Tundras live: Dumb Dad Jokes, Incorrect Opinions, and Relationship Advice.

I'm not personally in the crosshairs, but I'm watching a good man get persecuted and it's crushing him. I can't stand to see the agreements made with him being ignored, and him being so beat down and demoralized that he's just giving up. They say that a good HR department can save you from a bad boss, but a good boss can't do anything for you if you have bad HR.

 

Thanks!

Gotcha, I had a 50/50 shot at it.

 

It's deflating to hear about this kind of shit. If you've said what you do for a living in a past post, I'll have to claim age-related ignorance; but technology is generally a seller's market for good workers right now. I'm glad I've got my career, and glad I have my specific employer.

 

For sure, but they're about the only club the average worker has to wield against a crappy manager. If it's high level troubles... well you're just boned.

 

If it's met the level of crime that deserves a response from Batman, build an anonymous gmail account and send a note to the president of the company to let them know what's going on. Replacing good employees costs a lot of money - trackable through the hiring process, training, and lost revenue... HR people aren't immune from getting fired.

 

I work in telecom, but I'm in a unique position. I started in grunt work/labor, earned a CDL and drove for a time, and then was able to move into an office based position that kind of monitors network health/issues. I'm continually learning, but I'm also not so specialized as to be able to go elsewhere. Also, because the position in this particular company handles all aspects rather than being specialized we are paid significantly above the national average for the position. I'd likely see a 30-40 percent pay cut if I departed and stayed in the same field. My highest education is a HS diploma so the only thing that makes me have value is the experience I have on the job. That's a hard sell to new places these days. If you don't have student debt they don't want you anymore.

I'm also kind of aging out of ideal employment investment for companies. Why hire the guy that is almost 40 that is just wanting to earn enough to retire in 20 years when you can hire the guy in his 20s, get 40 years out of him, and he doesn't come with any bad habits he might have learned elsewhere?

 

Yeah.... it's a family owned thing and the single biggest fault I've seen over the last decade is that it takes multiple acts of congress to fire anybody in a director position. I left a department because of the director and what he did to employees, it was investigated and an outside lawyer was even involved because he had harassed Veterans. Dick head still has his job. Another director would have meetings with all his people at least once a week where he shouted at the top of his lungs how worthless they were, how they didn't know their jobs, how they were complete morons, etc., etc. It took years of that for him to be fired, and when he was it had absolutely nothing to do with his conduct or treatment of his subordinates. Another had multiple complaints against him for similar things and it wasn't until multiple sexual harassment issues arose that he was removed.

History shows that it takes years of blatantly bad behavior to get a director removed, and this lady started less than a year ago. It's gonna be a shit show for a while.

 

I'm not so certain about your position and company specifically; but I'm a hiring manager and IMO you're underselling yourself a bit. Notwithstanding the pay cut problem, if your skills are transferrable, you're very hirable. The problem with tenure and retirement ages isn't as much a problem now as it would have been when pensions were a thing. Companies don't have to consider that investment anymore. Once the dip in black ink from back-filling happens, the math on the employee is working in the company's favor, and that's the only math they'll do.

Recovery time for hiring a new employee, after recruiting, training, and getting revenue stable, is anywhere from 6 months to 2 years. Unless the prospect is a flight risk as they're hired, that's the only math the employer will be doing. They do that math in hiring as well as firing; thus my advice about warning the C-suite about HR burning the place down.

I'll tell you straight up that someone in their 20's, especially someone not leveraged by kids and a mortgage, is a ton less attractive as a new hire than someone in their 30's with experience in the job and in life. The flight risk problem you get from a 20-something is much more real than the nearing-retirement problem. Kids job-hop, and the industry doesn't matter. Regardless of education, the day-to-day reliability of a 30- or 40-something is generally going to be better than with a 20-something. And not to be sexist, but 20-something men are more of a problem in reliability and flight risk than 20-something women. All math that is in my head as I'm interviewing.

I do have the benefit of hiring technology workers who've spent time and energy getting trained and certified in the technology we sell; but I can't imagine telecom being much different. Are there certifications directly relevant, or with adjacent relevance, to your job? If I were to make any suggestions to shore up your career, it'd be to chase those. Otherwise, you should worry less than it seems you are.

 

Anyway, on to happier things.

I am looking forward to the warming weather. I've got a brand new kayak, a RTT on the way, and I can't wait to go riding in the RZR! This summer I want to try and be outside way more. Maybe even try to lose some weight.

 

I'd be looking for ways to duck out. If it doesn't stand any chance of getting better, it probably stands some chance of getting worse. Like standing inside the leash length of a dangerous dog... Sorry to hear about this.

 

I'd get a tent, but the wife would only camp in a tent if we set it up inside the room at the Hilton.

 

Just me and my dog, so a RTT is the perfect solution. Plus, if I decide I hate it I can always unload it for close to what I pay. They hold value pretty well.

 

That’s cool you have all kinds of fun stuff to do close by. We have…….only a few cool things to do here hahah but I try to take my boys out as much as possible. We’re about to embark on another great adventure. I’m channeling my inner Tetris champion.

 

I drive hours to do lots of this stuff. I just have a schedule that accommodates a day out and a day back type of trips.

 

No moves planned, but I did just completely sanitize my desk of all items that are remotely personal. If HR is on witch hunts then it's best to be nobody.

 

Nap time, later ladies!

 

Sleep well!

 

It's too bad that is the case most places.

I'll say that at the company I'm at, that isn't the case. Yes, they are helping the company make sure that we're in compliance with laws and other potentially sticky situations, but they are truly focused on benefits, development, improvement, and recruiting.

I'm pretty lucky to work for the company I do.

 

Are they hiring? lol

 

Listen to that bag full of squirrels roar!

 

What did you think of the tires? I like mine but curious to hear what others think.

 

Also they do look badass! The subi looks good clean and dirty. Good thing the camera fell over after you drove by.

 

Good news is I haven’t noticed mine getting any louder as they wear. Im only about 6k in so far, well on 3 of them at least.