Is it unethical for me to not tell my employer I've automated my job?

Post by zzalpha » Thu, Jun 29, 2017, 12:55 AM UTC

Natsu wrote: post #244

jgamman wrote: post #201

Earlier quoted context omitted.

everyone knows that quote but I doubt you've read WofN - about 1 paragraph later he says that this will drive the worker insane and may literally lead to the collapse of society: "The man whose whole life is spent in performing a few simple operations, of which the effects are perhaps always the same, or very nearly the same, has no occasion to exert his understanding or to exercise his invention in finding out exped…

That sounds about the same as normal factory work if we're being honest, which is still around. Yes, it really does bore you to death. No, it doesn't make you incapable of thinking. Usually the people who take a crap job like that simply don't spend that much time on intellectual pursuits to begin with. What it does do is to drain you of all energy such that it's hard to get away from it to something more decent.

Post by axontaxi » Thu, Jun 29, 2017, 12:57 AM UTC

dkersten wrote: post #253

rubidium wrote: post #234

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wouldn't say I thing about your browsing, but I would give you more work :)

Why should the person who more efficiently does their work be punished with more work when others can do less and still get paid the same?

Post by ryandrake » Thu, Jun 29, 2017, 12:58 AM UTC

jdbernard wrote: post #170

kelnos wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just because it's not easy to get another job, it doesn't mean it's not possible. He works 1-2 hours a week and has a ton of time on his hands! That's plenty of time to start looking for a new job (without quitting the current one), while still leaving plenty of time to spend with his son. Since he has specific requirements about the job (remote, work from home, etc.), it will almost certainly take longer than "usual…

I'm surprised this thinking isn't more prevalent. When I have lots of free time at work with few interesting problems I know it's time to find a new job. I agree with the guy in that I'd like to have more time with my family, but I can't imagine effectively not working and growing at all. He seems in the ideal position to search for a dream job. What he has is not a dream job.

Post by aj7 » Thu, Jun 29, 2017, 1:10 AM UTC

Post by aj7 » Thu, Jun 29, 2017, 1:12 AM UTC

kelnos wrote: post #48

imh wrote: post #21

This question is a beautiful example of typical incentives workers feel and how screwed up they are. On HN people talk often enough about how if you have a worker who gets their job done in 30 hours instead of the company's usual 40-60 hours, you should give them 30-100% more responsibility, but much more rarely "and 30-100% more pay." Butt-in-the-chair hours are super important culturally and it's been that way for…

This particular case is weird in that they hired a programmer to do the job of a data entry person. It turns out that they -- accidentally -- made the right decision, because it's frankly stupid to pay someone for a month of work when you could spend a little up-front time automating it and eliminate the need for the job entirely. So, honestly, I don't think it would be wrong for the company, if they knew about the a…