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

yenool

I think some of the replies are quite harsh and based on some of the descriptions here I am amazed at the crap people will put up with in the workplace. I can only assume some people have been brainwashed since childhood to be totally compliant and accept petty rules and officialdom without question.

It also sounds like you have been led to believe you would be using some of your experience and skills to do higher level and creative work, but in actual fact you are sat in a cubical banging out standardized code all day.

I don't blame you for feeling frustrated, but as a new employee you are not in a position to change anything. I think if you really aren't happy then move on ASAP.

Based on your description it doesn't sound like a place I would want to work.

CCFC_80

Takeaway_Addict wrote: »

Surely it depends, if its for a retail outlet then its pretty obvious what the environment is going to be...

If you read my post you would have seen it was referring to my roles in a clerical/administration environment.

Liz3yy

I know of a lot of companies that specify certain dress codes, and don't allow food at your desk - they pay your wages so you have to do what they say unless of course it's illegal or immoral.

If you really are finding it hard going then you have no choice but to seek alternative employment

Takeaway_Addict

CCFC_80 wrote: »

If you read my post you would have seen it was referring to my roles in a clerical/administration environment.

If you read your own post 48 you quite clearly say 'all'

brendon

There are many replies here saying you are lucky to have a job. On the other hand, the jobs market for software engineers is probably one of the strongest in the UK at the moment. You could walk out of this job, and into another, with ease, let's face it.

If your job is to develop software, most companies want you for your ability rather than your appearance. If your are being employed for your appearance, I expect this company has a retention problem with good quality staff anyway, and you won't be the first to leave.

For those saying the rule against eating and drinking at the desk is to prevent damage to equipment, get real. A keyboard costs nothing.

CCFC_80

Takeaway_Addict wrote: »

If you read your own post 48 you quite clearly say 'all'

Fair enough but your reply was to my post #60 where I mentioned my career in clerical/admin and not post #48. Using all was a wrong choice of word as it was too general and should have used it for specific jobs.

ThumbRemote

It's very clear on this thread who works in a menial or unskilled job. All the comments about putting up with it, and how you should just let the company do whatever they want.

There's a fundamental lack of knowledge about how businesses employing highly skilled people tend to work. When you're paying high salaries you treat your staff like adults, not children. The cost of a keyboard is next to nothing if it needs replacing, just tell people if they break them they replace them - can't see anyone would object. It sounds like the MD can't or won't trust people.

I had a similar situation with a job some time ago. The MDs wife worked at the company, and the amount of petty rules were unbelievable. The particular highlight was when they held a company meeting to tell us too many paper towels were being used in the toilet, and how many it was acceptable to use to dry our hands.

I lasted under a year, delighted to move on. If you're in IT, did you get the job via an agency? If so you'll presumably still be getting emails with job information - just move on as soon as you can. And when you leave, tell them why.

getmore4less

getmore4less wrote: »

I have read every post.

You interrogate at interview to find out this stuff.
code control systems, automated build and test environments, team structures, equipment, work from home policy, dress codes, working practices on overtime and weekends, release cycles, coffee machines.

You get to see the work environment and look closely at desks and people.
Do they look happy is the start.

Interviews are for both sides to work out if there is compatibility.

CCFC_80 wrote: »

Interviews don't normally work like that at first stage and quite frankly many of those questions I would be afraid to ask as it would put the employer off on the basis of them saying " We might be employing a right awkward so and so here."

In IT product development these are basic questions any decent place would not have a problem with them.

Depends on the type and maturity of product what works best but managing change is one of the most important things you need, go into a place that gets it wrong and you have chaos.

Good people that have experience and skill that can improve a place don't start moaning in the first 2 weeks they settle in using their skills, experience and influence to make the place better.

Having said that there are some places that are beyond hope.

Hazzinho

I'd look elsewhere, on the leaving interview state the reason. Amazed there are so many rubbish companies about, never had anything like that. I work in IT and have plenty of flexibility and freedom as long as I do a decent job.

makeyourdaddyproud

My money is on the MD in regard to code changes. You cannot simply expect to apply "creative" code changes to some modern day software. It just doesn't work like that. Especially on matured systems that have earned a reputation for reliability, maintaining this privilege means developing excellent software all the time and this is damn hard to do.

The software I used to work on work adopted multiple levels of encapsulation and polymorphism, and with bucket loads of virtual methods, dynamic type generics and interface contracts. A single line change can bring the whole application down and it wouldn't be easy to spot or even test for. Some changes will work many times but fail only occasionally because of a dangling pointer, uncleared dynamic buffers, poorly implemented stl, unterminated linked list item etc. Infinite loops were the least of my problems at the time.

Most developers should have access to a sandboxed environment for radical changes: this is the best place to try different forks of the same software and even then it is rare to apply such radicalisation due to the percieved risk to the business.

A dev will always want freedom - I recognise that, but faulty software is a major risk to business and all those involved.