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naraburns  nihil supernum  2yr ago (text post)   33194 thread views

Culture War Roundup for the week of October 10, 2022

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I think it depends where. It seems like for certain tech jobs the divide between work and showing up is more blurred. Companies like Google are known for flexible hours and free time. A tech company that invests heavily in talent doesn't want said individuals to quit for a competitor, and will probably tolerate a lot more insubordination compared to a low-paying job. It's not like finding replacements for top talent is easy. Although the recent wave of massive layoffs at Facebook shows that no one's job is safe.

All companies tolerate insubordination from people they can't easily replace. My management will fire me the instant they don't have to do my job when I'm gone.

Particularly, companies usually tolerate more insubordination/backtalk as a trade off against offering higher pay.

Your theory checks out

I think it depends where. It seems like for certain tech jobs the divide between work and showing up is more blurred.

I think you're right that some places do manage to have a legitimate investment in their employees, but there are plenty of examples of companies claiming to be "like family" only to take advantage of the situation. My personal rule of thumb is that explicit statements to that effect are worthless or possibly even negative valued, but actions (flexible work hours, better pay, improved working conditions) are meaningful.

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