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Why did I leave Google or, why did I stay so long?

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Re: Why did I leave Google or, why did I stay so long?

#151

Post by Demoneeri »

izacus wrote: post #99

This is an amazing post - it describes exactly how bad manager looks like and what kind of expectations does he have from his employees. No emergency PTO (despite being a benefit), ability to just get rid of people who don't suit him, cursing at people, not having a proper work/life balance. It just keeps on giving. And all for what? A mapping application having features which really don't save lives 99% of the time.

I came exactly to say that, the guy is a nut job manager. Working weekend and probably being belittled by this guy while doing that, for what? A driving app, wow.

Re: Why did I leave Google or, why did I stay so long?

#152

Post by mabbo »

> Being promoted has more impact on the individuals economic success than the product growth. The decision which product to work on stems from the odds of getting promoted and thus we began onboarding people with the wrong state of mind - seeing Waze as a stepping stone and not as a calling.

Their ability to maximize their own income before the acquisition was based on how successful your product was- they had stock options! Their ability to maximize their income after the acquisition was based on getting their next promotion.

They were never actually in love with your product. The passion was not passion for what you did. Their passion was for money. Waze was always a stepping stone.

All the while, here you are complaining that you can't arbitrarily fire people, that you can't "speak your mind" for fear of HR complaints, just generally wishing you could continue to abuse your employees. These are things you only did because those employees were just a stepping stone for your success, not people.

What a whiny hypocrite.

Re: Why did I leave Google or, why did I stay so long?

#153

Post by rkangel »

ramraj07 wrote: post #104
Kototama wrote: post #96

"As I had kids, I learned the importance of being at home for them and that's how I understood Work Life balance - its a balance, sometimes you need to work weekends and nights, sometimes you can head out early or work from home - we balance the needs of the employee and the company." sometimes you need to work weekends and nights while your wife take care of the kids alone so that your career progress and her's not.…

Contrary to popular belief, kids are not some tamagotchi pet that needs constant attention and helicoptering after they're babies. You can perfectly be a good parent and raise independent well minded kids without needing two parents always present every moment of every weekend.

No, but until they're mid-teens, they do need one parent most of the time. If one of them is working weekends a lot, then that assumes the other one is available to parent.

Re: Why did I leave Google or, why did I stay so long?

#154

Post by jimmaswell »

dtoznayxvf wrote: post #106

Many people simply can't hack startup culture. Corp 'culture' created by worthless (damaging) HR dept isn't even that -- its innovation poison. Perfect for hack and hangers on -- u know... people who call themselves 'thought leaders'. Yoga has zero place at a serious busines. It's not a daycare!

> Yoga has zero place at a serious busines.

The free market seems to say it's worth the boost to employee retention or PR or whatever.

Re: Why did I leave Google or, why did I stay so long?

#155

Post by tester34 »

willcipriano wrote: post #29
jpm_sd wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Try managing a team where people take last minute personal days all the time, without having to give advance notice or a reason.

> Try managing a team where people take last minute personal days all the time, without having to give advance notice or a reason. Try getting a job where they advertise a benefit, then complain when you use it.

Never heard of benefit called "taking free days last min is no problem"

Re: Why did I leave Google or, why did I stay so long?

#156

Post by etripe »

asidiali wrote: post #114
slibhb wrote: post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If they really complained about not getting compensated for buying their own food during lockdown I think "entitled" is a fair descriptor. This is the first time I've read one of these blogs where the author complains about it being "practically impossible to fire someone". To me, that adds an air of authenticity to the complaining. In my experience too, the inability to fire people for reasons other than "this perso…

Agree and disagree. Without pushing a point too hard, I will ask you this - what if your employment contract states you are to receive $X,000 per year in food or food stipend? Would you be in favor of employees pushing for subsidized food while remote? Ok, and there’s a deadline at work. There’s also a deadline at your spouses work, your kid is sick, and they took off work to look after them last time. What do you do…

Roll initiative!

On a more serious note, that all depends on the type of contract you've got. If you're salaried and get a constant wage, you're not exactly being compensated for going above and beyond, especially in terms of hours worked.

Surely, if the work to be done is important, that means the employer is willing to pay for the privilege of having it done during off hours? If not, I would argue the employer, not the employee is feeling entitled.

Re: Why did I leave Google or, why did I stay so long?

#157

Post by jskrablin »

madeofpalk wrote: post #74
itg wrote: post #24

Another "leader" who complains about employees wanting work life balance and they are extremely entitled. These are the type of managers you want to avoid. I'm sure many Googlers are happy you left.

"I don't believe long hours are a badge of honor but I also believe that we have to do whatever it takes to win, even if its on a weekend." lmao what a terrible, horrible manager. I would hate working for them, and I would not miss them leaving. Maybe I'm just playing into their "young people don't want to work" stereotype, but if that's what working means, I don't want to do it with them.

Last time I somehow ended in a company with culture/managers similar to the one above I quit after only a month and a half. And I don't exactly fit into "young people don't want to work" stereotype. You'll only get this kind of expectations in extremely toxic places.

Re: Why did I leave Google or, why did I stay so long?

#159

Post by throwaway98797 »

izacus wrote: post #99

This is an amazing post - it describes exactly how bad manager looks like and what kind of expectations does he have from his employees. No emergency PTO (despite being a benefit), ability to just get rid of people who don't suit him, cursing at people, not having a proper work/life balance. It just keeps on giving. And all for what? A mapping application having features which really don't save lives 99% of the time.

He made money tho...

Maybe bad for mental health of the average employee but not for everyone.

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