"We're a family here." - Corporations to their employees

[Shadow Wolf]

But then work time is work time. People spend an enormous time of their "work time" on idle chit chat, and then wonder why they aren't getting ahead.

I doubt research supports that claim.

 

[Revoltingest]

Not avoid, we were always friendly, but not friends as such.
I once had the owner of a company say to me I was not there to make friends.
I think we are more likely to make the distinction between friends and friendly in the UK.

In one company I worked for they closed the directors and senior managers dining room. And they came to eat in the staff dining room.
We had tables that held six people or ten if pushed together. I was surprised to find a number of them coming to sit at the table I usually sat at
This continued for a few days. Then I was first in one day, and they all came and sat at that one. There were only ever two of us more junior managers at the" directors" Table and never my senior manager who stopped coming to the dining room as they seemed to avoid him.

At another company I worked for one of the directors lived very close to me so we car shared the twenty miles into work. Taking it in turns to drive.
He was the person who interview me for the job at his home. when I turned up I was met by his very beautiful daughter in hot pants and a bikini top. 1970's
It turned out I was one of the first I employees of what was to become the"Eggs Authority" and had to specify and setup the printing department for them. It went on to produce a weekly report and statistical price news letter to the industry. The data was collected and processed manually on a wednesday( Pre computer) this was typeset layed out, plates made and printed thursday morning folded and machine stuffed into pre addressed envelopes and posted by mid afternoon.
It was just a few hours panic every week, but apart from that I virtually had very little to do, after three years I moved on. Most of my jobs have involved setting things up and moving on. Some time things have taken longer to mature or taken unexpected forks, so have lasted longer before I got bored.

I can see not wanting to get overly friendly with
subordinates, whom one might have to fire or
lay off some day.

 

[Pawpatrol]

I doubt research supports that claim.

The typical employee is only productive for 60% of the day across all professions. But for office workers, that proportion dramatically declines. According to Voucher Cloud’s research, the average office worker is barely productive for two hours and 23 minutes per day.

Other interesting points related to the topic:

"Due to the disparate working styles, 46% of individuals perceive teamwork to be extremely difficult."

"The typical worker uses social media for up to 32% of their workday, or 2.35 hours each day."

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Most people want to work for their pay but are easily put off when they don't feel appreciated.

That's me at my current job. Management feels I'm incompetent, feels I'm not that good at my job, and will not let me live down mistakes and mess ups, and all I do go unappreciated by them. But on the streets donors stop me and say hi tell me how good I am (happened again just last night). I'm very smart, very capable, and work circles around coworkers, coworkers who are slower than me, don't have the same level of confidence as me and get further ahead and more training anyways.
And here it really sucks because it's hard to do anything against management that doesn't also end up effecting donors.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

The typical employee is only productive for 60% of the day across all professions. But for office workers, that proportion dramatically declines. According to Voucher Cloud’s research, the average office worker is barely productive for two hours and 23 minutes per day.

Other interesting points related to the topic:

"Due to the disparate working styles, 46% of individuals perceive teamwork to be extremely difficult."

"The typical worker uses social media for up to 32% of their workday, or 2.35 hours each day."

That's a click bait article that doesn't really delve into the articles it's supposedly citing (a big red flag in itself) And, ultimately, America is the no vacation nation, we take work home on a regular basis, 50 is the new 40, and we work way more than other countries.

 

[Revoltingest]

The typical employee is only productive for 60% of the day across all professions. But for office workers, that proportion dramatically declines. According to Voucher Cloud’s research, the average office worker is barely productive for two hours and 23 minutes per day.

Other interesting points related to the topic:

"Due to the disparate working styles, 46% of individuals perceive teamwork to be extremely difficult."

"The typical worker uses social media for up to 32% of their workday, or 2.35 hours each day."

When I had a really interesting design project,
I'd work a high percentage of the time. And
I'd continue thinking & designing outside of
work. I'd dream of the project.
The good old days.

BTW, when I was at GM (as a contractor) the
draftsmen assigned to my project would be
allotted overtime, which they'd spend discussing
fishing & such. I did much of my own drawing.

 

[Pawpatrol]

That's a click bait article that doesn't really delve into the articles it's supposedly citing (a big red flag in itself) And, ultimately, America is the no vacation nation, we take work home on a regular basis, 50 is the new 40, and we work way more than other countries.

I bet if it had been about the employers you would've happily agreed.

"31% waste roughly 30 minutes daily
31% waste roughly 1 hour daily
16% waste roughly 2 hours daily
6% waste roughly 3 hours daily"
Source

"Almost 90% of staff say that they waste time on the job every day. For the most part, it’s no more than an hour. However, more than a quarter of people in the UK have admitted to wasting in excess of two hours over the course of a standard workday." Source

"4% admit they’re texting or using their phones almost 35% just waste time online playing games or shopping 43% of employees admit that they’re chatting to their colleagues (instead of working)." Source

"Did you know the average employee wastes 260 hours every year?

That’s a significant amount of time that costs companies more money than just time.

In fact, In the United States, organizations lose $1.7 million in wasted time for every 100 employees." Source

There are people all over the world who take work home and guess what, it's their choice.

Jim Rohn told about a man who brought his work home everyday and his daughter asked her mother, why? The mother replied that her father couldn't finish all his work in the office so he had to bring it home. The daughter asked, "why don't they put him in the slower group?"

 

[Twilight Hue]

Here is an 'appreciation' of one corporate family member awarding another hard working dedicated working family member....

Yea... but this particular instance of corporate family ahem...generosity, there is another family style outsider ending with this perfect hard and dedicated worker who took it all in stride with absolute grace and dignity well cared for.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

"31% waste roughly 30 minutes daily
31% waste roughly 1 hour daily
16% waste roughly 2 hours daily
6% waste roughly 3 hours daily"
Source

9 years old, and a far cry from your earlier claims.

Almost 90% of staff say that they waste time on the job every day. For the most part, it’s no more than an hour. However, more than a quarter of people in the UK have admitted to wasting in excess of two hours over the course of a standard workday." Source

Again, not anywhere close to your claims of all but a couple hours.
And you don't mention how employers waiste time. Longer shifts than needed for the work load given, meetings that achieve nothing but wasting time and groups and events and activities that are company mandated but not work related.

 

[Quintessence]

Women and men tend to behave differently at work (and everywhere else). That's why I asked.

I haven't noticed that at work, or anywhere else.

 

[Kathryn]

Friends from work are fine but they are often just that - friends from work. Remove the work environment and see how those friends stick around. They often don't, and would you? Or do you?

 

[Alien826]

"Almost 90% of staff say that they waste time on the job every day. For the most part, it’s no more than an hour. However, more than a quarter of people in the UK have admitted to wasting in excess of two hours over the course of a standard workday." Source

I worked with a guy (this was in England) who quite deliberately did nothing at all. You'd think that eventually sheer boredom would make him do some work, but no. He spent the day making things on his desk out of office supplies. He had an obstacle course where a ball would roll over under and through things to complete a course. He made a catapult that fired little miniature arrows. You'd think he would be fired which would have saved the company his salary for no loss in productivity, but read on.

I was promoted to be his supervisor and I decided to make it my job to get him to work. He got quite offended by this and went and complained to my boss. He told him that he didn't work because he was bored. My boss promoted him to a different job. Now that's management for you. Did my boss realize that he had just destroyed any authority I might have had over my other subordinates? It wasn't long before I left that job.

 

[We Never Know]

I've worked for quite a few restaurants run by corporate chains. One of the things that is always reiterated in the training and videos that Corporate makes the new hires watch is that the coworkers are supposed to be "a family".

What do you guys think of this? Are your coworkers "your family"?

Personally, I hate this corporate speak and catchphrase. I believe it is icky and manipulative.

First off, not everyone has positive relationships with their families, so equating the work environment to a home environment may not be good for people who have bad home environments.

Secondly, it's a ploy by the bosses to make you work extra/harder. You do favors for your family. You turn a blind eye to your family's misdeeds.

Gosh it makes me cringe every time I hear "We're a family here." I'm not looking for family, I'm looking for work! I've been doing job interviews this past month and managers who interview me often tout that "they are family" with the employees.

What do you think?

With most jobs when a person dies their job opening is posted days before their obituary.

Everyone is replaceable.

 

[Yerda]

I worked with a guy (this was in England) who quite deliberately did nothing at all. You'd think that eventually sheer boredom would make him do some work, but no. He spent the day making things on his desk out of office supplies. He had an obstacle course where a ball would roll over under and through things to complete a course. He made a catapult that fired little miniature arrows. You'd think he would be fired which would have saved the company his salary for no loss in productivity, but read on.

I was promoted to be his supervisor and I decided to make it my job to get him to work. He got quite offended by this and went and complained to my boss. He told him that he didn't work because he was bored. My boss promoted him to a different job. Now that's management for you. Did my boss realize that he had just destroyed any authority I might have had over my other subordinates? It wasn't long before I left that job.

That guy is my hero

 

[Shadow Wolf]

With most jobs when a person dies their job opening is posted days before their obituary.

Everyone is replaceable.

That's what they want you to think. But when you're really good at your job you do become irreplaceable, because they won't easily find someone who does as much and does it as well, amd when you're irreplaceable a big issue for companies is you have some weight to push with, because no the next person won't be replacing the worker and will merely be filling in an empty position.

 

[Revoltingest]

I worked with a guy (this was in England) who quite deliberately did nothing at all. You'd think that eventually sheer boredom would make him do some work, but no. He spent the day making things on his desk out of office supplies. He had an obstacle course where a ball would roll over under and through things to complete a course. He made a catapult that fired little miniature arrows. You'd think he would be fired which would have saved the company his salary for no loss in productivity, but read on.

I was promoted to be his supervisor and I decided to make it my job to get him to work. He got quite offended by this and went and complained to my boss. He told him that he didn't work because he was bored. My boss promoted him to a different job. Now that's management for you. Did my boss realize that he had just destroyed any authority I might have had over my other subordinates? It wasn't long before I left that job.

Mrs Revolt's father was a manager at Voice Of America.
It was a government job. He was under direct orders
to give every employee a positive review. It was clearly
a very well run organization because everyone was
given high marks for their work.
One guy ran a real estate business out of VOA. He did
no actual VOA work at all. But he couldn't be fired because
his reviews were all positive.

 

[Pawpatrol]

9 years old, and a far cry from your earlier claims.

Again, not anywhere close to your claims of all but a couple hours.
And you don't mention how employers waiste time. Longer shifts than needed for the work load given, meetings that achieve nothing but wasting time and groups and events and activities that are company mandated but not work related.

Then tell me with your own words that employees (the oh so hard working Americans, if you like) don't waste time at work.

What is it you're arguing against?
Is it that you think my statistic are an offence to you because you don't (think you) waste time at work? If that's the case, don't worry, the studies don't say everyone wastes time at work, but it is an unarguable fact that most people do — some more, some less. I don't know why it's so painful for you to accept. You're free to live in denial of course.

I haven't noticed that at work, or anywhere else.

Maybe your workplace is special, but more than likely, you just "don't notice" indeed.

They often don't, and would you?

I would definitely if they showed any inclination to do so as well, but like said, I never really made friends at work.

I worked with a guy (this was in England) who quite deliberately did nothing at all. You'd think that eventually sheer boredom would make him do some work, but no. He spent the day making things on his desk out of office supplies. He had an obstacle course where a ball would roll over under and through things to complete a course. He made a catapult that fired little miniature arrows. You'd think he would be fired which would have saved the company his salary for no loss in productivity, but read on.

I was promoted to be his supervisor and I decided to make it my job to get him to work. He got quite offended by this and went and complained to my boss. He told him that he didn't work because he was bored. My boss promoted him to a different job. Now that's management for you. Did my boss realize that he had just destroyed any authority I might have had over my other subordinates? It wasn't long before I left that job.

That must've felt bad. It may be the supervisor knew something about the employees abilities which made him do that.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Then tell me with your own words that employees (the oh so hard working Americans, if you like) don't waste time at work.

I've been a supervisor. Of course some people are better at wasting time than they are at their job, but that wasn't most people. The team I was on, we basically all hated our job and hated being there so we didn't waste time because the more time we wasted the longer we were there. My own personal crew, get in, get it done and go home was the goal and if any time was being wasted it wasn't one of my people doing it.

Is it that you think my statistic are an offence to you because you don't (think you) waste time at work? If that's the case, don't worry, the studies don't say everyone wastes time at work, but it is an unarguable fact that most people do — some more, some less. I don't know why it's so painful for you to accept. You're free to live in denial of course.

Your claim was people are only productive about 2 and half hours. I said research probably doesn't support that. I was right.

 

[Secret Chief]

About that...

I wanted to see if they would sink or float.

Have you ever felt an ounce of remorse?

 

[Secret Chief]

I've worked for quite a few restaurants run by corporate chains. One of the things that is always reiterated in the training and videos that Corporate makes the new hires watch is that the coworkers are supposed to be "a family".

What do you guys think of this? Are your coworkers "your family"?

Personally, I hate this corporate speak and catchphrase. I believe it is icky and manipulative.

First off, not everyone has positive relationships with their families, so equating the work environment to a home environment may not be good for people who have bad home environments.

Secondly, it's a ploy by the bosses to make you work extra/harder. You do favors for your family. You turn a blind eye to your family's misdeeds.

Gosh it makes me cringe every time I hear "We're a family here." I'm not looking for family, I'm looking for work! I've been doing job interviews this past month and managers who interview me often tout that "they are family" with the employees.

What do you think?

Never heard the word used in this context.