Are all Irish workers crap or just lazy?

The J Stands for Jay · 18-02-2012 11:36am

kjl wrote: »

I work for a multinational company who have one of their offices located in Dublin. Now I don't actually work in the Dublin office, but as I am Irish they handle all the administrative work like scanning expenses receipts or if there are any issues ordering equipment.

Here in lies the question, I work with a group of people from all over Europe and they all have to use their home office for the same stuff I do. So the UK people use the UK office, the German people use the German office, but every one of them has things done efficiently and quickly. Not me though, it takes about 2 weeks to do anything in the Irish office.

Ill give a few examples
me: send in an expense report, it takes about 2-3 weeks to get it processed
colleagues: 2-3 days

I ordered a new phone through the company website
colleagues: 4 days delivered
me: 1 month

I had a simple issue with my company card,
it took 2 weeks to resolve it.

Now you may say well maybe you are not following up with emails and phone calls. One time I was trying to contact a girl in the Irish office and I rang and emailed every single day for a week and I am still waiting to hear back from her.

And when I was offered the job, I was working with an exterior HR person, but I had to send my contract into the Irish office. I sent it in by hand on a Friday, then got a call on Wed asking me why I had not sent in. I went back into the office to find out they lost the contact and I had to fill out a whole new contract, with multiple steps involved.

So I ask, what's the deal? Why are Irish workers so bad at their job. This isn't just my company either, I have a lot of associates who do a similar job to me who are Irish based and they have the exact same issues.

So, you work with all these people from different countries and your company makes them use different back offices in different countries based on their nationalities?

Think itmight just be your company that's crazy inefficient

Kidchameleon · 18-02-2012 11:54am

OP is lucky to have a job

Lawrence1895 · 18-02-2012 11:59am

I know lazy Germans and Irish, who work their a*** off. Stereotypes, nothing but stereotypes.

But if someone is too lazy to work, if he's not able to meet the requirements for the job, I would show him the door. Full stop.

Rashers89 · 18-02-2012 12:01pm

I think we are lazy compared to other countries, we have very bad work ethic.

I think because the rule of who you know not what you know hows alot to do with it.

look at RTE

mikemac1 · 18-02-2012 12:04pm

Yeah, if only we had the Protestant work ethic :rolleyes:

Sure yet another thing we can blame the Catholic Church for

Jane5 · 18-02-2012 12:17pm

I'd be inclined to agree with the OP.

I am on a rotational contract between a few different hospitals in Dublin, essentially I am moved every six months. All HSE hospitals so still working in the same organisation the whole time.

I was moved to a new place the first week in January.

I have been on emergency tax the whole time, and also not given ANY tax credits.

My last place of work I had to hound them for the p45, I finished the first week in January, got the p45 TODAY! After calling umpteen times. It took yes, almost seven weeks to get it.

I called the tax office to change over my tax credits to my new place, did this early in January to avoid these shenanigans as this has happened before.

They put my new employers registered number on the cert they sent me out, and never changed over my tax credits.

Two weeks later, paid peanuts again, rang them again, got the problem rectified. Got another tax credit cert in the post. Brought that into work.

USC bands had not been changed over to my new employer, still with my old employer, getting charged 7% on ALL income now. Called tax office again. They seemed surprised that I would want everything, correct USC bands, tax credits, etc, all allocated to the ONE PLACE I WORK! They did it. Got new tax credit cert. Brought that to work.

Bringing p45 in Monday. It takes 2-4 weeks then from the date they get all your documents before they will adjust your pay. I may be able to go out again by June! And then in a month I'll be changing jobs again!

Oh also was put on the wrong payscale starting work, has happened in lots of hospitals. Happens constantly in fact.

Compare when I worked in New Zealand. Started work, gave them my NZ equivalent of PPSN in Salaries. Paid fortnightly. Pay was correct the first time, and always, and my salary changed every three months within the same hospital reflecting different rotations that I did that were busier or quieter. I never submitted any paperwork regarding this. HR submitted my rotations to Salaries, who adjusted my pay correctly every three months.

Leaving NZ, went once to the tax office, gave them my details, said I was leaving. Two weeks later, without my having to do ANYTHING whatsoever, received a large tax refund into my bank account.

That's how things should work. The incomptence and occasional combined hostility of middle management and public offices here is staggering. It makes things nearly impossible.

Rant over.

Zorbas · 18-02-2012 12:20pm

Can't believe this slur thread on our society. Sure check out how dedicated our developers, w/bankers, FF politicians etc have been over recent years to build the celtic tiger which shocked the world!!

IzzyWizzy · 18-02-2012 12:37pm

When I worked in Ireland, I found that a lot of people had a terrible work ethic. Not just Irish people but other nationalities who had been working in Ireland for several years. I think during the boom, people got used to earning loads of money just for turning up to work. People were very, very spoiled. I remember training a temp in a reception job who got into a huff and called her agency because she was expected to make tea and coffee for client meetings. She told me she wasn't a waitress. This was a 22-year-old, making the equivalent of 25K, with no degree or special skillset, thinking she was above making hot drinks now and again. This kind of attitude was everywhere a few years ago. People really did do just the bare minimum and nothing more and sometimes didn't even manage the bare minimum. I suppose that's what happens when there are plenty of jobs and you can always just get a new one.

44leto · 18-02-2012 12:47pm

ALL Irish workers are crap. All of us, that is every single one of us, we are just crap workers, we are no good, all of us. OP you may have found the only thing all us irish have in common, we are useless workers.:rolleyes::rolleyes:

44leto · 18-02-2012 12:50pm

IzzyWizzy wrote: »

When I worked in Ireland, I found that a lot of people had a terrible work ethic. Not just Irish people but other nationalities who had been working in Ireland for several years. I think during the boom, people got used to earning loads of money just for turning up to work. People were very, very spoiled. I remember training a temp in a reception job who got into a huff and called her agency because she was expected to make tea and coffee for client meetings. She told me she wasn't a waitress. This was a 22-year-old, making the equivalent of 25K, with no degree or special skillset, thinking she was above making hot drinks now and again. This kind of attitude was everywhere a few years ago. People really did do just the bare minimum and nothing more and sometimes didn't even manage the bare minimum. I suppose that's what happens when there are plenty of jobs and you can always just get a new one.

I work hard, I am very conscientious and I have the attitude if I am doing something it is worth doing right.

I certainly am not the only one in my job with that attitude.

gk5000 · 18-02-2012 12:51pm

Liam Byrne wrote: »

Maybe if they'd harness the productiveness of some of us here at home and stop protecting the greedy at our expense?

Yes that's what I meant...If we we could work at home as well as we work abroad.

mikemac1 · 18-02-2012 12:59pm

All Irish workers are lazy, every foreigner is a brilliant worker

All Irish women are dogs and all Eastern Europeans are gorgeous

Irish workers are drunks yet you overlook Dutch and German companies have beer in their offices and in the UK, a liquid lunch on Fridays is common

Even though mass immigration is new to Ireland, all Irish people think they are too good to work in many jobs.
Who was doing them before?

We elect crooks and deal with poor public services but nobody else does. Have you seen Italy?

Does that sum it up?
Well it seems to be the world some of you live in

Doc Ruby · 18-02-2012 1:03pm

mikemac1 wrote: »

Yeah, if only we had the Protestant work ethic :rolleyes:

Sure yet another thing we can blame the Catholic Church for

Lol protestant work ethic.

Last time I heard about that I was reading about Johnny Rhys-Myers, who was at that point just one of the lads, a particular farmer down in Cork was harrumphing how said work ethic had been instilled in Johnny while he stayed on the farm.

This farmer, one of those English ascendancy landowners whose family somehow managed to hold on there, specialised in cursing out Irish people from one side of his mouth, trumpeting his own skill at farming at the same time, while only managing to stay operating because of subsidies from the Irish taxpayer and the EU. He had divorced his wife and turned half the farm into a disco where he hoped to get the local girls drunk and drugged for sexy time.

Thats your protestant work ethic right there.

Any wonder poor Johnny turned out to be an alco.

Liam Byrne · 18-02-2012 1:05pm

gk5000 wrote: »

Liam Byrne wrote: »

Maybe if they'd harness the productiveness of some of us here at home and stop protecting the greedy at our expense?

Yes that's what I meant...If we we could work at home as well as we work abroad.

Huh ? That's not even remotely like what I posted!

kincsem · 18-02-2012 1:06pm

Someone mentioned on boards that 20% of the workers do 80% of the work. I believe it.
If you want to get something done ask a busy person.

44leto · 18-02-2012 1:10pm

Doc Ruby wrote: »

Lol protestant work ethic.

Last time I heard about that I was reading about Johnny Rhys-Myers, who was at that point just one of the lads, a particular farmer down in Cork was harrumphing how said work ethic had been instilled in Johnny while he stayed on the farm.

This farmer, one of those English ascendancy landowners whose family somehow managed to hold on there, specialised in cursing out Irish people from one side of his mouth, trumpeting his own skill at farming at the same time, while only managing to stay operating because of subsidies from the Irish taxpayer and the EU. He had divorced his wife and turned half the farm into a disco where he hoped to get the local girls drunk and drugged for sexy time.

Thats your protestant work ethic right there.

Any wonder poor Johnny turned out to be an alco.

I have to say, my bro married into the Irish protestant ascendancy, I know,,, every family has its shame:D. But the ones i met from that particular family do have a very strong and different work ethic.

But that was just them. So one generalization in the OP and another from your post.

skregs · 18-02-2012 1:15pm

From my own experience with hiring staff, Eastern Europeans are much better workers than Irish people.

90% of the Irish people who applied for the job had no relevant qualifications (out of work builders and students) with the attitude that they'll be grand.
One Irish girl opened her cover letter with "Dear Employee" and got the company name wrong twice

As much as I would have preferred to give the job to an Irish person, it ended up going to an Eastern European girl

mikemac1 · 18-02-2012 1:18pm

skregs wrote: »

From my own experience with hiring staff, Eastern Europeans are much better workers than Irish people.

90% of the Irish people who applied for the job had no relevant qualifications (out of work builders and students) with the attitude that they'll be grand.

How do you verify a qualification from her country.

If she has a qualification from University of Warsaw or even a place you've never heard of how do you check if it's real?

Genuinely asking here, I'm interested to know

Doc Ruby · 18-02-2012 1:20pm

44leto wrote: »

I have to say, my bro married into the Irish protestant ascendancy, I know,,, every family has its shame:D. But the ones i met from that particular family do have a very strong and different work ethic.

But that was just them. So one generalization in the OP and another from your post.

There's no more of a protestant work ethic than there is a catholic one, or a white one or a black one. Just that people carrying on about the former are typically reprobates of the kind described in my experience, present company excluded of course.

eth0 · 18-02-2012 1:20pm

This is great "No Irish need apply" in Ireland itself - all except actually hanging up the sign because that wouldn't go down well.

How did things end up this way?

LK_Dave · 18-02-2012 1:22pm

bleg wrote: »

I'm deadly at my job. Deadly dangerous.

How is that medical degree working out for you?

44leto · 18-02-2012 1:43pm

eth0 wrote: »

This is great "No Irish need apply" in Ireland itself - all except actually hanging up the sign because that wouldn't go down well.

How did things end up this way?

Something did change during the boom, I was talking to my mates 18 year old who is unemployed and has being for a year. I ask would you not apply to mc donalds or a supermarket and he said "I wouldn't do that type of work" I was gobsmacked, I first met his ould fellow working as a petrol pump attendant, at that age I worked at any job i could get, from lounge boy, Dunnes I even picked potatoes for a week (that was hard).

I never viewed any of those jobs as permanent I was biding my time till a good job came along and it did. I think it is true to say, it is easier to get a job from a job. In those ****ty jobs you meet people get experience, hear about opportunities.

I will also add I had little choice my social welfare at that time was not even worth collecting.

But his attitude is not everyone in his generation, my niece works in a pub while attending college and there is still a lot of Irish kids grafting it out in McDonalds ETC.

kjl · 18-02-2012 1:48pm

strobe wrote: »

Thanks for the response and I'm sure it explains everything perfectly but to be honest I was just being a smart arse with that comment and your job sounds so dull that I think I might start crying if I have to read 5 whole more paragraphs about it. Thanks for taking the time to respond. But sorry, tl;dr.

point in case.

Zorbas · 18-02-2012 1:50pm

Doc Ruby wrote: »

Lol protestant work ethic.

Last time I heard about that I was reading about Johnny Rhys-Myers, who was at that point just one of the lads, a particular farmer down in Cork was harrumphing how said work ethic had been instilled in Johnny while he stayed on the farm.

This farmer, one of those English ascendancy landowners whose family somehow managed to hold on there, specialised in cursing out Irish people from one side of his mouth, trumpeting his own skill at farming at the same time, while only managing to stay operating because of subsidies from the Irish taxpayer and the EU. He had divorced his wife and turned half the farm into a disco where he hoped to get the local girls drunk and drugged for sexy time.

Thats your protestant work ethic right there.

Any wonder poor Johnny turned out to be an alco.

SECTARIANISM ALIVE AND WELL.
You managed to get both the anti-Protestant and anti-British prejudice into one sentence.
By the way; do you know that a huge number of us went to the UK in the 60's and 70's and now again to earn a living denied by this great country.

Doc Ruby · 18-02-2012 1:54pm

Zorbas wrote: »

SECTARIANISM ALIVE AND WELL.
You managed to get both the anti-Protestant and anti-British prejudice into one sentence.

How is it prejudice when that's what actually happened. Unless you're calling me a liar.

Zorbas wrote: »

By the way; do you know that a huge number of us went to the UK in the 60's and 70's and now again to earn a living denied by this great country.

And if they start spouting anti-Irish rhetoric I'll deal with them appropriately.

bodhrandude · 18-02-2012 1:57pm

Could say that about Bus Eireann alright, I remember emailing them when I lived in Leitrim. Was trying to find out details about the fleadh cheoill bus from Ballyshannon to Cavan a week before the fleadh, I got a reply the week after the fleadh

Zorbas · 18-02-2012 2:22pm

Doc Ruby wrote: »

How is it prejudice when that's what actually happened. Unless you're calling me a liar.

And if they start spouting anti-Irish rhetoric I'll deal with them appropriately.

Now how would you deal with someone who is just plain ignorant? Thats rhetorical by the way.

Doc Ruby · 18-02-2012 2:27pm

Zorbas wrote: »

Now how would you deal with someone who is just plain ignorant? Thats rhetorical by the way.

Generally point and laugh at them in public, poke holes in their warped logic and highlight their factual errors.

Pretty much what I've been doing, really.

Liam Byrne · 18-02-2012 2:30pm

kjl wrote: »

strobe wrote: »

Thanks for the response and I'm sure it explains everything perfectly but to be honest I was just being a smart arse with that comment and your job sounds so dull that I think I might start crying if I have to read 5 whole more paragraphs about it. Thanks for taking the time to respond. But sorry, tl;dr.

point in case.

Do you mean "case in point" ?

If so, then how ? Strobe's post has nothing to do with your OP.

kjl · 18-02-2012 2:38pm

Liam Byrne wrote: »

Do you mean "case in point" ?

If so, then how ? Strobe's post has nothing to do with your OP.

his tl;dl shear laziness.

Are all Irish workers crap or just lazy?

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