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The video seems fine to me: https://vimeo.com/866052086/7d7781e9ea https://vimeo.com/866052086/7d7781e9ea The tag line at the end could be interpreted differe

The video seems fine to me: https://vimeo.com/866052086/7d7781e9ea https://vimeo.com/866052086/7d7781e9ea The tag line at the end could be interpreted different ways and is slightly awkward, but not enough that I'd give it a second thought. IMHO this article is just people yet again trying flex the power of shame and contempt, against something they dislike (returning to in-person work). Before you join in, just watch the video!

danesparza 3y ago
I would argue the video is trying to flex the executive power of a company using shame and contempt, against something they don't like (or understand?): remote work. I would agree with your final statement and would go further: Share with any people considering work at WebMD: Better to cringe now instead of after you accept an offer.
- wolverine876 3y ago
  Where do you see shame and contempt in the video? It's pretty friendly.
  - danesparza 3y ago
    Menace, sarcasm, shame and contempt can be presented as friendly but still have the same effect. Here is an incomplete list of items that might fall into this list: - The opening frame of the video, indicating no one is there because everyone is in person - "Unfortuately, too big of a group hasn't returned"- "We need you ready and present and we need it now". Both of these indicate the employees that are working remotely are not pleasing to the senior leadership staff -- and whether they were performing well or not doesn't seem to be addressed by that same senior leadership staff. It also seems to imply the employees weren't 'ready and present' up to this point. - The background music (which is either tone-deaf to the message or downright menacing). Iko-iko (the song) has a meaning.
    - wolverine876 3y ago
      Thanks. I guess I saw a clear, firm message, but not menace, and that to me it's lightened by the 'nobody there' bit (I don't suggest that my interpretation is somehow superior, just my own.) How would you like to see the CEO and executives communicate this message, without menace? Forget that you might not agree with the message; how do they say it better?
      - ryandrake 3y ago
        I think the point is that the message itself is menacing, not any particular display of it. You could have a clown dance around and sing a song about how there will be consequences if you don't do X--pick any wording or presentation and it's still a threat.
      - op00to 3y ago
        It would best be communicated from your immediate manager. Not a cutesy but also kinda threatening video.
  - deleted 3y ago
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cdchn 3y ago
>Before you join in, just watch the video! I watched the video. It was even worse than I expected.
- belter 3y ago
  I had to watch three times and I am still not sure if its not an episode of "The Office"...
  - wolverine876 3y ago
    To shift tacks, that's the sort of response I was talking about in the root comment. It's all about having fun flexing ridicule (the contempt and shame I was talking about earlier). I understand that it's for laughs - and I got some enjoyment your comment - but I also think it tends to cross over into 'real life'. It's used (maybe not by the parent, but by many) as a substitute for actually examining the merits, being open-minded, curious, learning. Under these social 'rules', if we can ridicule it, shame it, that's the end of the discussion. It crowds out people who are atypical, and who are inventive and challenging the norms and the estabilishmen (in whatever place they are). It creates a very conservative culture. To riff on: I think people have become much less expressive, much more afraid of ridicule, as social media has enveloped our lives. When the whole world wouldn't see, it didn't matter much if you took a chance with how you dressed that day.
    - deleted 3y ago
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    - deleted 3y ago
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    - davidgerard 3y ago
      Have you considered that perhaps, just perhaps, it's a bad, inept and tone deaf video that is absolutely correct to ridicule? It's a possible interpretation!
      - 3y ago
jrflowers 3y ago
> this article is just people yet again trying flex the power of shame and contempt Exactly. Who amongst us can say that they’ve never quoted Iko Iko lyrics in a threat to employees? It is a common and normal thing that happens all the time
- wolverine876 3y ago
  I think it's a threat to the competition (i.e., other companies), a bit of team spirit: when we're a team, don't mess with us! Earlier they have the 'crush the competition' bit, with someone crushing a can. Edit: I mean not that it's a message for the competition to hear, but it's the leaders telling telling the team 'we're tough - when we're together!'.
  - dijit 3y ago
    This is an unreasonably generous interpretation and doesn't make sense in context.
    - wolverine876 3y ago
      If you think so, make an argument for it! I'm all ears.
      - dijit 3y ago
        It's clear that the intended audience is employee's since they talk to employees in first person throughout the video- "*we* need *you* ready and present and we need it right now." this means that "US" in the remainder of the video becomes the people speaking, which in this case is the high level management.
        wolverine876 3y ago
        I can see that interpretation, but I don't think it's the only one. It's not perfectly communicated (as a I said in the root comment), but at work I'm looking to be productive, not find flaws.
croes 3y ago
>“We mean business” or “don’t mess with us,” Here is another fitting quote >I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse.
el_benhameen 3y ago
I use the “I’m not negotiating, I’m telling” line with my kids sometimes. It’s usually out of frustration, and I usually feel bad about it afterward. There’s usually a better way to handle the conversation. Something more collaborative—which would make even more sense here, given that they’re presenting this move as being good for collaboration. If an adult spoke to me like that in the context of any type of relationship, I would immediately look for a way out. Maybe that’s the point here. Yes, there’s a hierarchy at work, and those at the top have the right to make the rules. But the smug condescension in this video says “I haven’t made the business case for this or I haven’t effectively communicated it, so I’m just resorting to ‘because I said so’”. Not the kind of environment I’d want to be part of.
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
- wolverine876 3y ago
  Many insightful points, thank you. Any concrete suggestions on how it could be communicated?
  - el_benhameen 3y ago
    If I worked there, my preference would have been a video with just the CEO giving an honest talk about what the changes are and what they’re basing the changes on. It might be data; if so, explain the data. It might just be the preference of the executive team; that’s their prerogative, but I think it’s worth being honest about it. Show some empathy for the people who are affected (“I understand that there are members of our team who would prefer to remain remote, and I understand that this move will impact their lifestyles” or something), and then be kind and unthreatening but firm about the decision (“but it’s my belief that these changes are necessary for xyz reasons, so we’re going to require x in-person days per week”). It’s still clear that it’s not optional, but there’s less of a “gfy” tone. I get that the intro with silly office shots and lots of different members of the management team is meant to provide some levity, but making a significant, unilateral change to an employment agreement isn’t a situation that calls for levity, and so it comes off as disrespectful and condescending. I think that getting straight to the point and being honest about it is a better approach.
303uru 3y ago
The tag line at the end is the weakest thing I've ever heard an executive say. Of course you're not negotiating, you're my fucking boss, put your big boy pants and make us come in or be fired. That's not to mention that none of these shlubs appear to even be in a fucking office to make the video.

danesparza 3y ago

I would argue the video is trying to flex the executive power of a company using shame and contempt, against something they don't like (or understand?): remote work. I would agree with your final statement and would go further: Share with any people considering work at WebMD: Better to cringe now instead of after you accept an offer.

wolverine876 3y ago
Where do you see shame and contempt in the video? It's pretty friendly.
- danesparza 3y ago
  Menace, sarcasm, shame and contempt can be presented as friendly but still have the same effect. Here is an incomplete list of items that might fall into this list: - The opening frame of the video, indicating no one is there because everyone is in person - "Unfortuately, too big of a group hasn't returned"- "We need you ready and present and we need it now". Both of these indicate the employees that are working remotely are not pleasing to the senior leadership staff -- and whether they were performing well or not doesn't seem to be addressed by that same senior leadership staff. It also seems to imply the employees weren't 'ready and present' up to this point. - The background music (which is either tone-deaf to the message or downright menacing). Iko-iko (the song) has a meaning.
  - wolverine876 3y ago
    Thanks. I guess I saw a clear, firm message, but not menace, and that to me it's lightened by the 'nobody there' bit (I don't suggest that my interpretation is somehow superior, just my own.) How would you like to see the CEO and executives communicate this message, without menace? Forget that you might not agree with the message; how do they say it better?
    - ryandrake 3y ago
      I think the point is that the message itself is menacing, not any particular display of it. You could have a clown dance around and sing a song about how there will be consequences if you don't do X--pick any wording or presentation and it's still a threat.
    - op00to 3y ago
      It would best be communicated from your immediate manager. Not a cutesy but also kinda threatening video.
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]

cdchn 3y ago

>Before you join in, just watch the video! I watched the video. It was even worse than I expected.

belter 3y ago
I had to watch three times and I am still not sure if its not an episode of "The Office"...
- wolverine876 3y ago
  To shift tacks, that's the sort of response I was talking about in the root comment. It's all about having fun flexing ridicule (the contempt and shame I was talking about earlier). I understand that it's for laughs - and I got some enjoyment your comment - but I also think it tends to cross over into 'real life'. It's used (maybe not by the parent, but by many) as a substitute for actually examining the merits, being open-minded, curious, learning. Under these social 'rules', if we can ridicule it, shame it, that's the end of the discussion. It crowds out people who are atypical, and who are inventive and challenging the norms and the estabilishmen (in whatever place they are). It creates a very conservative culture. To riff on: I think people have become much less expressive, much more afraid of ridicule, as social media has enveloped our lives. When the whole world wouldn't see, it didn't matter much if you took a chance with how you dressed that day.
  - deleted 3y ago
    [deleted]
  - deleted 3y ago
    [deleted]
  - davidgerard 3y ago
    Have you considered that perhaps, just perhaps, it's a bad, inept and tone deaf video that is absolutely correct to ridicule? It's a possible interpretation!
    - 3y ago

jrflowers 3y ago

> this article is just people yet again trying flex the power of shame and contempt Exactly. Who amongst us can say that they’ve never quoted Iko Iko lyrics in a threat to employees? It is a common and normal thing that happens all the time

wolverine876 3y ago
I think it's a threat to the competition (i.e., other companies), a bit of team spirit: when we're a team, don't mess with us! Earlier they have the 'crush the competition' bit, with someone crushing a can. Edit: I mean not that it's a message for the competition to hear, but it's the leaders telling telling the team 'we're tough - when we're together!'.
- dijit 3y ago
  This is an unreasonably generous interpretation and doesn't make sense in context.
  - wolverine876 3y ago
    If you think so, make an argument for it! I'm all ears.
    - dijit 3y ago
      It's clear that the intended audience is employee's since they talk to employees in first person throughout the video- "*we* need *you* ready and present and we need it right now." this means that "US" in the remainder of the video becomes the people speaking, which in this case is the high level management.
      - wolverine876 3y ago
        I can see that interpretation, but I don't think it's the only one. It's not perfectly communicated (as a I said in the root comment), but at work I'm looking to be productive, not find flaws.

croes 3y ago

>“We mean business” or “don’t mess with us,” Here is another fitting quote >I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse.

el_benhameen 3y ago

I use the “I’m not negotiating, I’m telling” line with my kids sometimes. It’s usually out of frustration, and I usually feel bad about it afterward. There’s usually a better way to handle the conversation. Something more collaborative—which would make even more sense here, given that they’re presenting this move as being good for collaboration. If an adult spoke to me like that in the context of any type of relationship, I would immediately look for a way out. Maybe that’s the point here. Yes, there’s a hierarchy at work, and those at the top have the right to make the rules. But the smug condescension in this video says “I haven’t made the business case for this or I haven’t effectively communicated it, so I’m just resorting to ‘because I said so’”. Not the kind of environment I’d want to be part of.

deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
wolverine876 3y ago
Many insightful points, thank you. Any concrete suggestions on how it could be communicated?
- el_benhameen 3y ago
  If I worked there, my preference would have been a video with just the CEO giving an honest talk about what the changes are and what they’re basing the changes on. It might be data; if so, explain the data. It might just be the preference of the executive team; that’s their prerogative, but I think it’s worth being honest about it. Show some empathy for the people who are affected (“I understand that there are members of our team who would prefer to remain remote, and I understand that this move will impact their lifestyles” or something), and then be kind and unthreatening but firm about the decision (“but it’s my belief that these changes are necessary for xyz reasons, so we’re going to require x in-person days per week”). It’s still clear that it’s not optional, but there’s less of a “gfy” tone. I get that the intro with silly office shots and lots of different members of the management team is meant to provide some levity, but making a significant, unilateral change to an employment agreement isn’t a situation that calls for levity, and so it comes off as disrespectful and condescending. I think that getting straight to the point and being honest about it is a better approach.

303uru 3y ago

The tag line at the end is the weakest thing I've ever heard an executive say. Of course you're not negotiating, you're my fucking boss, put your big boy pants and make us come in or be fired. That's not to mention that none of these shlubs appear to even be in a fucking office to make the video.