# 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:** 182
**Author:** ![Mk\_VII](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Mk\_VII](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mk_VII)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2023, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/3622 "2023-06-30T22:18:09Z")
What is banging out? (or should we not ask). ---
**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:** [July 1, 2023, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/3623 "2023-07-01T04:00:48Z")
Thanks for asking. We had borking, and ears pinned back, and then banging out. Oh, and _was_ it a 9am vs 9pm mistake? ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2023, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/3624 "2023-07-01T13:14:51Z")
Update: IT remoted into my computer around 11 and got my stuff working again. However, my nerves were already shot for the day so I had to take an anxiety pill to make it through the rest of my shift. I don’t like taking them during the day because they make me sleepy, but I was so stressed it only took the edge off. By the end of the day only three people were still locked out. Apparently I was so stressed my Appalachian accent was all over the place. Banging out = leaving early. On the plus side, I found pear cider at the store so I was able to have a Relaxing Beverage last night. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2023, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/3625 "2023-07-01T13:23:49Z")
> [@Catamount](#): > > It must be a regionalism. Quite possibly. I’m a California boy, but I picked it up from my first wife, whose mother came from St. Louis. ---
**Author:** ![Kelevra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/97f17d/32.png) [@Kelevra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kelevra)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2023, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/3626 "2023-07-05T19:06:35Z")
The A/C is out. It’s up to 85 F in my office. Usually I complain that the A/C is set to 65 or so. How about we meet in the middle? ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2023, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/3627 "2023-07-05T19:20:22Z")
I took my kids to a local restaurant recently. It is winter in the southern hemisphere, and, yes, it is cold - around 15°C / 59°F - but really, not that cold. Cold enough to need a jersey, not cold enough to need gloves and a parka jacket. Not so cold that the air-con needs to be blowing out 32°C / 90°F air, as was clearly indicated on its little digital display. ---
**Author:** ![MagicEyes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@MagicEyes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MagicEyes)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2023, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/3628 "2023-07-06T16:35:08Z")
The problem with making things look easy is that sometimes people expect things that just aren’t going to be possible. One of the top people wants me to edit a document, by Monday. She also wants me to find out what changes need to be made, which involves emailing people. That is not how things work around here. A week would be reasonable. Not less than two days. Did she ask me if I have time to work on this? No, she did not. So disrespectful! I can either edit the document or email people to get the new content, but not both. ---
**Author:** ![Kelevra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/97f17d/32.png) [@Kelevra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kelevra)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2023, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/3629 "2023-07-07T15:19:34Z")
A/C is fixed. Back to freezing. There’s a bunch of angst about job titles here. We used to have 3 levels in our technical track. The third level title was Senior (biologist, chemist, whatever). Last year we added a 4th level and made that level Senior. There are now a couple people who are getting advanced to level 3 and they want to be called Senior. Our Executive Director seems to be caving in to their demands which is pissing off the Level 4 people. My boss asked me if I had ideas for a new job title for the level 3 people. I said how about “my bitch”? He shook his head and left. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2023, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/3630 "2023-07-07T17:08:30Z")
> [@Kelevra](#): > > A/C is fixed. Back to freezing. > > There’s a bunch of angst about job titles here. We used to have 3 levels in our technical track. The third level title was Senior (biologist, chemist, whatever). Last year we added a 4th level and made that level Senior. There are now a couple people who are getting advanced to level 3 and they want to be called Senior. Our Executive Director seems to be caving in to their demands which is pissing off the Level 4 people. That tactic was guaranteed to piss off both groups. It would have been better to make the new tier 4 positions “Premier”. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2023, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/3631 "2023-07-07T17:30:59Z")
> [@Kelevra](#): > > A/C is fixed. Back to freezing. > > There’s a bunch of angst about job titles here. We used to have 3 levels in our technical track. The third level title was Senior (biologist, chemist, whatever). Last year we added a 4th level and made that level Senior. There are now a couple people who are getting advanced to level 3 and they want to be called Senior. Our Executive Director seems to be caving in to their demands which is pissing off the Level 4 people. > > My boss asked me if I had ideas for a new job title for the level 3 people. I said how about “my bitch”? He shook his head and left. What’s better the “Senier”? “Seniest”! ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2023, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/3632 "2023-07-07T17:36:33Z")
The top technical level where I worked was “Principal”. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2023, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/3633 "2023-07-07T17:50:51Z")
Around here the tier above ‘Senior X’ is ‘X Services Manager’. Although if you don’t know what that means, you don’t know that it’s a tier over Senior. ---
**Author:** ![Kelevra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/97f17d/32.png) [@Kelevra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kelevra)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2023, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/3634 "2023-07-07T17:51:54Z")
I’m level 4 and at my age I feel pretty senior! Or Seniest. They also threw out the idea of “Lead” (and no, not pronounced like the element, more like a leader! I’m looking at you Pleonast…) Principal isn’t bad. Sultan of Science would also make me happy. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2023, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/3635 "2023-07-07T18:02:05Z")
> [@Kelevra](#): > > They also threw out the idea of “Lead” (and no, not pronounced like the element, more like a leader! I’m looking at you Pleonast…) “Lead”, “Leader”, “Leadest”? > [@Kelevra](#): > > Principal isn’t bad. Sultan of Science would also make me happy. The peerages of the technical track: Chemist Sir Chemist Lord Chemist Baron Chemist Count Chemist Duke Chemist King Chemist ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2023, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/3636 "2023-07-07T18:06:02Z")
That was the P-word I was grasping at. ---
**Author:** ![MagicEyes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@MagicEyes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MagicEyes)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2023, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/3637 "2023-07-07T19:16:24Z")
I am about to lose it. I was asked (not very respectfully) to make some changes to a document in a very short timeframe (it needs to be done by an unspecified time on Monday, which I think means in the morning). I shared the text with the other people involved and turned on track changes because I need to see what’s new. So one of my coworkers made a copy of the document instead of using the one I shared, and now other people are editing BOTH DOCUMENTS. What am I supposed to do with this nonsense? Why do people have to make things so much harder than they need to be? Is anyone hiring? I work hard and I try to get along with people. I would like to work with reasonable people for a change. ---
**Author:** ![MagicEyes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@MagicEyes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MagicEyes)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2023, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/3638 "2023-07-07T19:26:51Z")
I’m trying so very hard to not be snappy right now. I can understand that not everyone know how this process works, but I don’t feel like I should have to spoonfeed every little step to people who seem to be competent professionals. ---
**Author:** ![MagicEyes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@MagicEyes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MagicEyes)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2023, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/3639 "2023-07-07T19:30:19Z")
I’m going to cope with my problems by eating an obscene amount of chocolate (Tony’s Chocolonely with pretzels and toffee, which I may never buy again, because I can’t stop eating it). ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2023, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/3640 "2023-07-07T19:38:12Z")
> [@MagicEyes](#): > > I am about to lose it. I was asked (not very respectfully) to make some changes to a document in a very short timeframe (it needs to be done by an unspecified time on Monday, which I think means in the morning). I shared the text with the other people involved and turned on track changes because I need to see what’s new. So one of my coworkers made a copy of the document instead of using the one I shared, and now other people are editing BOTH DOCUMENTS. What am I supposed to do with this nonsense? That sucks. FWIW, our attorneys had some way with Word to compare documents (contracts) to identify differences. It was a standard step, to make sure the other firm’s attorneys didn’t change something without tracking the change (to sneak in a change in a term without drawing attention to it). So, I’m not a lot of help by describing some Word feature that I never personally used. But perhaps someone else knows how this works…seems like that might be a good way to mitigate the stupid user challenge you have. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2023, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/3641 "2023-07-07T20:12:42Z")
> [@Stratocaster](#): > > But perhaps someone else knows how this works…seems like that might be a good way to mitigate the stupid user challenge you have. I think there’s Merge and Compare somewhere on the ribbon in MS Word, or at least some versions of it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638.md?page=181) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638.md?page=183)