The Workplace...A Modern Tragedy?

[Patrick Murtha]

A poster at a related forum lost his job in a downsizing this week. In offering my condolences to him both publicly and privately, I had an interesting thought. When it comes to work, I've either actively liked or at least not minded the duties of the vast majority of the various jobs I've had in my life. The content of the actual work has been OK.

But workplaces -- that's another story. Although some are more tolerable than others, of course, I can't think of a single workplace in my lifetime of which I would ultimately say, "That was a great place." Most were quite toxic, and toxic in ways that impeded the actual work that was supposed to get done. This has been true of profit, non-profit, large, small, city, suburban, Eastern, and Western institutions.

I wonder why we are so bad at making livable workplaces? This is actually a professional concern of mine these days, since I am now manager of organizational development at a company that has its...issues.
__________________

 

[carebear]

Loss of many of the social niceities (etiquette) that allow individuals to interact in groups with less tension?

It may be just surface-deep accomodation and proper behavior, but it at least isn't cynical, selfish or rude.

As we are all now such precious little snowflakes, it seems we'd rather be "sincere" in our outward behavior, no matter how impolite or inappropriate that behavior may be, rather than just suck it up, go along to get along and get through the day like grown-ups.

Once again, I blame modern mores.

But today I am grumpy.

 

[Miss Neecerie]

But today I am grumpy.

Just today?

 

[KY Gentleman]

I'll agree with the statement about etiquette and "politeness" not being the norm anymore. People respond most of the time in a like manner in which they are treated. The best workplaces I have been a part of included mutual respect from both co-workers and workplace leaders.

 

[carebear]

Just today?

Hey now. Don't make me make you ban me.

I need to go eat something, it's probably low blood sugar.

 

[LizzieMaine]

A workplace rots from the top down -- if management treats the staff like interchangeable serfs, nobody's going to be happy. I've been treated like a serf and I've been treated like a valued colleague, and there's no question what sort of workplace I prefer.

 

[carebear]

Speaking of minions...

Safe for work and very funny.

http://areyouexpendable.com

 

[Godfrey]

I agree with all of the above. What I find even more disturbing is the influence of these environments on myself. I would always agree that manners and valuing those I work with are important but I sometimes reflect on my own behaviour as a manager with a degree of dismay. It infects you insidiously and you become part of the problem.

Like that old dead Roman said:

The gates of hell are open night and day;
Smooth the descent, and easy is the way:
But to return, and view the cheerful skies,
In this the task and mighty labor lies.
-Virgil

 

[Patrick Murtha]

I agree with all of the above. What I find even more disturbing is the influence of these environments on myself. I would always agree that manners and valuing those I work with are important but I sometimes reflect on my own behaviour as a manager with a degree of dismay. It infects you insidiously and you become part of the problem.

Like that old dead Roman said:

The gates of hell are open night and day;
Smooth the descent, and easy is the way:
But to return, and view the cheerful skies,
In this the task and mighty labor lies.
-Virgil

Nicely put, Godfrey.

I do want to make it clear that I don't think things were better before. Rod Serling dealt with the Fifties workplace in such Twilight Zone episodes as "Walking Distance" and "A Stop at Willoughby," and he made it clear that it was awful. I'll also never forget a Wonder Years episode in which Kevin accompanied his father to his workplace, circa 1968, and learned just why Dad came home so grumpy every night. It's not a new problem.

 

[Vladimir Berkov]

I would say that lack of etiquette is the opposite of the problem in the modern workplace. The modern workplace has too much "etiquette" in the form of mandatory "political correctness," required skirting of gender, race and sex issues, diversity training. I think the goal of the modern workplace is to create an environment where everyone is equally uncomfortable and worried about saying the "wrong thing."

 

[Fletch]

Maybe, but what's worse, that or rampant backstabbing and nutcutting?

Offices, at least those with more than 10 people in them, are very bad places, and there is a lot of sentiment and tradition in place to keep them that way.

 

[KY Gentleman]

Maybe, but what's worse, that or rampant backstabbing and nutcutting?

That is what I meant earlier when I said the best workplaces I've been a part of involved a lot of mutual respect. I have been a part of large organizations that were able to foster a good "corporate culture". This was because it was important to the upper management to create that atmosphere.

 

[Dixon Cannon]

Ain't it the truth!

We have this conversation around our office almost daily. I've been in the same industry for nearly thirty-years and the standards, the level of service, the management skill and the employee performance have deteriorated as fast as the profits. I have a colleague who's been in the biz for same amount of time and he constantly says the same - what has happened to people and a standard of professionalism that was once a point of pride?!

It is a shame, as it seems to be a vicious circle - employees don't improve behavior or performance because management doesn't recognize it or care. Management doesn't alter it's techniques or tactics because the employees wouldn't appreciate it anyway!

And training! Forget about it! The first thing that went was any semblance of nurturing and growing employees through the process of mentoring and training. Getting people away from their workstation to learn, relearn and absorb something new would only detract from productivity, you see - wasted time. So emails and digital memos have replaced real interactive training. Pulling employees away from their workstation is only to point out what they're doing wrong and how their stats are off.

Shameful really! All connection to the company and sense of pride in being part of something is gone and it has been replaced with cheery, cloying video presentations and email birthday cards or award letters.

I don't know what we were expecting when we took a job and went to work, but drudgery is the word of the day it seems.

On another note; I remember some years ago seeing a b/w film done at Time Magazine back in the '50's when someone there was finally taking retirement. The film was silent - only the images of people around the office waving, acting silly, blowing kisses. Some held up signs of congratulations or vocalized kind good-byes to the departing colleague for whom the film was intended.

It seems as time went by, whoever had the film idea never got around to giving it to the retiree so he never saw it at the time. Somehow someone located it somewhere and got it to him decades later. The nameless retiree watched the film for the first time all those years later after many of his friends and co-workers had long passed. In the presentation in which the film was a part the only sound was of the aging retiree recognizing his past friends in the film - remembering their names and what department they were from - some forgotten or out of mind for years. Each name and face brought back memories of friendships and work together, pals and projects, new hires and other retirees. With each recognized face the voice became more emotional and touched with the joy of seeing long lost friends once again.

The presentation in which the old film was screened was pretty effective in making the point about the comraderie and relationships built during a work career in an environment of respect, teamwork and, indeed, - love.

I have always wondered what it would be like to work in such an environment where decades later, in a silent film, the emotional attachments would still be strong and the love and kindness of colleagues would reach through the years and convey the same feelings experienced as those felt each day at work. It seems as though it's an impossible fantasy in this day and age.

-dixon cannon

 

[jayem]

Etiquette is dead. True Friendships are rare. In work, that is.

People are too busy worrying how to make more money than to be friendly, anymore.

 

[carebear]

I would say that lack of etiquette is the opposite of the problem in the modern workplace. The modern workplace has too much "etiquette" in the form of mandatory "political correctness," required skirting of gender, race and sex issues, diversity training. I think the goal of the modern workplace is to create an environment where everyone is equally uncomfortable and worried about saying the "wrong thing."

PC and etiquette are very different things. Etiquette is concerned with, in the end, treating others as you would hope to be treated yourself, while "PC" is treating others to some arbitrary false egalitarian standard.

Those are almost mutually exclusive.

 

[Patrick Murtha]

People are too busy worrying how to make more money than to be friendly, anymore.

They are also worried about merely keeping their jobs, I think. For the day in which effective performance in and of itself could protect your position is past. Uncertainty is more of a fact of life now than in the immediate post-World War II era.

 

[Patrick Murtha]

Offices, at least those with more than 10 people in them, are very bad places, and there is a lot of sentiment and tradition in place to keep them that way.

I wish this wasn't true. I think it is true.

 

[PrettySquareGal]

As we are all now such precious little snowflakes, it seems we'd rather be "sincere" in our outward behavior, no matter how impolite or inappropriate that behavior may be, rather than just suck it up, go along to get along and get through the day like grown-ups.

Once again, I blame modern mores.

But today I am grumpy.

YES. Impertinence is treated as "honesty."

Grumpy is your charm.

 

[PrettySquareGal]

But workplaces -- that's another story. Although some are more tolerable than others, of course, I can't think of a single workplace in my lifetime of which I would ultimately say, "That was a great place." Most were quite toxic, and toxic in ways that impeded the actual work that was supposed to get done. This has been true of profit, non-profit, large, small, city, suburban, Eastern, and Western institutions.

I wonder why we are so bad at making livable workplaces? This is actually a professional concern of mine these days, since I am now manager of organizational development at a company that has its...issues.
__________________

I have had the same experiences, and I have worked in organizational development, and even that firm had "issues." Because of that I chose to work for myself. I'm sad to say my boss is really difficult*, but I have high expectations. I do not miss office politics. I do miss the gossip but that's why I come here. lol

I also blame modern times.

*Coffee is for closers.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I firmly believe that the entire purpose of "the workplace" is to utterly destroy any semblance of individuality that might be present in the worker. Look at the regimented and expected dress code, the absurd non-meritocratic hierarchies, and the social conditioning mentioned by many people above. Bosses want senseless clones. Bosses are power-hungry sociopaths whose only pleasure is in pushing people around, and seeing how much people will take in the name of the Dollar. The entire thinking is demonstrably wrong-headed but prevails. This is reflected in the rotten-ness of most workplaces.

Recognising that this is a problem - and, more to the point, that it can be better! - is the first sign that you have not been successfully assimilated. This is a good sign.

However, many people will staunchly defend the need for dress codes etc (respect for coworkers yada yada yada) while decrying the state of the workplace, not realising the inextricability of the two.

bk