Professional Environment?

[Brian]

So today, I arrive at my cube, and go through my typical start-up routine: pour coffee from thermos, check voicemail and email, etc... I turn to look at the clock, and low and behold, it is gone. Now, I asked myself, maybe the batteries died... but why take the whole clock? As it turns out, the other sections of my office (I work for State Environmental Protection) have also had their clocks removed.

As it turns out, higher headquarters (the Regional Director, mind you), has taken the liberty to remove all time telling devices other than the ones on the computers. This was apparently done between the time I left yesterday, and this mornig when I arrived. So basically, a late night covert mission.

A bit of history, this is also yet another middle management annoyance. Working for government, especially my section, we deal with a lot of complaints, and regulate our own appliicants. We do not have a secondary enforcement section. We are permitting/compliance. So we sometimes leave early or arrive late especially when we have to stop at a conservation district office, or make a site inspection, etc... But we are the ones targeted for truancy and tardiness. Why not reprimand the supervisors? BTW... there is a guy on the third floor of my building, who sleeps everyday. And he still has a job? WTF? Oh yeah, the is the State, what was I thinking...

Needless to say, since passing the PE and collecting my bonus and class/text reimbursement, I have been looking for other work some sometime now. I hate this f-ing office...

Brian

 

[Capt Worley PE]

Do you get your clocks back when you go home?

Are you allowed to wear wrist watches?

 

[Guest]

Needless to say, since passing the PE and collecting my bonus and class/text reimbursement, I have been looking for other work some sometime now. I hate this f-ing office...

Psssttt .. I work for an environmental regulatory agency too h34r: h34r:

I am not sure why this is happening but the quality of 'the job' at state agencies has been taking a nose dive. I know people in several states working for environmental protection, public health, or DOT that are very unhappy with the policies that have been handed down.

In my building everyone was told that they could no longer have a mini-fridge in thier office and our break areas were merged into one room that has two (2) microwaves and (1) refridgerator. There are approximately 125 people per floor ....

However, in an attempt to regain the upper-hand on morale, the :burgerking: is implementing a gold-star program - each week an employee will be recognized with a gold star for exemplorary work within the bureau.

So ... I guess it isn't all bad ...

Hang in there Brian, something better will come along!

JR

 

[Dleg]

Taking away your clocks? What a joke! Is that supposed to improve efficiency somehow? HOW??? If I were you, I would start getting less work done and then send a memo to management that you are having troubles with time management because you have NO WAY OF KNOWING WHAT TIME IT IS!

This is what happens when organizations start hiring too many "human resources" people. If you get too many of those idiots on board, they run out of useful things to do (like processing your paychecks and benefits) and start to find other ways to justify their existence.

Same thing with us (I also work for a state regulatory agency) - just yesterday we were forced into a meeting with the new "director of training" for the state government, someone I highly suspect was hired just because he is a friend of the governor and his consulting business was failing. Turns out we can't run any of our training classes without his approval now. WTF! The guy knows nothing about engineering, envir regulations, etc., and all I can see him doing is creating more paperwork and making the process of setting up classes even more difficult. Probably to the point that it will discourage me from doing it anymore.

Anyway, I feel your pain.

 

[squishles10]

That's hilarious.

We keep getting memos yelling at us about signing out at the front desk. There are about 40 of us here, and we always know where each other is, yet they get pissy when there are 10 people missing between 12 and 1. Gee, I wonder where they went. Let me find the email about the timesheets:

"If anyone has a problem with any of these things come see me and let's discuss it. I'll make sure you understand that you will follow these requests!"

Are you freaking kidding me? We're not 12, and I am sure the hell old enough to not have to be told that I WILL FOLLOW THESE REQUESTS! At this point, it's not really a request, is it?

 

[rudy]

Brian did you get your clock back? I'd be pissed if they took my clock. I don't have one at work. I'm too worried about layoffs. So I brought all my personal items home. But if they took any of my stuff, I'd be mad.

They are implementing this new policy, which they haven't announced yet. But we know. Employees (we're not sure yet if all employees, or only non-exempts) are to swipe their badges upon entering or leaving. They haven't announced it yet, but we've seen all these little swipe-machines being put up around the entry's. Now we know it's not for security, because these little machines are being placed right next to the security badge swipe machines. The new machines also have our time system (vacation, etc) displayed on the screen. :suicide:

My plan is to overload the system, by swiping my badge every 5 minutes. Or. maybe losing my badge would be better.

 

[Dleg]

Civil disobedience: If a sizeable percentage of the employees fail to follow those procedures, or only follow them occasionally, they can't just go and terminate everyone, and eventually, all the extra work they have to do to make up for the times you forgot to "swipe" will just cause the bean counters to give up.

That's my theory, anyway. It worked with me and the timeclock at my office, anyway. I'm still one of only two or three employees who don't have to time in and out, simply because I the admin people just got tired of constantly have to come to me to ask me to initial my times in and out that I had forgotten to punch (and a few arguments from me about the terms of my contract not being based on hourly pay helped).

 

[frazil]

You should just stop going to meetings - say you didn't know what time it was.

 

[Dleg]

^^Good one!

And take lunch every day from 10:30 to 1:45, again because you "have no idea what time it is".

Go home around 3:00.

 

[Guest]

Leave an hour early to compensate for the hour that you came in late.

JR

 

[Capt Worley PE]

Put up signs:

LIBERATE THE CLOCKS! LET FREEDOM RING!

 

[kevo_55]

Find a sundial and put it on your desk.

Then ask your boss how you read those things.

 

[maryannette]

I think there is a general movement in US companies to go over the top with bureaucratic BS. I think it's the way that people compete for power. If I can make a policy that you have to follow, I'm more important than you. The sad thing is that the corporate leaders are allowing this to make us inefficient, which will ultimately make us uncompetitive.

 

[Guest]

^^ That is very true!

Mrs. JR found out that being the Supreme Allied Commander of Nurses was miniscule compared to the power of being the Regional Nurse Consultant! :vadar:

Guess what happened there ?? :16: :15:

Umm ... yeah. Someone is going to lose more than a clump of hair in that one!! hmy:

JR

 

[cement]

well you know what I am going to say to that JR.

 

[FLBuff PE]

well you know what I am going to say to that JR.

:GotPics: opcorn:

 

[Guest]

well you know what I am going to say to that JR.

I know exactly what you are going to say .... :lmao: :lmao:

I will see what I can do when I see

Changing the subject a tad ....

I just noticed that my agency posted a new PUBLIC forum to encourage work at the agency. They include profiles of current employees. Reading over the profiles, the aspect that they all touch on is that thier connection with family and flexibilty compensates for the lack of pay relative to the private sector. While I feel that the website fairly represents the opportunities and work environment (no pun intended) of my agency, the lack of pay and the on-going problems that will present well into the future is quite unsettling (at least for me).

The more interesting aspect of this new agency recruitment tool is that it is coming on the heels of some recent statements about being able to adequately staff our agency. One of the key elements being that the pay is sorely lagging behind other sectors AND annual incremental pay is looking threatened based on statewide budget shortfalls. A recent awards ceremony for service pins (meaning length of time with the agency) provided a nice illustration of the problem. Four pins were given for 5-yrs service, three pins were given for 10-yrs of service, eighteen pins were given for 20-yrs of service, eight pins were given for 30-yrs of service, and one pin was given for 35-yrs of service.

While just a snapshot it time, that distribution of awards to me is quite telling - you have an agency made-up of lots of folks retiring but very few candidates staying long enough to have considerable time within the agency. June of this year will mark my ninth year with my agency - I don't suspect I will be around long enough for a ten year pin. But then again, I never thought I would be there for more than a few years to pick up some experience either.

If you are interested, you can view the website at http://www.dep.state.fl.us/careers/

JR

 

[Brody]

^^JR, I checked out the Florida DEP website and I dunno how competitive the salaries are but the vacation time, sick leave and holidays are a lot better than I have it here in the lowly world of consulting.

:whipping:

And we don't get any service pins either.

 

[Brian]

This is the best... I got the email about the clocks today...

It was requested that I send out a memo to you to keep you informed of a recent decision to remove wall clocks from the office in case you are asked any questions from your staff.

Some time ago a request came in to purchase a new wall clock that was not operating properly. The request was denied. I then asked the director and obtained his concurrence to remove the wall clocks for the following reasons. First, When the clocks do not operate properly, no replacement cost will be incurred. Second, we no longer need to use batteries we purchase for the operation of the clocks also saving us a cost (albeit small). Third, no disposal or recycling of these batteries. Fourth, everyone has a pc or laptop that has the official time. Staff come and go using the wall clocks. None of these clocks are consistent with keeping time. Most people wear a wrist watch and our telephones have the time displayed for those who feel a need to have the time displayed by an alternative method. I will be removing the wall clocks from all areas except the reception area, the lunchroom and the file room as these are common areas used by the general public.

I do have plans to hang my own clock, in the area of the old clock. There isn't a Management Directive (yet) pertaining to the public display of personal clock. I would assume there will be one, soon... I can't wait. Let the games begin!

I love the reasoning... we don't recycle batteries... and the cost... WE HAVE A GUY WHO SLEEPS EVERYDAY and costs the taxpayers close to $68,000 a year (an anonymous complaint was filed with the State Inspector General on that one)!

$68,000 - That's what, 240,000 batteries?!?

Brian

 

[kevo_55]

^^ No batteries plus in your area? They recycle batteries for free.

That's just a craptacular reason from the higher ups at your place. Heck, maybe you should try a few cat naps every now and then.