New employer has too many rules, not comfortable, need Advice

daytona0

f1621688 wrote: »

Hello,
I work in IT as a computer programmer (experienced). My past (four) employers in this sector have had usually lax policies about dress codes, work times etc, as long as you are good at what you do and get the job done.

I have just started a new job and am finding the company has many 'rules' that seem a little arbitrary to me.

Heres the list so far:

Firstly I was told I am not allowed to eat at my desk, not even a sandwich or pack of crisps.

Then I was told I am not allowed to drink tea from a ceramic cup - when I got my own cup. You are supposed to use the company provided paper cups, put a lid on it at all times.

Then I was told I am not allowed to wear dark blue jeans, only black jeans or trousers (any colour) - I normally dark blue jeans and a light blue shirt.

I am also told that I cannot use my creative abilities to modify the software code, I have to stick with the flow etc.

It seems the rules were made the MD who sits in the same office. Most people either don't mind or have told me if the MD says it there is not much you can do to argue.

There seems to be a sense of hierarchy in the company. Certain individuals or groups are treated as being above others.

I am finding myself feeling increasingly uncomfortable thinking about this. I feel like i've been put in a tiny box. I am not sure what to do. So using this forum to get some perspective and advice from others who may have experienced such a workplace environment. I haven't.

I'm on a 3 month probation, its just been 2 weeks.

Haha welcome to the factory lad! The factory of dreams as I call it...

I work in an IT based role currently, and the above rules are standard. Here are my thoughts and tips:

- A packet of crisps can be eaten on the sly if you have it in your bag under the desk, or if you hide it behind the monitor. Many brave souls have chanced a sandwich in my time, and they have survived to tell the tale! The best way is to eat out of your bag, aka "go under the desk to find the pen you dropped".

- Ceramic cups?! Are you for real?! I don't think that you are old/mature enough to have cups without a lid!! Mind you, my single best investment was 5 pounds for a thermal cup/flask from John Lewis! That bad boy has seen me through many a cold day, and many a day which needed a red bull

- You can wear black jeans?! Wowzer, someone lucked out right there! haha. I had to get a crate of work pants shipped in from Burtons to handle our work demands. The old McDonalds issued pants without pockets (around 2006) simply didn't cut it (either then or now) because it wouldn't allow me to store a mars bar which could be eaten on the sly.

- I don't know who the "MD" is, but I call them the "saga generators". They are responsible for randomly picking something to crack down on for the month. They then implement the changes and a month later it doesn't mean a thing! Example, they put up signs saying that the corridors were "mobile phone free" zones, and the "MD" people would badger you if you had your phone out on the stairs/corridor. They have now mysteriously disappeared (after I, or someone else, changed the sign from "this is not a breakout area" to "this is not a breakdance area" I might add)!

- Heirarchy eh? I call it the vat [of !!!!]. You are clinging on to the ladder which leads out of the vat. There are people on higher levels looking down on you, and you are clinging on for your life. Will you fall? or will you climb? Only time will tell....


Good luck on your 3 month probation!

f1621688

Mind you, my single best investment was 5 pounds for a thermal cup/flask from John Lewis! That bad boy has seen me through many a cold day, and many a day which needed a red bull

I've discovered today that lidded thermal cups are also looked down upon. A colleague is fighting to keep his. Because everyone is forced to used the company supplied cups, anyone breaking the rule gets told off by everyone else, because they aren't getting to use their favourite mug/cup, so why should you?

buglawton

ali-t wrote: »

What's the reason for no.4? I have never understood why some places have this as mandatory.

Per my earlier post, many companies have the opposite rule since backing up to a wall can make it blacken when a cold engine starts, even with today's calalytic converters and filters.

Oh and half of the corporate videos I see show steaming ceramic mugs of coffes sat next to laptops in the IT or Accounts dept.

teresaf28

I have some sympathy with the original poster. I went from a job where I split my hours between working from home and the office, to a larger organisation where I was ft office based. There were (and still are) signs everywhere about how to boil kettles correctly, use the correct cups, light switches, recycle this paper here and different paper there, dress code, emails about people for getting to throw out empty loo rolls, hot food at desks, washing up of mugs/cutlery.... My first month I wondered what kind of anally retentive loons I'd pitched up with! However, as time passed, the office rules stuff faded into insignificance as the working culture of my organisation is pretty great. I get to shape my work, have earned respect and responsibility and am recognised for my strengths and supported with developing new ones.

For the original poster, I have sympathy as at first glance, that balance isn't visible. It may yet become apparent though. I believe one doesn't have to suck up an unpleasant job, but it sometimes is useful to take a step back and revisit why the leap was made in the first place - better salary (saving for something important?) or a strategic move career-wise? Closer to home/ shorter commute? Less responsibility therefore better work/life balance? All of these things blend to create a happy life, on balance. And working out whether a year or two of irritation is worth it in the long run is an intensely personal decision. Change is of any kind is hard though, and especially if the last role was fun, but a knee-jerk reaction may not be best. That said, if the culture of the place drives you nuts and the job is really not what you want, getting out before the 3 month probation is good. And a short role like that can easily be glossed over on a CV. Listen to your gut, but don't act from an emotional place, without reflection. I endured 3 years with a maniacal manager for career development reasons, and regularly felt like leaving. But I am glad I toughed it out, I used it to learn masses (not least patience!) and have a job, that on balance, I really enjoy. Despite the office life rules.

dw1

I'm astonished by how disparaging some of the replies have been on this - 'welcome to the real world', 'I have it much worse in xxxx company [not in the IT industry]' etc etc. There's a shortage of talent in IT so the OP could get another job easily and doesn't have to put up with that kind of rubbish.

Sometimes in life you'll realise very quickly that you've got yourself into a job, living situation, relationship or whatever that isn't comfortable, isn't likely to be in the near future, and isn't something you can change. I'd start setting up some job interviews now if you think you might want to go somewhere else, it'll take a few weeks at least to sort out another job and in the mean time you can keep evaluating your position, you don't have to commit to anything. There's nothing more empowering than having another job offer on the table and knowing you can walk from your current job at any time.

Others have suggested waiting a few months to be sure but there's no point prolonging the discomfort if you've got 8 years worth of experience and know things could be much better.

pinpin

paulsad wrote: »

Could be a lot worse - I worked in a small factory for 4 yrs where we were constantly watched on "security" cameras by the MD on his laptop even on his many holidays - even if you talked to a colleague the foreman would appear and get you to "look busy". The place was dangerous, noisy and full of metal and rubber dust.

lol, that sound like most of the jobs i'v had!
If I was speaking to a co-worker, the supervisor would walk over and just loiter next to us, looking at us, until we stopped talking. Even though we were working at the same time.
They time you when you went to use the bathroom. They'd look very suspicious if you smiled, too!
We're just slaves, lol

No wonder people can't wait until they can retire or win the lottery and quit work!

jfh7gwa

dw1 wrote: »

There's a shortage of talent in IT so the OP could get another job easily and doesn't have to put up with that kind of rubbish.

This.

The reference to not being permitted to use creativity to solve problems would be a deal breaker - surely part of an IT employee's salary is to use his/her experience? It is, after all, a knowledge/service profession.

Unless it was more of an issue that the OP merely disagrees with the way a particular, specific problem is solved (I'm sure that'll happen lots, it does in any other office), rather than a general directive... if the former, probably needs to be chalked up to a difference of opinion. If the latter, and there's a more widespread downer on using new techniques or innovative ways of working, it's clearly not an IT environment many of the best and the brightest would be willing to stick around in.

Reggie_Rebel

mgdavid wrote: »

with your username, it should !

illegitimis non carborundum.

I quite like the lederhosen

BoJangles_2

Sometimes you just have to pick your battles....are these things really important?

mattcanary

InsideInsurance wrote: »

Worked in a call centre once for an energy company but they applied the same standards of H&S to their office staff as they do their engineers in the field.

Gross misconduct included:

1) Walking up or down the stairs without holding the handrail
2) Walking whilst talking on a mobile (pre smart phone days)
3) Carrying more than one cup without using a cup tray
4) Parking nose in in the staff carpark
5) Smoking anywhere on their grounds other than in the designated smoking area


For 4 the actual requirement was to reverse into the space and drive out but you could drive through a double space and you could get away with it.

There were the usual rules of food/ drinks at your desk etc but those technically werent gross misconduct.

Did work in one call centre where you had to sit in silence between calls and werent allowed to bring any reading materials etc in. You were supposed to either get paperwork (if there was any) to do or read the training manual (or just sit there).

The one that takes the biscuit though was the canteen staff member who got sacked for not laying out the meeting biscuits in the prescribed way and/or ratios

I strongly suspect this company is SSE. I used to work for them in a field role.

You shoud have named and shamed them!