Is your work a soap opera?

[Russel Nash]

This question is for the older gentleman on this forum, say like in their 50's, or 60's.

By soap opera, I mean kind of a he said/she said of deal where everything you do you have to mentally prepare yourself or plan out several moves ahead like chess on how to cover your buttocks (CYA).

Was your work always like that?

Is this kind of attitude something new that has only come about because of TV shows like Survivor and the internet.

Was there ever a time where you could trust your fellow employees, work together, and get stuff done?

Or was it always about projecting ego or protecting ego...see who could make Bob over in accounting look bad, or whatever?

[Reg]

To a degree I think some of what you spoke is has always been out there, you are dealing with human nature.
Myself, I have always taken the stand that if you have to make some look bad in order to make yourself look good then you do have some serious problems.
A good leader- boss- foreman, whatever is one who can see the bigger picture and actually see each persons worth. Everyone has value. Some a just a little better than others at certain things but everyone has a place.

[MrWolf]

I have noticed a decline in work ethics from when I started out to now. I also made the switch to government fairly late in life so I was not used to that work style and baby sitting. I will say that since I took over 7 months ago I have managed to change a few things, mainly instilled a better work ethic and disciplined those that needed it. Believe it or not, there are hard working government employees - we do have a lot of them.

[btroj]

I'm pretty fortunate really. I manage a pharmacy with 4 other pharmacists and 12 techs. All but one part time RP are female.
I am a firm believer in team. We succeed or fail as a unit, not as individuals.

I will say that work ethic in some is lacking, attendance issues in particluar. That is a big issue as is the idea that the employer owes lots to the employees but the employee owes nothing to the employer.

We have become a nation of self absorbed victims. We want much but will give little. I see glimmers of hope in some of the younger generations but I don't know if it will be enough.

[clownbear69]

Even though im not in your age demographic (25), sadly yes just about every job I had was a soap opera. I think the worst was when I worked at Cabela's.

[dragon813gt]

I'm a lot younger than your target age at 35. I'm in the HVAC business and I'm in the field. All the techs in the field work together as one big team so there is no soap opera. There's usually one cry baby but they are just ignored. All drama is caused by the office. They have no clue what we actually do and they think they are the ones that keep the company running. I understand someone has to do paperwork. But they are easily replaceable. Which is why they are always hiring and firing people. They are the ones that cause all the majority of the problems. This seems to be the case w/ any construction related field when the company is big enough to warrant full time office workers. And yes, I plan my moves in advance. I have to otherwise I get late calls shoved down my throat.

[MT Gianni]

I have worked both with every one trading weekends to work, good friends who were not happy unless the pot was being stirred, instigators, enablers, whiny crybabies, the gamete. I currently work where I set my schedule for the year, report to my boss weekly and generally bust my butt to meet my goals. 60 yrs old or young, depending on your perspective.

[country gent]

In one shop I worked we had several back stabbers or how ever you want to describe them. A Goverment job in a tool room is quite common and not a rariety. With these guys the boss knew what you were doing before you did. Screw up a part and again the boss would know almost before you did. The only way they could look good was making others look bad. I was making a small puller for the one Superintendant and the one went running, did he get redfaced when told by the superintendant it was for him and to mind his buisness. Thhe envrioment at this shop did not promote alot of out going attitudes. I quit and went to another tool and Die position with a bigger Company, Gone were the time cards asking permission for things and the nasty enviroment. The whole tool room worked together and when you had a rough job everyone pithed in with help. A new job and the crew would sit down with the prints and work out what we had to do what machines were best aand what order to do things. Everyone got along. Now the high school job was in a 2 man job shop with a couple gys that started in the trade pre ww2 or so. The one was of the era where the new guy was there to replace him. Ask a question and only the question got answered nothing before or after that was needed information. Was an interesting time until I started doing him the same way. At the Shop I retired medically from the bosses and everyone worked together to get the jobs done and out on time. Alot of our work was for production in house. A shop where your constantly looking over your back is draining just from that

[Love Life]

If people in my job aren't complaining then somebody needs to call the coroner. If backstabbing or infighting occur a robust round of throwing knuckles or an awesome yelling match usually gets things back in a more likeable work environment...for awhile.

[Jr.]

This is me

[TXGunNut]

I come here to forget about the workplace drama. Works quite well.

[Russel Nash]

You ever meet a person and think to yourself "That guy is a weasel! I better keep my eye on him."

And your first impression proves to be true 3 months, 6 months, a year later.

?

Ever have that first impression about a person and be proven wrong later and he turns out to be a "good guy"?

[bayjoe]

Work being a soap opera is a state of mind. In my opinion if you let other people drag you down into their petty grievances, it is your fault.
Go to work, do your job, mind your business, be cordial and above all be professional. That is how I look at my work place and I get along just fine.

[runfiverun]

I work in an environment where drama is not permitted.
false steps lead to someone[s] getting hurt or killed.
some try but are quickly corralled or sent packing.

[waksupi]

That sounds like any job I ever had in a union shop.

[country gent]

Lets jsut put it this way. I would speak to all at the one job. Some I would go to break with or lunch. All would get info or help if they asked some would get it offered ( no I wouldnt stand by to pick up the pieces letting someone hurt themselves). A select few I would invite out to meet my family and socialize with outside of work. Its just after years of the drama game playing it got old and after 18 years I found a much better job and quit ( better pay, benifits and conditions). It dosnt take long to realize whats going on and who you can or cant trust or worse is who has sticky fingers. First shop I worked in in High school you would set a machine up and leave it set up over night if needed leaving tools on the machine never bothered. Second shop on the floor leave certain common tools out while at lunch and chances are they were gone when you came back. machine set ups had to be torn down every night unless something real special or being follwed up on. Last shop was great instead of breaking down a part that had 10 mins to finish since there were no timecards you told the boss and finished it up then came in late the next day or left early the next evening. Tools were safe and if left on the job by accident a parts runner would return them to you ussually when found. The first and last shops I got pleases and thank-yous. The second job bosses would stand over you pushing and hurrying you. Was sharping a set of carbide die segments with the boss standing over me pushing want to know how long how fast I could get them done? After 1/2 hour of this I ask Him This is a 15,000.00 set of segmants I can push it and crack one scraping the whole set and start over when the new set comes in or I can work it and make it right the first time much faster. WHich do you really want?

[Harter66]

Well my work place was always team goal driven. We would typically deliver early and under or on budget. About 10yr ago they layed off 117 for Thanksgiving and 98 more got letters for Christmas. Then there was this big job in March they recalled, but it took 127 calls to get 65 back. We needed 80 but we pulled it off w/some extra hrs. Letters for the 4th of July for 50. More for Christmas. Then there was 5yr of just no hiring,lost an employee too bad, make do. In Dec 12' they layed off another 100 effectively having reduced the work force from 900 down to 38?, 100 of which are security. I've worked a grand total 23 1/2 weeks since 1/8/13. The morale is in the can and the workforce in general has reached a point where they do what is needed to get it done and if there's a hard deadline it happens because it has too not because we/they are proud of the job we do.

So much for working a lifer gov/contract job in isolationville w/a union negotiated employment contract.

So this time I'm called back after 169 day vaca for this huge rush job that should have taken about 12-15 days outside maximum I've back going on 3 weeks and we're yet to load the 1st round of the hurry up job but its all prep'd except the cut to fit and the actual mat'l to be loaded. They also broke about 80% of the hiring rules to get me back in the force and that just goes w/the endless chain of indecision and fear of the what if we made the wrong call now that we've explored every possible outcome twice.

Lastly I don't think that the work ethos have actually died or even gone away . I think there's just so much negative BS that we've reached a point of just not giving a flying hairy rat turd about the job or whether or not we're the best there is.

[Remmy4477]

27 years as an LTL Freight Driver, 11 years with the same outfit currently.
Drama? Heck with our management "everydays our first day" more drama than you can shake a stick at! And that's on a good day!

[brtelec]

I work in an environment where we are together 24/7 for 4 to 8 weeks straight with no escape from each other then we split up and might see each other for months. In my job there is always danger and the potential for some one to get injured or killed is forefront. Myself and the people I work with do nothing but manage the risks and watch out for each other. It is sort of a self cleaning oven, there is always one that brings their BS with them, but the average new hire only lasts about 9 months in this business before they move on. We are hard on the new guys and we have little time for the drama.

[Russel Nash]

I work in an environment where we are together 24/7 for 4 to 8 weeks straight with no escape from each other then we split up and might see each other for months. In my job there is always danger and the potential for some one to get injured or killed is forefront. Myself and the people I work with do nothing but manage the risks and watch out for each other. It is sort of a self cleaning oven, there is always one that brings their BS with them, but the average new hire only lasts about 9 months in this business before they move on. We are hard on the new guys and we have little time for the drama.

What kinda work...if you don't mind me asking?