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from ch 11 WordPerfect Corporation was not a platform for personal achievement, a career ladder to other opportunities, or a challenging opportunity for
by x0x0 12y ago
from ch 11
WordPerfect Corporation was not a platform for personal achievement, a
career ladder to other opportunities, or a challenging opportunity for
personal improvement. The company did not put the needs of the individual
ahead of its own. The company was not concerned about an employee's personal
feelings, except as they related to the company's well-being.
WordPerfect Corporation was not intended to be a social club for the
unproductive. While other companies might condone many personal or social
activities at the office, ours did not. Things like celebrating birthdays,
throwing baby showers, collecting for gifts, selling Tupperware or Avon,
managing sports tournaments, running betting pools, calling home to keep a
romance alive or hand out chores to the children, gossiping or flirting with
co-workers, getting a haircut, going to a medical or dental appointment,
running to the cafeteria for a snack, coming in a little late or leaving a
little early, taking Friday afternoon off, and griping about working
conditions were all inappropriate when done on company time. Even though
these activities were condoned by many businesses across the country, we
felt there was no time for them at WordPerfect Corporation.
This guy sounds like a real dick. I mean, sure -- running a betting pool at the office is a big waste of time. But this guy is independently wealthy, so of course errands are no problem: you can almost always trade money for time. But going to a medical or dental appointment is not to be done? When exactly are you supposed to see your doctor, given they work M-F 9-6? And I bet they weren't shy about asking for extra time from employees when it's crunch time or there's an urgent bug.
- dudus 12y agofrom ch 15 "A year after I left, I received an anonymous letter from someone at WordPerfect Corporation. This person used WPCorp stationery, WPCorp postage, and, no doubt, WPCorp time to tell me he was glad I had left the company. Even though the writer admitted he had never met me, and that he had never worked for me or in a department which reported to me, he had gone out of his way to tell me what a poor job I had done. I was a little hurt by the comments, but I was even more upset that this employee would misuse company resources to send the letter. He was obviously not focusing in on the purpose and objectives of his employer." Seems like he had a dick reputation that lasted some time after he left the company.
- SilasX 12y agoWow. That's like out of a supervillain's script in a movie. "Sure, you may hate me, but what really bothers me is wasting a few bucks!"
- itazula 12y agoThat passage doesn't rub me the wrong way at all. It is a clear set of statements. I don't have to belong to such a company, but if I did, at least I would know what the bounds were. At the start-ups I worked at, I saw a slippery slope of abuse of the "company culture."
- x0x0 12y agoslippery slopes come from poor management I stand by my assessment of an asshole that pitches tantrums if people eat at their desk (while presumably working!)
- stuaxo 12y agoHm, in the UK when the world cup is on there is are betting pools ('fantasy football') in every office Ive ever worked in - so this is not as extreme behaviour as it first sounds.