# New and Unimproved Workplace Rants **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 14, 2015, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638 "2015-10-14T15:44:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 15
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/281 "2016-01-05T04:06:07Z")
> [@Kimballkid](#): > > The grocery store I work part-time at was open normal hours and I had to work until closing, which is 9pm. And I thank you and your co-workers, because I had to stop and pick up a few things on my way home from work. > [@Eureka](#): > > … > And in other “news” no love to all the co-workers who have called in sick in the past two-three weeks. Thanks to you, we are all going to have to get Doctor’s Notes if we call in sick. … Interestingly, in my office we are entering the season where we practically need a note to come to work. “Did you just sneeze? Leave. Now. Take your lap-top and work from home.” “You look pale. Leave. Now.” “Do you have kids? In school or day-care? We’ll see you after Easter.” We are instructed throughout the winter to bring our laptops home whenever bad weather or bad health is immanent, and work from home over VPN. I hate knowing my every key stroke is monitored, but I hate risking my life to drive to work even more. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/282 "2016-01-05T10:15:20Z")
Message to team from Boss Who’s Got A Brain: “yadda, Nava leaving at the end of next week, will be on location next week, yadda”. Message from Other Boss: “Since I don’t know if you’re coming here, [here being the aforementioned location] send your computer now.” Hoo’s gots a brainsy, hoo does? U doesn’t! U doesn’t! ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/283 "2016-01-05T18:14:42Z")
We have a staff meeting every other Tuesday. It has clearly been on everyone’s Outlook calendar for over a year. And yet EVERY TIME, at least four people wander around asking if we are having a meeting, and at least two manage to forget about the damned thing. Seriously, what the hell is wrong with people? ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/284 "2016-01-05T18:18:56Z")
Those _every other_s can be tricky. “Wait, is the one of the Tuesdays when we _do_ have a meeting, or when we _don’t_?” ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/285 "2016-01-05T18:20:47Z")
> [@j666](#): > > Interestingly, in my office we are entering the season where we practically need a note to come to work. “Did you just sneeze? Leave. Now. Take your lap-top and work from home.” “You look pale. Leave. Now.” “Do you have kids? In school or day-care? We’ll see you after Easter.” Ditto. Last year when I had the flu + an asthma flare-up, my then-boss (the CMO, so a doctor) basically told me to log off on Wednesday, when I got the news (and a handful of medications, including Tamiflu), and to check in with him after the weekend. He pointed out that I wouldn’t be any use to anyone when I was that sick, so not to even try working from home. It was the smartest thing he could’ve done. I was back working from home on Monday, and was in the office on Wednesday, a little tired but much better. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/286 "2016-01-05T19:03:42Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Those _every other_s can be tricky. “Wait, is the one of the Tuesdays when we _do_ have a meeting, or when we _don’t_?” Yes, this used to trip me up all the time. Until computers with calendars and alarms came along. ---
**Author:** ![Whiskey\_Dickens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9fc348/32.png) [@Whiskey\_Dickens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whiskey_Dickens)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/287 "2016-01-05T20:21:59Z")
> [@NJ22](#): > > coworkers who sing out loud at their desk Juuuust finally put that down in my office. Hallelujah I work in an open concept office with my direct reports, and they include a singer and a hummer. Often going in concert to the same song. I don’t think the hummer even knew she was doing it. Since the talk, she’s started humming probably 200 or so times and caught herself shortly after. I would estimate she spent 60% - 75% of her day humming, so 200 incidences of false-starts since October is probably an understatement. Took a little while to get my request to sink in because I don’t think they took me seriously the first time I asked (after putting up with it for about a year). Second request came with a little talk about open concept offices and respect for your coworkers. I felt a little bad because apparently I’m the only one bothered by it, and I didn’t want to play the part of the easily-irritated tyrant. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/288 "2016-01-05T23:28:18Z")
> [@Whiskey\_Dickens](#): > > … apparently I’m the only one bothered by it, … You believe that? The whole team is dancing on ceiling because you finally said something about it, they just didn’t want to complain about a co-worker who is perfectly nice and competent, knowing how much worse things could be. ---
**Author:** ![Grsz11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Grsz11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grsz11)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2016, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/289 "2016-01-06T02:16:44Z")
Meetings to prep for meetings. Fuck you. I can get my shit together on my own time why can’t you. ---
**Author:** ![NJ22](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/4af34b/32.png) [@NJ22](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NJ22)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2016, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/290 "2016-01-06T03:05:40Z")
A restructuring was done at the job because some of the women were overwhelmed and now with the new roles I can still hear some of the women complaining:smack: ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2016, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/291 "2016-01-06T14:16:02Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Because drawing a conclusion without enough samples is indeed a mark of a bigot. Well, even using enough samples is bigotry if you are trying to make a generalization to apply to the entire population based on mere samples. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2016, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/292 "2016-01-06T14:17:21Z")
> [@NJ22](#): > > A restructuring was done at the job because some of the women were overwhelmed and now with the new roles I can still hear some of the women complaining:smack: I wonder if the restructuring included you not being in charge of any women and kept as far from women as possible. I hope so. You sound kinda, well, overwhelmed by women anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Whiskey\_Dickens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9fc348/32.png) [@Whiskey\_Dickens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whiskey_Dickens)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2016, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/293 "2016-01-06T15:14:58Z")
> [@j666](#): > > You believe that? The whole team is dancing on ceiling because you finally said something about it, they just didn’t want to complain about a co-worker who is perfectly nice and competent, knowing how much worse things could be. You’d think so! During the year I tolerated the humming and singing, I asked the others individually and in private (during their performance reviews) if it bothered them. They all said no! I was really hoping that I could approach the hummer/singer twins with a popular mandate from the department, but no dice. This is why I let it go on for a year before getting fed up and addressing it. ---
**Author:** ![MissTake](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misstake/32/3189_2.png) [@MissTake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissTake)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2016, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/294 "2016-01-06T17:45:24Z")
Debated about going into office, decided what the hell, make sure management knows I’m still alive. My desk was taken, so I moved to an empty cube back in the corner, thinking it would be quiet. Then the coffee klatch appeared. Good gawd, they are LOUD. One was going on about just how miserable her cold has been, she can’t seem to get over it, everyone in her house is snotty and congested… WHY are you here? Suffice it to say, me and my immune-compromised self packed up and came back home. My boss IM’d me, saying “I thought I saw you?” Yeah, briefly. And that’s as good as it will be until people start staying home. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2016, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/295 "2016-01-06T23:59:18Z")
Oh, lord, another one of those days … Boss: Why did you do that? Me: Because you told me to. 15 minutes later … Me: Here’s how we can fix this. 2 hours laters … Boss: Yeah, do that. Why the delay? Boss was meeting with Bigger Bosses, probably trying to blame me. This is why I never, **never** \*, email without cc’ing someone. - Well, seldom; there’s always an excuse to cc someone. > [@Whiskey\_Dickens](#): > > …, I asked the others individually and in private **(during their performance reviews)** if it bothered them… While I am sure you are right about the humming, you do know people are necessarily completely frank during those reviews, don’t you? ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/296 "2016-01-07T00:16:15Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > Solution - tape the remote to the steering wheel. Duct tape, of course. 😃 I once thought about securing it to the underside of the wheel with some 3M Command strips…the angles actually work (when you’re driving straight down the road, of course). In office news, our resident man-splaining customer service rep has apparently decided that if he can’t understand it, then it must be wrong. He even showed up at my desk today with printouts from random websites to “prove” some point. He has also dubbed himself “Sales Engineer”. ---
**Author:** ![NJ22](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/4af34b/32.png) [@NJ22](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NJ22)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/297 "2016-01-07T03:39:56Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > I wonder if the restructuring included you not being in charge of any women and kept as far from women as possible. I hope so. You sound kinda, well, overwhelmed by women anyway. No but I don;t like seeing tears on the job. We all adults ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/298 "2016-01-07T04:30:14Z")
> [@NJ22](#): > > No but I don;t like seeing tears on the job. We all adults ‘All we adults’ have seen plenty of men overwhelmed. And cry. You should try it. And/or try not being an insensitive (and/or sexist) jerk. > [@](#): > > No but I don;t Oh, and sorry about your colostomy bag (couldn’t help but notice your semi-colon…). ---
**Author:** ![Whiskey\_Dickens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9fc348/32.png) [@Whiskey\_Dickens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whiskey_Dickens)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/299 "2016-01-07T14:06:46Z")
> [@j666](#): > > (snip) > > While I am sure you are right about the humming, you do know people are necessarily completely frank during those reviews, don’t you? Absolutely. If I was some absentee boss who worked on a different floor and parachuted in 3 times a year to put out fires or give their reviews, I’d be a lot more leery of their responses during an appraisal. Because I’m right beside them all of their time here we’re much more of a team with a manager, rather than a vertical org. chart string of job titles. They’re all considerably older than me, and they’re pretty comfortable with telling me where to go if they need to vent that. ---
**Author:** ![Whiskey\_Dickens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9fc348/32.png) [@Whiskey\_Dickens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whiskey_Dickens)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/300 "2016-01-07T14:20:04Z")
New mini-rant: I had to choose a team member to assume a new division’s worth of duties and join me on a long trip in sunny Georgia for training. I chose the lady who’s teenage daughters babysit my 20 month old. The rest of the department knows about this extra-curricular relationship, and I’m worried that the cry of “favouritism!” is going to peal from the group. She’s the best choice for a coterie of reasons, and I can explain that if necessary, but I’m worried people will turn their ears off to my explanation. Time to channel my inner salesman. Going to make the decision public in an informal announcement tomorrow afternoon (I’m subscribing to the “bad news best delivered on a Friday” school of thought). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638.md?page=14) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638.md?page=16)