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The CEO of RevolutApp on Slack: “Why Aren’t You Working on Weekends?”

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Re: The CEO of RevolutApp on Slack: “Why Aren’t You Working on Weekends?”

#61
post #32

If you have only ever worked a 9 - 5 work week this may come as a surprise, but in the real world in America, lots of highly paid people routinely work weekends and nights and 12 or even 24 hour shifts. Doctors, Police Officers, Morticians, Firefighters, etc. They use schedules to spread the work and many only get one weekend off a month of totally free time.

> Doctors, Police Officers, Morticians, Firefighters

Hold on. A firefighter is on call in the in the firehouse during their shift. The aren't (except in emergencies) working straight 24 hour shifts. I see them at the grocery store a lot during the day. How many teams of software developers are gaming, shopping and sleeping during their shifts?

most patrol officers work 5 consecutive 8-hour shifts followed by two days off, though emergency callouts are part of the job.

I don't know any morticians but I assume that is the same. Doctors are in a different category all together, and I'll bet their shifts and culture surrounding their hours are responsible for many, many deaths.

Re: The CEO of RevolutApp on Slack: “Why Aren’t You Working on Weekends?”

#62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not sure if it's sarcasm or not, but asking people to work on weekends means crossing the line, whether it's expressed in a direct or indirect way.

What if during the interviewing process they're very clear that they are a startup that isn't a normal job and the trade off is equity and a great cheque in 2-5 years?

Very clear would be "maybe a great cheque in 2-5yrs but it could be we'll fail and you'll lose your job and get nothing", wouldn't it?

Apparently in USA ~50% survive year 5 of businesses. I see similar numbers for UK.

eg https://www.researchgate.net/post/Most_Start-up_Businesses_F... for USA

Re: The CEO of RevolutApp on Slack: “Why Aren’t You Working on Weekends?”

#63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not sure if it's sarcasm or not, but asking people to work on weekends means crossing the line, whether it's expressed in a direct or indirect way.

What if during the interviewing process they're very clear that they are a startup that isn't a normal job and the trade off is equity and a great cheque in 2-5 years?

Some countries have laws for that tho, which were implemented precisely so that all business are not allowed to think themselves as so "special" that they can set any rules whatsoever, they've done it in the past and it was ugly. If I make a mining startup can I say it's not a normal job, this you go back home once a week, work 14hrs day and can bring your child as a mini-employee?

I'd be curious as to what work laws in UK says.

Re: The CEO of RevolutApp on Slack: “Why Aren’t You Working on Weekends?”

#64
post #4

I hate the idea of working on weekends... This guy was only talking about people significantly behind on their projects, for what it is worth. Of course they can be behind because they are wasting time or because the project requires too many man hours.

How do you know the deadlines were reasonable? One of the reasons I quit my last job was because of unreasonable revenue targets from shareholders and the need to push my team beyond what I thought was reasonable due to these pressures. This included some ridiculous deadlines.

Re: The CEO of RevolutApp on Slack: “Why Aren’t You Working on Weekends?”

#65
post #47

Related: Revolut and Monzo are still amazing products. After moving to the US they make it quite impossible to use revolut or monzo (it’s expensive as fuck to top up). I’ve looked into simple/varo/chime but they look pretty bad in comparison to Monzo, they are also reserved to Us citizens only so fuck people with a greencard. I have chase/capitalone/schwabe and their app are just stuck in the past. I really wish Monz…

Use TransferWise to move USD to your GBP account? Or even more, use TW's borderless account?

You swap a bright pink/orange card for a bright lime green

Re: The CEO of RevolutApp on Slack: “Why Aren’t You Working on Weekends?”

#66
post #13

People aren't robots they need breaks, vacations, time to decompress, time off when sick.

>People aren't robots they need breaks, vacations, time to decompress, time off when sick.

It's worth remembering that the only reason employees get these concessions is because unions and governments forced companies to do so under threat of (sometimes direct) violence, and that part of the "disruptive" philosophy of modern startup culture is an attempt to undermine and roll back these gains in labor rights under the pretense of free-market efficiency.

Re: The CEO of RevolutApp on Slack: “Why Aren’t You Working on Weekends?”

#68
The rational response when those receiving the message are not compensated with exactly the same, non-dilutive equity share class as founders, is explained in Urban Dictionary [1] from the Goodfellas movie [2]. Pay peanuts, get monkey effort. If KPI's were negotiated simultaneously with compensation, then perhaps there might be some more negotiating leverage equity between parties and a more honest appraisal and synchronization between goals and compensation, but standard practice is compensation is negotiated on a lagging basis compared to how often KPI's are established/modified.

The whole applicant's-must-book-sales-for-free schtick was so trashy they pulled it [3] once it came to light.

[1] https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=fuck%20you%2...

[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8L4HHPTiZN8

[3] https://www.crowdfundinsider.com/2018/10/140531-digital-bank...

Re: The CEO of RevolutApp on Slack: “Why Aren’t You Working on Weekends?”

#69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Honestly, I can't tell if you're being sarcastic, but I really think you're absolutely right. Some people really like working in that environment. Personally, it's not for me, but at least the CEO is upfront about what he expects. Really, he's being a good leader in that respect. I wouldn't want to work for him, but he's clear about what he wants which a lot of people in management miss. EDIT Let me explain why this…

When I was 22 I would gladly have doubled down for the money. Over a decade later... not so much. People forget that there are others not like them. There are plenty of companies that set deadlines and expect you to meet them, even if that means working the weekends when you’re behind. There is nothing inherently wrong with that, lots of people love the money and/or don’t have families. No one is forcing you to work…

That argument would justify unlimited abusive behavior from employers. No time for bathroom breaks? Locked exit doors during working hours? [1] "There are plenty of companies with conditions like those, and obviously a lot of people love the money. No one is forcing you to work there, so leave them alone."

1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triangle_Shirtwaist_Factory_fi...

Re: The CEO of RevolutApp on Slack: “Why Aren’t You Working on Weekends?”

#70
post #11

If people are behind the expected performance due to excessive workload or poor higher-level management, then this is unacceptable. If people are behind the expected performance due to incompetence, wasted time or poor self-management, then this is reasonable. We are all adults here.

I think this is absolutely wrong and, frankly, sickening. It is never OK for a superior to ask or even imply that employees should work overtime (barring jobs with very disproportionate impact). Incompetence on the part of an employee is not punishable by overtime work unless they want to do that on their own volition. You work with them to solve their problems. If you can't do so without requiring that they work ove…

I'm as offended by the CEO's attitude as the rest, but this seems like a way over-the-top response. It is literally NEVER OK for a superior to ask an employee to work overtime?

Insisting that your employees work weekends for months on end is obviously unacceptable. Asking your employees to work occasional overtime in certain circumstances hardly seems monstrous to me.

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