CUBE LIFE! Office Etiquette

DaveInSeattle · Post by **DaveInSeattle** » Fri Sep 29, 2023 12:21 pm

My company announced a while back that they wanted people working a "hybrid"/3 days a week in office plan. It's pretty much gone by the wayside, and now its just up to folks to set their own schedule.

They also said "we are a Seattle company, so we expect people to be in the area".

Well, now our CEO and our CFO have both moved to Boston, our VP in charge of CX lives in North Carolina, and our VP in charge of IT lives in Florida.

duff · Post by **duff** » Fri Sep 29, 2023 12:41 pm

DaveInSeattle wrote: ↑Fri Sep 29, 2023 12:21 pm My company announced a while back that they wanted people working a "hybrid"/3 days a week in office plan. It's pretty much gone by the wayside, and now its just up to folks to set their own schedule.

They also said "we are a Seattle company, so we expect people to be in the area".

Well, now our CEO and our CFO have both moved to Boston, our VP in charge of CX lives in North Carolina, and our VP in charge of IT lives in Florida.

"we" never includes C-level.

The Sybian · Post by **The Sybian** » Fri Sep 29, 2023 1:02 pm

My firm is making a push for certain jobs to have mandatory 2 or 3 days in the office. Primarily attorneys and paralegals. There are a very small handful of employees allowed to be considered remote. I've had to draft some policies around this, and I try to slip in back doors because I'm afraid this will expand to my role, and I really don't want any mandates or increased expectations. I probably average 4 days a month in the office. I actually like being in the office, but it's such a pain in the ass in wasted time and having to figure out if my son needs my car or if I can leave it at the train station. Not to mention, it's $30/day between train ticket and parking. My boss initially said she wanted me in 2 days a week, but she never pushed on that.

tennbengal · Post by **tennbengal** » Fri Sep 29, 2023 5:13 pm

and I try to slip in back doors because I'm afraid

hmmmmm

DaveInSeattle · Post by **DaveInSeattle** » Mon Oct 09, 2023 9:21 pm

Got a meeting request this afternoon for a "Special Townhall" meeting, with the invite reading: "Please plan to attend a special 30-minute Town Hall, Tuesday, October 10th for preliminary Q3 results and a business update from NanoString CEO".

This is gonna be bad, right?

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Tue Oct 10, 2023 7:21 am

Rarely the greatest news for something like that but I’m choosing to think positive and they’ll reveal a huge new project.

Nonlinear FC · Post by **Nonlinear FC** » Tue Oct 10, 2023 8:03 am

The Sybian wrote: ↑Fri Sep 29, 2023 1:02 pm My firm is making a push for certain jobs to have mandatory 2 or 3 days in the office. Primarily attorneys and paralegals. There are a very small handful of employees allowed to be considered remote. I've had to draft some policies around this, and I try to slip in back doors because I'm afraid this will expand to my role, and I really don't want any mandates or increased expectations. I probably average 4 days a month in the office. I actually like being in the office, but it's such a pain in the ass in wasted time and having to figure out if my son needs my car or if I can leave it at the train station. Not to mention, it's $30/day between train ticket and parking. My boss initially said she wanted me in 2 days a week, but she never pushed on that.

Yeah, my company is about to announce revised policies. I think 3 in/2 work from home is going to be standard, with the wrinkle that they want each department/division to have a day where everyone is in person. The other "wrinkle" is that you can't telecommute both Monday and Friday. That's a slight bummer, but not a huge deal. My boss is pretty easy going with this stuff, so I can just pull that card if I want to on an ad hoc basis.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Tue Oct 10, 2023 8:25 am

A_B wrote: ↑Tue Oct 10, 2023 7:21 am Rarely the greatest news for something like that but I’m choosing to think positive and they’ll reveal a huge new project.

Project Clean Out (someone who is not DiS)'s Desk

sancarlos · Post by **sancarlos** » Tue Oct 10, 2023 10:11 am

DaveInSeattle wrote: ↑Mon Oct 09, 2023 9:21 pm Got a meeting request this afternoon for a "Special Townhall" meeting, with the invite reading: "Please plan to attend a special 30-minute Town Hall, Tuesday, October 10th for preliminary Q3 results and a business update from NanoString CEO".

This is gonna be bad, right?

If your company is publicly traded, anything big would be accompanied by a press release so watch for that. Can’t release financial info to a broad group like that without informing the public, per SEC.

DaveInSeattle · Post by **DaveInSeattle** » Tue Oct 10, 2023 10:41 am

According this this...not good...

NanoString Technologies Announces Layoffs; Q3 Preliminary Revenues Beat Guidance

Articles says 110 people to be laid off...

sancarlos · Post by **sancarlos** » Tue Oct 10, 2023 10:50 am

DaveInSeattle wrote: ↑Tue Oct 10, 2023 10:41 am According this this...not good...

NanoString Technologies Announces Layoffs; Q3 Preliminary Revenues Beat Guidance

Articles says 110 people to be laid off...

110 out of how many? I’m sure those people are pleased the revenues beat expectations.

DaveInSeattle · Post by **DaveInSeattle** » Tue Oct 10, 2023 10:56 am

sancarlos wrote: ↑Tue Oct 10, 2023 10:50 am
DaveInSeattle wrote: ↑Tue Oct 10, 2023 10:41 am According this this...not good...

NanoString Technologies Announces Layoffs; Q3 Preliminary Revenues Beat Guidance

Articles says 110 people to be laid off...
110 out of how many? I’m sure those people are pleased the revenues beat expectations.

Currently about 800...

Last round of layoffs (about a year ago) there was no "pre-announcement"...just a video from the CEO, and then the dreaded visit from a manager.

Am I nervous? Fuck yes...

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Tue Oct 10, 2023 11:02 am

Has every company always been managed to the market or is it a lot worse now? "We had an amazing year and that's why we need to trim 8% of staff, to ensure next year is also amazing!"

DaveInSeattle · Post by **DaveInSeattle** » Tue Oct 10, 2023 11:18 am

Just got done with the "Somber Voiced" CEO meeting. Now its the "waiting for the teams message/email" from my manager to see if I'm on the list or not.

Looks like I'll be updating my resume, just in case.

govmentchedda · Post by **govmentchedda** » Tue Oct 10, 2023 11:20 am

Hoping for the best, DiS.

DaveInSeattle · Post by **DaveInSeattle** » Tue Oct 10, 2023 11:21 am

govmentchedda wrote: ↑Tue Oct 10, 2023 11:20 am Hoping for the best, DiS.

Thanks...I'm too old to be back out on the job market, especially since I changed over to being a Program Manager just a few years ago.

Giff · Post by **Giff** » Tue Oct 10, 2023 11:36 am

Good luck, man. Hope it all works out for you.

rass · Post by **rass** » Tue Oct 10, 2023 11:37 am

Good luck DiS.

Steve of phpBB · Post by **Steve of phpBB** » Tue Oct 10, 2023 12:06 pm

Good luck, Dave.

DaveInSeattle · Post by **DaveInSeattle** » Tue Oct 10, 2023 12:46 pm

For the second time, I dodged the bullet.

Got pretty awkward running our Customer Support/Reactive meeting this morning, when I'm asking for updates on tickets and someone says "well, I just got the notice, so you'll have to find someone else to work the ticket"...

Giff · Post by **Giff** » Tue Oct 10, 2023 12:49 pm

Phew.

govmentchedda · Post by **govmentchedda** » Tue Oct 10, 2023 12:55 pm

Good news!

tennbengal · Post by **tennbengal** » Tue Oct 10, 2023 12:58 pm

good news, dave. Sorry you had to go through that.

Nonlinear FC · Post by **Nonlinear FC** » Tue Oct 10, 2023 1:03 pm

Jebus.

Steve of phpBB · Post by **Steve of phpBB** » Tue Oct 10, 2023 1:18 pm

I'm sorry you've had to go through that.

The Sybian · Post by **The Sybian** » Tue Oct 10, 2023 1:19 pm

Happy for you Dave, sorry you had to deal with the stress. Moments after reading your initial post, I had a scheduled call with our Chief HR Officer. She looked flustered and started by saying, "I hate that we have to have this call..." Long pause and a sigh. Then proceeds to tell me about two employee relations she needs me to handle for her. I don't know if I would have had the same heart in stomach moment if I didn't just read DiS' post.

DaveInSeattle · Post by **DaveInSeattle** » Tue Oct 10, 2023 2:37 pm

The Sybian wrote: ↑Tue Oct 10, 2023 1:19 pm Happy for you Dave, sorry you had to deal with the stress. Moments after reading your initial post, I had a scheduled call with our Chief HR Officer. She looked flustered and started by saying, "I hate that we have to have this call..." Long pause and a sigh. Then proceeds to tell me about two employee relations she needs me to handle for her. I don't know if I would have had the same heart in stomach moment if I didn't just read DiS' post.

Seeing who's on the list...I can't believe I didn't get cut. Losing some really good people.

L-Jam3 · Post by **L-Jam3** » Tue Oct 10, 2023 2:40 pm

I'm happy for DiS, sad for your co-workers who missed the cut, and genuinely hope that the shitty management that put your company in the position where they need to fire staff to hit numbers develop genital warts.

Johnnie · Post by **Johnnie** » Tue Oct 10, 2023 2:51 pm

I had a telephone interview (not even Zoom) for a job I'm overqualified for.

15 minutes, 4 questions. Answered them well enough, I feel, but my gut is saying that I won't get hired.

At this point I'm probably going to just straight up purchase a PMP course and then take the test in hopes that I pass and I can add it to my résumé.

I never, ever thought that a dude in my position would have this much trouble getting a decent job.

DaveInSeattle · Post by **DaveInSeattle** » Tue Oct 10, 2023 5:45 pm

The corporate speak for being laid off is "impacted". I've been getting reports all day of people who have been "impacted" by the announcement today.

MaxWebster · Post by **MaxWebster** » Tue Oct 10, 2023 6:17 pm

fk me. DiS man - truly happy to hear that you were spared - i was actually kinda anxious scrolling through this. But fk this is awful - mister d pointing out one of the biggest horrors of true capitalism.

"impacted" yeah. jfc.

HaulCitgo · Post by **HaulCitgo** » Tue Oct 10, 2023 6:54 pm

Dis got the head movement

phxgators · Post by **phxgators** » Tue Oct 10, 2023 10:31 pm

Sigh of relief DiS. These stories are terrifying and becoming far too common.

If you or anyone you know has a really strong C++ background and has any interest in the Lunar program at Blue Origin let me know. We just posted a few new reqs and I’ll be reviewing resumes starting this week.

DaveInSeattle · Post by **DaveInSeattle** » Tue Oct 24, 2023 5:20 pm

I'm taking a 3 day long SAFe "Release Train Engineer" training class...and the instructor was not happy when I asked her for some examples when the SAFe/Agile stuff doesn't work and you need to be flexible and modify how you do things.

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Tue Oct 24, 2023 7:31 pm

DaveInSeattle wrote: ↑Tue Oct 24, 2023 5:20 pm I'm taking a 3 day long SAFe "Release Train Engineer" training class...and the instructor was not happy when I asked her for some examples when the SAFe/Agile stuff doesn't work and you need to be flexible and modify how you do things.

Indoctrination.

DaveInSeattle · Post by **DaveInSeattle** » Tue Oct 24, 2023 10:19 pm

degenerasian wrote: ↑Tue Oct 24, 2023 7:31 pm
DaveInSeattle wrote: ↑Tue Oct 24, 2023 5:20 pm I'm taking a 3 day long SAFe "Release Train Engineer" training class...and the instructor was not happy when I asked her for some examples when the SAFe/Agile stuff doesn't work and you need to be flexible and modify how you do things.
Indoctrination.

She also kept using Amazon as an example of successful Process Management. I sat there thinking "I know a lot of people who work, or have worked, at Amazon, and they would absolutely not agree with you".

MaxWebster · Post by **MaxWebster** » Wed Oct 25, 2023 6:42 am

it's weird how cultish the entire Agile world can be. weird and fking annoying at best and downright illogical at worst.

wlu_lax6 · Post by **wlu_lax6** » Wed Oct 25, 2023 8:09 am

Process Weasels and Scrumbags are the worst

Giff · Post by **Giff** » Wed Oct 25, 2023 9:02 am

I guess I'm lucky that e-mails from pissed off clients have been few and far between lately, but nothing like waiting on a response to an e-mail you just sent where you know that person is going to be extremely fucking livid, and rightfully so.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Wed Oct 25, 2023 9:12 am

Giff wrote: ↑Wed Oct 25, 2023 9:02 am I guess I'm lucky that e-mails from pissed off clients have been few and far between lately, but nothing like waiting on a response to an e-mail you just sent where you know that person is going to be extremely fucking livid, and rightfully so.

I told you...I TALK TO THE ENGINEERS!