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.
Purely my opinion, but I think a lot of people have lived such good lives that they don't realize how good they actually have things. Any job with a reliable paycheck that is in safe conditions isn't all that bad, all things considered. I've seen people who have office jobs working only 50 hours/week complain as if they are working in hell. You're working in an office all day, for only 50 hours/week for money that supports your family. It could be a LOT worse.
50 hours a week? How about 40? Workplaces in which long hours are required are usually mismanaged. And people are conditioned to think it's supposed to be normal.
Look at what people did in the good old days. A friend of mine was telling me about his dad - worked in an iron foundry. 120 degrees in there all day. He'd come home black from head to toe, drenched in sweat, take a shower and mow the lawn before dinner. Did that for 30 years. Even today, look at the guys doing roadwork in 90 degree heat, the electricians climbing around in attics in the middle of summer, the guys on power poles working around the clock to restore power after an ice storm. Putting up with office gossip in an air conditioned office sounds pretty sweet - compared..
Toxicity in corporate American culture is more prevalent than ever.
Things are not as rosy as they may seem on the surface. Many are suffering in silence walking side by side among the privileged.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Katana49
You don't know any toxic people?
Congratulations, I can see you don't get out much.
None of what you mentioned has anything to do with people you may have to work with.
I agree. There are a lot of toxic work cultures out there, and even if one acts professionally and polite, some workplace cultures just have that bad vibe with bad roots. Usually that workplace will have high employee turnover, too.
Almost everyone I've worked with has a college degree (many have master's) and I work in a city that's serious about work and getting ahead. Bad behaviour doesn't get you very far and those people are weeded out early or they are so low on the totem pole they wouldn't attempt any disrespect.
I fail to see how that correlates with not working at a nightmare scenario.
I currently work at a place in which 95 % of employees have at most high school diplomas, and it is a wonderful place where people are respectful, kind hearted, and unbelievably hard working and teamwork oriented.
Conversely, I have worked in the past in "highly-educated professional" work communities where people were petty, immature, entitled, and just plain awful to work with.
Just read the threads here. It's usually petty narcissism or some kind of conspiracy.....
"I'm here to work and I'm not interested in making friends!"
"Someone asked if I had a good weekend. They should mind their own business!!"
"Someone showed me a picture of their newborn. Why would they think everyone cares?!!"
"I interviewed and didn't get the job. It's discrimination!"
"The interview questions were hard. They're mean!!"
"I applied and didn't get an interview. It's HR's fault!"
"My coworker chews gum too loud!"
"They have a dress code. How unfair!"
"They asked me to join them for happy hour. Don't they realize I have a life outside work?!"
Lol. Great post.
You ever met someone who is just a Debbie Downer? Some people are always in a perpetual state of negativity. No job is perfect, but these types of people are unhappy no matter what job they would be at. They are dissatisfied with their personal selves that it affects every aspect of their lives. Or some people just thrive off being negative/pessimistic types. Nothing is ever good enough
50 hours a week? How about 40? Workplaces in which long hours are required are usually mismanaged. And people are conditioned to think it's supposed to be normal.
Thank you for proving my point. I'm sincerely glad your life has been good enough that you think complaining about only working 50 hours is a serious thing.
You ever met someone who is just a Debbie Downer? Some people are always in a perpetual state of negativity. No job is perfect, but these types of people are unhappy no matter what job they would be at. They are dissatisfied with their personal selves that it affects every aspect of their lives. Or some people just thrive off being negative/pessimistic types. Nothing is ever good enough
Yes, only good happy thoughts should be posted. Happy, happy, happy. Bad thoughts and complaints should never be posted here since we all have such happy lives where problems just don't exist. This morning I am going to celebrate my glorious life where I have absolutely no problems. Life is just perfect! *
* The views expressed in this post are strictly the author's (BusinessManIT). The author does not enforce or condone this viewpoint nor takes any responsibility if injuries result to others if they take this viewpoint. The author reserves the right to disclaim any legal liability for posting this view and wishes to assure everyone that this viewpoint is not a complaint.
That sums up my previous job in a nutshell, but add these to the list:
1. You're the only one in the company with the first clue how to make widgets. Anyone else comes in to cover for you, it results in a disaster which you will be responsible for cleaning up.
2. You have several additional duties besides making widgets. You must keep up with those duties without ever letting a single widget get behind schedule.
3. The machine you depend on to produce the widgets breaks down 1-2 times a week and is often down for 24+ hours at a time. Somehow it's still your fault when the product gets back logged.
Ha yea.
I don't actually produce a physical product.
But the way the ship is run is very much like a production line.
Quote:
Originally Posted by odanny
That's very true. I have made good money over the past 24 years, all in the same job. Most of my co-workers do not have a college degree (I do) and they make less money, but enough where they don't want to leave their jobs (just like myself) None of us particularly like our jobs, many of these high school grads bring little enthusiasm, a lot of drama, like to feud with their co workers, etc., etc., and its something I have had to endure for all of my time working there. I have saved some money along the way, and now I only have 4.5 years left until I can retire.
But, like you said, as you get towards the end you start thinking about "what you're doing for this world", and I've long known I don't have any particular love for my job. I do have, however, a lot of gratitude, and am very grateful for the way I've been treated and paid for my work. That overrides my disdain for some of my co workers and the monotony of my job.
At this point, however, I'm seriously considering leaving in 2 years and starting an entirely new career. I'll get a reduced pension (which is very small to begin with) so a few hundred bucks less a month I can live with. And I'd be leaving for something that pays much less but that I genuinely love doing.
The moral of the story is money is not always the most important factor, but it is very important. That's why I have endured the past 24 years, and by saving money and living below my means, I now have the opportunity to walk away early, and this freedom to do so is definitely something most of my co-workers do not have. If you make good money and hate your job, concentrate instead on being grateful for how much you make, and appreciate this. Take all extra money and invest it. Watch it grow, and go to bed at night knowing that some day, you'll be able to walk away from it all, and have something in your 401K that will help support you. That is freedom, in a sense.
That financial peace of mind is a feeling of liberation. Debt is just another form of slavery.
The only problem is ... the older you get, the harder it is to start something new. And in terms of financials, you get paid for experience and skill, so the sooner you start something, the more you can make $ doing it.
I think if you plan on sitting around at age 60, then yea, once you reach middle age, might as well finish out the string. But if you plan on doing something you enjoy/that means something, it makes sense to get started on that earlier.
You're gaining $, but you've lost time while doing it.
Time is a concept a lot of young people don't think of.
As a retired worker I'm always reminded of the fact of "forced association" when listening to the woes of workers. That's the one ever-present facet of our lives which has plagued many since their school days, military service or college days, or, that loooong stint we call work..
Seldom does any worker complain about the actual act of working, but most agree that the politics of human hierarchy's seem to be the thing which grinds them down. The end of forced association is commonly touted as one of the more enjoyable perks of retirement, and I'd have to agree with that.
You hit the nail on the head with me ! It's not the physical work (I work as a server/cook) I have a problem with, it's the people I'd NEVER associate with on my off time that I'm FORCED to spend time with. Here's my most current prime example that makes my workplace life Hell:
One of my co workers who has been with this small family run company for so long she may as well be a part of the furniture there seems to think she's a manager....when she's NOT. She has for some strange reason I can't fathom taken a dislike to me and will randomly come into my personal space SCREAMING at me for whatever random things hit her in just the wrong mood...I really have no idea.
The first time she screamed at me was the day after the fourth of July. I had asked and received that day off and the day after when I was there....she actually took time out from her day OFF to come into the restaurant and SCREAM at me for not having been there the day before. She refused to listen to me when I screamed BACK that I had the day approved OFF ! She only believed me when she went to the bosses and found out that indeed, I HAD been given the day off. She nevertheless remained in a huff because I had dared to scream back at her.
This last time was about 10 minutes to closing. I had locked the front doors (but left the side open because it was HOT inside) when some horrible customers came charging around to the side door to loudly berate me for having the audacity to close (when did closing a restaurant become taboo, BTW ?). They finally left after they didn't get their way with me and went to the retail shop (the same business--but a shop instead of the restaurant) and complained to her. She came charging in and screamed at me....on my Friday, completely ruining my next couple days off. She is flat out crazy, quite frankly.
THIS is what causes my work stress at this current job. Every day I go to work I have to worry and be on mental/emotional guard never knowing when it's going to happen again. I wish I could retire but the truth is that I'll probably have to work till I drop.
Just read the threads here. It's usually petty narcissism or some kind of conspiracy.....
"I'm here to work and I'm not interested in making friends!"
"Someone asked if I had a good weekend. They should mind their own business!!"
"Someone showed me a picture of their newborn. Why would they think everyone cares?!!"
"I interviewed and didn't get the job. It's discrimination!"
"The interview questions were hard. They're mean!!"
"I applied and didn't get an interview. It's HR's fault!"
"My coworker chews gum too loud!"
"They have a dress code. How unfair!"
"They asked me to join them for happy hour. Don't they realize I have a life outside work?!"
Quoted to repost. I think this post deserves special attention.
I work in a company that believes in work hard play hard be friendly to everyone philosophy. We regularly go out to lunch together. We have a social committee that celebrates people's birthdays and other occasions. I'm a manager, and as a rule of thumb I never turn down a request for PTO.
Sometimes, I wonder how the "you're there to work not to socialize" crowd make it through the day without jumping off the building. We spend a large portion of our day at work. Why be anti-social and miserable? Boggles my mind.
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.
I Am Not Complaining (Please Believe Me!)
