired at a Target store in the same area. You used the words "soulless and unfriendly" and that was a great way to describe it. Sometimes I felt like I was a cog in a military-like operation. People I worked with, entry-level workers and managers, had flat personalities and were either emotionless or sullen. No one enjoyed themselves. There was always pressure. Out of all the people there, only one or two really dared to speak openly and seemed comfortable to be themselves.
I think it's because of HR garbage, flavor-of-the-month mission statements, and guru-led work models (ie. things like Lean and Six Sigma now, but I remember when Steven Covey was the mandate about 15 years ago). Companies with far removed, overpaid CEO's and leadership care nothing about their staff as people, and likewise we are all cogs to the venture capitalists.
The fact that an industry was built based on hiring alone (HR/human resources) should tell you enough. Human Resources (hiring rejects?) was created to keep people out and prevent prosperity. Everything about hiring is based on corruption. The lies, the deception, the dog-eat-dog behavior. There is also alot of racism, and hatred of the disabled within hiring because of the "fear" of lawsuits. When in reality, if a disabled person is working that's a GOOD thing. That's one less person on the dole remember?
The only solution will be either:
A new kind of system where people don't need money to survive (therefore making the purpose of a job pointless), although you could still work for yourself by bartering.
An economy so strong and full of jobs that "hiring" won't exist anymore due to time constraints. If you have the qualifications, just come in and get to work.
^^This is what the sociopaths would hate the most, because it would break the stranglehold they have over the lives of the rest of us.
I've noticed this in the past 10-15 years as well. I don't know if it is a societal trend in general or just corporate culture. When I first started out my co-workers usually hung out together once or twice a weekafter work, went out to lunch together, and would go over to each others houses every once and a while for parties. Since the early to mid 2000s that sort of behavior has basically disappeared. Most of my co-workers have become like robots. These are skilled professionals with years of experience. I think that in some ways social media, smart phones, and the internet have made people less social in real relationships and that is now showing up in the office. That, and the corporate overlords treating everyone like peasants doesn't help.
When I worked, I never wanted to spend one more second with my backstabbing gossipy co-irkers than absolutely necessary. At my desk and on the clock, I had to put up with them and be around them. But my lunchtime was unpaid, therefore, it was my own time...time to be free of them and take my mind off of those pests for that hour.
As for after work, no way - I did my 8 and then out the gate!
And I've rarely heard of coworkers visiting one another at home for parties. You had some pretty good friends at work. I never had anything in common with my coworkers.
people become unfriendly in the workplace from having grievances filed against them for EEOC violations real or alleged.
they also become unfriendly when they are treated in a sexist and racist manner but bek they are white cant defend themselves under the same EEOC rules. just a hint stop punching people in the face and they will smile at you.
In other words, let's go back to the days of Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, back in the days when whitey ruled supreme, and the darkies all knew their place. The whiteys could punch darkie in the face all they wanted, that was okay, that was darkie's place.
If the above is not what you meant...then you may want to consider how you sound to others!
Because above is what I got out of what you said.
And, for the record, I'm white.
You are NOT being paid to have a good time, sure it is good if you can get along with your co-workers but if you feel that is a requirement you are going to be doing a lot of job changes.
If you are doing your job you don't have time to have fun.
Could you please tell this to every supermarket cashier/bagger who believes that the customer is just an annoyance? Every day's a party.
I guess due to my background, I'm a little more disciplined than some people I work with.
I go to work for nothing more, than get the job DONE to the best of my ability, collect a paycheck and get the hell out.
I don't socialize or date coworkers, or chum with them at break. I'm there for the $$$ and I'm out. Employment is not supposed to be a popularity contest...
This is how I feel.
That's what afterhours at bars are for,to meet others.
I also don't share my personal business,because anything you say can and WILL be used against you.
I guess due to my background, I'm a little more disciplined than some people I work with.
I go to work for nothing more, than get the job DONE to the best of my ability, collect a paycheck and get the hell out.
I don't socialize or date coworkers, or chum with them at break. I'm there for the $$$ and I'm out. Employment is not supposed to be a popularity contest...
Quote:
Originally Posted by temazepam
When I worked, I never wanted to spend one more second with my backstabbing gossipy co-irkers than absolutely necessary. At my desk and on the clock, I had to put up with them and be around them. But my lunchtime was unpaid, therefore, it was my own time...time to be free of them and take my mind off of those pests for that hour.
As for after work, no way - I did my 8 and then out the gate!
And I've rarely heard of coworkers visiting one another at home for parties. You had some pretty good friends at work. I never had anything in common with my coworkers.
That's basically what it is.
I can't see a group of diverse coworkers(in age anyway) going out.
For example,why would a 65 yr old man on his way to retirement,a 24 yr old man and recent college grad ,and a married father of 46 hang out after work together?
When I worked, I never wanted to spend one more second with my backstabbing gossipy co-irkers than absolutely necessary. At my desk and on the clock, I had to put up with them and be around them. But my lunchtime was unpaid, therefore, it was my own time...time to be free of them and take my mind off of those pests for that hour.
As for after work, no way - I did my 8 and then out the gate!
And I've rarely heard of coworkers visiting one another at home for parties. You had some pretty good friends at work. I never had anything in common with my coworkers.
Absolutely.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
