Every day there’s a new article trying to shame workers for existing.

  • Herding Llamas
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    6 months ago

    Boy I’m getting super sick of these, “Millennials are doing this ____ , gen Zers are ruining that ____ , boomers are mad about ____” articles. Having one less thing to divide us as people would be nice right about now.

    • @[email protected]
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      6 months ago

      The only true generational division is lead poisoning induced aggression Vs micro plastic induced sterility.

      • @disguy_ovahea
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        6 months ago

        Unfortunately, it’s accumulative. I’m fortunate enough to have experienced leaded gasoline as well as a nutsack full of microplastics.

          • @disguy_ovahea
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            6 months ago

            I only need two. PFAS is the free square in the middle. Everyone gets that just for playing.

    • DoctorButts
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      186 months ago

      Yeah man I hear you on this. One of my younger coworkers was like “OK boomer” when I told him something, I was like “dude, we are ALL fucking Americans, cut that shit out.” There was a brief moment of lucidity in his eyes, and then it died. I don’t think I got through to him.

    • @ABCDE
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      176 months ago

      I wonder when I’ll be regarded as a person/adult.

    • Norgur
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      -46 months ago

      I don’t think it’s bosses actually. I think this is the runaway click bait machine of “business outlets” trying to recapture the unexpected success of the whole “quiet quitting” thing they celebrated themselves for reinventing. “Stille Kündigung” is the literal translation for quiet quitting in German and it has been around for years, referring to an employee who has already decided that they wanna quit and mentally cut all ties to their jobs but haven’t acted on this yet. But even in Germany, the business media kept yapping about 'quiet quitting ’ as if it was something new and something to be afraid of…

      • @[email protected]
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        86 months ago
        • the previous time this went through the media, they were calling it “resenteeism” (OMG, employees hate their jobs!)
        • “bosses” referring to the “owning class”, the same group of people who control our lives controls the media narrative (like Jeff Bezos owning both Amazon and The Washington Post)
        • in the US, “quiet quitting” was never about actually quitting, it was just a way to denigrate workers who only worked their listed hours, workers who wouldn’t do unpaid overtime
        • Norgur
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          36 months ago

          That’s what media tried to sell as “quiet quitting” here as well. They used the English term instead of the German one to make it appear as something new, cursing “gen Z” for not wanting to do overtime and such (which in reality is not a gen Z, but a Baby boomer thing here in Germany) which came out of fucking nowhere.

          On the other side, someone who’s gotten into a “Stille Kündigung” mindset might not even quit. They’ll just withdraw to a point where the barely meet the minimum requirements for their job, become passive and inflexible. It’s usually seen as the ultimate consequence when employers disappoint someone too often and seen as something unrecoverable and to be avoided.

          • @[email protected]
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            16 months ago
            • the idea that employers could disappoint anybody other than the shareholders is a completely alien concept in the US
            • DW recently did a documentary on Burnout which does a good job of explaining that “becoming passive and inflexible” – but EU companies are at least trying to maintain a façade of loyalty to their employees
  • @[email protected]
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    756 months ago

    Millennials are basically 80% of the average tech company. We can just call them “employees” now.

    And of course they are.

  • @[email protected]
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    756 months ago

    Having to ask for PTO — also known as “unlimited PTO” — is the the shittiest employment practice.

    Every time a recruiter tells me a company offers “unlimited PTO” I ask if I can please have regular old finite-but-actually-yours PTO.

    • Jajcus
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      616 months ago

      I like our European rules, when we are guaranteed PTO by law and employers would often force you to take it when you accumulated too much unused off days. The system cares even for those who would not care for themselves.

      • @[email protected]
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        296 months ago

        Last year I was forced to take 2 weeks PTO just before Christmas so my company wouldn’t get slapped with fines. Unexpected, but welcome. I just hadn’t checked how many days were left unused.

        I like our European rules as well.

      • Echo Dot
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        6 months ago

        I was made to take all of December off last year because I hadn’t taken enough days. It’s a weird feeling when your manager tells you that you have to stop working or they’ll fire you.

      • @[email protected]
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        56 months ago

        That’s helpful, making sure the person takes it even if they’re too nice and would give it up for the company. Some people can’t negotiate well and this would be helpful for them.

      • emmanuel_car
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        36 months ago

        Yea I’m about to immigrate to Germany, going through the contract with HR and all the clauses around leave and overtime were astounding. I thought I had it good in ANZ, but this is fantastic.

    • @Passerby6497
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      136 months ago

      Unlimited PTO here, completely disagree.

      I had so much more trouble at previous jobs getting approved for PTO, and it sucked ass trying to ration out my sick/vacation days to make sure I could be out and still get paid. Hell, I had to borrow against my next year’s PTO at one job to be able to go on my honeymoon.

      The current gig I’m at just wants to know when I’ll be gone, and doesn’t really comment on it. It’s been great while dealing with kid/health issues and I’ve taken more PTO at this gig than I did at my previous couple gigs in 1/3 the time.

      • @QuarterSwede
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        16 months ago

        I think that has more to do with who you’re working for directly than anything else.

    • SeaJ
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      116 months ago

      Even regular old finite PTO may not actually be yours depending on the state. My state does not require you to be paid out for it if you leave the job.

    • @finestnothing
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      86 months ago

      It’s great - if you have a good boss.

      Unlimited cons: need approval, don’t get paid for unused time when you leave
      Limited cons: needs approval, some places have use it or lose it policy for each year or you need to wait for days to accrue, limited sick days

      Unlimited pros: unlimited, usually comes with unlimited sick days, don’t have to worry about accruing days
      Limited pros: get paid for unused days when you leave

    • @[email protected]
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      66 months ago

      I dunno, at my last job with unlimited PTO I took as much as I wanted. Obviously you want to make sure things can run without you, but that’s manageable.

      Unless you work someplace truly shitty that has unlimited PTO in name only, I think it’s by and large how you approach it. Most people do themselves dirty with it for no real reason. For me, I generally just took time off for planned vacations and a couple other things, typically taking off 4-6 weeks a year, which worked for me and I found pretty reasonable. Was absolutely never an issue.

      My current job accrues 18 days paid off over the year (increasing with time on the job to 24 or something like that), and it’s mostly fine though honestly if I’ve used it all and I end up needing more time off, I’m probably just gonna take it off anyway. I’m still not 100% sure if it’s gonna be enough since I’m taking a week off next week to pack up my house to move.

    • @IsThisAnAI
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      36 months ago

      I’ve found that people that get fucked with unlimited was their own fault. Anxiety and not being able to detach. My peers are taking like 40 days a year 🤷‍♂️

      • @[email protected]
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        76 months ago

        I think it depends on the workplace. I usually take around 4-5 weeks off a year but my manager is chill. I could see a bad manager rejecting most of your vacation time

      • @jpreston2005
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        46 months ago

        their own fault. Anxiety and not being able to detach

        Thanks, I didn’t realize having anxiety was also my fault

        • @IsThisAnAI
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          6 months ago

          It’s a spectrum. I manage a few teams. I, for a small portion of them, am constantly talking them off a cliff for minor issues outside of their control or responsibilities. Fearing they were going to be viewed unsuccessful. This is despite clear and constant feedback about their great performance, recent promotions, raises, and myself and direct managers saying, “this is a problem for the business to fix, it’s a blocker that management needs to fix so you aren’t dealing with it”. Some folks are very poor at handling that in a healthy way.

          • @jpreston2005
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            6 months ago

            Those people you have to talk off a cliff, it’s because they are cognizant of the fact that they are but 1-2 missed paychecks from being homeless. And if they’re not, well, how long did it take them to get this job? Doubt they have the financial ability to weather another period of unemployment. I’m gainfully employed, get regular raises, but I’m still struggling, despite earning (20k) more than the median worker where I live. The next used car I buy, I’m making sure that I’ll be able to live in there if worse comes to worse.

            the stress that accompanies poverty is far-reaching, and invades every other aspect of your life. We’re all just terrified of dying alone on the street, because right now in the U.S. that’s a very real possibility for 60% of us.

  • Stern
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    686 months ago

    Millennials, otherwise know as 28-43 year olds.

  • @[email protected]
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    396 months ago

    A majority, 78%, of U.S. workers say they don’t take all their PTO days, and it’s highest among Gen Z workers and millennials

    Younger professionals say they don’t ask for time off because they feel pressure to meet deadlines and be productive

    Another article sensationalizing the term “millennial” for clicks. Millennials are in their 40s now.

    • @[email protected]
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      96 months ago

      My man. The vast majority of millenials are in their 30’s. Not 40’s. I get it, time flies, we’re old… but not THAT old.

      • @[email protected]
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        -56 months ago

        nah we are the new old. all the microplastics and pollution and shit they put in the food and water is aging us earlier. before long people will look 40-50 in their 20s.

  • @Crackhappy
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    376 months ago

    It’s not just younger people. Asking to use my well earned time off was a chore, and I had to justify it! Like… WHAT THE FUCK. I work 12-14 hours a day and you think I need to justify needing some time off?

    Meantime, I’m looking for a new job.

  • @TenderfootGungi
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    326 months ago

    I had a job where we had an old fashioned paper office calendar. If we wanted to use PTO we simply wrote the days on the calendar. Our boss only wanted to know if multiple people from a workgroup were leaving on the same day or if it may cause issues (and he trusted us to figure that out). It was glorious.

    My wife is only approved to take PTO once they find someone to work the shift. And they will not even try until the month before. We buy plane tickets 3-9 months out.

    • @[email protected]
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      136 months ago

      If you’re buying tickets that far in advance, PTO is less of a request and more of “notifying you to fill those days”.

  • @IsThisAnAI
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    306 months ago

    Never met a single person who does this.

    • Stern
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      216 months ago

      Bet its like the Tide Pod thing. Like 4-5 people did it and media sprung on it like its the hip new dabpen vape skibidi fortnite trend or whatevet

    • @[email protected]
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      86 months ago

      To be fair, if you did you’d keep that shit to yourself. Same with all the people that work multiple remote Dev jobs.

    • @BarbecueCowboy
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      36 months ago

      Not quite the focus of this article, but I’ve personally ‘worked from home’ while on kind of a soft vacation.

      During Covid, found a great trail which had alright cell reception at the summit. I had a few days where I’d go hiking in the morning and work on my hotspot for near the top. Had a few weeks off and on working on a balcony in Florida overlooking the beach. There’s definitely some out there taking full days off and doing nothing, but I feel like a lot of the mentioned ‘time off without telling your boss’ is probably closer to situations like that.

    • TonyOstrich
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      26 months ago

      I haven’t used all of my PTO for the last couple of years because I haven’t really had the money to enjoy it. While I am salary and didn’t get OT, due to traveling for work and some other oddities working more did generally result in my making more money indirectly. Once I have dug my way out of my debts (college, some medical, nothing that isn’t manageable for me) I plan on taking every day I have and traveling as much as I can, and I want to get to that point as quickly as I can.

      It also helps that what I do at work and what I do for fun look so similar that even coworkers looking over my shoulder at what I am working would have no idea if what I am doing is for work or myself, so I can get a fair amount of screwing around on company time in which helps prevent burnout.

  • @jpreston2005
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    6 months ago

    I have “unlimited PTO” at my office, which sounds nice, but what it effectively means is that you now have to police yourself, to determine whether or not you’re taking off “too much.” Which ends up meaning that the vast majority of employees take less PTO than they’re entitled to (or if they were just given a set amount to take each year), because they’re afraid of being seen as a slacker, or someone who is taking advantage of the PTO policy. Since there are no set guidelines, it means it’s left up to you to decide how fearful of unemployment you are, and how much you let that influence your vacation days.

    Out of “Unlimited PTO,” I take about 7-10 days off a year 🙃

    • @RagingRobot
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      76 months ago

      You should call their bluff. I worked at a place like that and took a ton of PTO lol. It was fine. If they say you take too much then it’s not unlimited so they aren’t going to say anything because the other people still take less anyways.

    • Savaran
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      56 months ago

      I have “unlimited” with the handbook specifically saying we’re to take at least four weeks a year, and it’s the first time in my career I’ve actually been getting time off because of it. Everywhere non unlimited it was never actually approved and I’d get a lousy check every year for it. You know what’s way better than money? Time off.

      If you and your coworkers aren’t using your benefit perhaps you all should discuss it and work out reasonable minimums you all expect to take and then take it. And don’t judge your coworkers for taking any of it.

    • @Fredselfish
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      46 months ago

      I get 10 hours PTO every quarter (max is 80) I use every goddamm minute of it. I also get 3 weeks vacation which until they fucked us and made it recurring I am unable to use all 3 weeks by end of year. They also you can only take blocks of 4 hours at a time that also sucks.

      They at least let us roll it over into the next year. So I will be holding up a shit ton so next year taking two vacations one in May and one in either in June or July then still have enough for October.

      Fuck recurring vacation time it’s bullshit.

        • @Fredselfish
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          26 months ago

          No you can but I can’t say take 3 hours of vacation. Its either 4 or more. PTO can use as much as you have.

    • The first management job I accepted (as opposed to being promoted into), when discussing compensation a had forgotten to ask about PTO. I called the hiring manager back and asked him how much there was for the position and he said, “more than you’ll be able to take.”

      I think that’s pretty typical of middle management.

    • @joostjakob
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      36 months ago

      And here I am with 35 days, which we’re expected to take.

  • @slumlordthanatos
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    226 months ago

    My company doesn’t pay out for unused PTO, so my boss will periodically (but more often towards the end of the year) tell us to use our vacation days if we still have some. He’ll even call us and basically beg us to use them if we still have some in October.

    I used to feel bad about calling out or taking PTO when I worked hospitality, because I knew that if I wasn’t there, someone else had to fill in. Now I do warranty repairs for major PC manufacturers, so if I call out or take PTO, some clients might be annoyed, but I’m not inconveniencing any of my coworkers. It helps that my boss is awesome and encourages us to use it or call in if we don’t feel well.

  • @RagingRobot
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    186 months ago

    This article is class war propaganda!

    This is what the ceos think is happening so they print this to use as an example of why we need to come back to offices.

  • Flying Squid
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    186 months ago

    Maybe they’re not nervous, maybe they know there’s no point in asking for something they will never get in the corporate world of the 21st century.

  • @tsonfeir
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    106 months ago

    My coworker just sits in his desk on his phone. He’s quiet, I guess, but we all see it.

      • @tsonfeir
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        -16 months ago

        Yeah I guess I’ll just do his work too for the same pay

          • @tsonfeir
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            16 months ago

            Because shit needs to get done or we all look bad. If you have suggestions, please let me know, but complaints aren’t welcome.

            • @Potatos_are_not_friends
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              16 months ago

              Bro you’re a prime candidate for quiet quitting.

              If everyone looks bad because of the weakness of one person, you are being taken advantage of.

              • @tsonfeir
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                16 months ago

                So fire him? I do plan to have a chat with him on Tuesday, off the record, about this. I want to give him every opportunity to turn around.

  • @Tikiporch
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    6 months ago

    I have a remote job with a defined “territory”, which my job never requires me to explore (think regional manager that doesn’t report to an office). Five years ago I asked my boss to move, they said no, I moved anyway and just never changed my address in the system. I have a permanent mail forwarding set up, and file an additional state tax form every year (one to reclaim taxes from the state my employer thinks I live, and one to pay the taxes to the state I actually live in), but other than that it has caused me no problems.