Don't ignore the janitor • Hacker News Board

Re: Don't ignore the janitor

#11

Post by grammarnazzzi » Tue, Sep 06, 2022, 2:02 AM UTC

JoeAltmaier wrote: post #2

Further, try to abide by their requests. If they want the trash can by the door to your office or cubicle on Thursday evening, move the damn trashcan to the door. They have 100 to empty; it's a trivial task for you. We can get wound up in ourselves and forget to hold a door, or avoid spilling crumbs on our carpet, or log out of our workstation, or use a different hallway when the floor is being waxed, or to move the…

> Further, try to abide by their requests. If they want the trash can by the door to your office or cubicle on Thursday evening, move the damn trashcan to the door.

Better yet, take your damn trashcan out to the damn dumpster your own damn self.

Then we can save some damn money and fire the damn janitor.

> They have 100 to empty; it's a trivial task for you.

It's a trivial part of their job. They're getting paid for it.

Re: Don't ignore the janitor

#12

Post by deltasevennine » Tue, Sep 06, 2022, 2:03 AM UTC

I ignore the janitor because of the obvious wealth disparity between us. He works just as hard as me but is doing a job nobody likes and is paid less for it.

It's completely unfair. And when I just see the janitor it's all I think about.

This article is like, be nice to the people you step on. Yeah. I don't disagree with that sentiment.

Re: Don't ignore the janitor

#13

Post by didericis » Tue, Sep 06, 2022, 2:09 AM UTC

I feel like trading spaces every month or so with a different employee for a brief period of time would be a really, really positive exercise. If you could arrange it so you can mitigate business disruptions while people fumble around (maybe do whatever is typically done with new hires), I have a feeling the mutual appreciation for what other people contribute would lead to better cooperation.

I know there are lots of TV shows and movies about this, so it’s not a novel idea or anything, and I understand the potential for it to backfire, but I can’t overstate the cooperative benefits of gratitude if you really understand and appreciate what it is everyone is contributing.

Re: Don't ignore the janitor

#14

Post by rayiner » Tue, Sep 06, 2022, 2:23 AM UTC

deltasevennine wrote: post #12

I ignore the janitor because of the obvious wealth disparity between us. He works just as hard as me but is doing a job nobody likes and is paid less for it. It's completely unfair. And when I just see the janitor it's all I think about. This article is like, be nice to the people you step on. Yeah. I don't disagree with that sentiment.

That seems like a rationalization to me, and one that doesn’t actually make anyone’s life better. Inequality is a fact of life. You both work hard, but you could do his job and he couldn’t do yours. He almost certainly knows that and has come to terms with it. You don’t interact with him because acknowledging the disparity causes you discomfort embarrassment. But doing that doesn’t make his life any better.

And, of course, people aren’t just their jobs. Maybe you like the same sports team. Maybe he likes to talk about his kids. Who knows?

Re: Don't ignore the janitor

#15

Post by rdtsc » Tue, Sep 06, 2022, 2:26 AM UTC

My mom was a night guard, then a janitor for many years. I tagged along to some places she worked. I got to play and hang out after hours in the interesting buildings. But yeah, we were "invisible" so to speak. People were often impolite and rude to us because they saw us as beneath them. I always make a point smile and greet the janitors and other service workers I encounter, partly because I know what it feels like to be "invisible".

Re: Don't ignore the janitor

#16

Post by didericis » Tue, Sep 06, 2022, 2:27 AM UTC

grammarnazzzi wrote: post #11

JoeAltmaier wrote: post #2

Further, try to abide by their requests. If they want the trash can by the door to your office or cubicle on Thursday evening, move the damn trashcan to the door. They have 100 to empty; it's a trivial task for you. We can get wound up in ourselves and forget to hold a door, or avoid spilling crumbs on our carpet, or log out of our workstation, or use a different hallway when the floor is being waxed, or to move the…

> Further, try to abide by their requests. If they want the trash can by the door to your office or cubicle on Thursday evening, move the damn trashcan to the door. Better yet, take your damn trashcan out to the damn dumpster your own damn self. Then we can save some damn money and fire the damn janitor. > They have 100 to empty; it's a trivial task for you. It's a trivial part of their job. They're getting paid for…

It’s trivial to correct code formatting. You’re getting paid to code, presumably. What’s the better world: one in which your colleagues make a trivial effort to install a linter and make their code nicely formatted before handing it off, or one in which they don’t bother, say it’s trivial and part of your job for you to correct it, and then threaten to fire you?

Re: Don't ignore the janitor

#17

Post by BLKNSLVR » Tue, Sep 06, 2022, 2:30 AM UTC

wikitopian wrote: post #8

And for those of you working from home, quit ignoring and disrespecting your cat.

Is it even possible to ignore your cat?

There are few cats I've met that tolerate being ignored, they just escalate their activities until there's a choice between 'give attention to cat' and 'buy new carpet / furniture / bedding / clothes'.

(coming from me though, who can't ignore the big, scruffy -to put it mildly - neighbourhood stray tom cat that comes to visit a few days per year for the last six or seven years)

Re: Don't ignore the janitor

#18

Post by rr808 » Tue, Sep 06, 2022, 2:32 AM UTC

I always try to talk to everyone but I'm not sure its the right thing to do. The guy who talks the most is a manager who is worth tens of millions but talks and laughs with the Janitor, its nice but you know he'll never get invited around for dinner which makes it a bit fake to me.

Re: Don't ignore the janitor

#19

Post by BLKNSLVR » Tue, Sep 06, 2022, 2:37 AM UTC

codelikeawolf wrote: post #4

My first "real" job out of high school was working in a factory as a machine operator. There are two things that I remember hearing at some point that have always stuck with me: 1. It's nice to be important, but it's important to be nice. 2. Never forget where you came from, because you might end up back there someday.

I've cleaned change rooms at an outdoor swimming pool. Things I'm glad I can say I've done, and probably helped on the way to dealing with the parenting of babies, but would be happy to never have to face again.

Re: Don't ignore the janitor

#20

Post by II2II » Tue, Sep 06, 2022, 2:38 AM UTC

deltasevennine wrote: post #12

I ignore the janitor because of the obvious wealth disparity between us. He works just as hard as me but is doing a job nobody likes and is paid less for it. It's completely unfair. And when I just see the janitor it's all I think about. This article is like, be nice to the people you step on. Yeah. I don't disagree with that sentiment.

> This article is like, be nice to the people you step on.

The first step is to not step on those people. Simple things matter, like following simple requests (e.g. the placing the trash can next to the door mentioned in another thread). Attitude matters too. There is a reason why some places call janitors caretakers: they are there to maintain the physical spaces people work in, not to clean up people's messes.