# 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:** 183
**Author:** ![MagicEyes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@MagicEyes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MagicEyes)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2023, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/3642 "2023-07-08T17:54:12Z")
**Stratocaster** and **Pleonast** , that is helpful. Thank you! I knew this was possible, but I’ve never tried it before. I did figure out that one document had only been edited by one person, so there was only one section of the document that was affected. I’m not so mad about this particular person making things more complicated, because I usually help her with these kinds of things, and I was not in the office. ---
**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:** [July 8, 2023, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/3643 "2023-07-08T21:53:38Z")
“These are my Principals, and if you don’t like them, I have others.” Marx _(Groucho)_ ---
**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 9, 2023, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/3644 "2023-07-09T04:47:33Z")
> [@Mollie\_Magill](#): > > > [@Kelevra](#): > > > > 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”. I think we need an across-the-boards reciprocity with the airlines: Silver Gold Platinum Diamond Adamantium As John Hodgeman said of his book _Medallion Status:_ > It a book of funny, honest stories about the period in my life when I flew across the country over and over again for a TV show. It hurt my family for me to be away so much, but it didn’t matter because I earned the love of a major airline, who awarded me a PLATINUM MEDALLION. This is not a real medallion, but still it comforted me… until I learned about DIAMOND MEDALLION. “Yeah, well, my dad’s a Platinum Level Four-Point-Oh Wolf Scout Grade 9.2 Out Of 10 Summa Cum Padawan Lab Tech!” ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2023, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/3645 "2023-07-09T10:31:16Z")
> [@MagicEyes](#): > > I can either edit the document or email people to get the new content, but not both. This is the time to be a bit passive aggressive by sending a group email to everyone that needs to provide input, saying that this is a request by Dickhead manager and you need their input no later than a certain time on Sunday, so that you can have time to edit the document. Then be sure to include Dickhead manager on the email so he can see how stupid his request is. If anyone on that list doesn’t report to Dickhead manager, I would include their managers on the email as well. But that’s because I didn’t mind being a dickhead myself when it suited me. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2023, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/3646 "2023-07-09T17:54:37Z")
I usually say it digit-by-digit, e.g. 50120 = “five zero one two zero”, since I think that’s better for clarity. ---
**Author:** ![veryfrank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/87869e/32.png) [@veryfrank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/veryfrank)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2023, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/3647 "2023-07-11T12:45:19Z")
Here’s a weird HR thing, happened a while back, but I’m still baffled and I’m open to explanations. Background: having been here since dinosaur times, I’m entitled to twenty Vacation Days and two Personal Days each calendar year. I can carry over up to five Vacation Days but not Personal Days. During the pandemic, when I couldn’t do any real traveling, I used up hardly any of either. Got to the end of one year and I was booking some days off around Christmas to visit family. I had one Personal Day left, so I requested one Personal Day followed by two Vacation Days. I hear back from my immediate manager, T. “I heard from R (her manager), you can’t do that. You need to take three Vacation Days instead.” “Yeah, but I can’t carry over Personal Days. I’ll basically lose a day for next year.” “R says it doesn’t work like that. Can you re-submit the request?” “Why would it not work like that?” “He says it looks bad.” “I’m sorry, what?” “He says it reflects badly on the department. Just fill it out again, OK?” Since then, I envision our off-site HR department as a weird Star Chamber in which robed elders go over paperwork and in echoey voices intone stuff like “Look at this request! Mixing types of days off! R has completely lost control of his building. It’s anarchy over there! We should demote him to janitor!” ---
**Author:** ![tofor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tofor/32/13727_2.png) [@tofor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tofor)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2023, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/3648 "2023-07-11T18:21:16Z")
I was on vacation last week and came back to one of my work passwords having expired. Yes, they did send me a notice about it before I left, but that was 3 weeks back and I didn’t realize that all the followup emails would come after I was gone. Because of some unique settings on my computer, after calling IT to reset my password, I am unable to log in to my workstation. Ok, it’s my fault the password expired. That should lead to me having to call IT. It should not lead to me having to lug my workstation into the office, and it should definitely not lead to IT having to RE IMAGE my machine because nobody can fix it. Nearly two whole days of work lost to this insanity. I’m only hoping it can be resolved by tomorrow morning so I can do real work again. ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2023, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/3649 "2023-07-11T19:57:51Z")
“It all pays the same” is my mantra. At least in my case. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2023, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/3650 "2023-07-11T21:12:34Z")
We just moved into a new office building a couple of weeks ago. Water dispenser and Keurig machine are still not hooked up, and no lunch tables yet in the break room. But what’s really annoying today is that someone, somewhere is drilling or something, and it’s been going on all day. There’s a door out of our suite into the hallway right next to my cubicle, and it sounds like it’s coming from just on the other side of the door. I’ve stuck my head out a couple of times today, looked up and down the hall, but I don’t see anything. (But I can still hear it.) I’ve decided it must be coming from somewhere upstairs, but jeez, all day non stop? WTF? ---
**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:** [July 11, 2023, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/3651 "2023-07-11T23:27:27Z")
And we’re going on Week 3 of having no soap in the dispenser in the restroom. The company that services the restrooms left a pump bottle sample from their ‘high end’ line; it foams nicely but has an off-putting texture. I have no idea why they didn’t also refill the dispenser on the wall. We have a couple of jugs of foaming soap in the supply closet; it can’t be used in the wall dispenser, so I’ve provided a couple of Bath & Body Works dispensers to provide an alternative to the other pump bottle (and to maybe attract those people who _don’t wash their hands_). ---
**Author:** ![tofor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tofor/32/13727_2.png) [@tofor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tofor)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/3652 "2023-07-12T11:07:54Z")
> [@Rebo](#): > > “It all pays the same” is my mantra. At least in my case. My dad owned his own business doing work for other businesses. He would always get annoyed when they changed their minds about what they wanted after he had already done a job and he had to do it again. I said, “Don’t they pay you for the extra work?” Yes they do. “So what’s the problem?” Now as a professional myself, I get it. I do what I do because I like it, and I’m very lucky it also pays well. I want to do my job and do it well, and now I’m on my third day of basically not being able to do my job because a password expired. And expiring passwords don’t even increase security! ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/3653 "2023-07-12T11:20:40Z")
Yup, my wife is the same way. She will drive somewhere for a contract job and even though she is paid for her time, the use of her car, and the time she spent waiting for the rent-a-judge to show up, she gets really pissed when they have to postpone the hearing and do it again in a couple of weeks. Her profession isn’t driving and waiting, it’s helping people. ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/3654 "2023-07-12T11:37:24Z")
I get that. I am a professional Senior Mechanical Designer in the Oil and Gas business. Been doing this for over 40 years. But when shit happens, either IT wise, or stupid software-wise, or the customer cancels an order… well - I just take a deep breath and say “it all pays the same” and move on to another task. Or play on my phone. Or go home and “work” remotely. I just spent three days working on something that they probably aren’t going to need. What a waste of my time. :shrug: ---
**Author:** ![MagicEyes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@MagicEyes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MagicEyes)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2023, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/3655 "2023-07-13T14:57:27Z")
My least favorite person today is the one who used spaces to center text on a webpage. 🙄 But the day is not even half over, so there could be a new contender for Worst Person of the Day before it’s over. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2023, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/3656 "2023-07-13T15:06:56Z")
I review reports on occasion written by coworkers. Some of them insert two spaces after each period. Drives me nuts. I will do a global replace to convert them to single spaces. And then I have to convert back to two spaces because “that’s what they want.” The back-and-forth conversions can screw up other things, to, like the periods after abbreviations. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2023, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/3657 "2023-07-14T00:02:52Z")
Note to self… Process any reports received from Crafter\_Man through double space script before reading. ---
**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 14, 2023, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/3658 "2023-07-14T01:05:39Z")
Text from a coworker/friend: > Do you know anyone who uses Adobe Frame Maker? > My friend needs some text changes made in a doc. > Artist who started project _died unexpectedly._ > The file is almost done they just need a few text changes. Do you know a freelancer who could work on their computer with the program loaded? Me: So why can’t they make the text changes themselves? (Hmm, maybe they tried and it’s not working… I googled, and there are close to a million hits along the lines of “Help, I can’t edit my text in FrameMaker!”) > My friend knows nothing about computers. > Probably afraid to screw up the file. He keeps texting, trying to make it sound like an easy, profitable job. I know he’s hoping I’ll just volunteer to do it, but I’d rather have an amateur vasectomy. Either it really is “Walk in, make a few text edits, and you’re done in half an hour” (in which case it’d be an unfulfilling waste of time); OR… it’s walking into a mess, where the File From Hell _literally killed the designer,_ and it’ll need work that’s beyond my capabilities. I feel like a jerk, but I have a feeling I’d resent my friend forever if I helped his friend out. ---
**Author:** ![Kron](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kron/32/12444_2.png) [@Kron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kron)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2023, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/3659 "2023-07-15T19:32:06Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > Some of them insert two spaces after each period. It’s the way I was taught to type… I have to consciously go back and fix it (or find/replace) to NOT have two spaces after periods. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2023, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/3660 "2023-07-17T13:32:40Z")
> [@Kron](#): > > It’s the way I was taught to type… Likewise. Not sure who made the choice to go to one space. I’m finally getting used one space instead of two. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2023, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638/3661 "2023-07-17T13:47:22Z")
So not to be a dick, but maybe I am because this is the pit, but why are you wasting your time messing with spacing on these reports you’re reviewing? Shouldn’t you be concentrating on things like accuracy? I’m amazed your boss hasn’t told all of you to give up on the period bullshit. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638.md?page=182) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-and-unimproved-workplace-rants/734638.md?page=184)