Oppressive Nature of the Modern Workplace

I have an axe to grind.  It’s blade I’ve been sharpening for quite some time, slowly honing the edge for the day it will strike.  Today is that day.

My targets are modern businesses.  Not just any modern businesses will do though, I crave the blood of those directly responsible for issues such as depression, obesity, high stress and anxiety, and excessive work hours.  My ire is aimed at those companies who believe employees shouldn’t receive paid overtime, should work longer hours, should frequently sacrifice their personal time and work from home, and assume the responsibility of multiple roles without adequate compensation.

I don’t need to name names.  So numerous are these cancerous abhorrations that you probably either know someone in just such a position, or you’re an unfortunate pawn yourself.  My sympathies to you, I’ve been there before and feel your pain.

“But MoP,” I hear you cry, “these companies need to survive in a cut-throat business environment in times of economic downturn.  With the current economic crisis toppling business stability like a train of domino's, surely some leeway is warranted.”

Bullshit.  I don’t buy their crap and, chances are, neither do you.  You’ve just been fed their excrement so long you’ve gotten used to its flavour and texture.

Let’s examine this problem up close, shall we?  Pull up a microscope and watch the little parasitic organisms scurrying about.  Surprisingly, the problem is always universal: poor management and greed.  “That’s kind of vague, MoP.  Whose management and greed are you talking about?”  Good question.  The upper echelon would have you believe that YOU are the problem; that each and every employee of the lower caste of roles is to blame for the companies’ poor performance, lack of direction or inability to keep up with the market.  Through the ‘misbehaviour’ and ‘poor performance’ of their employees, the management then appears completely justified in ramping up their sometimes not-so-subtle threats to work harder, cleverly disguised as KPI’s, performance objectives and personal reviews.  This installation of fear and blackmail transforms the already stressed employee into a slavish working machine.  How odd then, that the company is still unable to meet its goals or profit margins and the cycle begins anew.

Let me state this clearly: the working class employee is NEVER responsible for the downturn of a company.  Unless a unified effort is made by the working class to sabotage or undermine a business, how could it ever be the fault of the working individual?!  By their very station, they lack the clout necessary to make a heavy impact.

Ladies and gentlemen: I then present to you the not-so-humble managers of your business.  These masters of puppets are largely there to ensure you work yourselves into the ground for the companies' cause.  Not all managers enjoy lofty positions though.  Indeed, many share the same boat as the people they manage; overworked, stressed and imprisoned.  To say they're all rotten is too great a generalisation.

“Get to the point, MoP, how are the managers to blame?” I hear you cry.  Consider this:

Have you ever beheld a manager accepting a task whose proposed timeframe is so ridiculously short, there’s no way it could possibly be completed through the course of standard working hours?  This is poor management example number one.  The manager accepting the task is incapable of saying no or questioning his superior.  This can be caused by pride, meekness or fear of reprisal (this last point is discussed in example two).  It’s ultimately this decision that will affect the working class the most.

A senior manager doesn’t like hearing things such as “can’t” or “not possible”.  This is poor management example number two.  It signifies a number of things.  Firstly, the senior manager is inflexible or too proud.  Such stubbornness means they will often forge on, knowing full well the mistakes they’re making (to the detriment of the company and those around them) yet unwilling to be seen losing face.  It’s also likely they’ve already promised their own superior that a solution can be achieved in the expected time frame, which brings me to the second point: lack of communication.

Managers don’t communicate or consult properly (or at all!) with their team.  This is poor management example number three.  It’s like planning a long trip without knowing how much fuel is in your car.  How stupid do you need to be to neglect such an important tool in project management?!!!  Don’t think such boneheaded antics are limited to lower management.  Upper management can suffer from superiority complexes and believe they intimately know how to do the job of each employee under their governance.  As an extension of this, they believe they already know how long it’ll take to complete tasks so why the hell should they dirty their hands consulting the working class?  This stupidity encompasses all tiers of management.

The business is unwilling to employ more people to meet higher workloads.  This is poor management example number four.  So let me get this straight: it’s perfectly acceptable to go traipsing around in a plane every week (when a simple phone call would have sufficed), dine at the finest restaurants, and give yourself a fat Christmas bonus, yet the company can’t afford to hire an extra person to alleviate the pressure?  Does anyone else smell the hypocrisy here?!  I know these things are tax deductible, but the money still has to exist to be spent and claimed.  I heard a quote not long ago that sums up the situation nicely: “When you’re no longer able to complete a day’s work in a standard working day, there’s something fundamentally wrong with the business.”

You’re probably wondering why MoP is so pissed off right now.  What sparked this sudden outburst?  Read on.

I recently applied for a job and made it through the 2 stages of interviews.  I was ultimately offered a position within the company.  During the second interview though, one of the managing directors was present and began running off a spiel of other tasks that were required in the role, yet weren’t advertised in the job description.  Essentially, I’d be assuming the role of 4 people.  While I was still processing this new information during the interview, I began to receive a second spiel about the importance of company loyalty.  To quote a famous movie - “Alarm bells are ringing, Willy.”  Nevertheless, I listened on.  My fears about the position began to coalesce as the director continued with self-important rhetoric about realising opportunities, embracing responsibility and the rippling effect of water.  While all this was going on, I kept staring at his abundance of gold jewelry, wondering how much multi-role responsibility he personally undertook without visiting a bakery.  Something smelt fishy and I shower every morning so I knew it wasn’t me.  I left feeling very disillusioned.

It honestly came as little surprise when they called a day later to offer me the job.  Judging by their reaction to the other candidates during my own interviews, I’d clearly been a favourite.  They drew up the paperwork and e-mailed it to me.  I looked at their offer with more than a little disbelief.  Having already expressed the multi-role nature of the position, the compensation I was looking at was nothing short of insulting.  Clearly I was expected to work for peanuts, give up my personal life, eat shit and like it.  I’d managed to dig up yet another one of these back-breaking extremist businesses.  I called them to say that their offer was unacceptable and I’d need more money to undertake the position: after all, I have my own ambitions and they’d have to be put on hold without any personal time to play with.  They promised to discuss it with their management team and get back to me.  The straw that broke the camel’s back was discovered today: they’d re-advertised the job without informing me.  Very professional guys, love the way you operate.  Thanks for making the decision an easy one.

You might be forming the opinion that my experiences have made me bitter.  I can tell you that nothing is further from the truth: I’ve been liberated!  I’ve come to realise that I’m in control of my own future and don’t need to accept the things that others foist upon me.  What really kills me though is watching friends and family members continually being abused by company's that really couldn’t care less.  They’re worked into the ground until they become sick or stressed, only to be worked even harder.  And then I see articles online and in newspapers from ignorant primates, bitching and moaning about how company loyalty is non-existent, workers are nothing more than mercenaries who jump from ship to ship, and people who eat at their desk need to get out more.  These are the same ‘academic’ neanderthals that do the ridiculous surveys stating that 98% of the country is happy with their job, how research has found that people secretly love to be under a ton of pressure, and how working sixteen hour days is actually healthy for your personal life.  Where the hell do these ignorant lemmings crawl out from?!!!  At a guess, I'd say the wombs of rabbits, given the rate they're multiplying!  So, companies are free to treat their employees like dirt and lay them off whenever they please, but we’re not allowed to object or question it?  Screw that!

Let me state a few things that should be universal to all companies:

- Overtime should be paid or compensated for.  Period.
- Overtime should be the exception to the rule.  I’m happy to work overtime when it’s warranted and not prolonged or abused.  Fuck the ambiguous “some overtime may be required” clause!!!!
- Work hours are between X and Y.  X and Y aren’t subject to last-minute stretching; they remain proportionate.  Everything else is overtime.  It's simple grade 2 math, you corporate monkeys.  How can you fuck it up?!
- If a days’ work regularly can’t be completed in a standard day, the company needs more employees.  Again, simple math.
- Don’t be cheap; employ staff to do specific jobs.  Multi-role positions within a company denote poor management and/or greed.  Besides, an employee focused on just one role is much more likely to exceed expectations for said role.
- Managers should lead by example.  Poor management practices, mentalities and behavior filter down through the ranks like poison.
- Managers must have strong communication skills with EVERYONE.  Who gives a shit if you click with the CEO; if you can’t even competently manage your own team, WHY ARE YOU EMPLOYED?!!!!
- People with managerial or supervisory positions MUST fit the job.  Too many companies promote unqualified people to positions of power because of personal relationships or convenience.  Through a relative, I’ve already learnt about the collapse of a company from just such activity.

One fact I very readily believe is that Australia is one of the hardest and longest working countries in the world.  We’re also high up on the list of the sweeping obesity epidemic.  We’re steadily working ourselves into an early grave, yet we’re encouraged to be thankful for the slavish employment we endure.  I guess in a way I am thankful.  If I hadn’t gone through this experience, I might have just coasted through life, content in my self-imposed mediocrity.  Now I'm ambitious and hungry.  When I strive tirelessly, it'll be because I'm marching towards my own bright future.

I’d like to say that not every company and manager falls into this “give me your soul” mentality.  Indeed, there are firms out there who treat their employees respectfully and fairly; managers who can walk the tightrope of friendliness, yet remain professional and competent.  It’s easy to spot the difference.  Those inadequate for the position will always be defending themselves and justifying their actions.  It’s the natural act of human nature when one is guilty.  To those doing the right thing, I take my virtual hat off to your sense of loyalty and respect for your employees.  The old adage is true: a happy worker is a productive worker.  Personally, I believe there is a working Mecca out there, waiting to be discovered.  I doubt my Nirvana lies in a 9 to 5 grind, staring at the same four walls for the next 40 years of my life.  I crave something more.

I have one final thought, just for you, the reader: discover what makes you happy in life.  Open your mind to your own potential and the myriad of possibilities available to you, don’t limit yourself to one state of mind.  Ask yourself what you want out of life then strive for it.  Never stop until it’s yours.  I can’t promise it’ll be easy, in fact I can guarantee it won't, but victory will taste all the sweeter when you triumph.

With my axe now a little blunter, I'm off to find my whetstone.  No doubt it'll need to fall again soon.

>>> Remember: The World Is Yours! <<<

And so it begins.....

"I'm aliiiiiive!" - Shameless reference to a video game character.  Kudos to those who remember what it is.

Welcome, dear reader.  I decided to establish this blog for a few reasons:

-  I've recently made it through a rough time, having my job made redundant after 9 years of service, and wish to share my experience and revelations with anyone who cares to listen.

- It's my hope that I can help other people with any struggles they may be going through in their own lives by grabbing the torch of enlightenment (which so many love to face head-on for some reason), and hold it under my chin like a Jack O'Lantern while I spin my tales.

- I've had lots of time to think (izzat why my head hurts?) about things big and small.  Life, love, direction, ambition, limitation, squirrels........OK, perhaps not squirrels.  Most seem to look at these fateful and universal topics with more than a little resignation.  Perhaps after reading about the world through my eyes, your perception will change.  For the better.  I hope.

Disclaimer

(read it quickly in your mind so that it sounds like those twatty government ads)

Matters of noitpecreP takes no responsibility for any mental instability caused through the viewing of this blog.  Matters of noitpecreP acknowledges that all minds are the sole property of their owners and are not subject to his will.  Matters of noitpecreP advises that if brain leakage through the ear cavity occurs whilst reading this blog, seek medical attention immediately.  Or eat a chocolate bar.  It won't help, but at least you'll die fulfilled.