Poll of the Day > My boss explicitly said our appearance to our coworkers matters more than work.

(+) Yeah! (+)

In an email:

New [restructured responsibilities] goal is qualitatively optimizing outwardly physics appearance to department, not optimizing completion timing of work.

Keep in mind we aren't dealing with patient's directly or sales or so this isn't appearance to customers or clients. This is appearance to our own coworkers. The problem is, 20 year olds and grandmas with associate degrees are reporting 50+ year olds with PhDs for coming 5 minutes late or forgetting to click 'approve' on something small. These reports go to multiple of my 60-year-old boss's supervisors and it makes her look bad. So now I get to focus on my posturing...at least she's being explicit about it.

Sounds like you gotta get out of there man, is it money holding you back from the other job offers?

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Micromanagement is often the result of poor management.

blu posted...

New [restructured responsibilities] goal is qualitatively optimizing outwardly physics appearance to department, not optimizing completion timing of work

You know they were jerking off after sending an email like that, you just know it...

Did a six-year-old write that?

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As opposed to biology appearance or chemistry appearance?

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adjl posted...

Did a six-year-old write that?

Clench281 posted...

As opposed to biology appearance or chemistry appearance?

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blu posted...

Keep in mind we aren't dealing with patient's directly or sales or so this isn't appearance to customers or clients.

Engineering company I work for established a lax dress code some years ago. Personally I do not disagree with the idea of a dress code even if employees are not dealing with clients/manufacturers in-person and that is because some coworkers kind of took it too far on several occasions.

The worst was on "Casual Friday" where one fellow engineer regularly come in with slippers, shorts, and an undersized tank top. Kind of bizarre to have said coworker walking about with his hairy belly hanging out.


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adjl posted...

Did a six-year-old write that?

I'm assuming you're talking about my boss's comment not my poorly written comment. A sixty-year old wrote the italicized potion.

DrPrimemaster posted...

Sounds like you gotta get out of there man, is it money holding you back from the other job offers?

I think it's starting to take a mental toll. I remember when I made topics about my first research advisor back here in 2015/2016...same life patterns. Waking up too early, going to bed too, late, full stress, achy body...constantly in that post-migraine feeling. I got seven non-essential texts after 10 PM last night. Actually I wonder if it's cultural, my first advisor and current boss were both same nationality.

Partially. I love the area I live in now. I don't really want to do a PhD in the field to end up doing the same work at the same pay. If I stick it out to boards (which keep getting postponed) I'll be able to get more money when job hopping. If I hop now it'll be much harder to find a job if I hate the second place.

The contract in the 200k Ohio job got bought by another company, keeping an eye out but don't see it.

The Oklahoma job is a paycut of 22k a year, realistically more than that because I expect to get an additional 20k or so if I job hopped in a year or so...I also would be required to do a PhD while working full time, but could probably work on it 3 or so hours a day during the job at least. A PhD is just a lot to end up doing pretty much the same work just changing out a day of the clinic for a research day once a week.

Clench281 posted...

As opposed to biology appearance or chemistry appearance?

As in physicists appearing like we all agree with each other, are organized, have control, and are hardworking. Physicists are just generally disliked in the clinic, I believe it's because we're paid well but don't usually generate work, just judge if other people's work is acceptable or not acceptable.

blu posted...

New [restructured responsibilities] goal is qualitatively optimizing outwardly physics appearance to department, not optimizing completion timing of work.

Is that word for word?

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InfestedAdam posted...

Personally I do not disagree with the idea of a dress code even if employees are not dealing with clients/manufacturers in-person and that is because some coworkers kind of took it too far on several occasions.

Nothing to really do with a dress code on this one. People are clean and dress professional. I do know what you're saying though.

Zeus posted...

Is that word for word?

Word for word, other than changing 'list design' to [restructured responsibilities] for clarification.

tell them to fuck off

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InfestedAdam posted...

Engineering company I work for established a lax dress code some years ago. Personally I do not disagree with the idea of a dress code even if employees are not dealing with clients/manufacturers in-person and that is because some coworkers kind of took it too far on several occasions.

The worst was on "Casual Friday" where one fellow engineer regularly come in with slippers, shorts, and an undersized tank top. Kind of bizarre to have said coworker walking about with his hairy belly hanging out.

Some of my coworkers (we move cars from branch to branch at a rental car company whose name I won't mention) have come in with tee shirts, shorts, no socks, and shoes on their feet from time to time (this was pre-Covid). Nobody really says anything, though, since we're outside most of the day and rarely have any contact with guests (customers). Anyone in a position above us, however, is forced to wear 'company approved' attire, which is mostly black (with a little color thrown in), no matter how hot it gets outside, unless it's a 'casual' day or some other occasion.

GastroFan posted...

Some of my coworkers (we move cars from branch to branch at a rental car company whose name I won't mention) have come in with tee shirts, shorts, no socks, and shoes on their feet from time to time (this was pre-Covid). Nobody really says anything, though, since we're outside most of the day and rarely have any contact with guests (customers). Anyone in a position above us, however, is forced to wear 'company approved' attire, which is mostly black (with a little color thrown in), no matter how hot it gets outside, unless it's a 'casual' day or some other occasion.

I remember when I was a student/resident I'd come into the clinic at 10:00 PM after everyone was gone after drinking, barefoot, swim suit, a gym shirt, and I'd bring my cat and let it run around the clinic. Only to help students troubleshoot though when the accelerator was misbehaving...us, security, and custodial commonly only ones in the building.

Not related to current 'appearance' issues which aren't physical appearances.

GastroFan posted...

Some of my coworkers (we move cars from branch to branch at a rental car company whose name I won't mention) have come in with tee shirts, shorts, no socks, and shoes on their feet from time to time (this was pre-Covid). Nobody really says anything, though, since we're outside most of the day and rarely have any contact with guests (customers).

I kind of wonder if there is a physiological reason behind dressing properly depending on the line of work. I do not doubt that some engineers, drafters, and other folks in an office environment work better when they are feeling relax and part of that could be with how they are dressed. But I wonder if being too relax can negatively affect the work.

I can imagine though not feeling comfortable cause a suit is too tight or too hot will be nothing more than a distraction so being too "professional looking" can also be a hindrance.

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Sounds like you guys are getting sloppy and it's time to tighten up.

Which might make sense if it was a modeling agency.

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