New job - how much grief would you take?

Don't do anything for free. If you work for free they'll expect it, a few mins here and there is fine but hours, hell know.

Most of the points are crazy and are pretty unexceptable but what are the positives of the job? Ant wars frowned upon?
 
Gaijin said:
1.) I stay late nearly every night. But I'm not made to feel to, either directly or indirectly. I just like finishing what I'm doing.

2.) Probably about 3-4

3.)Depends on what my boss would be like. With my current boss I'd have no probs picking it up. He's good to me and we scratch each others back. I also know he wouldnt call me unless he had to.

4.) If it was a one off and warranted I'd probably do it and say nothing. Second time round or unwarranted I'd make an excuse or perhaps begrudgingly do it dependent on my mood.

5.) This is the sort of crap that made me leave my last company. I'd refuse to pay if I wasnt attending. If the company couldn't afford it then they shouldn't be touting at £100 a head venues. You should always have the option to not attend.

6.) I'd ask why and expect a valid reason. If you're new then you have to take certain things on the chin. But if not then I'd want to know. You're not being difficult, you just want an answer.

7.) Again I'd expect this if I was new but not for much longer than 2 weeks.

8.) We have a similar thing for beer o'clock where we can drink in the office from 4pm on friday. Newbies have to do the drinks run BUT they don't pay. You buy your own.

If I didn't settle in, feel i was being treated fairly, and wasn't happy by month 3, I'd be looking for the door.

There's giving a place the chance, and being taken for a ride.
Click to expand...

Top notch response. :)
 
Morba said:
thought you were uber contractor? stuff the job and live on your previous profits.
Click to expand...

I was. Past tense. I lived off the profits for 5 months and have the house mortgage 'done', watched a world cup, bought and learnt to ride a motorbike, and moaned on here about not being able to find more work.

now I am a permy on a 'normal' wage (certainly not particularly high) just like everyone else.
 
britboy4321 said:


1) It is unwritten but expected you give your company some 'free hours' for, I'd describe it, some kind of hopeful tool for career progression, or maybe a bonus that is not guaranteed, or 'because everyone else does' or 'it's the company way'. Your reaction? Smile happily as you watch 7pm click over on the company clock again?
Depends, if the work would carry over then yes.. I.e. one day i might feel like working all night, which in turn means the next 2-3 days i might have very little to do.

2) How many free hours do you give a week on average?

On average i've been paid more hours than i have worked

3) If your boss phoned you at 11:30pm tonight to ask a 5 minute easy tech question, would you think 'no problem', think 'problem' but answer him, or see the caller ID and think 'screw that' and not pick up?
i would look at the caller ID and be like 'Screw that!'..

4) If your boss on 4:30pm Tuesday said 'tomorrow let's get a headstart into this problem by meeting up at 7:00am and cracking on in' - and you will not be paid or get anything in leiu (you're normally in at 9am), is is a happy 'yes', a resentful 'yes', or a 'nope, see you at 9am unless you're paying/time in leiu'? This happens about once a month?
only if more work today=less work tommorow applies, if you worked at starbucks then thats not possible

5) Newsletter: Christmas party cost is not gonna be borne by the company as times are hard. Cost instead is to be divided between employees whether you bother attending or not. It's at some posh country house thing so expect to be at least £100 out of pocket, even if you're not going (as it's 'fairest'?!?!?!!). What are you going to do? This instruction comes right from the chief exec ...?
simple, i'll go to that chirstmas party, i will drink and eat, and steal way more than £100 worth.

6) 'Geoff, John, Gary and Haley can all work from home. You Britboy can not. Yes I know you're doing identical work to them. You can't. I will not explain why you can't (seems to be some kind of thing that is given if you are personal mates with the boss and I haven't earnt this yet). Enjoy not having to travel in tomorrow everyone but Britboy'. What should be my reaction? What would yours be? Become the bosses' next best friend?
scheme, like pinky and the brain

7) We've not got enough 'keycards' for the security door as they cost money. So you, the new bloke, have to knock on the door to get in. You may have to wait up to 5-10 minutes for someone to open the door especially if everyone close to it is in meetings. You are expected at your desk by 9am, not banging on the door by 9am or you're considered late, so get up earlier.
steal someone elses keycard
8) 'A tradition we've got going on .. the new guy buys a big box of doughnuts for everyone. britters you're the new guy .. Go on then son, jog on ... get at least 40 alright?'
do it, charge it directly to someones account

Just after opinions on how to handle the above really. 'Just take it you're getting a salary' is a valid response I guess :/
Click to expand...
 
I would echo Gilly's reply; pretty much verbatim.

I think having a good working relationship with your boss is very important. I'd try to cultivate an I scratch your back, you scratch mine sort of arrangement, but remember you ARE new, and you can't expect everything to be peachy from the off.

I'd give it another two weeks (how long is your probation period, 3 months?) or maybe another 6... by which point assuming it's 3 month probation you'd no longer be new.

Don't give them a reason to get rid of you while you have no comeback, but once you have some kind of "rights" - then you can really do something about it... I suppose I would just grin and bear it for now, but keep looking for other work if you definitely need a job right now, just in case.
 
You had this coming for all your smugness!

Personally, when you are just a wage slave, you have to suck it up and get on with it. Whining about contract hours makes you sound like a mcdonalds shift worker rather than a professional.
 
OP:
I feel that the workplace is give and take.
I stayed after home time (usually once a week) when I was on placement, but then I did have to go to hospital once or twice and they never complained.

Your relationship with your boss and team should be friendly and you should feel part of the team, not an outsider.

If I had a boss who I severly disliked then I would change jobs. If I was treated like you are then I would leave on time every day. I don't mind staying later now and then, but it is MY choice to do so!

I did a thread on working hours about 5 months ago, have a search there were some interesting discussions:).

Ninja edit: Tell your boss to stop peeing about and give you a card to get in the building and if he calls you at 11:30pm give him some crap about the baby was up crying all night due to that phonecall.
 
britboy4321 said:
1) It is unwritten but expected you give your company some 'free hours' for, I'd describe it, some kind of hopeful tool for career progression, or maybe a bonus that is not guaranteed, or 'because everyone else does' or 'it's the company way'. Your reaction? Smile happily as you watch 7pm click over on the company clock again?
Click to expand...

I'd do it once or twice a week but if it happened day after day i'd start getting uptight.

2) How many free hours do you give a week on average?
Click to expand...

Probably about 2 or 3, but then I get them back as we finish early sometimes.

3) If your boss phoned you at 11:30pm tonight to ask a 5 minute easy tech question, would you think 'no problem', think 'problem' but answer him, or see the caller ID and think 'screw that' and not pick up?
Click to expand...

Once... fine. Twice... er, okay, but i'm getting fed up. All the time? I'd start not answering.

If I was in bed asleep though, the phone would be ignored, no matter what.

4) If your boss on 4:30pm Tuesday said 'tomorrow let's get a headstart into this problem by meeting up at 7:00am and cracking on in' - and you will not be paid or get anything in leiu (you're normally in at 9am), is is a happy 'yes', a resentful 'yes', or a 'nope, see you at 9am unless you're paying/time in leiu'? This happens about once a month?
Click to expand...

Once a month i'd do but i'd expect to be paid for it.

5) Newsletter: Christmas party cost is not gonna be borne by the company as times are hard. Cost instead is to be divided between employees whether you bother attending or not. It's at some posh country house thing so expect to be at least £100 out of pocket, even if you're not going (as it's 'fairest'?!?!?!!). What are you going to do? This instruction comes right from the chief exec ...?
Click to expand...

Dear Chief Exec,

Stuff your job.

Yours sincerely.

6) 'Geoff, John, Gary and Haley can all work from home. You Britboy can not. Yes I know you're doing identical work to them. You can't. I will not explain why you can't (seems to be some kind of thing that is given if you are personal mates with the boss and I haven't earnt this yet). Enjoy not having to travel in tomorrow everyone but Britboy'. What should be my reaction? What would yours be? Become the bosses' next best friend?
Click to expand...

I wouldn't stand for that either. I'd expect the choice, or i'd be out the door.

7) We've not got enough 'keycards' for the security door as they cost money. So you, the new bloke, have to knock on the door to get in. You may have to wait up to 5-10 minutes for someone to open the door especially if everyone close to it is in meetings. You are expected at your desk by 9am, not banging on the door by 9am or you're considered late, so get up earlier.
Click to expand...

Again, i'd be at the door at 9am. If they want to make me late, fine - the option is there to give me a card. If they try to tell me off for it, i'd leave and tell them to stuff it.

8) 'A tradition we've got going on .. the new guy buys a big box of doughnuts for everyone. britters you're the new guy .. Go on then son, jog on ... get at least 40 alright?'
Click to expand...

Once... yes. Twice... meh, but okay. Daily? **** off.

You're well within your rights to feel aggrieved. I'd be out the door after a week if all these things happened to me, but then I have quite a low tolerance for crap employers.
 
I put in extra hours because I care about the work that I do. If someone needs my help I will give it.

Doing things at your own expense (Christmas party, doughnuts) is not on and I wouldn't take that.

PS Name and shame if you do leave.
 
1) If you're salaried, and if everyone else is doing it, then you really don't have a choice - you won't be continuing past your probationary period if you're not a team player. If your salary is worth working a few "extra" hours, suck it up and don't complain, otherwise leave.

On the other hand, if you're actually paid by the hour (so clocked in and out, or on shifts), the culture is different; 1 hour worked = 1 hour paid. Sucks to be salaried!

2) With above answer in mind, you work the same hours as everyone else. If they work 8-6, so do you.

(EDIT: Addendum to 1) and 2)... obviously, the minimum hours you work are "enough to get your job done" regardless!)

3) I'd pick it up the first time (obviously - something might have gone seriously wrong with something you did) and answer the question politely. But I sure as hell wouldn't be picking it up outside of work hours again!

4) Once a month, ish? Do it then leave two hours early. It's just a shifted day, right?

5) You're not going to the company do? Then don't pay. What a ridiculous idea.

6) As someone else commented, this is perfectly reasonable in a probationary period (first 3 months or whatever). After that, I'd ask the question "why not?"

7) If you've turned up in time to be at your desk for 9am, but you are held up by a door you have no way to open, then you are NOT late. Explain this to your boss.

8) Buy the doughnuts - once. Shouldn't cost too much and whether they're winding you up or not it'll break the ice. If they make a habit of that kind of request, crush and sprinkle laxatives. They won't ask again.
 
britboy4321 said:
I started a new job about 6 weeks ago. If the following 8 (common?) things happened to you in your NEW workplace in the first month, what would your reaction to each one be?

'Smile and take it' is not dishonourable .. it's what I've done for the majority of them. Actually at the moment for ALL of them :(

1) It is unwritten but expected you give your company some 'free hours' for, I'd describe it, some kind of hopeful tool for career progression, or maybe a bonus that is not guaranteed, or 'because everyone else does' or 'it's the company way'. Your reaction? Smile happily as you watch 7pm click over on the company clock again?

I constantly battle this at my current job,I insist on getting paid what I work (barring the reasonable runovers) and have to chase my lazy boss to do it in most cases

2) How many free hours do you give a week on average?

no more than 1 or 2 that I won't chase

3) If your boss phoned you at 11:30pm tonight to ask a 5 minute easy tech question, would you think 'no problem', think 'problem' but answer him, or see the caller ID and think 'screw that' and not pick up?

1130pm, no way. 730pm, yeah that's grand. Sometimes I have to ring people on their day off, fair's fair.

4) If your boss on 4:30pm Tuesday said 'tomorrow let's get a headstart into this problem by meeting up at 7:00am and cracking on in' - and you will not be paid or get anything in leiu (you're normally in at 9am), is is a happy 'yes', a resentful 'yes', or a 'nope, see you at 9am unless you're paying/time in leiu'? This happens about once a month?

I'd ask to be paid (my boss would just promise he would and then not. I write it down so I can prove it)

5) Newsletter: Christmas party cost is not gonna be borne by the company as times are hard. Cost instead is to be divided between employees whether you bother attending or not. It's at some posh country house thing so expect to be at least £100 out of pocket, even if you're not going (as it's 'fairest'?!?!?!!). What are you going to do? This instruction comes right from the chief exec ...?

**** that!

6) 'Geoff, John, Gary and Haley can all work from home. You Britboy can not. Yes I know you're doing identical work to them. You can't. I will not explain why you can't (seems to be some kind of thing that is given if you are personal mates with the boss and I haven't earnt this yet). Enjoy not having to travel in tomorrow everyone but Britboy'. What should be my reaction? What would yours be? Become the bosses' next best friend?

You're new, it's fair enough in my book.

7) We've not got enough 'keycards' for the security door as they cost money. So you, the new bloke, have to knock on the door to get in. You may have to wait up to 5-10 minutes for someone to open the door especially if everyone close to it is in meetings. You are expected at your desk by 9am, not banging on the door by 9am or you're considered late, so get up earlier.

I buzz to get in as well. It's a pain but as long as I'm there on time I consider it their fault and happily say so.

8) 'A tradition we've got going on .. the new guy buys a big box of doughnuts for everyone. britters you're the new guy .. Go on then son, jog on ... get at least 40 alright?'

Once, but I wouldn't want to be their biatch. My boss asked me to make him a cup of tea once because he couldn't be bothered.... I was like :/ "really? no"

Just after opinions on how to handle the above really. 'Just take it you're getting a salary' is a valid response I guess :/
Click to expand...
 
If you have any possibility of a bonus and/or a pay rise, then you'd be foolish not to show willing. Generally I won't go in earlier because my commute is 1.5 hours and I have to get up early enough as it is. I often stay late though, but I get a bonus every year, so it's worth it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom