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The health care toll today’s work culture exacts on employees

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Re: The health care toll today’s work culture exacts on employees

#21

Talk to your UPS or FedEx driver about the impact of their job on their body.

This is a common sentiment but I don't think it should be the end of the story. So what if people from two hundred years lived significantly worse lives than ourselves? I didn't live then and I'm not a UPS driver. I have all the empathy in the world for people in harm, but the fact that suffering exist should in no way act as a counterweight on levers that tries to improve situations where relief seems possible.

Re: The health care toll today’s work culture exacts on employees

#23
post #5

Dealing w/ RSI has been an eye opener for me. What makes it worse: working on a laptop, working on the plane, having to do long hours in poor ergonomic conditions. What do I have to do to be good at my job? Basically, that. What happens if it gets worse and I can no longer use a computer for at least eight hours a day? That is my livelihood

Change styles, I guess. I switched to using large-muscle movements to control my mouse, for example, so even switching to a trackball would cause more RSI for me. And if I feel it coming on in my hands, and I cannot just walk away for the rest of the day, I switch to hunt and peck. Haven't had to do that in a while, but you're right, when it's your livelihood you find a way.

Re: The health care toll today’s work culture exacts on employees

#24
Work has become a strange thing. I see people foregoing their best years stuck in an office, in the hope they can enjoy their later years. What utter nonsense. I'm not sure what the right answer is, but society has got something very wrong, as our work culture seems to surgically remove the wonder and enjoyment from our days. Hardly surprising that it drives people to ill health. Glad I broke out of that cycle a long time ago and quit my corporate job. The job was torture, quitting was scary and bumpy, but looking back it was an excellent decision.

Re: The health care toll today’s work culture exacts on employees

#25
post #5

Dealing w/ RSI has been an eye opener for me. What makes it worse: working on a laptop, working on the plane, having to do long hours in poor ergonomic conditions. What do I have to do to be good at my job? Basically, that. What happens if it gets worse and I can no longer use a computer for at least eight hours a day? That is my livelihood

I travel with mouse and keyboard for this reason. Not remotely enough to compensate but any mitigation is a plus.

Or we can develop or dictation programming skills like John Siracusa.

Re: The health care toll today’s work culture exacts on employees

#26
post #24

Work has become a strange thing. I see people foregoing their best years stuck in an office, in the hope they can enjoy their later years. What utter nonsense. I'm not sure what the right answer is, but society has got something very wrong, as our work culture seems to surgically remove the wonder and enjoyment from our days. Hardly surprising that it drives people to ill health. Glad I broke out of that cycle a long…

Do you have a job now? If so how is it better?

Re: The health care toll today’s work culture exacts on employees

#27
I’ve always found it very effective to use a “just say no” policy to out of hours work or more work than I can handle comfortably.

People stop taking advantage when you stop letting them. More than you might expect actually respect it. I don’t think this way of working has hurt my career progression, and it’s certainly done wonders for my mental health.

Re: The health care toll today’s work culture exacts on employees

#29

> I see a workplace that has become shockingly inhumane. A thousand times this. Very few of the lessons my parents taught me apply in the corporate world. Be honest and straight with people, assume good intent, take responsibility, etc. All that behavior will do is paint you as naive. Sure there's room for honesty and responsibility, but only when used appropriately (strategically). Strikes me as acutely inhumane eve…

It sounds less like workplaces are broken, and more that you're working at a broken workplace. Go somewhere better - don't give your best efforts to the place you're at. There are workplaces where being honest and straight, assuming good intent, taking responsibility etc will move you UP.
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