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It shouldn't have to be that way, but so many of us have awful times at our jobs. Many times, you leave one bad place and the next place is worse. Bad managers and bad coworkers are everywhere. I've heard all sorts of stories from family members and have experienced many nasty people at work myself. Why can't the workplace be somewhere you like going rather than hell on Earth?
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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I have worked at one place 17 years, another going on 10, and have never experienced that. I have always enjoyed my work, co-workers and most superiors. Between those two I ran a business for 16 years, and my employees were happy, and are still keeping in touch. Sorry you haven’t had that kind of luck, but it isn’t everybody. Those that consider their work a nightmare are just more vocal about it so it seems that way.
I was just wishing I could have recorded my work day as no one would ever believe my story (who didn't already work there). But of course I know no one would care either.
I've never worked in a "nightmare" scenario. Have I been lucky? Maybe, but I think it's because I chose a profession where I only work with other professionals, and have only experienced non-profit, creative, NGO or gov contracting environments. Never faced the general public or worked on a private for-profit.
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've had a few bad bosses, but they've always been weeded out also.
I think it really comes down to the culture you choose to work in.
I worked at the same place for 19 years until 2014. Loved the culture and the people. It's only now that I can't stand where I work. I do think it has gotten worse.
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?!"
You nailed it, and something I pointed out before.
Many of us have perfectly fine jobs, some days better than others but certainly not horrible (and I left any jobs I thought was bad for me overall, not wallowed in my own misery).
It shouldn't have to be that way, but so many of us have awful times at our jobs. Many times, you leave one bad place and the next place is worse. Bad managers and bad coworkers are everywhere. I've heard all sorts of stories from family members and have experienced many nasty people at work myself. Why can't the workplace be somewhere you like going rather than hell on Earth?
75% is because of greed and money.
Let's say your company produces widgets. You can make a widget in say 4 hours. But if you want a widget done WELL, well then maybe 6 hours to make one, and spend maybe another 2 hours to check it over, put touches on it. Not so bad for an 8 hour day.
But people want to make as much $ as possible. So, your boss says, "We make the best darn widgets for the price we charge." And he gets an order of widgets and orders you to make 10 widgets a week.
While that's possible, all of these widgets have different customers specifications. So, one might take 4 hours to make, one might take a whole 8 hours. And since you need to spend 4 hours tops to make a widget to meet your quota, you either spend your own time to make sure it's done right, or go home for the day.
Now ... all of a sudden your boss calls you into his office. Mr. XYZ has called and his widget has a defect. Now that's a mark against the company. And a mark against you. "F@ck. How did I miss that? That will never happen again." But mistakes do happen again.
Or ... maybe you have a bad day. You had a fight with your wife and you can't concentrate Monday morning. Well ... now you're a widget behind schedule. You have to make that time up.
On top of that, the guy next to you makes 12 widgets a week somehow and is witty and people love him.
So ... now you're going into a place where you need to work virtually every hour of the day to meet your widget quota, you're constantly worried about keeping up with widget making trends, which really only takes away from your widget making time, you're constantly worried about your boss calling you into his office pointing out the mistake you made on this widget that you can't believe you somehow missed, and the co-worker next to you is making more widgets than you and with less mistakes.
Now THAT'S stress.
Does this situation sound familiar to anybody?
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