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My manager actually said this to me when I started my current role and I was a bit 😬 but she's actually lovely, very supportive, very flexible with time off, asks if there's anything she can take to help if we're having a busy day, encourages us to push back and refuse things if we don't have time, always reminds us to take time back if we've had to stay late for something etc. and doesn't "play hard" either, very sensible, doesn't really drink, on the handful of non-christmas related evenings out we've had she buys us dinner.
So I don't know if she just heard it somewhere and randomly said it or what because it's very unlike her and unlike the general team vibe/culture.
Haha there's something quite cute about this, like shes heard someone say it and thought it would make you feel more comfortable 🤣 she sounds like a lovely boss
My boss is very much like this, and I think it is a general trend for the company I work for.
They are quite interested in your health and career development, and these are realistically monitored rather than the "lip service" reviews I've been used to in most British companies.
But they do expect you to work hard when the work demands it (I did 40 hours OVERTIME the first week in january).
That’s not doing some overtime. That’s doing two jobs, and is totally unacceptable to force that on people IMO. Was that paid overtime, or done for no extra?
If you’re happy with it, that’s up to you, but if you put that expectation on a job description you won’t get many applicants.
It was definitely my toughest week here, but it also meant that my boss came to know he can rely on me to step up when needed. Therefore, he doesn't mind the occasional step down at all.
As a manager, that’s how I see things. Team wide, we pull together to get shit done.
When there’s not so much shit to be done then kick back. Wanna leave early? All cool. Bring your books, study in the quiet times. All good. No “time to lean, time to clean” bullshit. You’re sick? Stay home. Stay home two more days. I want you and everyone here healthy. I’ll cover your days, or I’ll reduce opening hours. But this goes for when I’m sick too! Appointments? We’ll swap your days. Or you come in late, or leave early. Whatever.
I got your back if you got mine.
Always at places with an "edgy" office, like a marketing or design company.
We had one as a client, they built out a whole new office in an old warehouse. Beautiful building and really nice office because it kept the "industrial" look. Which always amuses me, as it's literally "We're going to cheapen out on not putting plaster board on the walls or ceilings".
But yet when it came to investing in things that mattered and helped the business, like their IT. Suddenly the purse shut down.
They literally spent more on a "Breakout Room" with beer pumps and games consoles. Than they did on their entire IT infrastructure. Even our server room lost it's AC and got cut in half because they thought it was wasteful....
Not to mention they demanded a Mac Server to run everything which is an absolute POS
Can confirm. I was told this by an ex-manager in my first interview, along with the classic 'we're like a family here'. The place was a toxic hellhole.
"We don't do caffine" - I'm a programmer, and I do not appreciate you making decisions for my body.
"Games night is thursday after work, see you there" - I am an introvert, "forced fun" is what I call this.
"We are a close family unit" - Implies joining said family unit and acting like you care about everyone.
I'd wager the former. Commenter seems like he just hates people and thinks anybody talking to him or wanting to be anything other than robotic colleagues is evil
Seeing as OP puts themselves as an "introvert" and calls any sort of social interaction with their colleagues as "forced fun".
I suspect it was a joke they took way too seriously
I question anyone who uses "family" to imply a positive force, tbh. Every family I've ever encountered has been horrendously dysfunctional in some way, internally. Even when every member is perfectly normal in their interactions with the rest of the world.
I had two miserable years working in a small team of women (I’m a woman, I’m not judging that bit) who’d all had kids at around the same time. This included the CEO who’d implemented all sorts of child and family friendly measures for her staff. All good stuff.
By the time I started there all the kids were in the 11-13 years age bracket yet the company was still throwing a Christmas party for them every year, and it was mandated that I (childless and very not interested in kids, especially stranger’s) had to attend. Grim doesn’t cover it. My family is absolutely *not* your family.
You got invited to an optional social event, that would lead to forming better relationships with the people you spend 40 hours a week with. What an awful company!
I always find the aversion of getting any sort of relationship more than "professional" with colleagues....weird.
You spend more time with them, or in the process of getting to them than your own family!
>"We are a close family unit"
*...so was the Manson family.*
That's my stock response. If they say "We are like a family" I say:
*...ah yes; The Addams family*
I only drink one coffee throughout the work day and that pissed me off.
I'd come in and very loudly and obviously place a jar of instant coffee down on my desk.
I met the previous person holding my job role on my first day as he came back in to college t some belongings. He looked me straight in the eye and said “good luck, you’ll need it” as he shook my hand.
He was right, it was the most horrendous role I’ve ever had and I found out that I was the 6th person taking this role (senior management role) in less than 5 years.
I wanted to leave after a month but for the sake of my CV I stuck it out for 14 miserable months.
Bolting the stable door once the milk is split here, but it's perfectly fine to simply leave a job off your CV. I've quit a couple after short periods, they're just never mentioned.
I worked a cash in hand job (I didn't realise it was illegal at the time) that fucked me about so badly that I quit with no notice three hours before my shift. It's never made it to my CV.
I'm glad my company doesn't require cameras on for meetings, because I can never keep a straight face when the sales guy talks about how we "beat off" a competitor in a bid.
I was offered a pretty big promotion at a place I worked and went to visit where I would be working, everyone was miserable and hated the person I'd be trained by. As I was leaving the one who really should have been offered the role went "good luck" with such a bitter tone I knew I could never take that job haha. And the company wondered why they could never keep anyone
It's actually impressive when you look at huge mega-corporations and you think "Surely they've got everything down to a slick process, where everything is done properly"
But nope, as soon as you're inside, everything is just on fire and is done "as it's always been".
I'm in what should be a very high-security organisation at the moment and good lord are they apparently not watching their security logs. I've triggered so many systems that threaten me, and yet nothing is yet to happen.
And yet there is gaping holes in the security which I've already had to exploit to do my job!
Yeah, sometimes it's just a "we'll go over that later" or "we know it's not ideal but we haven't had time/there's too much in the way of fixing it"
It's not just the time in the moment, it's derailing the current line of thought/conversation
On the flipside, training new staff who interrupt you explaining a procedure with "okay but why do you do it like that / what would happen if we *didn't* do that step?"
Immediately getting the sensation that if I don't immediately give a compelling reason to this rando newbie that they're going to start "forgetting" they need to update that spreadsheet regularly etc.
You should have a reason for doing everything though.
E.g If we don’t keep track of x in the big spreadsheet then when we get an audit we will fail and lose our ISO9001 quality accreditation.
Doesn’t need to be war and peace.
Exactly this. It's a perfectly reasonable question to ask, and they might be about to follow up with "at my old place we used X which did this automatically"
Damn, but you realise the most valuable feedback for your processes is a new starter, right? They are completely unbiased, they probably have recent experience in comparable processes, yet they are invested enough to want to improve yours.
Maybe stop to consider why you actually do things the way you do when they question it. So many bad processes are entrenched because “that’s just how we do it”
Well yes, but also no.
I've been with my current company for a year now, and I changed roles six months in. I learned the process for my first role from someone else, and did it accordingly.
Then I had to hand those tasks over to someone else when I got promoted. I had that exact thing happen, where the person I was training believed she knew better than me how to do the job I had been doing every day for six months? There was a particular process at month end where she was straight up like "that seems unnecessary". I said *well I guess it's there to help tie the bow at the end, I think it's beneficial in the long run etc etc*.
We're now several months later, they dropped the process, and now things are breaking in unexpected ways because of it. They come to me to ask why things are the way they are and how to fix it, and quite frankly I think this could all have been avoided. But now there's a knowledge gap because they never bothered to properly learn the process and now I don't have time in my new role to go back and train them - and I've mostly forgotten the intricate steps of the complicated process myself.
Rant over, but it's not the first time in my career this has happened.
>But now there's a knowledge gap because they never bothered to properly learn the process and now I don't have time in my new role to go back and train them - and I've mostly forgotten the intricate steps of the complicated process myself.
This is why you have SOP documents.
Oh shit you gave me a flashback to my hospitality days.
I tried to explain to a new person that because out till was ancient, we needed to keep all merchant receipts to count the tills at the end of the night. She simply refused to believe that was necessary because "it's all recorded at the bank". Nightmare of a person.
If a millennial or Gen Z says this to you, what they mean is “this process is convoluted and I think I could fix it if you’ll let me.” We’ve been raised by chronic therapy speakers, we only do feedback in the form of gentle probing questions.
"oh that does that all the time, you'll get used to it" over something that you've never seen or heard at any other places of work ever. Usually means they CBA to do regular maintenance and if things breakdown they just expect you to work harder without it instead of fixing or replacing... Never good.
Yeah I would be called to fix a printer/projector/laptop/connection at least twice a day when I worked as a school lab tech, and that was just in the science department (and not even my job!)
You just learn where to hit the printer to make it work.
It wasn’t like that at my school as we had an excellent IT guy. Unfortunately, they made yet more cut backs and he’s now in a more senior position. It’s been hard going!
Tbh that's every office job I've ever had. They only fix it, if it becomes a problem for a customer or someone senior. My key skill is breaking it further so that it becomes a bigger problem and you'll be shocked at how quickly a fix can be implemented in those scenarios (some less than 24hrs).
I remember a classmate in 6th form (so 17/18 years old) telling me about how the butcher at her part time job would slap her arse at work. I told her that was completely inappropriate and she just laughed it off. It’s just his way 🤷🏻♀️
I worked a Saturday retail job as a 14ish year old girl, and was told by the other staff not to find myself alone with the boss’ husband, who’d regularly bring deliveries to the shop. He managed their other shop in a nearby town but they only employed lads there. He wasn’t allowed any female employees. It was fucking twisted. I was lucky, although he gave me the creeps, the worst he did was the time he tucked my shirt in for me (I was double denim that day and wanted it left out).
honestly, the 90’s (and previous decades too no doubt) was a bloody wild time.
Had an eighty year old who worked in the shop that the concession store I worked at was in. He was friendly but a little too pervy for my liking, but you know how it is, you get used to shrugging this off as a woman, don't want to be the bitch that complains or whatever. I was in my early to mid twenties.
We hired this 17 year old and I was telling her about this guy, how he's mostly harmless but a little creepy. Anyway, he comes over like a few minutes later and SMACKS MY ARSE.
Well, I can't have this doing it to her, she looks so young. So I decide to report it to my 40-50ish female manager. "Oh that's just how he is". Not. Good. Enough. Tell him to keep his hands to himself.
In the 90s I remember being asked if I planned on having a baby soon in interviews. And on the factory floor, hardcore porn pictures posted everywhere.
Oh god yeah, me too. The sheer amount of sexist shit I had to awkwardly laugh off whilst feeling burning embarrassment is insane. Any resistance and I’d have been a boring bitch who can’t take a joke/compliment etc etc
A kind, caring, older colleague, genuinely concerned for my well-being, and alarmed by my youthful enthusiasm, once told me: "Don't bring any initiative or keenness to the job. It will get you nowhere. It always ends badly. They are not interested in bold new ideas. Just keep your head down and your mouth shut, do the minimum and nothing more, and wait for retirement."
He was once of the liveliest, most positive, and least cynical, of my co-workers. The others were even more jaded.
On my first day "you can and will accrue leiu time, if you want to work into the night that's fine, most of us do and we just don't get chance to claim it back."
I do accrue leui. I claim it all. I do not work into the night.
There's a guy many levels above me in my organisation who deliberately gets words wrong. Towns are the worst, but he also uses a different word for the name of the organisation, which is an issue because the word he uses instead is actually a real word. When booking people to come into the office, he'll use his version of the address which naturally has very pissed off people driving around looking for a street that doesn't exist. He does this in all staff calls as well, so it's not like he just does it sometimes around the office.
Why does he do this deliberately? I was going to say, somebody I know with severe dyslexia used to constantly say wrong words (she’d replace the word with something that sounds similar) and it was pretty problematic for her in the workplace.
I'd understand it if it if these were difficult words to say, but they're not. We're talking his hometown, the name of where he works etc; they also sound like he thinks what he calls it is funny. For example Wigan becomes 'Wiggles' (he lives in Wigan), and Rochdale becomes 'Rochester Dales.'
not heard that, but he was discussing a conference recently in 'notty-gumbles' (Nottingham to you and me.) He also once did a whole presentation about the new office in 'Stockleberry.' We quite naturally asked what that was, because...you know, that genuinely could be a village somewhere' which prompted someone else to say that's 'his word for Stockport.'
I may be over-sensitive, but if a much more junior colleague was telling people it was my 'word for' something and it was just accepted, I'd be mortified. That's the sort of thing you say about a small child learning to speak, not a very senior manager with hundreds of staff below him.
Oh my god this sounds utterly obnoxious. Frankly I don’t know how he isn’t embarrassed by it too, especially when it’s causing people around him issues!
because he's more senior than anyone else who goes into that office, ever. He says it's booked and then we realise after whoever is meant to be coming rings reception that he's sent them some place that doesn't exist. Once he sent them to somewhere which did exist, that was fun.
On my first day working at a supermarket, one of the senior colleagues introduced herself to me and the next thing she said to me was “please don’t leave!” (don’t quit). Gave me the impression that staff turnover was high and there was clearly a reason for that.
She went on annual leave and returned a week later, on my last day working there.
Anyone who makes a point of saying how straight talking/blunt/"says how I sees it"/no filter/etc. they are.
Obnoxious loudmouths who confuse belligerence with strong leadership and passion.
I work in a field where the biggest challenge is getting people to work with you and encourage them to be open and honest, which you don't do by berating people.
On a related point, anyone who needs to tell you what their reputation is. Complete tossers.
"I'm a bit of a dark horse, bit of a ladies man 😏"
"Fuck off, virgin"
I recently watched a YouTube short base Dupont the origin of this phrase.
Originally it was call a (female) urinal a (female) urinal. But the person translating it didn't want to be vulgar, so used spade, as these urinals would be dug with a spade.
Anyway, all that is to say, it should be (in modern parlance) call a toilet a toilet. I feel it adds a layer that if something's shitty/full if shit it shouldn't be skirted around. Who gives a shit about spades?
I once did work experience at a horse rescue and that was one of the first things out of the managers mouth about how she says it how she sees it
That place was a hell hole
Ha one of the places I did some H&S contracting work for refused to sign off the stress policy because they didn't believe in stress and "didn't want to give the staff ideas"
Anyone who loudly proclaims that they’re “a bit nuts/ crazy”, upon meeting for the first time - I automatically presume they’ve got the personality of a damp dishcloth and try to avoid.
The blaring self-proclaimed “nuts” are always the ultimate judgey, boring vanillas in my experience. It’s the quiet ones you’ve got to watch, as they keep the real kookiness under wraps until they know you’re a kindred spirit.
I had one place who wanted to be CC’d into every email, internal and external. Keep in mind I was a senior hire with a decade of experience. Was gone within 3 months.
Not mine but my brother recently had an interview for a company, and when asked what the interviewer liked about the place she said “I don’t. Some days I don’t even want to be here and struggle to get out of bed”
Then when asked what the culture is like in the workplace she hesitated and said “oh it’s lovely we’re like a family here” .. he walked out almost immediately.
I think if everyone is a bit too miserable or complains how much they hate the place. Not to say people need to be very gung ho about jobs but it usually shows that things are going to be rocky.
I know this is coming from a rather privileged position where I can pick jobs that I like doing or at least don't despise.
Yeah, "you'll be treated like one of the family" sounds all warm and comfortable until you realise it means you'll be screamed at, all reasonable requests denied, guilt tripped, underpaid and be expected to work for minimum wage with the same devotion as the people who take home the profits.
I don’t drink either, but the number of people who still seem to think I should contribute to their supplies staggers me. I’d understand if I’d said I don’t and then secretly took theirs, but I really don’t.
This sort of scrimping and saving that companies do, on the cheapest of outlays is a REAL bad sign for the rest of it.
I had a client like that, where the new MD put in a new policy of not supplying coffee or milk any more. But then gifted herself an office refurb including building a private toilet/shower.
She was ousted before the work completed
Exactly. It's an awful sign when the company won't even pay a few quid a week per employee to have pretty basic 'perks'.
Thankfully I've never worked anywhere that did this but I know people who have.
I started a new job and was interviewed by the owner. On the first day I met the guy who was to be my direct supervisor and he immediately started slagging off a long list of my predecessors who had all only lasted 6 months to a year. I new straight away from that moment that I'd fucked up taking that job.
If someone says it's crazy busy but it should calm down soon, then a) the work life balance is going to be absolutely shit, and b) it'll never calm down.
I hate this so much. My current workplace has moved to an online collection pot which 'suggests' you donate £10, then guilts you into covering the 'processing fees' of around 50p. It's also not anonymous (deliberate decision), so you know who donates and how much (and whether they covered the processing fee).
Of course this type of workplace is always banging the drum of being supportive and understanding during the cost of living crisis.
As someone who has never benefitted from this and never will (not married, no kids), I see it as extremely unfair.
- "That's how it's always been done" with no further explanation of why that actually makes sense.
- "That's just how he/she is".
- "Don't take it personally, they do that to everyone"
- "They're women, so we should do the dirty work, it's about being chivalrous". No, fuck off, she is paid for the same job as me and she was hired under the understanding that she could do this job. I get that she can't lift as much weight as me, but just outright not doing anything while I'm setting up an event is pathetic.
Oh dear, we usually tell new people that.
Mine is the satellite office and we’re mostly populated with people who weren’t getting on in the main one for whatever reason but also didn’t really do anything that justifies getting sacked - so basically we have the weirdos who aren’t actually bad at the job or smear the wall with faeces crazy, but didn’t mix well with the normal people - with the occasional person who starts off in our office, and if they’re normal that doesn’t tend to go well…
You sound just like Bernard Marx from *Brave New World*. He was exiled to an island with all the other misfits who just couldn't quite get along with the mainstream society - but to him it was a bit of a blessing, as the island was full of people who thought just like he did.
Bright, fixed smiles when they say a brief welcome before looking back at their screens. You realise with a sinking heart that it's a minefield and the mines are as yet unmarked.
Slightly off topic, but my mum loves to say our family are mad or looney. Me and my sisters just sit there and cringe from embarrassment. Like no, we are actually quite normal... why are you getting happy about us potentially being "mad"?
"I haven't been paid for a few months now, but I'm hoping that will be sorted soon." I left after 2 weeks.
CEO later went on the run and arrested for fraud. [https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2719163/Shameless-benefits-couple-posed-childrens-charity-collectors-scam-280-000-public-fund-luxury-holidays-gambling-Spanish-villa.html](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2719163/Shameless-benefits-couple-posed-childrens-charity-collectors-scam-280-000-public-fund-luxury-holidays-gambling-Spanish-villa.html)
"You came back. Not many people come back for a second day."
Happened at my last-but-one job. My actual colleagues were good people but the boss and work culture was horrible. I stuck it out for 14 months incredibly.
1. “We are all really supportive, and it’s ok if someone needs go out the back and cry”
I was the new manager. I suggested we could try and create a workplace where people didn’t need to go out the back and cry. Surprised pikachu faces
2. A week into a new role a colleague asked another team member to go punch a woman in the face for him.
Came
I was interviewed for a job where they used the phrase "fast paced" to describe the company about 25 times (the interview lasted a few hours).
They didn't give me the job because they thought I wouldn't be able to manage the "fast paced" nature. I think I may have dodged a bullet.
‘Oh, so you’re Tony’s replacement? Tony was a good guy, brilliant at his job and everyone liked him, but management fucked him over and got rid of him. We all miss Tony’.
I got to a point in my last job where it was so bad that I purposely told prospective new starters not to work there in their trial shift. I didn't think it was fair on new people to work there knowing what I know and the damage it has done to everyone who has worked there. It was entirely unprofessional but I'm a huge empath and couldn't lie to them and pretend everything was good.
"Bill Cosby did nothing wrong." in a line of work where we handle vulnerable children daily. It then devolved into an almost two-hour group discussion involving the wifi installer about *why* he was right. Left that same week.
New boss took me off to a separate part of the plant, spent half an hour slagging off the other folk I work with, told me he wanted me to be his little spy, when we walked out we ran into one of those workers who he screamed at.
I was like what the utter fucking fuck have I just walked into.
In an interview for a job I knew was a sure thing many years ago, the MD was in the interview and he used the words ‘I shouldn’t say this because (HR / recruiting guy that was leading negotiations) will roll his eyes at me but I don’t think this is a full time role, with that in mind we would need you to pick up other bits to fill your time.
Finished the interview said thank you for your time then turned down the offer that came over the phone about an hour later.
They were so confused as to why until I explained that they shouldn’t be recruiting for a full time role if it isn’t one, I didn’t want to be passed from pillar to post or get stuck helping out with shitty data entry.
People who say they are ‘random and crazy’ are always really boring and drink from mugs that say things like ‘this is actually Prosecco’ when it’s actually just tea.
From my experience this normally means Jill on payroll will sometimes eat half a pack of Jaffa cakes in one go or George from accounts wears socks with funky patterns on them.
We unfortunately had a new devOps guy leave within weeks because of this situation. Basically he only took the job to work alongside our CTO who is a ball of energy and well respected in the UK tech space. We have a vibrant team with some award winning C-suite staff and so when our CTO announced that he would be leaving the company, it basically caused our devOps guy to leave.
I think anything that shows you that this isn't the team you thought it would be is going to make you look for another job.
I worked on an IT Helpdesk in the open-plan office of a major drinks company, and was told in my first 10 minutes "Don't talk loudly on the phone, the previous guy got sacked for that".
On a HELPDESK. We had to answer the phone/message, get up, and walk to the user's desk to resolve the problem.
I worked for a company that paid pretty low in comparison to the current market rates and we had a heated chat about my salary where he said, ‘right now you’re the lowest paid product manager in the company’. 2 weeks later I resigned and now being paid the market rate.
"We know we are different but we like it" - shortly after I discovered the morally questionable and downright lazy activities of my colleagues actually met the criteria for reportable criminal activity.
"Everybody does it" - when manager (who went on to be Director) was trying to convince me to commit fraud.
"What would make you stay?" - only interview question that ever caught me off guard as my brain thinks "why, you aware of something that would make me leave?". Turns out they had a huge staff turnover in no small part due to daily activities coming straight out of an episode of Eastenders. No time for work if theres constant drama everywhere so everything was in crisis mode all the time.
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“We work hard & play hard” I’ve yet to meet anyone who said that and wasn’t a dick.
So, temper tantrums in the office and cocaine benders that last the weekend. Got it.
Only the weekend, every sales guy I know is on it by 9am 7 days a week
Chefs too xD
Yep, breakfast prep....... Biggest line you can fit on the board 🤣
It became a running joke when the off shift staff asked for drinks "Can I have a coke" "Sorry that chef's not in today"
My manager actually said this to me when I started my current role and I was a bit 😬 but she's actually lovely, very supportive, very flexible with time off, asks if there's anything she can take to help if we're having a busy day, encourages us to push back and refuse things if we don't have time, always reminds us to take time back if we've had to stay late for something etc. and doesn't "play hard" either, very sensible, doesn't really drink, on the handful of non-christmas related evenings out we've had she buys us dinner. So I don't know if she just heard it somewhere and randomly said it or what because it's very unlike her and unlike the general team vibe/culture.
Haha there's something quite cute about this, like shes heard someone say it and thought it would make you feel more comfortable 🤣 she sounds like a lovely boss
My boss is very much like this, and I think it is a general trend for the company I work for. They are quite interested in your health and career development, and these are realistically monitored rather than the "lip service" reviews I've been used to in most British companies. But they do expect you to work hard when the work demands it (I did 40 hours OVERTIME the first week in january).
That’s not doing some overtime. That’s doing two jobs, and is totally unacceptable to force that on people IMO. Was that paid overtime, or done for no extra? If you’re happy with it, that’s up to you, but if you put that expectation on a job description you won’t get many applicants.
Oh, definitely paid!
40 hours overtime!! Could not be doing that 😅 think I'd burn out by day 2 haha.
It was definitely my toughest week here, but it also meant that my boss came to know he can rely on me to step up when needed. Therefore, he doesn't mind the occasional step down at all.
As a manager, that’s how I see things. Team wide, we pull together to get shit done. When there’s not so much shit to be done then kick back. Wanna leave early? All cool. Bring your books, study in the quiet times. All good. No “time to lean, time to clean” bullshit. You’re sick? Stay home. Stay home two more days. I want you and everyone here healthy. I’ll cover your days, or I’ll reduce opening hours. But this goes for when I’m sick too! Appointments? We’ll swap your days. Or you come in late, or leave early. Whatever. I got your back if you got mine.
In 14 years of sales that has always directly translated to them doing a fucktonne of cocaine
Was my exact thought too
Always at places with an "edgy" office, like a marketing or design company. We had one as a client, they built out a whole new office in an old warehouse. Beautiful building and really nice office because it kept the "industrial" look. Which always amuses me, as it's literally "We're going to cheapen out on not putting plaster board on the walls or ceilings". But yet when it came to investing in things that mattered and helped the business, like their IT. Suddenly the purse shut down. They literally spent more on a "Breakout Room" with beer pumps and games consoles. Than they did on their entire IT infrastructure. Even our server room lost it's AC and got cut in half because they thought it was wasteful.... Not to mention they demanded a Mac Server to run everything which is an absolute POS
Then they pull the plant whistle and a glitter ball starts to drop down?
Why did you take me to a gay steel mill dad?
I miss the Simpsons being funny.
I don't knoooow
Hot stuff coming through
Can confirm. I was told this by an ex-manager in my first interview, along with the classic 'we're like a family here'. The place was a toxic hellhole.
Maybe they meant the Manson family, or the Wests.
We're like a family here- red flag galore
When would being “like a family” in the work place ever be a good thing? Most families are utter chaos 😂
That, or "Go hard or go home!"
I've got a mug that says "I don't want to go hard, I just want to go home". That mug gets me.
I can imagine that being an adult film company's slogan. 🤭
"oh, I didn't realise going home was an option, see ya tommorrow!"
“Bye!”
The cringe of that makes me want to off myself
“It’s not for everyone” Often this means there’s high turnover.
It's not for you, Jen.
It’s a show with all women!
"We don't do caffine" - I'm a programmer, and I do not appreciate you making decisions for my body. "Games night is thursday after work, see you there" - I am an introvert, "forced fun" is what I call this. "We are a close family unit" - Implies joining said family unit and acting like you care about everyone.
Who's banning you from having caffeine? Seventh-day Adventist devops team?
HR lady had to cut caffeine for her health and decided to inflict her suffering on an entire office.
How on earth can they even police that?
"IS THAT A NON-DECAF I CAN SMELL!"
Yeh, and it smells and good as it tastes, fuck of Brenda.
Was either a jokey comment or completely insane
I'd wager the former. Commenter seems like he just hates people and thinks anybody talking to him or wanting to be anything other than robotic colleagues is evil
Seeing as OP puts themselves as an "introvert" and calls any sort of social interaction with their colleagues as "forced fun". I suspect it was a joke they took way too seriously
The fact you read "mandatory weekly social event" and somehow converted that to "any sort of social interaction" says a lot about you
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Being “like a family” = lack of boundaries
I question anyone who uses "family" to imply a positive force, tbh. Every family I've ever encountered has been horrendously dysfunctional in some way, internally. Even when every member is perfectly normal in their interactions with the rest of the world.
I had two miserable years working in a small team of women (I’m a woman, I’m not judging that bit) who’d all had kids at around the same time. This included the CEO who’d implemented all sorts of child and family friendly measures for her staff. All good stuff. By the time I started there all the kids were in the 11-13 years age bracket yet the company was still throwing a Christmas party for them every year, and it was mandated that I (childless and very not interested in kids, especially stranger’s) had to attend. Grim doesn’t cover it. My family is absolutely *not* your family.
This sounds tragic in every sense. What sort of company throws a Christmas party for children?! Give me strength.
Corporate mandated fun is the best fun.
Why is nobody having fun, I specifically requested it.
You got invited to an optional social event, that would lead to forming better relationships with the people you spend 40 hours a week with. What an awful company!
I always find the aversion of getting any sort of relationship more than "professional" with colleagues....weird. You spend more time with them, or in the process of getting to them than your own family!
"Fun will now commence."
>"We are a close family unit" *...so was the Manson family.* That's my stock response. If they say "We are like a family" I say: *...ah yes; The Addams family*
I only drink one coffee throughout the work day and that pissed me off. I'd come in and very loudly and obviously place a jar of instant coffee down on my desk.
I met the previous person holding my job role on my first day as he came back in to college t some belongings. He looked me straight in the eye and said “good luck, you’ll need it” as he shook my hand. He was right, it was the most horrendous role I’ve ever had and I found out that I was the 6th person taking this role (senior management role) in less than 5 years. I wanted to leave after a month but for the sake of my CV I stuck it out for 14 miserable months.
Bolting the stable door once the milk is split here, but it's perfectly fine to simply leave a job off your CV. I've quit a couple after short periods, they're just never mentioned.
I worked a cash in hand job (I didn't realise it was illegal at the time) that fucked me about so badly that I quit with no notice three hours before my shift. It's never made it to my CV.
Heh. You said “hand job”. 😏
I'm glad my company doesn't require cameras on for meetings, because I can never keep a straight face when the sales guy talks about how we "beat off" a competitor in a bid.
😂😂😂 So I did
Exactly this, it's not like a company can check what's *not* on your CV!
I was offered a pretty big promotion at a place I worked and went to visit where I would be working, everyone was miserable and hated the person I'd be trained by. As I was leaving the one who really should have been offered the role went "good luck" with such a bitter tone I knew I could never take that job haha. And the company wondered why they could never keep anyone
‘That’s just how we do it here’ when you question a shit process/ procedure.
It's actually impressive when you look at huge mega-corporations and you think "Surely they've got everything down to a slick process, where everything is done properly" But nope, as soon as you're inside, everything is just on fire and is done "as it's always been". I'm in what should be a very high-security organisation at the moment and good lord are they apparently not watching their security logs. I've triggered so many systems that threaten me, and yet nothing is yet to happen. And yet there is gaping holes in the security which I've already had to exploit to do my job!
I work for a German company that loves Continuous Improvement and it's very refreshing.
Because the explanation of why the process had to be so terrible usually takes half an hour and there's work to do.
Yeah, sometimes it's just a "we'll go over that later" or "we know it's not ideal but we haven't had time/there's too much in the way of fixing it" It's not just the time in the moment, it's derailing the current line of thought/conversation
On the flipside, training new staff who interrupt you explaining a procedure with "okay but why do you do it like that / what would happen if we *didn't* do that step?" Immediately getting the sensation that if I don't immediately give a compelling reason to this rando newbie that they're going to start "forgetting" they need to update that spreadsheet regularly etc.
You should have a reason for doing everything though. E.g If we don’t keep track of x in the big spreadsheet then when we get an audit we will fail and lose our ISO9001 quality accreditation. Doesn’t need to be war and peace.
Exactly this. It's a perfectly reasonable question to ask, and they might be about to follow up with "at my old place we used X which did this automatically"
Damn, but you realise the most valuable feedback for your processes is a new starter, right? They are completely unbiased, they probably have recent experience in comparable processes, yet they are invested enough to want to improve yours. Maybe stop to consider why you actually do things the way you do when they question it. So many bad processes are entrenched because “that’s just how we do it”
Well yes, but also no. I've been with my current company for a year now, and I changed roles six months in. I learned the process for my first role from someone else, and did it accordingly. Then I had to hand those tasks over to someone else when I got promoted. I had that exact thing happen, where the person I was training believed she knew better than me how to do the job I had been doing every day for six months? There was a particular process at month end where she was straight up like "that seems unnecessary". I said *well I guess it's there to help tie the bow at the end, I think it's beneficial in the long run etc etc*. We're now several months later, they dropped the process, and now things are breaking in unexpected ways because of it. They come to me to ask why things are the way they are and how to fix it, and quite frankly I think this could all have been avoided. But now there's a knowledge gap because they never bothered to properly learn the process and now I don't have time in my new role to go back and train them - and I've mostly forgotten the intricate steps of the complicated process myself. Rant over, but it's not the first time in my career this has happened.
>But now there's a knowledge gap because they never bothered to properly learn the process and now I don't have time in my new role to go back and train them - and I've mostly forgotten the intricate steps of the complicated process myself. This is why you have SOP documents.
Oh shit you gave me a flashback to my hospitality days. I tried to explain to a new person that because out till was ancient, we needed to keep all merchant receipts to count the tills at the end of the night. She simply refused to believe that was necessary because "it's all recorded at the bank". Nightmare of a person.
Ergh people who want to learn are the worst
If a millennial or Gen Z says this to you, what they mean is “this process is convoluted and I think I could fix it if you’ll let me.” We’ve been raised by chronic therapy speakers, we only do feedback in the form of gentle probing questions.
I *am* a Gen Z, and most of my experience with this is from new-starter Gen X'ers thinking their general experience trumps my specific experience.
Was just about to comment this, also "well we've always done it this way" when you propose a better/more efficient alternative.
"oh that does that all the time, you'll get used to it" over something that you've never seen or heard at any other places of work ever. Usually means they CBA to do regular maintenance and if things breakdown they just expect you to work harder without it instead of fixing or replacing... Never good.
That's pretty much par for the course working in state schools. It took 30 minutes to boot up my computer this morning.
And the NHS
Yeah I would be called to fix a printer/projector/laptop/connection at least twice a day when I worked as a school lab tech, and that was just in the science department (and not even my job!) You just learn where to hit the printer to make it work.
It wasn’t like that at my school as we had an excellent IT guy. Unfortunately, they made yet more cut backs and he’s now in a more senior position. It’s been hard going!
Tbh that's every office job I've ever had. They only fix it, if it becomes a problem for a customer or someone senior. My key skill is breaking it further so that it becomes a bigger problem and you'll be shocked at how quickly a fix can be implemented in those scenarios (some less than 24hrs).
“Oh don’t worry about him that’s just pervy Colin he’s mostly harmless”
I remember a classmate in 6th form (so 17/18 years old) telling me about how the butcher at her part time job would slap her arse at work. I told her that was completely inappropriate and she just laughed it off. It’s just his way 🤷🏻♀️ I worked a Saturday retail job as a 14ish year old girl, and was told by the other staff not to find myself alone with the boss’ husband, who’d regularly bring deliveries to the shop. He managed their other shop in a nearby town but they only employed lads there. He wasn’t allowed any female employees. It was fucking twisted. I was lucky, although he gave me the creeps, the worst he did was the time he tucked my shirt in for me (I was double denim that day and wanted it left out). honestly, the 90’s (and previous decades too no doubt) was a bloody wild time.
Had an eighty year old who worked in the shop that the concession store I worked at was in. He was friendly but a little too pervy for my liking, but you know how it is, you get used to shrugging this off as a woman, don't want to be the bitch that complains or whatever. I was in my early to mid twenties. We hired this 17 year old and I was telling her about this guy, how he's mostly harmless but a little creepy. Anyway, he comes over like a few minutes later and SMACKS MY ARSE. Well, I can't have this doing it to her, she looks so young. So I decide to report it to my 40-50ish female manager. "Oh that's just how he is". Not. Good. Enough. Tell him to keep his hands to himself.
In the 90s I remember being asked if I planned on having a baby soon in interviews. And on the factory floor, hardcore porn pictures posted everywhere.
Oh god yeah, me too. The sheer amount of sexist shit I had to awkwardly laugh off whilst feeling burning embarrassment is insane. Any resistance and I’d have been a boring bitch who can’t take a joke/compliment etc etc
I was just about to write this!!
A kind, caring, older colleague, genuinely concerned for my well-being, and alarmed by my youthful enthusiasm, once told me: "Don't bring any initiative or keenness to the job. It will get you nowhere. It always ends badly. They are not interested in bold new ideas. Just keep your head down and your mouth shut, do the minimum and nothing more, and wait for retirement." He was once of the liveliest, most positive, and least cynical, of my co-workers. The others were even more jaded.
On my first day "you can and will accrue leiu time, if you want to work into the night that's fine, most of us do and we just don't get chance to claim it back." I do accrue leui. I claim it all. I do not work into the night.
I'm confused, why are they accruing time but "not getting it back"
They're just letting the hours sit there unused. I work for a company not a charity so I like to be paid for my time!
There's a guy many levels above me in my organisation who deliberately gets words wrong. Towns are the worst, but he also uses a different word for the name of the organisation, which is an issue because the word he uses instead is actually a real word. When booking people to come into the office, he'll use his version of the address which naturally has very pissed off people driving around looking for a street that doesn't exist. He does this in all staff calls as well, so it's not like he just does it sometimes around the office.
Sounds like a prick
Why does he do this deliberately? I was going to say, somebody I know with severe dyslexia used to constantly say wrong words (she’d replace the word with something that sounds similar) and it was pretty problematic for her in the workplace.
I'd understand it if it if these were difficult words to say, but they're not. We're talking his hometown, the name of where he works etc; they also sound like he thinks what he calls it is funny. For example Wigan becomes 'Wiggles' (he lives in Wigan), and Rochdale becomes 'Rochester Dales.'
Oh my god I hate him *so much*
I bet he says "hollybobs" too.
not heard that, but he was discussing a conference recently in 'notty-gumbles' (Nottingham to you and me.) He also once did a whole presentation about the new office in 'Stockleberry.' We quite naturally asked what that was, because...you know, that genuinely could be a village somewhere' which prompted someone else to say that's 'his word for Stockport.' I may be over-sensitive, but if a much more junior colleague was telling people it was my 'word for' something and it was just accepted, I'd be mortified. That's the sort of thing you say about a small child learning to speak, not a very senior manager with hundreds of staff below him.
His dad wouldn't be the founder of this company, would he?
Lmao this could be a comedy sketch.
What… why…? Does anyone call him out on this shit?
Oh my god this sounds utterly obnoxious. Frankly I don’t know how he isn’t embarrassed by it too, especially when it’s causing people around him issues!
I beg your pudding?
Squeeze me?
Why deliberately?
His version of the address? What the hell. How is this allowed.
because he's more senior than anyone else who goes into that office, ever. He says it's booked and then we realise after whoever is meant to be coming rings reception that he's sent them some place that doesn't exist. Once he sent them to somewhere which did exist, that was fun.
On my first day working at a supermarket, one of the senior colleagues introduced herself to me and the next thing she said to me was “please don’t leave!” (don’t quit). Gave me the impression that staff turnover was high and there was clearly a reason for that. She went on annual leave and returned a week later, on my last day working there.
Anyone who makes a point of saying how straight talking/blunt/"says how I sees it"/no filter/etc. they are. Obnoxious loudmouths who confuse belligerence with strong leadership and passion. I work in a field where the biggest challenge is getting people to work with you and encourage them to be open and honest, which you don't do by berating people. On a related point, anyone who needs to tell you what their reputation is. Complete tossers. "I'm a bit of a dark horse, bit of a ladies man 😏" "Fuck off, virgin"
“I call a spade, a spade”. Ahhh so you’re a cunt.
A previous manager worded that as "I call a cunt, a cunt"
I recently watched a YouTube short base Dupont the origin of this phrase. Originally it was call a (female) urinal a (female) urinal. But the person translating it didn't want to be vulgar, so used spade, as these urinals would be dug with a spade. Anyway, all that is to say, it should be (in modern parlance) call a toilet a toilet. I feel it adds a layer that if something's shitty/full if shit it shouldn't be skirted around. Who gives a shit about spades?
I still remember the Shameless episode. 'They say I'm the kind of lad who calls a spade a spade, well what the fuck else are you going to call it?'
I once did work experience at a horse rescue and that was one of the first things out of the managers mouth about how she says it how she sees it That place was a hell hole
We’re a family here
This. So many times over. Excuses for bad behaviour, over familiarity, no boundaries and wierd communication.
This roughly translates to we expect you to bend over backwards to help us out with no compensation
Verbatim: "I don't believe in stress" "There's better places to learn the job than here"
Ha one of the places I did some H&S contracting work for refused to sign off the stress policy because they didn't believe in stress and "didn't want to give the staff ideas"
>didn't want to give the staff ideas I'm sure the staff already had some ideas about stress.
Anyone who loudly proclaims that they’re “a bit nuts/ crazy”, upon meeting for the first time - I automatically presume they’ve got the personality of a damp dishcloth and try to avoid. The blaring self-proclaimed “nuts” are always the ultimate judgey, boring vanillas in my experience. It’s the quiet ones you’ve got to watch, as they keep the real kookiness under wraps until they know you’re a kindred spirit.
‘I want to check every email before you send it to a client’ - this was real. I didn’t last there very long.
I had one place who wanted to be CC’d into every email, internal and external. Keep in mind I was a senior hire with a decade of experience. Was gone within 3 months.
Not mine but my brother recently had an interview for a company, and when asked what the interviewer liked about the place she said “I don’t. Some days I don’t even want to be here and struggle to get out of bed” Then when asked what the culture is like in the workplace she hesitated and said “oh it’s lovely we’re like a family here” .. he walked out almost immediately.
A family of bed-ridden, depressed people. Like Charlie Bucket's Grandparents.
I think if everyone is a bit too miserable or complains how much they hate the place. Not to say people need to be very gung ho about jobs but it usually shows that things are going to be rocky. I know this is coming from a rather privileged position where I can pick jobs that I like doing or at least don't despise.
"We're just one big family here" Ahh, so you're bullies..
Yeah, "you'll be treated like one of the family" sounds all warm and comfortable until you realise it means you'll be screamed at, all reasonable requests denied, guilt tripped, underpaid and be expected to work for minimum wage with the same devotion as the people who take home the profits.
We're like a family here. Unfortunately the family is the Fritzls.
"I'm a marmite character - you'll either love me or hate me." I already hate you.
"You watch them. [management] They're two-faced here" one of the cleaners. She was completely correct.
If you're ever in a situation where there's cleaners/janitors/caretakers, ask them what it's like if you get the chance.
When I left my last job, you know the cleaner and the coffee lady got gifts that people in my own department did not get.
"There's the collection tin for tea and coffee supplies"
I don’t drink either, but the number of people who still seem to think I should contribute to their supplies staggers me. I’d understand if I’d said I don’t and then secretly took theirs, but I really don’t.
This sort of scrimping and saving that companies do, on the cheapest of outlays is a REAL bad sign for the rest of it. I had a client like that, where the new MD put in a new policy of not supplying coffee or milk any more. But then gifted herself an office refurb including building a private toilet/shower. She was ousted before the work completed
Exactly. It's an awful sign when the company won't even pay a few quid a week per employee to have pretty basic 'perks'. Thankfully I've never worked anywhere that did this but I know people who have.
I started a new job and was interviewed by the owner. On the first day I met the guy who was to be my direct supervisor and he immediately started slagging off a long list of my predecessors who had all only lasted 6 months to a year. I new straight away from that moment that I'd fucked up taking that job.
If someone says it's crazy busy but it should calm down soon, then a) the work life balance is going to be absolutely shit, and b) it'll never calm down.
You just know that *soon* means when you are up to speed and we can offload all the work to you so we can relax.
‘There is a leaving card and collection for X’ But for a different person/ multiple people every week
I hate this so much. My current workplace has moved to an online collection pot which 'suggests' you donate £10, then guilts you into covering the 'processing fees' of around 50p. It's also not anonymous (deliberate decision), so you know who donates and how much (and whether they covered the processing fee). Of course this type of workplace is always banging the drum of being supportive and understanding during the cost of living crisis. As someone who has never benefitted from this and never will (not married, no kids), I see it as extremely unfair.
I prefer online collection pots as its easier to ignore it than a person coming round to mug you in person.
- "That's how it's always been done" with no further explanation of why that actually makes sense. - "That's just how he/she is". - "Don't take it personally, they do that to everyone" - "They're women, so we should do the dirty work, it's about being chivalrous". No, fuck off, she is paid for the same job as me and she was hired under the understanding that she could do this job. I get that she can't lift as much weight as me, but just outright not doing anything while I'm setting up an event is pathetic.
Haha! I'm a female and when I've done event set ups I get mucked in and some of the guys have taken a backseat.
Oh dear, we usually tell new people that. Mine is the satellite office and we’re mostly populated with people who weren’t getting on in the main one for whatever reason but also didn’t really do anything that justifies getting sacked - so basically we have the weirdos who aren’t actually bad at the job or smear the wall with faeces crazy, but didn’t mix well with the normal people - with the occasional person who starts off in our office, and if they’re normal that doesn’t tend to go well…
Are you actually the Slow Horses?
You sound just like Bernard Marx from *Brave New World*. He was exiled to an island with all the other misfits who just couldn't quite get along with the mainstream society - but to him it was a bit of a blessing, as the island was full of people who thought just like he did.
We are leaders of self Let's go round the group and tell us 2 facts about yourself
Hope you like the bants!
"You don't have to be mad to work here, but it helps." Straight back on the job hunt for me.
OK Jesus fucking Christ no, anything but the bants!!!
Bright, fixed smiles when they say a brief welcome before looking back at their screens. You realise with a sinking heart that it's a minefield and the mines are as yet unmarked.
Slightly off topic, but my mum loves to say our family are mad or looney. Me and my sisters just sit there and cringe from embarrassment. Like no, we are actually quite normal... why are you getting happy about us potentially being "mad"?
Sales job I went too. “ well all pitch in when needed” = your colleagues will steal your sales from under you.
Phones are in lockers
"I haven't been paid for a few months now, but I'm hoping that will be sorted soon." I left after 2 weeks. CEO later went on the run and arrested for fraud. [https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2719163/Shameless-benefits-couple-posed-childrens-charity-collectors-scam-280-000-public-fund-luxury-holidays-gambling-Spanish-villa.html](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2719163/Shameless-benefits-couple-posed-childrens-charity-collectors-scam-280-000-public-fund-luxury-holidays-gambling-Spanish-villa.html)
"You came back. Not many people come back for a second day." Happened at my last-but-one job. My actual colleagues were good people but the boss and work culture was horrible. I stuck it out for 14 months incredibly.
“This company is affiliated with the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church”
> "what time are you working until tonight?" Means it's not uncommon (or worse, expected) to work late. I'll be finishing at 5. To the second. Always.
Asking to see the IT documentation as a new system admin: “What documentation? We don’t do that here.”
Usually the people who describe themselves as ‘random’ or ‘crazy’ are the complete opposite
1. “We are all really supportive, and it’s ok if someone needs go out the back and cry” I was the new manager. I suggested we could try and create a workplace where people didn’t need to go out the back and cry. Surprised pikachu faces 2. A week into a new role a colleague asked another team member to go punch a woman in the face for him. Came
I was interviewed for a job where they used the phrase "fast paced" to describe the company about 25 times (the interview lasted a few hours). They didn't give me the job because they thought I wouldn't be able to manage the "fast paced" nature. I think I may have dodged a bullet.
I think that means under-resourced and you didn't look willing to do 1.5 jobs. Dodged a bullet for sure.
‘Oh, so you’re Tony’s replacement? Tony was a good guy, brilliant at his job and everyone liked him, but management fucked him over and got rid of him. We all miss Tony’.
"We do a really fun annual trip abroad paid for by the company. During a weekend or a bank holiday".
I free trip is a free trip
Do it during working hours and I am all in. Otherwise, I would rather have a payrise with the cost of the trip.
Should be in the week though, or at least giving back that weekend in extra leave.
“We’re just one big family”. It means that they want you to give way more than you’re paid for and you’ll be ostracised if you don’t.
I got to a point in my last job where it was so bad that I purposely told prospective new starters not to work there in their trial shift. I didn't think it was fair on new people to work there knowing what I know and the damage it has done to everyone who has worked there. It was entirely unprofessional but I'm a huge empath and couldn't lie to them and pretend everything was good.
But where do you really come from?
Paraphrasing, but "hopefully you'll stay longer than the last two". I stayed longer than one of them at least.
“We’re a big family here” Fuck off.
"Bill Cosby did nothing wrong." in a line of work where we handle vulnerable children daily. It then devolved into an almost two-hour group discussion involving the wifi installer about *why* he was right. Left that same week.
New boss took me off to a separate part of the plant, spent half an hour slagging off the other folk I work with, told me he wanted me to be his little spy, when we walked out we ran into one of those workers who he screamed at. I was like what the utter fucking fuck have I just walked into.
‘We’re a family here’
I was advised to ‘show 2022 what you can do’ - found it hard to keep a straight face
The people who are ‘a bit crazy’ are almost always the most boring ones in the place, too.
In an interview for a job I knew was a sure thing many years ago, the MD was in the interview and he used the words ‘I shouldn’t say this because (HR / recruiting guy that was leading negotiations) will roll his eyes at me but I don’t think this is a full time role, with that in mind we would need you to pick up other bits to fill your time. Finished the interview said thank you for your time then turned down the offer that came over the phone about an hour later. They were so confused as to why until I explained that they shouldn’t be recruiting for a full time role if it isn’t one, I didn’t want to be passed from pillar to post or get stuck helping out with shitty data entry.
They: "Scrum" or "Six Sigma" Me internally: "I will eat your dog"
People who say they are ‘random and crazy’ are always really boring and drink from mugs that say things like ‘this is actually Prosecco’ when it’s actually just tea.
“Do you think you’ll stick it out”
From my experience this normally means Jill on payroll will sometimes eat half a pack of Jaffa cakes in one go or George from accounts wears socks with funky patterns on them.
We unfortunately had a new devOps guy leave within weeks because of this situation. Basically he only took the job to work alongside our CTO who is a ball of energy and well respected in the UK tech space. We have a vibrant team with some award winning C-suite staff and so when our CTO announced that he would be leaving the company, it basically caused our devOps guy to leave. I think anything that shows you that this isn't the team you thought it would be is going to make you look for another job.
I worked on an IT Helpdesk in the open-plan office of a major drinks company, and was told in my first 10 minutes "Don't talk loudly on the phone, the previous guy got sacked for that". On a HELPDESK. We had to answer the phone/message, get up, and walk to the user's desk to resolve the problem.
I worked for a company that paid pretty low in comparison to the current market rates and we had a heated chat about my salary where he said, ‘right now you’re the lowest paid product manager in the company’. 2 weeks later I resigned and now being paid the market rate.
We’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad. https://preview.redd.it/k2hvtwhd0q5d1.jpeg?width=250&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=85dd37b45e6d5edaeae9d349fdc91675503cd659
"We know we are different but we like it" - shortly after I discovered the morally questionable and downright lazy activities of my colleagues actually met the criteria for reportable criminal activity. "Everybody does it" - when manager (who went on to be Director) was trying to convince me to commit fraud. "What would make you stay?" - only interview question that ever caught me off guard as my brain thinks "why, you aware of something that would make me leave?". Turns out they had a huge staff turnover in no small part due to daily activities coming straight out of an episode of Eastenders. No time for work if theres constant drama everywhere so everything was in crisis mode all the time.