Ask HN: Work Culture Canary? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: Work Culture Canary?

#101

Post by caprock » Thu, Sep 08, 2022, 5:21 AM UTC

samizdis wrote: post #56

This isn't quite the same thing as a "work culture canary", but it offered an interesting (to me, at least) perspective on coworkers. On two occasions, once in a large media office in the UK for a year and the second time in another large media office in Australia for two-and-a-half years, I maintained a huge stash of chocolate bars in the drawers at my workstation. In the UK, I'd leave the drawer open to display the…

This is a great story and interesting set of observations. Thanks for taking the time to share!

Re: Ask HN: Work Culture Canary?

#102

Post by minhmeoke » Thu, Sep 08, 2022, 5:45 AM UTC

beardyw wrote: post #16

In a similar vein I visited Cyprus some years ago. In the middle of nowhere was a shaded spot with a few tables, a fridge and a plastic tub. You took a beer out of the fridge and put the money in the tub. That was how it worked.

There are fruit stands that operate like this in Kauai, Hawaii. Seems like an excellent indicator of a hippie-like culture :)

By the way, I've noticed that people in both Kauai and Cyprus were super chill and honest, probably not a coincidence.

Re: Ask HN: Work Culture Canary?

#103

Post by oxff » Thu, Sep 08, 2022, 5:50 AM UTC

Mandatum wrote: post #38

https://steveblank.com/2009/12/21/the-elves-leave-middle-ear... Once they cut benefits that are widely lauded. Holiday-free PTO, exercise and health benefits, stuff that makes sense to anyone to attract talent when times are tough. You can cut corners, you can cut bonuses when times are tough - but you can't cut benefits. It's a short-term way of thinking, and you'll lose your best employees over it.

Why is this a red flag / canary? Given the chance, I'd take every single non-monetary benefit (such as "health benefit", or "exercise benefit") as direct monetary compensation added to my pay, by virtue of the fact I know much better how to allocate that money such that it is beneficial to me.

Re: Ask HN: Work Culture Canary?

#104

Post by nokya » Sun, Sep 11, 2022, 10:56 AM UTC

Markoff wrote: post #21

taffronaut wrote: post #5

Every time I take a can of soda from the fridge, I replace it with two. I exhort my colleagues to do the same. However we have yet to reach my goal of 2^64 cans which makes me suspect there are some bad apples.

That doesn't make sense, if everyone done it you would run out of fridge capacity within few hours, why not take one, replace one?

I think the general idea is that you should contribute twice the drinks you consume because not everyone will always play by the rules and this will not necessarily be a bad apple. I can easily imagine myself drinking from that fridge for days, then one day bring back three 6-packs into the fridge because I saw an offer and carrying them to work would not be an issue because "I'll go with my car next week". Something alike :)