Tag Archive for 'coworkers'

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new york times reports on tacky coworkers

Published on July 10, 2008 in Heroes. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

Today’s New York Times covers the real news–workplace etiquette. Hey, there’s a war going on and some kind of election thing going on, but I will always flip to the style section of the paper first, and they know it. And besides, if anyone knows how gross, rude, and inconsiderate coworkers can be, it’s an STA reader. From the boss who scratched his balls incessantly to the CEO who stole his employees’ Tupperware to the coworker who didn’t grasp the art of cell phone etiquette, this site has varieties of bad job behavior pretty much covered. However, I’d like to share this excerpt from the article, where I basically agree with every single thing the writer says:

Continue reading ‘new york times reports on tacky coworkers’

a guide to coworkers you hate

Published on June 23, 2008 in Junk Drawer. 0 Comments Tags: , .

Most of the time, STA’s scorn is directed at evil bosses. However, sometimes it’s not your boss who makes you crazy all day–it’s your coworkers. Here are four types of coworkers who aren’t as well documented as, say, The Sidler from Seinfeld, but manage to annoy the hell out of you regardless. 

The Popcorn Burner: Every office has this person. He or she has not mastered the simple art of making popcorn in a microwave. At least once this person has caused the fire alarm to go off and the fire department to show up. This person is a moron.

The Loud Talker: When you work in a cube farm, it’s a given that everyone can hear each others’ phone calls. More discreet employees take personal calls in private offices or take their cell phones into a secluded part of the office. Not the Loud Talker, though.  That followup call with the specialist? The fight with their mom? The rehashing of last night’s drunken hilarity? All there for your listening (dis)pleasure.

The Prom Committee Co-Chair: Is it someone’s birthday? Did somebody have get engaged? You can bet that this perky, permasmiling coworker has taken it upon him or herself to pick out an expensive flower arrangement and go around the office making everyone chip in and sign a card. My friend Peter needs a special mention in this category: when a male coworker’s wife had a baby, Peter signed the card “Good job knocking up your wife.” This is why we are friends.

The Aspiring Ebert: In the immortal words of Salt-N-Pepa, “opinions are like assholes, and everybody’s got one.” Yes, people are entitled to their opinions, and you are entitled to not give a fuck about them. If someone’s weighing in on a work-related matter, that’s one thing. But when the super chatty coworker the next cube over thinks you really want to know their opinion of that movie that just came out, or how kids today totally don’t appreciate Zeppelin, or what they would do if they were running for president, just put your headphones on.

kinds of assistants who suck

Published on February 15, 2008 in Junk Drawer. 0 Comments Tags: , .

While we acknowledge that lots of bosses suck, and that if they didn’t this website would be pointless, we occasionally have to concede that some assistants suck too. Here are some types we’ve noticed:

The Brat: This assistant may have gone to a prestigious college or is from a really privileged background. Regardless, he struts in the first day expecting to immediately get assigned projects, and then has a near-breakdown when someone asks him to make coffee.

Debbie Downer: Maybe this assistant had a negative personality to begin with, or maybe she’s been so beaten down by her job that she’s having a permanent bad day. No matter what you do, this assistant will suck the life out of anyone around her. If you say “I just got a raise!” she’ll find a way to make you feel like shit, perhaps pointing out that someone else got a higher raise, or that the one you got still won’t catch you up to the standard of living.

The Imaginary Mogul: Even though he’s an assistant, this guy uses generous helpings of the company stationery and tells people at networking events that he has way more power than he does. It could be delusion, or it could be that he’s read too many of those books that tell people to “dress for the job they want, not the job they have,” but at the end of the day he just looks like a jerk.

The Backstabber: This assistant has big dreams. She may be a peon now, but she has watched The Devil Wears Prada at least fifty times and has absolutely no objection to stabbing every other assistant in the back if it means she’s the one who gets the coveted promotion. And, truth is, she’d do it even if there was nothing at stake.

The Joiner: This assistant somehow finds times to be part of an intramural soccer team, on the steering committe for a couple of charitable organizations, and a member of an award-winning dance troupe. That’s fine, except that he feels the need to invite you to everything. You can’t go through a day without multiple CC-the-whole-office emails about the latest charity event he’s hosting, and without also being made to feel guilty for not paying $200 for a seat at the table.

Mary Sunshine: The polar opposite of Debbie Downer. Usually, she’s the newest person at the company and hasn’t been broken down yet. But it’s also likely that she has some kind of external thing shielding her from the horrors of assistant life–maybe she’s independently wealthy and thus doesn’t have to stress about stretching her paycheck. Regardless, if you want to vent about something, this is the woman who will tell you to “keep a happy face on” while she refreshes her kitten-with-umbrella screensaver.

Tell us who we missed!

fucking your coworkers makes you better employee

Published on February 5, 2008 in Junk Drawer. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .

I’ve always thought that maybe if those kids over at Seattle Grace stopped fucking each other long enough, they’d actually get some work done. But for those of you who want your workplace to more closely resemble Grey’s Anatomy, you’re in luck. One in five Italian workers admitted to having an affair with a coworker, and reported that doing so made them happier in general and more eager to go to work. (Let’s face it: who wouldn’t be happier to show up at the office if there was a chance of getting some afternoon delight in a broom closet?) 1/3 of respondents also admitted to sleeping with a superior so they could get ahead in their careers.

how hitting ‘reply all’ hurts the economy

Published on December 27, 2007 in Junk Drawer. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

While we prefer the term emaelstrom, business reporters have been talking about the concept of “information overload.” The biggest culprit of this email overload? People who hit “reply all.” That’s right…people who think everyone cares about their stupid work issues are actually undermining the economy. Tech firm Basex Inc. has pinpointed information overload as the biggest problem facing workers today. They argue that every time someone sends you a useless email, you get distracted and pull yourself away from something relevant in order to read whatever’s in your inbox.

So this year, teach your boss to hit the “reply” button. Everyone will be happier you did.

when dating in the office is encouraged

Published on October 15, 2007 in Junk Drawer. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

Even though TV shows like Grey’s Anatomy and The Office feature a string of coworkers hooking up with other coworkers, it’s certainly not acceptable in the real workplace. Or is it?

An article in the New York Times insists that age-old rule is reversing. And why would bosses ever be OK with their employees dating each other? Because it keeps employees that much more connected (or tied to) their work. From the article:

SOON after word spread that Sarah Kay and Matt Lacks were conducting an office romance, Ms. Kay found herself in the office of the director of human resources. There was a time when such a meeting would have signaled a death knell for the relationship, and even jeopardized the employees’ careers.

Yet as Ms. Kay, 29, cheerfully recounted, the human resources director told her, “We’re just all really glad that you made a friend.”

Think about it: did you ever make a point of showing up ten minutes early for your college bio lab, even though you hated the class, because there was a really hot guy or girl who sat next to you? Bosses are now hoping that the same trend rubs off at work. If you have a crush on a coworker, you’ll spend more time at work. People who have sex are happier people, so two coworkers getting it on means two people who come in with smiles on their faces every morning.

Not totally convinced? Neither are we, but you can check the article out here.

how to get a coworker committed

Published on October 11, 2007 in Junk Drawer. 0 Comments Tags: .

Ever had a moment where you thought ‘Man, so-and-so is totally crazy. Like, she’s so crazy she eats all the poppyseeds off the bagel before eating the bagel, and she likes filing! She is, like, clinically insane!’

Well then, enjoy these guidelines for getting your coworker committed. It’s time to take a real close look at your boss’ behavior and see what you can do about having him locked up forever. Is repeatedly forgetting your name a sign of douchiness or of mental decay?

newsflash: people who hate their bosses also hate working

Published on October 9, 2007 in Junk Drawer. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

Welcome back from Columbus Day, everyone. Wait–what’s that? Some of you didn’t have the day off? We would just like to remind you that if postal employees don’t have to work, you shouldn’t have to either. Tell your HR manager we said it was OK.

The latest “gee, you don’t say” workplace article comes to us from Yahoo. Their shocking claim is that workers who are mistreated are more likely to slack off at work. We’ve noticed this trend for a long time. People don’t like working for people they don’t respect, simple as that. And it’s hard to feel compelled to your best work when someone a) is going to tell you it sucks no matter what, b) will not reward you in any way for it if it is successful, and/or c) will take credit for it.

From the article:

Employees with difficult bosses checked out in the following ways:

  • 30 percent slowed down or purposely made errors, compared with 6 percent of those not reporting abuse.
  • 27 percent purposely hid from the boss, compared with 4 percent of those not abused.
  • 33 percent confessed to not putting in maximum effort, compared with 9 percent of those not abused.
  • 29 percent took sick time off even when not ill, compared with 4 percent of those not abused.
  • 25 percent took more or longer breaks, compared with 7 percent of those not abused.

For that and other revelations, click here.

woman claims she was fired over perfume

Published on October 2, 2007 in Junk Drawer. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

Brooklyn resident Jorinda Sullivan is suing her former employer, Mindpearl, a customer-service company. She says she was fired for wearing too much perfume.

Today’s New York Post reports that Sullivan was asked to wear a different kind of perfume after several company complaints–and she did. Despite making the switch, she was allegedly interrogated by her employers, who asked intimate questions about her personal hygiene.

Depending how you look at it, this is either a great precedent or a bad one. If there’s an annoying woman in the cube behind yours who always reeks of Charlie, this is the time to show this article to your boss. But if you believe in workplace rights that keep your boss from inquring about the brand of deodorant you use, keep your fingers crossed that Sullivan wins her case.

how not to get back at your coworkers

Published on October 1, 2007 in Junk Drawer. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

We’ve all had to resist the urge to play tricks on our coworkers, whether that’s putting a “Kick me” sign on their back or replacing their beloved Beanie Baby with your dog’s chew toy. You can fantasize about doing these things, but you shouldn’t actually do them.

One Columbia College professor recently learned that lesson the hard way, when he got fired for leaving a note reading “Jack Sucks Donkey Cock” on a colleague’s door.  The fired professor is now suing, saying the note was a joke.

You can read the full article here.