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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

#131

Post by sjg007 »

Thriptic wrote: post #79
onezerozeroone wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not really the company's fault here. Policies like this exist because candidates have and will sue the shit out of you for any flimsy accusation of discrimination they can cobble together. Companies didn't create these policies arbitrarily and unprovoked. They became necessary because of some people who took advantage of the legal system to get settlements. It's in the company's best interest to protect itself from f…

This goes for firing too. I've seen people who were categorically under performing try to bring lawsuits claiming discrimination upon firing many times.

This is why they just have layoffs.

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

#132

Post by sjg007 »

tomrod wrote: post #127
kartan wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>> I am not even allowed to tell a candidate (another human being that probably NEEDS a paycheck) why I didn't hire them and what they can do to improve their viability. > Policies like this exist because candidates have and will sue the shit out of you for any flimsy accusation of discrimination they can cobble together. I thought that it was the other way around. You need to have always ready the reasons why a cand…

> I thought that it was the other way around. You need to have always ready the reasons why a candidate has been rejected and give them on request. Otherwise, they can sue you as your reasons are not clean and transparent. "We found someone more qualified. Thank you for your interest."

I don't think that would pass muster if challenged.

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

#133

Post by ljw1001 »

tboyd47 wrote: post #31

Honest question. How much of this is cultural or psychological? Can people be trained not to take so much shit from bosses or automatically make the company's problems their problems? I ask because at my current job, a lot of work is explicitly motivated by the threat of getting yelled at or publicly shamed in some way. I often wonder if these stressful interactions could just be handled politely but in a way that do…

cultural predispositions are difficult to change in the short term. Human psychology, otoh, is _extremely_ difficult to change. This, of course, is why people employ these tactics.

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

#134

Post by tomrod »

mancerayder wrote: post #16
chaseha wrote: 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

It WILL become a problem. The biggest issue with RSI and other repetive-use injuries (which happens in many professions and even athletics, especially with bad form) is that it happens slowly, then suddenly. It's so slow that it's discomfort. And you ignore that discomfort, especially as your concentration is on a computer monitor with important stuff to worry about being displayed on it. Also, sometimes inflammation…

Jeez. I've noticed most of my coworkers use mice all the time. I try to stay on the keyboard as much as possible.

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

#135

Post by zdragnar »

kartan wrote: post #107
onezerozeroone wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not really the company's fault here. Policies like this exist because candidates have and will sue the shit out of you for any flimsy accusation of discrimination they can cobble together. Companies didn't create these policies arbitrarily and unprovoked. They became necessary because of some people who took advantage of the legal system to get settlements. It's in the company's best interest to protect itself from f…

>> I am not even allowed to tell a candidate (another human being that probably NEEDS a paycheck) why I didn't hire them and what they can do to improve their viability. > Policies like this exist because candidates have and will sue the shit out of you for any flimsy accusation of discrimination they can cobble together. I thought that it was the other way around. You need to have always ready the reasons why a cand…

The reason is simple: "We've found a candidate who is a better fit" although that is, in my experience, due in no small part to the fact that we've never not been able to fill a position.

Conversely, one company I worked for did have us provide candidates thorough feedback, though that was only for those who didn't pass from a code challenge to an interview. Perhaps the hiring managers have them feedback, I'm not sure.

PS: the code challenge we gave was carefully put together so as to both be reasonably quick to complete for a skilled developer, but be vague enough in requirements to not have a single answer that could be copy-pasted from a Google search. For anyone who didn't pass, I'd typically write two to three pages, focused entirely on objective metrics, and online resources for further learning should the candidate choose to apply again in the future. We didn't use it as a binary yes / no test, but to inform the discussion we would have in the in-person interview assuming the candidate had a sufficient level of skill.

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

#136

Post by skookumchuck »

jriot wrote: post #61
mathattack wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are liability reasons for not giving feedback. If I’ve had a good connection then I will give informal feedback on the phone only.

Everything appears to be a liability these days - that is the problem.

I've heard the "MeToo" movement, with its guilt by accusation, is having unintended consequences. Male executives are starting to avoid women employees in any situation where there are not other people present.

This means no going out for drinks to make a deal, no business lunch to brainstorm, no meeting on the golf course to pitch your plan. Not even a discussion of confidential matters in the private office of one or the other.

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

#137

Post by osrec »

jamiegreen wrote: post #126
osrec wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Stress is non-existent now (apart from worrying about family etc). Pay was 0 for the first 3 months - that was scary, but I had some savings and I had an idea I was happy to go along with. My family was against me, but eventually got on board (after a year!). Now pay is an order of magnitude larger than my best salary as an investment banker (1.5 years later). My focus is now technology - it's my passion and I'm good…

I am also interested in the route you took, so I wonder if you would be open to talking about how you found your first clients?

Sure drop me an email via my company website and ask away :)

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

#138

Post by sotojuan »

FlyingSideKick wrote: post #96

How can workers change corporate culture from within to demand work-life balance? I asked an executive VP this at a one of the worlds largest company’s here in Seattle and she said “If the young talent we need coming out of school across the board demanded shorter days and more vacation we would have to comply. But they don’t instead they are awed by an extra $10k on a hiring bonus they might or might not get after t…

Yeah. Very eye opening how many of my friends in my age group (early and mid 20s) outside of the tech industry work. And none of them bat an eye - "That's just how it is".

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

#139

Post by skookumchuck »

btilly wrote: post #74
bob_theslob646 wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you mean liability as in liability for discriminatory hiring practices by providing feedback?

No. Liability as in the more that you have said, the more likely it is that a lawsuit will be filed based on a misunderstanding of what you did say. It doesn't matter how unlikely the lawsuit is to win on the merits. Fighting in court and discovery both bring costs and distractions that institutions would prefer to avoid.

Companies also tend to settle frivolous lawsuits because it's cheaper. Not giving feedback is not leaving any opening for frivolous lawsuits over the reason given.

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

#140

Post by fiblye »

dfsdfdsfds wrote: post #2

It makes it sound as if work was more healthy in the past. Was it? When? I know hunter gatherer times were supposed to be paradise, but anything since then? Farming sounds rather arduous. Or what about mining, or working in factories where safety measures have not yet been invented?

I can't really say for certain, but the idea of a boring, average American life in the 90s/early 2000s was having a 9-5 job and watching TV after you finished work. I haven't seen a posting for a 9-5 job in years. But I see 8-5, 9-6, and increasingly 8-6 and beyond. You get a "lunch break", but don't stroll off too far just in case we need you (wink wink). Then once work's "over", many people are called in for extra hours or expected to answer messages no matter what time of day. And good luck getting paid any sort of overtime.

America seems to be trending towards the Asian model of work.

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