I've been working at this sweatshop of an architectural firm almost two years now. It's a group of 15 people. 4 Gorillas, 7 CAD lemurs (including myself), and a few dung beetles that push a broom around pretending to be useful. It's a strange group. No one talks, except for the beetles of course (like they have anything else better to do). All day long monkeys taping away at their keyboards, and the awful shit that is called architecture on our tables.
I walk in every morning as if it was my very first day. Just like a stranger. God forbid someone would ask Monday morning "How was your weekend?" or "Hey about we do lunch sometime?" maybe even a "Good Morning"? It is all business and no talk. Oh and the awful elevator music. Please no more Private Dancer by Tina Turner. I can't take it anymore! I'll be singing it in the shower, on the john in the morning, it just doesn't stop playing in my head!!!
Us lemurs are chained to our desks and slaved day after day completing construction documents with no end in sight. They senselessly whip us into submission and we perform. If not out we go. If that would be a bad thing. How severe is it? They have glued thumb tacks on our keyboards near the F1 button so we don't accidently hit it. That would be called wasting time.
If they made us run errands to the city to get some fresh air or let the sun hit our flesh would be amazing from time to time. "NOPE" we need to "PRODUCE, PRODUCE and PRODUCE" says one Gorilla. We are not allowed to talk, joke, or have any type of communication to the outside world (does not apply to those darn dung beetles though). Headphones? Nope, Tina Turner for you! Again... Why? Because all of these things are "DISTRACTIONS" or in someway "NOT DOING YOUR JOBS"
Oh but wait! There is more! Included in this fabulous package, lunch+learns and on-the-clock training are now NO PAY! That is right! Something that was offered before is NOW FREE! No extra charge!
So I am a bad guy for disagreeing against not logging in our hours. It is every 2-3 weeks if even. I am on salary so that means I have to make up those lost hours to attend with my other primates (nonetheless) learning how a 2 coat stucco system works. You can come up with your own reasons why I am upset. I don't understand what is going on anymore. They never had a problem with us logging in these hours. As long as we were all there as a "team". Now these 'lunch+leans' or 'company training sessions' are NOT mandatory. I repeat, "NOT MANDATORY". So l I attend for 30 minutes (my lunch break) and quietly leave to go back to my exciting CDs! One of the dung beetles broadcasts that I am 'Making A Statement'. Damn right I am! If they are not mandatory then why should I go? At least I am making an effort right?
So after 2 years they let me out of my cage to a client meeting. After almost 2 YEARS!!!! With who else in the office? KING KONG! Just me and him for 40 miles in his 10 year old JAG-YOU-ARE! How ironic that it was on the day that we had a lunch and learn.
First thing he says in his JAG-YOU-ARE, "So what did you learn today?" This turned into a long boxing match. Obviously it looks like I missed the part on my contract where it says 40 hours is the MINIMUM amount in a work week. We should be really working 100+ hours for our salary pay checks and hope to get our full 5% bonus checks at the end of the year. I let him know what was on my mind. It was time to stand up for not only myself but everyone in there. It felt great! I knew I would accomplish two things. Respect, or a pink slip. What did I gain? The flood gates (interviews) of I.T. guys touring the office with their 2 year AutoCAD degrees. Me getting respect? What was I thinking. All this hard work and dedication, and (unpaid) overtime because I needed to get stuff done... have not been seen. It is not like I did not work my (unpaid) overtime. When it was needed it was done. "Dedication" and "being accomplished" to KING KONG means to work a total of 100+ hours a week FOR HIM so he gets more money because he is not PAYING ME! I have done nothing wrong but express my opinion! I have not done nothing wrong to my authorities or my fellow lemurs. Now I am going to lose my job. POOF! Gone like I didn't even exist. wow.
Well Cadmonkey you are right about a lot of things. And it sounds like you think you are being replaced. Which is a lousy uneasy feeling. Fine enough if the the employer must replace you but showing off your replacement in front of you is evil. The job market is getting really bad and even if you are in a good area the national economic conditions will eventually tour your town. Right now you might consider the two hells, where you are, and where you would be with no job in a sagging employment market (like getting outdoors, catching a movie in the day, your favorite hobbies, catching up on sleep, drinking beer at 4pm, and letting go of years of pent up aggravation thereby refreshing you for when and if you can land a job in under two years).
""NOPE" we need to "PRODUCE, PRODUCE and PRODUCE" says one Gorilla."
Sounds like someone's boss just got his MBA online.
I used to work for people like that, telling them how you feel won't do much good, they know they're taking advantage of you and they also know that if you had the guts to speak up to him, you might incite the others and next thing you know..poof!! there goes the bosses' profit.
Kong WILL be finding your replacement soon and it will be someone he can bully. Why?
1) he doesn't want a revolt on his hands
2) he's too lazy to go out and find better paying contracts and needs to meet his profit margins by whipping his employees more.
Judging by what you've just said, it sounds like that office could do a heck of a load better and still retain good productive employees if:
1) one of those Gorillas becomes an outside sales rep and drums up more lucrative contracts
2) Kong goes out and drums up more business too
3) they realise that quality work is better than quantity work thus improving their reputation and the fee they can ask, thus allowing the monkeys to work less but still produce the same amount
Right now it sounds like that office is on its way to bankruptcy, there are too many Gorillas by half, the monkeys are ready to burn out, the work sounds like its rushed out the door and consequently not as good as it could be, and I have a suspicion that the firm's reputation is quite bad (the reputation part is based on the fact that you guys are working crazy hours and the boss drives an old car, to me that sounds like you are getting contracts but charging cheap rates, cheap rates to me sound like no one is willing to pay more for your firm's work, meaning that they have a bad reputation)
Where you at? I think I may have worked at that firm. All too well remember the "40 hours is minimum" mantra from an old boss. At review time he'd know exactly how much OT that I worked in the past year, divide it up over 52 weeks and show how I was only working 45-50 hour weeks. Then get some song and dance about what he worked at my age. That's fucking ridiculous. I quit, and I hope you have the courage to do the same. Bad economy or not, don't give them the change to fire you.
Sounds typical, but on the extreme side. I've never gotten paid for a lunch n learn. Never even considered it. The buzz words I hear are "40 hours BILLABLE minimum." and "You don't have to work any over time" said in a super pleasant way by the same guy who yells "Just because you hit 40 hours at noon on Friday doens't mean you can just leave!"
Wow, kinda reminiscent of my first job. They will continue to pull you down until they've sucked on morale and motivation out of your bosy. GET OUT!!! And get out now!!!!!
You could do some real damage if you wanted....but I wouldn't
suggest it....get your ass out life is a hell of alot better than looking at an asshole everyday...if that is your true situation and this isn't sci-fi.
All the men come in these places
And the men are all the same
You don't look at their faces
And you don't ask their names
You don't think of them as human
You don't think of them at all
You keep your mind on the money
Keeping your eyes on the wall
I'm your private dancer, a dancer for money
I'll do what you want me to do
I'm your private dancer, a dancer for money
And any old music will do
That firm sounds like a horrible environment and clearly you should look for new opportunities.
But having said that, I'm a little surprised at some of the things you're outraged over. Lunch and Learns have never been paid in any firm I've worked for. Since they're optional and they're during lunch most firms don't pay for that time. The main point of Lunch and Learns for most firms is to get the licensed people some of their continuing ed units for the year, so if that's not an issue for you then don't worry about going to them.
When I worked in a firm with that kind of heads down, eyes on your work kind of mentality I found that the best thing I could do was take a long lunch OUTSIDE of the office everyday. I'd advise getting out and getting some sunlight rather than listening to presentations on carpet tile or whatever.
As for headphones: I worked in firms that allowed them and firms that didn't. When I became the boss I stopped short of banning them, but I do find that the people who are tuned out all day are also the ones who most often complain about their lack of involvement in projects, that they don't feel integrated into the team, that they don't have say in decisions, etc. - and I feel that much of this is because they don't pay attention to what's going on around them in the firm. The more "integrated" team members manage to insert themselves into discussions and participate in the decision making. The headphone guys can't hear those discussions.
I haven't banned headphones because I know that some people can't concentrate with a lot of conversation going on around them. But I've also read that people who listen to music all day - especially if the music has lyrics - are substantially less productive. And yeah, "produce, produce" is really the essential thing for the firm, much as we all hate to hear it...
if i'm sitting at a desk with a slight head bob going on and cadding up like a mad man.... i think thats good.......
i have worked at a firm that didnt allow headphones and listened to talk radio all day..... that drove me crazy and got me really pissed..... how many times can you talk about the same news and stupid people in the world...
On the Clock Job Training = No Pay! Nope! No Sir! Zip!
Long time lurker! First time poster!
I've been working at this sweatshop of an architectural firm almost two years now. It's a group of 15 people. 4 Gorillas, 7 CAD lemurs (including myself), and a few dung beetles that push a broom around pretending to be useful. It's a strange group. No one talks, except for the beetles of course (like they have anything else better to do). All day long monkeys taping away at their keyboards, and the awful shit that is called architecture on our tables.
I walk in every morning as if it was my very first day. Just like a stranger. God forbid someone would ask Monday morning "How was your weekend?" or "Hey about we do lunch sometime?" maybe even a "Good Morning"? It is all business and no talk. Oh and the awful elevator music. Please no more Private Dancer by Tina Turner. I can't take it anymore! I'll be singing it in the shower, on the john in the morning, it just doesn't stop playing in my head!!!
Us lemurs are chained to our desks and slaved day after day completing construction documents with no end in sight. They senselessly whip us into submission and we perform. If not out we go. If that would be a bad thing. How severe is it? They have glued thumb tacks on our keyboards near the F1 button so we don't accidently hit it. That would be called wasting time.
If they made us run errands to the city to get some fresh air or let the sun hit our flesh would be amazing from time to time. "NOPE" we need to "PRODUCE, PRODUCE and PRODUCE" says one Gorilla. We are not allowed to talk, joke, or have any type of communication to the outside world (does not apply to those darn dung beetles though). Headphones? Nope, Tina Turner for you! Again... Why? Because all of these things are "DISTRACTIONS" or in someway "NOT DOING YOUR JOBS"
Oh but wait! There is more! Included in this fabulous package, lunch+learns and on-the-clock training are now NO PAY! That is right! Something that was offered before is NOW FREE! No extra charge!
So I am a bad guy for disagreeing against not logging in our hours. It is every 2-3 weeks if even. I am on salary so that means I have to make up those lost hours to attend with my other primates (nonetheless) learning how a 2 coat stucco system works. You can come up with your own reasons why I am upset. I don't understand what is going on anymore. They never had a problem with us logging in these hours. As long as we were all there as a "team". Now these 'lunch+leans' or 'company training sessions' are NOT mandatory. I repeat, "NOT MANDATORY". So l I attend for 30 minutes (my lunch break) and quietly leave to go back to my exciting CDs! One of the dung beetles broadcasts that I am 'Making A Statement'. Damn right I am! If they are not mandatory then why should I go? At least I am making an effort right?
So after 2 years they let me out of my cage to a client meeting. After almost 2 YEARS!!!! With who else in the office? KING KONG! Just me and him for 40 miles in his 10 year old JAG-YOU-ARE! How ironic that it was on the day that we had a lunch and learn.
First thing he says in his JAG-YOU-ARE, "So what did you learn today?" This turned into a long boxing match. Obviously it looks like I missed the part on my contract where it says 40 hours is the MINIMUM amount in a work week. We should be really working 100+ hours for our salary pay checks and hope to get our full 5% bonus checks at the end of the year. I let him know what was on my mind. It was time to stand up for not only myself but everyone in there. It felt great! I knew I would accomplish two things. Respect, or a pink slip. What did I gain? The flood gates (interviews) of I.T. guys touring the office with their 2 year AutoCAD degrees. Me getting respect? What was I thinking. All this hard work and dedication, and (unpaid) overtime because I needed to get stuff done... have not been seen. It is not like I did not work my (unpaid) overtime. When it was needed it was done. "Dedication" and "being accomplished" to KING KONG means to work a total of 100+ hours a week FOR HIM so he gets more money because he is not PAYING ME! I have done nothing wrong but express my opinion! I have not done nothing wrong to my authorities or my fellow lemurs. Now I am going to lose my job. POOF! Gone like I didn't even exist. wow.
all well for that raise that I never got.
Why don't you go work somewhere else? Sounds like this place is a miserable road to nowhere.
Well Cadmonkey you are right about a lot of things. And it sounds like you think you are being replaced. Which is a lousy uneasy feeling. Fine enough if the the employer must replace you but showing off your replacement in front of you is evil. The job market is getting really bad and even if you are in a good area the national economic conditions will eventually tour your town. Right now you might consider the two hells, where you are, and where you would be with no job in a sagging employment market (like getting outdoors, catching a movie in the day, your favorite hobbies, catching up on sleep, drinking beer at 4pm, and letting go of years of pent up aggravation thereby refreshing you for when and if you can land a job in under two years).
90% chance that your next gig is much better.
""NOPE" we need to "PRODUCE, PRODUCE and PRODUCE" says one Gorilla."
Sounds like someone's boss just got his MBA online.
I used to work for people like that, telling them how you feel won't do much good, they know they're taking advantage of you and they also know that if you had the guts to speak up to him, you might incite the others and next thing you know..poof!! there goes the bosses' profit.
Kong WILL be finding your replacement soon and it will be someone he can bully. Why?
1) he doesn't want a revolt on his hands
2) he's too lazy to go out and find better paying contracts and needs to meet his profit margins by whipping his employees more.
Judging by what you've just said, it sounds like that office could do a heck of a load better and still retain good productive employees if:
1) one of those Gorillas becomes an outside sales rep and drums up more lucrative contracts
2) Kong goes out and drums up more business too
3) they realise that quality work is better than quantity work thus improving their reputation and the fee they can ask, thus allowing the monkeys to work less but still produce the same amount
Right now it sounds like that office is on its way to bankruptcy, there are too many Gorillas by half, the monkeys are ready to burn out, the work sounds like its rushed out the door and consequently not as good as it could be, and I have a suspicion that the firm's reputation is quite bad (the reputation part is based on the fact that you guys are working crazy hours and the boss drives an old car, to me that sounds like you are getting contracts but charging cheap rates, cheap rates to me sound like no one is willing to pay more for your firm's work, meaning that they have a bad reputation)
Where you at? I think I may have worked at that firm. All too well remember the "40 hours is minimum" mantra from an old boss. At review time he'd know exactly how much OT that I worked in the past year, divide it up over 52 weeks and show how I was only working 45-50 hour weeks. Then get some song and dance about what he worked at my age. That's fucking ridiculous. I quit, and I hope you have the courage to do the same. Bad economy or not, don't give them the change to fire you.
Sounds typical, but on the extreme side. I've never gotten paid for a lunch n learn. Never even considered it. The buzz words I hear are "40 hours BILLABLE minimum." and "You don't have to work any over time" said in a super pleasant way by the same guy who yells "Just because you hit 40 hours at noon on Friday doens't mean you can just leave!"
Quit. Now.
I think alot of us have worked for that firm...
You should think about becoming a writer
Either way, you should have left a year and 364 days ago.
Why on earth you'd even consider working in such a place is beyond me.
Oh, and that is a well written post by the way.
Are you working in NYC k4dm?
Wow, kinda reminiscent of my first job. They will continue to pull you down until they've sucked on morale and motivation out of your bosy. GET OUT!!! And get out now!!!!!
fire the boss
In situations like this, you can't be a victim without your willing participation.
There are many good places to work - if the conditions are really as you describe them, you're an idiot for putting up with this job for two years.
You could do some real damage if you wanted....but I wouldn't
suggest it....get your ass out life is a hell of alot better than looking at an asshole everyday...if that is your true situation and this isn't sci-fi.
just get up and do the robot and see what happens..... get a fog machine too.....
All the men come in these places
And the men are all the same
You don't look at their faces
And you don't ask their names
You don't think of them as human
You don't think of them at all
You keep your mind on the money
Keeping your eyes on the wall
I'm your private dancer, a dancer for money
I'll do what you want me to do
I'm your private dancer, a dancer for money
And any old music will do
...
I'm your private monkey, I monkey for money...
No offense but you're too smart but also a bit too ignorant to have been working there so long. Get the hell out.
Yes the market is horrendous but from what you say you have not much to lose.
That firm sounds like a horrible environment and clearly you should look for new opportunities.
But having said that, I'm a little surprised at some of the things you're outraged over. Lunch and Learns have never been paid in any firm I've worked for. Since they're optional and they're during lunch most firms don't pay for that time. The main point of Lunch and Learns for most firms is to get the licensed people some of their continuing ed units for the year, so if that's not an issue for you then don't worry about going to them.
When I worked in a firm with that kind of heads down, eyes on your work kind of mentality I found that the best thing I could do was take a long lunch OUTSIDE of the office everyday. I'd advise getting out and getting some sunlight rather than listening to presentations on carpet tile or whatever.
As for headphones: I worked in firms that allowed them and firms that didn't. When I became the boss I stopped short of banning them, but I do find that the people who are tuned out all day are also the ones who most often complain about their lack of involvement in projects, that they don't feel integrated into the team, that they don't have say in decisions, etc. - and I feel that much of this is because they don't pay attention to what's going on around them in the firm. The more "integrated" team members manage to insert themselves into discussions and participate in the decision making. The headphone guys can't hear those discussions.
I haven't banned headphones because I know that some people can't concentrate with a lot of conversation going on around them. But I've also read that people who listen to music all day - especially if the music has lyrics - are substantially less productive. And yeah, "produce, produce" is really the essential thing for the firm, much as we all hate to hear it...
i cant think without music......
i think it helps keep the mind frame stable......
if i'm sitting at a desk with a slight head bob going on and cadding up like a mad man.... i think thats good.......
i have worked at a firm that didnt allow headphones and listened to talk radio all day..... that drove me crazy and got me really pissed..... how many times can you talk about the same news and stupid people in the world...
b
let this be a lesson to everyone to let your inner mavis out. you'll feel much better if you do.
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