steddyeddy wrote: » Basically what's the best and worst work environments you have experienced? I work in a lab and the competitive atmosphere in the lab leads to more staff breakdowns than any other job I've worked in. I love my job but it's a tough environment and not many people know that. What work environments attract the most d1ckheads, breakdowns, ruthlessness and general crap?
Banjo String wrote: » Funny you mention labs, many years ago as a student, I was working part time with a local builder. He was contracted during the summer months (school holidays) for some major renovations. Anyway, one of the first things to be done was the complete gutting out of what was obviously the science department / lab.Jesus, the smell that came from the drainage syatem when we were pulling out the sinks etc was one of the most putrid smells I have ever experienced. Still hunts me to this day.
pauliebdub wrote: » Best - working in a beef processing plant as a teenager, long hours and standing all day in a refrigerated room but the place was full of characters and it was brilliant crack. I really enjoyed working there. Worst- current job, nobody hardly speaks to each other, unspoken tension and hostility, annoying colleagues, sterile dull environment, no promotion or career opportunities. Looking to get out soon.
SEPT 23 1989 wrote: » Jack it all in and go back
Letree wrote: » It must be a research lab you were in was it?
steddyeddy wrote: » If it's anything like my job that translates into spoken tension and hostility.
ScienceNerd wrote: » Work in a lab myself (PhD student) and thankfully have to say the environment isn't like that at all. Generally everyone works as a team and there isn't much issue with authorship or sharing results. Was it industry as opposed to academia? Doesn't surprise ma bout the sink though .
thegreatgonzo wrote: » I worked in the kitchen of a hotel in Galway for a few weeks after I finished college years ago. It was a bit like east germany, a throwaway negative comment about the job or about one of the millions of supervisors in front of the wrong person could have you sent up to the head office for interrogation. People whispered to each other in the staff room for fear of being overheard. The staff were the most unhappy looking bunch of human specimens I've ever encountered in the workplace. I've had other kitchen jobs in restaurants and hotels and enjoyed them so it wasn't the work, just this particular place.
steddyeddy wrote: » Well I'm a PhD student with a small group. It's academic and there's always backlash when one group gets money and another doesn't. I'm in biochemistry so maybe it's different to your area?
ScienceNerd wrote: » I'm biochemistry as well There can be some politics between PI's but we keep out of that and generally everyone gets along
steddyeddy wrote: » Yes that's the thing. The politics between PI's really gets annoying to be honest. You're not in UCD are you?
The Strawman Argument wrote: » Worst: Family farm, don't think I even need to elaborate! There was also a shop with some really sexist attitudes toward overtime but, giving the way boards has been lately, I'm not even sure I should mention it!Best: Volunteer work teaching old people how to use computers, felt great to be able to help some of them in reasonably significant ways with relative ease and I had some great conversations with a few of them too. I like that kind of one-on-one informal teaching type stuff a lot in general, can get very enthusiastic about almost anything.
ScienceNerd wrote: » Nah I'm in Maynooth
steddyeddy wrote: » Phew you could have been in one of the ENEMY GROUPS!!! That could have been awkward :P
Red Pepper wrote: » can you name it?
The Strawman Argument wrote: » Worst: Family farm, don't think I even need to elaborate! There was also a shop with some really sexist attitudes toward overtime but, giving the way boards has been lately, I'm not even sure I should mention it!
steddyeddy wrote: » Think I experienced the same thing. I think Boards has an anti sexism policy so I don't see how anyone would mine you pointing one out? I worked in a shop at 16 (used to be s-quinn) and they sent the girls home at ten making the boys stay on. Also the boys did all the lifting.
The Strawman Argument wrote: » Yep, that was pretty much it. Everyone was designated an aisle. Almost everything was stored upstairs so the male staff had to carry everything down at the start for everyone and, when they finished their section, they had to carry whatever needed to go upstairs (quite a lot on delivery days!). Male staff also had to carry bags out for anyone who requested it... it ultimately amounted to an additional few hours of overtime. What really took the biscuit was that that manager kept giving better hours to a lot of the female floor staff too. Things got way better when he was replaced, mind.
mickstupp wrote: » Worst - long time ago, working for a couple of years in Sandyford in the offices of one of the biggest software companies in the world. Incredibly soul-destroying environment. Nothing but bad memories of the place. Great money does make a great job. Best - currently, for almost no money in comparison, teaching first year students a few tutorials every week. Getting to see people learn and progress, seeing them fall in love with the subject I love, and helping them learn how to express their ideas in essays. Sounds silly maybe, but I'm far happier than I ever was with a tonne of money in that other place, doing work that meant nothing to anyone for people who probably couldn't even spell 'thank you'.
rob316 wrote: » Dunnes stores was hands down the worst environment I ever worked in. Dickhead junior managers, even bigger Dickhead dept managers and one the biggest Dickhead of them all store manager. Hated every minute of it there.
