Workplace pet-peeves?

[JonathanW]

What are your's?


I'll start. When in a large Teams/Zoom meeting (say > 10 people), and someone (that is not a planned presenter) feels the need to send a Teams/Zoom message to everyone on the call saying "I need to leave".
Guess what, I don't need to know that or really care, but I have to click on it to get rid of the unread message flag.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

I could make this rival the Politics thread size with my list.

I generally just hate everything about the modern office and the corporate world.

I hate dress code, I hate forced interactions, I hate coworkers who skate by, I hate that hard work is often just rewarded with additional work, I hate that talking about salary among coworkers is still taboo, purposely to keep staff from using this salary information as an advantage, I hate meeting bloat, I hate that Trans people are basically unfire-able and it shows in their work output, I hate corporate functions..

But most of all, I ****ing loathe Project Managers and anyone who found this corporate loophole where they don't actually do any of the work, but somehow get paid to just sit there and watch you do it.

Basically the entire essence of the "workplace" is a pet peeve lol.

 

[Bill - Shy Cat]

I could make this rival the Politics thread size with my list.

I generally just hate everything about the modern office and the corporate world.

I hate dress code, I hate forced interactions, I hate coworkers who skate by, I hate that hard work is often just rewarded with additional work, I hate that talking about salary among coworkers is still taboo, purposely to keep staff from using this salary information as an advantage, I hate meeting bloat, I hate that Trans people are basically unfire-able and it shows in their work output, I hate corporate functions..

But most of all, I ****ing loathe Project Managers and anyone who found this corporate loophole where they don't actually do any of the work, but somehow get paid to just sit there and watch you do it.

Basically the entire essence of the "workplace" is a pet peeve lol.

Any chance you could start your own business?

 

[cole854]

Any chance you could start your own business?

He'd need a project manager 😁

 

[LineSkiCat14]

Any chance you could start your own business?

Thankfully my job is 100% remote, so all those problems I listed, I generally get to avoid now.

However, Amazon going back into the office 5-days a week is a monumental domino to fall in "return to work" decisions.

 

[Joey Rupption]

People eating lunch at their desks in an “open office” is bad enough but the “glass jar yogurt” multiplier takes it thermonuclear.

 

[WeWant9]

People who think their needs should be catered to by everyone, while not making any changes themselves.

 

[CC_332]

People who reply all.

 

[gamecockcat]

Somehow, many of the recent group Zoom meetings I've unfortunately attended reserved several minutes at the end for 'shout outs'. OMFG! Jenny came to work today. Bill helped with this project. Annie didn't shoot anyone today. I mean, every single f***ing person has to get or give a 'shout out' so that everyone has been recognized and loved? How about just doing your GD job in a responsible manner for the self-satisfaction it gives?

The majority of individuals who watch the clock all the time. I know I'm probably a throwback, but I work until the task/job is done not some arbitrary 'quitting time'. I've had several assistants who just packed up and left when it was 'quitting time' even though there was still work to be completed under a deadline. Just a 'I don't give a sh!t' attitude. Let someone else finish this up, which, many times, was me working until 8 or 9 pm or several hours on a weekend, etc. I've also fired several assistants for that very 'peeve'.

 

[WildcatFan1982]

People who reply all.

Especially when the email specifically says not to

 

[cole854]

Those who arrive right on time, and by the time they get their coffee/breakfast/say their good morning's/ it is then 30 minutes later before they even start working.

 

[JonathanW]

Couldn't agree more about the PMs (LineSkiCat14). And in my industry, when we make a bid for a contract, about 10-20% of our bid is just for the PMs. Seriously (SMH)! I wouldn't go as far to say that they are not needed. But I think their role could be greatly reduced with little to no impact.

I still work remote (since Covid), even moved from one of the Eastern US Biotech hubs (Raleigh) to near the beach this summer. I can still get to Raliegh if I need to (2.5hr drive), but I now need to be remote because my industry is not one that has many opportunities outside of a few places (Boston, SF, SD, Raleigh, Philly-NJ-NYC).

As for the Open-Space plan. At a prior employer, they moved us to that my last 2-3 years there, and some hated it, while I didn't mind it. Actually, it kind of forced me (an introvert) to be more extroverted, which is probably a good thing. And yes I did sometimes eat lunch at my desk (trying to be considerate though), although usually I went to play indoor basketball at lunch instead of eat.

I've only ever known of one Trans person I worked with, and he/she/whatever was in an office across the country, so I only met once, but seemed nice enough.

 

[CaptainBoogerBuns]

Loud talkers

 

[Ron Mehico]

I hate how stressful and physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausting my job is.

 

[funKYcat75]

“Is this your lunch time?”
“Yes.”
“Sorry, this will just take a minute ….”

I’ve had the same lunch time for the past 18 years. My door is locked and the lights are dimmed. How else can I show that I want to be left alone to eat my lunch in peace?



Email received: “can you blah blah blah words …?”
Reply immediately sent. “Sure, here you go.”
20 minutes later, “Hey did you get my email blah blah blah words …?”
“Yes. I already sent it to you.”
“Ok, thanks. I just wondered if you blah blah blah words vomit…?”


Committee is created to be able to openly talk about things that need to be addressed by experienced workers who can handle delicate matters.
Forms and procedures set up to communicate topics that need attention, anonymously, if desired.
Admin joins the committee anyway.
Everyone goes silent.



One for HK. ‘This *insert piece of technology here* isn’t working.”
Me: “How is it not working?”
Them: “The screen is black.”
Me: “OK. I.l be down as soon as I can.”
*piece of technology*: unplugged/not powered on.
Me: turns it on
Them: “wElL i GuEsS you HaVe ThE mAgIc ToUcH!!111!1 LOLOLOL
Me: dies insides a little bit more


As you can see, and most of you know my profession, these are ALL adult problems. The really important part of my job is great.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

“Is this your lunch time?”
“Yes.”
“Sorry, this will just take a minute ….”

I’ve had the same lunch time for the past 18 years. My door is locked and the lights are dimmed. How else can I show that I want to be left alone to eat my lunch in peace?



Email received: “can you blah blah blah words …?”
Reply immediately sent. “Sure, here you go.”
20 minutes later, “Hey did you get my email blah blah blah words …?”
“Yes. I already sent it to you.”
“Ok, thanks. I just wondered if you blah blah blah words vomit…?”


Committee is created to be able to openly talk about things that need to be addressed by experienced workers who can handle delicate matters.
Forms and procedures set up to communicate topics that need attention, anonymously, if desired.
Admin joins the committee anyway.
Everyone goes silent.



One for HK. ‘This *insert piece of technology here* isn’t working.”
Me: “How is it not working?”
Them: “The screen is black.”
Me: “OK. I.l be down as soon as I can.”
*piece of technology*: unplugged/not powered on.
Me: turns it on
Them: “wElL i GuEsS you HaVe ThE mAgIc ToUcH!!111!1 LOLOLOL
Me: dies insides a little bit more


As you can see, and most of you know my profession, these are ALL adult problems. The really important part of my job is great.

Oh the effing worst of this is when they Slack you "Hey, how's it going today?" And I have to fight the urge to just be like "Save it and just tell me what you want". Or really, tell them to do what they are supposed to do and submit a ticket.

I'm pretty sure management hates me. I push back on everything lol. I don't answer Slack anymore unless it's in my management chain. Someone else needs me? Submit a ticket.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

Couldn't agree more about the PMs (LineSkiCat14). And in my industry, when we make a bid for a contract, about 10-20% of our bid is just for the PMs. Seriously (SMH)! I wouldn't go as far to say that they are not needed. But I think their role could be greatly reduced with little to no impact.

I still work remote (since Covid), even moved from one of the Eastern US Biotech hubs (Raleigh) to near the beach this summer. I can still get to Raliegh if I need to (2.5hr drive), but I now need to be remote because my industry is not one that has many opportunities outside of a few places (Boston, SF, SD, Raleigh, Philly-NJ-NYC).

As for the Open-Space plan. At a prior employer, they moved us to that my last 2-3 years there, and some hated it, while I didn't mind it. Actually, it kind of forced me (an introvert) to be more extroverted, which is probably a good thing. And yes I did sometimes eat lunch at my desk (trying to be considerate though), although usually I went to play indoor basketball at lunch instead of eat.

I've only ever known of one Trans person I worked with, and he/she/whatever was in an office across the country, so I only met once, but seemed nice enough.

I'm convinced it's just upper managements way of giving all the workers a pseudo-manager. Basically another person who at any given point can say "Hey, how's that task going?". But the brilliant part about being a PM? They don't have staff under them. So it's like, they are managers who don't do any real work, but they aren't managers in the sense that they spend most of their day guiding their staff, because they have no staff. It's brilliant, best of both worlds and I honestly want in.

 

[80 Proof]

Stupid people.

 

[CAT Scratch FVR]

My big boss is Sr VP, one of 5 direct reports to CEO of 5000+ Fortune 500 company. If you copy him in, on an email to me, it better be something important that he needs to get involved with. It means he has to read your email. If it is inconsequential, you look like an idiot for involving him. This happens often.

I mock the taking the elevator down one floor people. Most of the under 30 year olds in our department do this. We are one floor up from the ground floor. Kids.

 

[JonathanW]

I'm convinced it's just upper managements way of giving all the workers a pseudo-manager. Basically another person who at any given point can say "Hey, how's that task going?". But the brilliant part about being a PM? They don't have staff under them. So it's like, they are managers who don't do any real work, but they aren't managers in the sense that they spend most of their day guiding their staff, because they have no staff. It's brilliant, best of both worlds and I honestly want in.

I was at a company that the Project Managers had Project Managers above them, who had a Global Project Manager above them. We would go to a potential client for a bid defense meeting with 3 levels of PMs and then 5-8 other people representing the groups that do the work.

 

[JonathanW]

“Is this your lunch time?”
“Yes.”
“Sorry, this will just take a minute ….”

I’ve had the same lunch time for the past 18 years. My door is locked and the lights are dimmed. How else can I show that I want to be left alone to eat my lunch in peace?

I do have to ask, does your company tell you lunch time is from X to Y, or do you have flexibility in when you can take it?
If the later, then I see no problem with the above, if it is an urgent matter.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

I do have to ask, does your company tell you lunch time is from X to Y, or do you have flexibility in when you can take it?
If the later, then I see no problem with the above, if it is an urgent matter.

My one difference in opinion here is that if someone asks if I'm on lunch, and I say "Yes I am", then the next words out of their mouth better be "Oh I'm sorry, nevermind". If it's an emergency, it better be real important because I'm about to charge you 2x my rate.

The audacity of someone to basically say "screw your lunch, I need this" especially AFTER you just told them.. ugh, makes my blood boil. That's a real PM type of move hahah.

 

[funKYcat75]

I do have to ask, does your company tell you lunch time is from X to Y, or do you have flexibility in when you can take it?
If the later, then I see no problem with the above, if it is an urgent matter.

Nah. I’m on a set schedule and it’s been the same forever. 11:55 to 12:25 for the past 18 years.

 

[Bill - Shy Cat]

 

[Diggers_Matching_Highlighter]

The utter icompetence, or sheer indifference, to using Google.

 

[trueblujr2]

My one difference in opinion here is that if someone asks if I'm on lunch, and I say "Yes I am", then the next words out of their mouth better be "Oh I'm sorry, nevermind". If it's an emergency, it better be real important because I'm about to charge you 2x my rate.

The audacity of someone to basically say "screw your lunch, I need this" especially AFTER you just told them.. ugh, makes my blood boil. That's a real PM type of move hahah.

Very few things in the business world are so urgent they can't wait until after Lunch.

 

[TucsonCat]

Those who arrive right on time, and by the time they get their coffee/breakfast/say their good morning's/ it is then 30 minutes later before they even start working.

Mind your business, Karen.

 

[CaptainBoogerBuns]

People Using pronouns in signatures. Did we all fail biology?

 

[rick64]

Folks on conference calls that feel the need to try to show how much they know but really just make themselves look bad. Just shut up and listen.

 

[JonathanW]

Off topic a bit. But has anyone on here worked remotely (out of state) for a company based in California, but did have to go there a few days a year? How bad and complicated were the CA taxes?

 

[WildcatFan1982]

People Using pronouns in signatures. Did we all fail biology?

The only people I work with that do that are people that are straight. I’ve never seen a they/xi/zoom or anything else

 

[K86]

People that don't know anything about my job but think they are experts.

 

[BC_Wader]

People that don't know anything about my job but think they are experts.

And there it is. This would be mine. I'll also add that the loudest and whiniest are without a doubt the laziest. My work environment isn't an office like a lot of you guys it seems. I work with a group of people at a physical job. How about just do the job and STFU.

 

[M4CAT]

Those who hold social hour at their desk/cubicle, talk loud and act like they can't see customers when they walk in.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

And there it is. This would be mine. I'll also add that the loudest and whiniest are without a doubt the laziest. My work environment isn't an office like a lot of you guys it seems. I work with a group of people at a physical job. How about just do the job and STFU.

You know, that brings me to maybe the worst part of the office.. women.

I watched a few homes being built in my neighborhood the other day.. It was just a bunch of dudes blasting music and putting up 2x4s. No one was talking. No gossip or BS. Just every single worker holding onto their own demons, possibly hungover, getting the job done so they can go home. You don't always get that in an office.

 

[JonathanW]

You know, that brings me to maybe the worst part of the office.. women.

I watched a few homes being built in my neighborhood the other day.. It was just a bunch of dudes blasting music and putting up 2x4s. No one was talking. No gossip or BS. Just every single worker holding onto their own demons, possibly hungover, getting the job done so they can go home. You don't always get that in an office.

But in the office, the guys may not gossip and talk about random stuff like the women. But we do talk about sports, about our golf game or softball team, or our kids.

 

[WildcatfaninOhio]

I could list quite a few. But I’ll stick with my number one. Meetings for the sake of meetings.

I have a new supervisor. She joined our very large company with no knowledge of our industry, no knowledge of our operating system, and no knowledge of how or what I do. She tells me that every third Tuesday of the month at 10am, she and I will have a “touch base” meeting via Teams.

She rings me up on Teams last Tuesday to touch base. She wants to know if I have any questions for her. No! I’ve been in my position for 23 years. She’s been with the company of a month. She knows nothing. What am I supposed to ask her?

Thank gawd I only got a year to go before retirement.

 

[NociHTTP]

The stupid cliches people use in the workplace.

"It is what it is".

"I just come here to work, I'm not here to make friends" (but friends everyone on Facebook, s*c*s off the boss, gossips about everyone)

"working hard, or hardly working?"

 

[NociHTTP]

I could list quite a few. But I’ll stick with my number one. Meetings for the sake of meetings.

I have a new supervisor. She joined our very large company with no knowledge of our industry, no knowledge of our operating system, and no knowledge of how or what I do. She tells me that every third Tuesday of the month at 10am, she and I will have a “touch base” meeting via Teams.

She rings me up on Teams last Tuesday to touch base. She wants to know if I have any questions for her. No! I’ve been in my position for 23 years. She’s been with the company of a month. She knows nothing. What am I supposed to ask her?

Thank gawd I only got a year to go before retirement.

How in the world is she a supervisor when she knows nothing of the industry or your workplace? I'd tell her you'll get back to her in a year with some feedback.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

Off topic a bit. But has anyone on here worked remotely (out of state) for a company based in California, but did have to go there a few days a year? How bad and complicated were the CA taxes?

If your work location and home resident location stay KY or TN (or wherever you are) when you make these few days to CA, then the payroll system shouldn't deduct CA taxes. It's not gonna know unless someone updates the work location or someone n payroll somehow manually adds CA taxes to deduct.

On this thread, I hate people slacking me on lunch when they say it isn't urgent and can wait until I get back. If it can wait, you can wait to send the slack IMO. I'm a supervisor so I get slack on my cell.

I also do not like all the forced virtual meetings. A necessary evil of 100% remote but still hate them.

I work in finance and payroll so I hate the employees that want my team or me to complete their tax forms for them, even though it's illegal for us to give tax advice. They then get mad when you tell them to consult a tax advisor lol. I digress.