TheCADJockey
ALL YOUR BASE
I already kicked the cold... move on nerds.
Things about your co-workers that annoy you
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AQUILAS
Well-Known Member
I posted in here about my 2 woman coworkers before, but here's another thing. They have a whole lot in common, so naturally, they're going to get along and clique up. Kind of leaves me (literally) as the odd man out.
Anyways, we normally take our breaks together, but sometimes I'll take my breaks myself to go skate or something. One of them really seems to get offended if I don't take my breaks with them. At first she'll tease me about it, but then she'll get worked up about it. For example, today, she was teasing me about not going on the last break with them and I can just stay back. So, I'm like "okay, I'll stay back, no problem." Then when they go off for their last break, she says "see, I told you he wasn't coming."
And somehow, I'm the bad guy.
Anyways, we normally take our breaks together, but sometimes I'll take my breaks myself to go skate or something. One of them really seems to get offended if I don't take my breaks with them. At first she'll tease me about it, but then she'll get worked up about it. For example, today, she was teasing me about not going on the last break with them and I can just stay back. So, I'm like "okay, I'll stay back, no problem." Then when they go off for their last break, she says "see, I told you he wasn't coming."
And somehow, I'm the bad guy.
FloppyKnockers
Well-Known Member
Can't push them out a window even if they're standing right next to one.
drainbamage
Keep HBT weird.
There's a rant/wall-o-text coming. Hold onto your butts...
I've been working two jobs for a while now. My main job didn't pay great, so I took a side job in evenings and weekends to get some much-needed extra money for savings. SWMBO wasn't crazy about the fact that I was spending almost every waking hour working, and I was starting to get burned out myself from the additional stress. The owner had been telling me for a year how he wanted to hire 1 or 2 more guys to spread the workload around, yet nothing ever materialized so it felt like he was just stringing me along. I always kind of got the feeling they were up to something in the background and telling me something different.
A couple of months back, I got a promotion and sizable raise at my day job. Suddenly, I was making roughly the same amount of money at one job that I had been getting at two. It seemed like a reasonable time to start winding things down at the side job. I met with the owner and made my feelings known. Again, he said some vague statements about having another potential employee he was interested in, so I encouraged him to make a move and bring the other guy on. I told him I would try to put in a little more time to help get them through the summer (their busiest season).
In July, my schedule at the side job slowed down significantly. Feeling like this was as good an opportunity as any, I sent them my two-weeks' notice for the end of July. The owner asked to meet up for lunch again, said the "other guy" was getting started on the training/licensing process. He thanked me for my time, said I did good work and hoped we could work something out to keep me around on a limited basis until the new guy was ready to work independently...possibly longer. I could choose how much or how little I wanted to work. I told him I'd think about it. I talked it over with SWMBO and we decided doing 1 job a week would be manageable, but I didn't follow up with the company at the time.
The last week of July, the receptionist--who is the owner's wife--sends me 4 jobs for the end of July and into August (you'll recall the last thing I left them was written notice that I was resigning as of July 31st). Fuming, I call and tell her that I had yet to formally commit to any plans beyond July, so why the heck is she still sending me work? "Oh, I guess I didn't get the memo." Uh huh, sure...I tell her that I am willing to compromise and do 1 job/week until the new guy gets licensed and self-sufficient, but no more. She accepts that, leaves one job for me this week and reschedules the "extra" work with the owner. Everything seemed resolved.
Monday of this week, I'm at my day job, and I get a text from the receptionist: "Would you be willing to do another job this week?"
Knowing that if I give in, it will gradually lead back to working a full schedule, I say, "no thanks, I'd like to stick with 1 per week."
An hour later, another text: "[the owner] is already booked up. Is there any way you can take another job?"
Now, mind you, I already have my car in the shop for brake work, and SWMBO is dealing with some mystery medical issues that may require surgery in the very near future. My schedule is pretty full already. I'm trying not to be a d!ck but really losing patience: "No, I'd really rather not." She backed off after that.
Then again today, another text...they have another job and want to know when I can do it. I say they can schedule it for Sunday if they want to consider it my 1 job for the week. "No, we'd rather keep you available for during the week." Grr...
I don't know...maybe I'm being the a$$hole here, but what part of "1 job a week" isn't clear?
If it's going to be a constant battle of "no, I still don't want to pick up any extra work," I'd rather just walk.
/rant
I've been working two jobs for a while now. My main job didn't pay great, so I took a side job in evenings and weekends to get some much-needed extra money for savings. SWMBO wasn't crazy about the fact that I was spending almost every waking hour working, and I was starting to get burned out myself from the additional stress. The owner had been telling me for a year how he wanted to hire 1 or 2 more guys to spread the workload around, yet nothing ever materialized so it felt like he was just stringing me along. I always kind of got the feeling they were up to something in the background and telling me something different.
A couple of months back, I got a promotion and sizable raise at my day job. Suddenly, I was making roughly the same amount of money at one job that I had been getting at two. It seemed like a reasonable time to start winding things down at the side job. I met with the owner and made my feelings known. Again, he said some vague statements about having another potential employee he was interested in, so I encouraged him to make a move and bring the other guy on. I told him I would try to put in a little more time to help get them through the summer (their busiest season).
In July, my schedule at the side job slowed down significantly. Feeling like this was as good an opportunity as any, I sent them my two-weeks' notice for the end of July. The owner asked to meet up for lunch again, said the "other guy" was getting started on the training/licensing process. He thanked me for my time, said I did good work and hoped we could work something out to keep me around on a limited basis until the new guy was ready to work independently...possibly longer. I could choose how much or how little I wanted to work. I told him I'd think about it. I talked it over with SWMBO and we decided doing 1 job a week would be manageable, but I didn't follow up with the company at the time.
The last week of July, the receptionist--who is the owner's wife--sends me 4 jobs for the end of July and into August (you'll recall the last thing I left them was written notice that I was resigning as of July 31st). Fuming, I call and tell her that I had yet to formally commit to any plans beyond July, so why the heck is she still sending me work? "Oh, I guess I didn't get the memo." Uh huh, sure...I tell her that I am willing to compromise and do 1 job/week until the new guy gets licensed and self-sufficient, but no more. She accepts that, leaves one job for me this week and reschedules the "extra" work with the owner. Everything seemed resolved.
Monday of this week, I'm at my day job, and I get a text from the receptionist: "Would you be willing to do another job this week?"
Knowing that if I give in, it will gradually lead back to working a full schedule, I say, "no thanks, I'd like to stick with 1 per week."
An hour later, another text: "[the owner] is already booked up. Is there any way you can take another job?"
Now, mind you, I already have my car in the shop for brake work, and SWMBO is dealing with some mystery medical issues that may require surgery in the very near future. My schedule is pretty full already. I'm trying not to be a d!ck but really losing patience: "No, I'd really rather not." She backed off after that.
Then again today, another text...they have another job and want to know when I can do it. I say they can schedule it for Sunday if they want to consider it my 1 job for the week. "No, we'd rather keep you available for during the week." Grr...
I don't know...maybe I'm being the a$$hole here, but what part of "1 job a week" isn't clear?
If it's going to be a constant battle of "no, I still don't want to pick up any extra work," I'd rather just walk./rant
Raise your rates. At this point you've given them your notice, you've resigned your employment, and you are clearly in a position of power in the negotiation.
How much more money would be worth it to you to pick up a little bit of that extra work? Ask them for it. If they aren't willing to pony up, don't take the work. And if they are willing to pony up for it, I can assure you it'll be temporary because they'll finally have a MAJOR incentive to get the other guy up to speed.
Obviously if you're getting so burned out that the extra money wouldn't cover the quality-of-life impact of extra work, then you should walk anyway. But if not, use this as an opportunity to practice your negotiating skills
Hamaki
Well-Known Member
Seems like some people, like me, have jobs where they don't have much contact with the public, get plenty of paid sick leave and earn enough that they would be okay even if sick leave wasn't paid while those who work in food service, day care, etc. typically don't get paid sick leave, can't really afford the time off and often have a supervisor pressuring them to get back to work.
Rhumbline
Well-Known Member
I might have misunderstood where you were going, but my frustration is with the people who come in sick and make their coworkers sick rather than staying home.
We get a very liberal leave package, flex time, most of us can pull the occasional "work from home" gig, so it's inexcusable to come in while you are sick.
Most of the places I've worked were VERY unforgiving if you called in sick. Not to mention if you don't work you don't get paid.
I can basically get written up for coming in sick. That's not half as bad as getting the dagger eyes from all the new moms I work with, though.
I hate calling in sick, but the first time I got sat down and talked to for coming in with allergies, I decided to play along. More brewdays is a good thing.
I hate calling in sick, but the first time I got sat down and talked to for coming in with allergies, I decided to play along. More brewdays is a good thing.
drainbamage
Keep HBT weird.
Raise your rates. At this point you've given them your notice, you've resigned your employment, and you are clearly in a position of power in the negotiation.
How much more money would be worth it to you to pick up a little bit of that extra work? Ask them for it. If they aren't willing to pony up, don't take the work. And if they are willing to pony up for it, I can assure you it'll be temporary because they'll finally have a MAJOR incentive to get the other guy up to speed.
Obviously if you're getting so burned out that the extra money wouldn't cover the quality-of-life impact of extra work, then you should walk anyway. But if not, use this as an opportunity to practice your negotiating skills
They charge a set amount per job, so the pay is probably not up for (much) negotiation. Although money was my main reason for getting in, I'm in a comfortable enough position now that more of it isn't necessarily going to make up for the stress that accompanies the job.
I feel like I'm already doing them a solid by hanging around even in a limited capacity, so I don't see any need to budge from my terms right now. Plus, based on prior experience, giving in now will turn into the same thing every week: "hey, you took an extra job last week, can you do another this week?"
I used to only work for them in the evenings. Then they asked if I could work on a Saturday morning. I said ok, as I didn't have any big plans that weekend. They said not to worry, they only booked Saturdays occasionally for out of town clients and people that couldn't be available during the week. Famous last words. A couple months later I was scheduled every Saturday.
Brettomomyces
LHBS Curmudgeon
I was randomly digging through this thread and had to respond to this one...
I manage a food service op between two small hospitals, about 15 staff total right now. Our building is really old and has cast iron pipes...which have slowly begun to crack and split all over the building. It's a big nightmare. The first one to go was the large 6" drain that ran under the basement (our drain). It cracked first mostly because there isn't a grease trap connected to the dish room (there will be soon). My kitchen wasn't originally a kitchen and when it was converted over a few things were missed and it's setup in a really odd way. Now that pipe drains into an open tank about 6' down in the dirt and then it is pumped up to the first floor with a float switch and a 2" pvc pipe.
Also, the kitchen used to be the morgue. Not kidding. My walk-in fridge and freezer combined are bigger than my apartment.
So anyway, back to the poop story, because that big drain broke the bathrooms in our dept had to be closed off. As well as the next closest. So we started using the old employee locker rooms down the hall a bit. Pretty much the only people that used it before were housekeeping and security. About two months after we started using it I hear from one of the housekeepers that someone has been pooping in the urinal, and he really thinks it's one of my guys. Apparently he also pulled the plant ops guy into the restroom just to show him this turd in the punchbowl so to speak. So my boss made me talk to all of our male staff individually to confirm that they specifically knew the purposes of the toilet and urinal and that you're not supposed to poop in the urinal. The fun talks you get to have when you manage people...
Sure it is. The only question is how much profit you allow the owner to make off your work.
If you set your desired price per job above what they charge, obviously they won't schedule because they'll be losing money to do so. If you set your desired price per job at or just below what they charge, they might continue scheduling you in the short term and move aggressively to get the other guy up to speed.
They only keep scheduling you because it's profitable for them to do so. If it wasn't profitable, they wouldn't bother. Right now the pain point is your quality of life. That's "not their problem" as long as you keep saying yes to jobs. If you make the pain point their bottom line, however, then it is their problem and it's potentially your advantage.
If you want them to stop scheduling you, you can either give them a flat "no", or you can give them an incentive and add enough extra dollars to your pocket in the meantime to make it worth your while. Which route you choose is up to you, but there is *definitely* room to negotiate.
Rhumbline
Well-Known Member
YOu've gotten good advice here, if the money isn't worth the impact on your family life, then your choices are clear. Either demand more money, or walk.
If business is that good, they will increase their rates until they find a replacement for you. And then they'll keep the extra.
You may feel some sense of loyalty to them, don't. They will cut you loose as soon as the numbers tell them to.
Hamaki
Well-Known Member
In your situation I agree; it's inexcusable. I was thinking more of the local cook who made more than 50 customers ill and the day care worker who infected a dozen or more pre-schoolers. They didn't plan to hurt anyone but in both instances low pay, no benefits and a lack of knowledgeable and responsible managers factored into their decisions to work while sick. Nobody died but there were a few hospitalizations.
Rhumbline
Well-Known Member
Good point. We outsource our janitorial service, the company has a rule that if an employee wants a sick day they have to report to work and request it In person.
What kind of stupid **** is that?
Hamaki
Well-Known Member
Had a guy in our office awhile back with a habit of providing WAY too much detail when he called in sick. If you sound sick and say you are I'm good with that. I don't need to know all about your cramps, vomiting, diarrhea, nasal discharge, blood in stools, rashes, etc.
BreezyBrew
IPA is my spirit animal
SupervisingChildren
Well-Known Member
Way to pull a Remmy!
When I go back to work on Monday after a week off, I'm probably going to hate all my coworkers again.
That kind of thing is ridiculous. I've worked in food service for ten years now, its only the last 2 where I don't get grief about calling in sick. Usually it's either you have to show up to prove it or call people trying to convince them to cover your shift
autobaun70
Well-Known Member
Absolutely ridiculous, but I can see making it policy for those employees that routinely use up all of their sick days the first month of the year.
fuzzy2133
Well-Known Member
Problem we have at our place is Monday sickness during NFL season. I have taken a new stance of letting them burn sick time during the first half of the year and let them figure it out come fall. We are not doing any tasks that will get others sick so fair game!
Edit: Yes if they come in truly sick I'll send them home. If you have a reputation of playing straight then I have so reason to drag you in.
Edit: Yes if they come in truly sick I'll send them home. If you have a reputation of playing straight then I have so reason to drag you in.
Michigan_Wolfman
Well-Known Member
Things about your co-workers that annoy you......
How about when company management hardly ever gives you any positive feedback when you and the rest of your department are doing a great job, but the minute something goes wrong that throws a monkey wrench into their almighty scheduling for the day(God forbid that a job doesn't clear the department for another 8 to 12 hours because a machine breaks down or another department screwed something up and you caught the mistake!..) they are always the first ones to fire up the diesel powered, turbo charged ass reamers and try and put you in the crosshairs to take the blame?
How about when company management hardly ever gives you any positive feedback when you and the rest of your department are doing a great job, but the minute something goes wrong that throws a monkey wrench into their almighty scheduling for the day(God forbid that a job doesn't clear the department for another 8 to 12 hours because a machine breaks down or another department screwed something up and you caught the mistake!..) they are always the first ones to fire up the diesel powered, turbo charged ass reamers and try and put you in the crosshairs to take the blame?
that's why I haven't tried for management again. I spent a little over 2 years as the assistant manager of shipping/receiving in a steel yard and a little over a year as the assistant manager of a pipe welding/methane pump building shop. I honestly believe I have always excelled where I work because I take my work seriously and with pride. unfortunately lower & middle management comes with a bulls eye on your back. and some places even use upper management as target practice. all the hard work you do ceases to mean anything once you take that step forward. my days of purposely trying 2-3 times harder than my "peers" is over.
BreezyBrew
IPA is my spirit animal
Way to pull a Remmy!
When I go back to work on Monday after a week off, I'm probably going to hate all my coworkers again.
Haha! Whoops.
CreamyGoodness
Well-Known Member
"its not in my internet" lady talks constantly about her calorie intake (she's going to live forever) and eats salads and veggie burgers. This is fine. However she does this 4+ times a day.
She takes a plastic plate with a plastic fork and runs the one across the other, making a nails-on-chalkboard grating noise. Intermittently she then stuffs her maw with said food and seems to not so much chew as much as loudly suck on it until it is fit for swallowing. This takes up no less than an hour of each workday.
Her new thing is accepting a personal call (no biggie we all do it) and then signing off on said call with a loud kissing noise. Its putrid.
I wish nothing horrible on her, but I do hope she gets a lucrative retirement package that she acts on as soon as possible.
She takes a plastic plate with a plastic fork and runs the one across the other, making a nails-on-chalkboard grating noise. Intermittently she then stuffs her maw with said food and seems to not so much chew as much as loudly suck on it until it is fit for swallowing. This takes up no less than an hour of each workday.
Her new thing is accepting a personal call (no biggie we all do it) and then signing off on said call with a loud kissing noise. Its putrid.
I wish nothing horrible on her, but I do hope she gets a lucrative retirement package that she acts on as soon as possible.
I could never live with myself if I didn't pull my weight (retired now), but quite a few people in the work place do not have that problem. Unfortunately, for a welder if you weld twice as much you breath twice as many welding fumes.
Yeah boss...the flu called. I'll need to reschedule that Wednesday meeting, I think I'll be busy hanging out with the flu for a bit...
Baja_Brewer
Well-Known Member
Exactly what I thought... "Yeah, I'm going to be sick Friday... Probably Monday too."
Rhumbline
Well-Known Member
It has actually been a while since I worked any place that had sick days. We have Personal Leave days and we get to use them any way we want. We don't have to offer any justification.
Now, it needs to be said that I'm not in an industry where there are people waiting downstream from me depending on my production. I can understand a more restrictive policy in that case but it's still silly that I should have to forecast when I'm going to be sick.
I also have little tolerance for those people who always seem to be sick on Fridays and Monday's.
Now, it needs to be said that I'm not in an industry where there are people waiting downstream from me depending on my production. I can understand a more restrictive policy in that case but it's still silly that I should have to forecast when I'm going to be sick.
I also have little tolerance for those people who always seem to be sick on Fridays and Monday's.
brewnoob007
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I work a line in a currently understaffed kitchen and what annoys me the most ist the ones that ***** and get superpissed cuz they gotta work like forty six or seven hours (which they get time and a half for) and everyone else is doing fifty five or sixty, I'm pulling close to seventy. Dude you need to shut up and pull your weight or someones gonna run you through the dish machine.
We had a part-time gal in our accounting department - only worked like 30 hours a week - I think it was the bare minimum to get on the company insurance. She'd come in at 7:00 AM, and work until 2:00 PM. She was also one that went to the chiropracter every two weeks, like clockwork (Personally, if any doctor needs to see me twice a month until the end of time, I'm finding another doctor). But she would always schedule her appointments for 1:00 or 2:00, and use sick leave to cover the appointment. At the time, we only got 5 days/yr sick leave, and she burned ALL of it going to appointments - so when she DID actually get sick, you could pretty well guarantee that within a week, everyone in the office would have whatever she had.
I should have been clear that I was talking about guys I used to work with. I completely agree that putting in a good day's work is one thing, but working twice as hard as everyone else is ridiculous.
I just received an email asking where I moved a piece of equipment that this employee wanted to use. Which I had only moved said equipment 12 feet from where it originally was to a more noticeable location in my office.
I'm not sure if the person actually came to my office and couldn't find the equipment that they literally had to look at as they enter the office or they just don't even know what the equipment they use multiple times a year looks like...
I'm not sure if the person actually came to my office and couldn't find the equipment that they literally had to look at as they enter the office or they just don't even know what the equipment they use multiple times a year looks like...
TheCADJockey
ALL YOUR BASE
The engineers that come to my office and grab my digital calipers, without asking, and then proceed to fumble with them until they inevitably get frustrated and ask me how to turn them on.
"Flip them over. Hold them above your head. No. With both hands. Now say 'give me power, beyond power'. Yell 'HO!'..."
"Good now when you open them up, they should turn on."
"Flip them over. Hold them above your head. No. With both hands. Now say 'give me power, beyond power'. Yell 'HO!'..."
"Good now when you open them up, they should turn on."
I am with you. I am also actively searching again. I gave it 5 years here which is too much for the lack of appreciation I am getting. Time to jump contracts.
TheCADJockey
ALL YOUR BASE
I'm in the same boat as well, or will be come October when I will have been here for 2 years. If I don't get what I asked for, I will be moving on. Sadly, it will catch them off guard, but I warned them of it at my previous review. At 2 years experience, my choices open up indefinitely.
Good luck to you. I keep getting empty promises of a 'promotion' and hefty increase. Well that and approximately every two months someone approaches with a "I hear you want to go to the accounts creation team". I have told them many, many, many, many times that I want to get away from 'customer' interaction if at all possible and start working on infrastructure rather than standard "my printer is doesnt work" calls.
I give up being the work-horse. I will still be the most productive here, but see if I try to be nice anymore.
Taiin
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Haha, I know I try to not be that person when having to contact something tech support because I know you guys deal with a lot of frustrations each day. I work a night shift, so unless a failure is catastrophic and affects a lot of important things, it waits until morning. By then I've usually fixed it because I'm bored. My support guys at least know if I submit a tech ticket, then I've done everything I know to solve it. And I provide them a detailed report of exactly what I did and how the computer/printer/etc. reacted. Much better than "it doesn't work".
So many piddly little problems happen with computers where I work. Most seem like they can be fixed by a simple restart because they're almost never restarted and allowed to do a system update. Others are just making sure things are plugged in securely. I'm quite low on the totem pole and my job has little to do with computers, but the night supervisor has asked me to troubleshoot their computer a few times. I asked if I could get paid as much as tech support is. Answer was a no, but I still solved the problem. Brownie points I guess?
