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Work sucks..

did canada move to asia? ;)

We have offices in the UK, Sydney and Tokyo - it's AMAZING how the mindset in those offices differ from ours in the US. I don't know if it's cultural or just the make up of the folks there but it's like night and day. Some of the stuff that happening to us is outright not allowed in those offices due to local law and such. Or so we've been told
 
that's really interesting. based on the stereotypes that i know, i would expect tokyo to be more rigid, sydney to be very casual, and the UK, well, i guess don't expect much from the cafeteria?

but seriously, if you could/care to, what are the differences from place to place? i realize this would only pertain to your corp.
 
that's really interesting. based on the stereotypes that i know, i would expect tokyo to be more rigid, sydney to be very casual, and the UK, well, i guess don't expect much from the cafeteria?

but seriously, if you could/care to, what are the differences from place to place? i realize this would only pertain to your corp.

I really can't go into too much detail regarding specifically what's currently going on and how it's being handled overseas, but just a general impression:

Tokyo - very structured, very team orientated. Working past closing time is almost expected, but on the flip side efforts like that are recognized and rewarded. Efforts to micromanage are pretty much seen as an insult. Team is EVERYTHING. One person succeeds and the group is commended.

Sydney and London are actually pretty similar. Very much more laid back and less uptight. Closing time comes and you drop what you're doing and leave - you really don't get that rigid/controlled/iron-willed by-the-numbers control. However personal initiative is tantamount, so you may get those guys dropping what they're doing and bolt come closing time, but they're CONSTANTLY innovating, constantly going the extra mile etc.

Here in the US, when things were going good, it was a bit of both. Now? Not so much
 
No matter how long you work for an employer, they don't owe you anything more than a paycheck. It would be nice if they consulted with employees on all decisions, but they don't have to at all.

What you describe looks to me like nothing more than corporate cost cutting measures, I've seen it at a couple of my employers in the past big (worldwide, 20,000 employees) and small (one office, 25 people). Some employees will catch on, tighten their belts and adjust to the new culture, some will think the new rules are outrageous and leave for something better, some won't react much at all and will be let go.

Having endured this at my last job just a few months ago, I agree it is irritating, makes a guy want to quit on the spot.

-Mike
 
Maybe Relic is a Blink 182 fan.

I was in a band that covered it too. People also went crazy when we played it. We followed up with My Own Worst Enemy or The Middle and people went double crazy.

-Mike
 
No matter how long you work for an employer, they don't owe you anything more than a paycheck. It would be nice if they consulted with employees on all decisions, but they don't have to at all.

What you describe looks to me like nothing more than corporate cost cutting measures, I've seen it at a couple of my employers in the past big (worldwide, 20,000 employees) and small (one office, 25 people). Some employees will catch on, tighten their belts and adjust to the new culture, some will think the new rules are outrageous and leave for something better, some won't react much at all and will be let go.

Having endured this at my last job just a few months ago, I agree it is irritating, makes a guy want to quit on the spot.

-Mike

No ones asking to be consulted on all decisions. Just like employees are capable of doing a bad job, so are managers and just because one is making "tough" changes, it does NOT automatically somehow mean that they are the right ones, wise ones or being made by competent manager. I'd argue the opposite - my point is that if, IF these changes are somehow necessary, then COMMUNICATE that to us and work it through as a team. A good manager can take a rough situation and work it to an advantage. A crappy manager? Well they're just going to throw down rules from their golden tower and not take the time to realize that the employees below them are their livelihood - the people who can make them look bad or look great. Sure, we're replaceable, but...so is she.
 
No really... so we have a new boss. In the short time she's been here, we went from being trusted and allowed pretty much to police ourselves as well as being allowed to work from home. Morale was outstanding, everyone pretty much loved their job and we were getting rave reviews from the management. I've saved several emails from management commending the work we were doing.
So enter new boss. She's now monitoring every phone call, every email, tracking our break time down to the second, enforcing strict sick day numbers, making us account for EVERYTHING we do, and has ended our ability to work from home. This has had no effect on productivity other than making it poorer and morale is at an all time, absolute low.
Remember - there were no issues before this. Had we been abusing the hell out of what we do than I can 100% understand it. But we were not.
What is god's name would make someone in management think that all of this is a good idea!?? Can anyone out there who may be in an upper management position explain to me how this might be beneficial?? I'm miserable as is pretty much everyone who works with me..
My one comforting thought is that at the moment, I HAVE a job. For that I'm extremely grateful, but damn.... I can already see where this is going - low morale, low productivity, bye bye everyone... unless that's the idea...?
Sorry just venting. As I said, I'm eternally grateful to have a job in this current climate but damn...changes when they are not really needed is a very idiotic thing to do.

I've been thru this before. Either she's just a total control freak, or for what ever reason, it's a way of getting people to quit so they can bring in the cheaper priced spread.
 
I am young so almost all of you have more on the job experience than me. Especially since I make all my money off music. But at the last job I had we had a manager come in who tried to micro manage everything. To the point that he was constantly getting in feuds with the head chef about really tiny issues.

Basically every one complained until he was forced to leave.

Funny thing is that he got his job back three months later and 75 percent of the staff quit.
 
^ 6,250$ annually split over 500 employees doesn't really make for an impressive example.[/i]

Do you have $6,250.00 to throw away? 'Cause if you do....I'll pm you my address. We take checks, major credit cards, pay pal and cash.

I know that as a small business owner, I couldn't afford it.

This whole post reads like you justifying yourself for being a micro manager..

Actually, I'm not the micro-manager type. I wear too many hats as the owner of the business to have time to micro-manage. I was simply trying to point out the business's side of the debate from the perspective of the owner.

I see it a lot where people see contract sizes and think we're (the business owner) getting rich, but what they don't understand is that more than 90% of collected revenues goes back out the door. And that's without even getting into the companies that don't pay their bills. If you knew what my AR accounts that have aged beyond 120 days, you would realize how little I actually make. Not to mention that I've had to personally guarantee every dime my company has been extended in the form of credit or loans.

My personal mgmt style is based on respect. For example....when I meet a new client for the first time and I have a company employee with me, I never refer to them as an employee or by title.....I introduce them by saying "This is so-and-so. We work together. He/she is responsible for X, Y or Z at (insert our company name here)." It might not be a big deal, but it's an effort to make the employee feel a part of the company. Not merely an employee, but part of the solution that we are trying to sell.

One thing I can't stand, though, is tardiness. Not from a financial perspective, but from a personal perspective. If I'm supposed to meet you, weather for work or socially, and you're late......I've just lost a period of time that I can't get back......and you're the one responsible for wasting it. Unfortunately, this personal pet peeve is part of my mgmt style.....But...if you're on time.....you're projects are completed correctly and on time......I'm pretty easy to work for.