People who don't work

Ohh... it gets under my skin!

Published on November 18, 2003 By Splateaux In Blogging

I'm mostly writing this article right now just to keep myself from blowing up on the people around me in my cubicle...

When you work for a living, you are paid to actually work! Whether that's at McDonalds, developing software, or in the military it doesn’t matter. Either way, there is money being given to you to actually perform a task. What amazes me is that some people can just hang around all day and not feel bad in the slightest that they don't do ANY work!

In my current job, I work in 4-person cubicle that's connected to another 4-person cubicle by a very low wall that kind of turns it into an 8-man cubicle. All 8 of us are software developers working on the same application. We work on a pretty complicated system that's used for keeping track of communications equipment and such.

Well, two of the people in my 4-person cube type all day long, but never actually work. They mostly just send emails and surf the web all day. Right now we have lots and lots of work available that needs to be started, but we're not actually in a 'crunch period' right now. Because they never work, their knowledge of the system and programming in general sucks! So, whenever I want to bounce an idea of someone, or have a question about how to make something work I have to roll my chair down to the other 4-person cube and talk with those guys... because they actually work. The big difference between those who actively work and don't work in our section (save for a rare few) are that some are salary, and some are contractors. The contractors work, the salary guys don't.

They'll complain about things that happen around us, about other people who don't work, and such... but when it comes to actually working themselves... well, they normally find something else to do instead.

Oh... I just thought of a fun little test I can do. In our system, we generally follow our comments with our initials. For example - // I changed this code to make it super duper! - GRG.
I think I'll try to give some numbers to express what I'm talking about here.

First I'll search the entire application for the initials of the guy who has actually worked on this application longer than anyone else... and is one of those who don't work!
We'll call him BOB, he has 38 hits (another interesting fact I just found is that he's special and doesn't put his initials, he puts his last name)

Let's look for some one who got here AFTER me by a months or so... but actually works: We'll call him STAN, and he had 209 hits with his initials.

GRRRRRRRR!!

It's stealing if you get paid for something that you don't do!

Oh... and before you point out that I took about 10 minutes to write this article, I know I'm evil too

It was either this though, or my head was going to explode.

Comments

JillUser

on Nov 18, 2003

Sounds like your coworkers took the "George Costanza" course on looking busy. I think lack of work ethic and lack of pride are a lot to blame. People often seem unable or unwilling to put themselves in their employers shoes and think "what would I think if my employee acted this way?"

Hey, if blowing off a little steam but writing a quick blog helps you get back on track, I don't think your boss would mind.

Jamie Burnside

on Nov 18, 2003

If your coworkers aren't working you should suggest that they do one of two things:

1. Go into the bathroom, lock the stalls and put your feet up so nobody knows that you're there.

2. Get a clipboard and walk around purposefully.

-Even though your friends won't be getting any work done, at least they'll be out of the cubicle.

Splateaux

on Nov 18, 2003

Sounds like a plan...

Oh, I could have them go get the people who DO work soda or coffee whenever they need it

toxic-erotica

on Dec 01, 2003

I thought this was going to be about home-parents and lazy spouce syndrom. I was surprised at how truely angry you seem--well not really, I'm the same way. My husband won't let me work right now, but when I had/have jobs I go for management so I can stomp on the non-working people who ruin good corporations. I'd like to be a psychiatrist just so I could see what makes it okay in their minds to not work. Just how selfish can one person be? What would they do if the company went under? Just from reading this, I assume you could easily use your ready-knowledge and resume to get a new job with a different company--but what would they do?

Not that I know them or have a right to judge them, which I'm about to do. I apologize in advance for the people I know this will offend- more than likely it applies to them too, though. People like that are the kind who lose their jobs in corporate downsizing then live off unemployment and welfare quoting that the government owes it to them. Then they'll bitch and whine about how horrible politics are and how low welfare levels are, but won't lift a damn finger to vote for changes.

They aren't worth your stress. Focus on your job, learn and grow, and let them live in their pathetic existance while you work toward improving yourself for a better and happier life.

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