Work Related Gripes V The Wrath Of Jay..

[Harmony]

Sounds like a class action lawsuit in the making, Harmony--both for your employer and for insurance provider. Unless, and this is a big one, unless they have hired a third party security company to strip all the personal identifiers from the information prior to it going to the insurer.

Yeah, you would think so.  But sadly, this is legal for my employer.  IIRC when I was looking into it, I read that these programs have been challenged in court and surprise surprise, courts sided with the employers and insurance companies.  This is a huge industry - upwards of 8 billion dollars.  Per this article from 2020, 84% of large companies already offer these programs.

https://www.consumerreports.org/health-privacy/are-workplace-wellness-programs-a-privacy-problem-a2586134220/

[hefdaddy42]

My company has used Virgin Pulse for several years.  They offer all kinds of programs and health challenges.  With our plan, anyway, we don't have to participate in any of that, but if we participate in the health biometric screening, our out-of-pocket cost for our health insurance is dramatically reduced.

It's a tool by the company.  If they are paying a substantial amount of your health insurance, they have a vested interest in your health.  Healthier workers = fewer large claims = cheaper insurance premiums.  And you can certainly opt out if you want, and just pay the higher rate.

[Lethean]

I think the insurance company is going to have much of that information anyway.  They know by the diagnosis codes on the claims the providers submit whether you have high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, etc.  For programs like this they do get more specific numbers, but if they do anything with it beyond the scope of the program, that's where they'd get in trouble.  They should be able to take that information and place you in the appropriate tier of benefits without disclosing the details to your employer. 

[hefdaddy42]

I think the insurance company is going to have much of that information anyway.  They know by the diagnosis codes on the claims the providers submit whether you have high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, etc.  For programs like this they do get more specific numbers, but if they do anything with it beyond the scope of the program, that's where they'd get in trouble.  They should be able to take that information and place you in the appropriate tier of benefits without disclosing the details to your employer.

Yes, but the key is that Virgin Pulse is not the insurance company.  They are a third-party company that is a health facilitator for the employer.  Participation in their program (which, again, is voluntary) results in a reduced out of pocket cost to the employee for health insurance.

[Phoenix87x]

They just started doing the virgin pulse thing at my job too. Its very annoying

[ReaperKK]

We use Rally at my job. It's pretty simple, if you get a physical, biometric screen, and dental exam once a year they'll give you $800 in your HSA account.

We used to have all these other activities like walking, tracking how much ater you drink, etc. But they simplified it this year to getting those three checkups done.

[cramx3]

So since my company I work for was bought last year, we have basically completed all of the migrations to be apart of the new work overlords way of doing things... except for one last thing.  They use Teams and are making us stop using Slack.  So we have a few more months of Slack being active before they shut it down and the process of migrating our communication channels to Teams has started and I must say... Teams is TRASH compared to Slack. 

[ReaperKK]

I've never been at a company that used Slack, we recently brought Teams on and while it's not great the power app integration stuff is pretty good. We actually have four different chat apps at work:

Skype 2016
Teams
Symphony
Bloomberg chat (my favorite cause I feel like a 1337 haxor using it )

[Skeever]

So my employer has implemented a "wellness program" via Virgin Pulse that started this month.  Essentially, if an employee chooses not to participate they pay double the amount towards their health insurance costs.  So instead of paying 5% of the cost, you'd pay 10%.  This is not a small chunk of change.

In this particular "wellness program" you earn specific points for specific activities.  You must reach a particular threshold to get the discounted rate on your insurance.  What this means is that I am forced to disclose my personal health information (or financial information) to this company and set goals to improve my health and wellness status or improve my financial status.

This is like big brother run amok.  And I am told by my union rep that there is nothing that can be done about it.  That most major companies are doing these programs in order to save on health insurance costs.

Just when you think the health care in this nation (USA!  USA!  USA!) couldn't possibly get any worse.  Now I have a major corporation tracking my sleep, my exercise, my diet, my stress, my medical information (including lab work), and using this information for god knows what.   

And to top it all off, my employer just LOVES to brag about how "equitable" they are toward their employees.  Yeah, how equitable is it that people who have the financial means to pay more of their insurance costs can easily disregard this nonsense but a single parent with 4 kids who can barely make ends meet is forced to participate even if they don't want to because they simply don't have the money to pay more.  Holy shit balls this fucking sucks ass. 

Just lie to it

[Lonk]

Applied to 4 jobs in the past 4 days. It sucks that I only been at my current job for a little over 2 years and I'm ready to quit, but it is what it is. I report to 3 people, and 1 has ruined this place for me 

[cramx3]

Applied to 4 jobs in the past 4 days. It sucks that I only been at my current job for a little over 2 years and I'm ready to quit, but it is what it is. I report to 3 people, and 1 has ruined this place for me 

Sucks, good luck.  I have no idea what the job market is like out there right now, seems bad in tech for me, but I should start looking myself.

[Lonk]

based on what I see, there are a good amount of tech jobs out there. Funny enough, one of the places I applied to was IBM.

[Jamesman42]

In.

Had a good day but didn't know this thread was a thing.

[wolfking]

Applied to 4 jobs in the past 4 days. It sucks that I only been at my current job for a little over 2 years and I'm ready to quit, but it is what it is. I report to 3 people, and 1 has ruined this place for me 

Fuck em mate.  Incredible how managers can completely fuck things over.  Good luck on your hunting, something will come up.

[Podaar]

Fuck em mate. Incredible how managers can completely fuck things over.

As a business owner and manager of people, I've a different perspective. It's absolutely incredible how someone can milk a 10 minute task into a 4 hour project and blame it on management because they aren't paid enough. You say, fuck me? Well, fuck you, mate!

[TAC]

As a manager up until about three years ago, I'm always intrigued by conversations about...management.

[lordxizor]

Like any position, managers can be really good or really bad. I've been lucky to have had mostly really good managers over my career. Now that I am one, I work really hard to make sure I give my team what they need. My number one philosophy as a manager is "don't be an asshole" I can definitely say I've been successful there

[wolfking]

Fuck em mate. Incredible how managers can completely fuck things over.

As a business owner and manager of people, I've a different perspective. It's absolutely incredible how someone can milk a 10 minute task into a 4 hour project and blame it on management because they aren't paid enough. You say, fuck me? Well, fuck you, mate!

I'm sure your not aiming this at me specifically but I too was a manager for over 15 years so I've seen and experienced both sides of the coin.

I've had atrocious managers and I've also had employees take the piss out of me.  It all comes down to the individuals.

Also, if you have employees doing that to you, why are they working for you?

[wolfking]

Like any position, managers can be really good or really bad. I've been lucky to have had mostly really good managers over my career. Now that I am one, I work really hard to make sure I give my team what they need. My number one philosophy as a manager is "don't be an asshole" I can definitely say I've been successful there

The best thing I learned from a lot of my shitty managers was what not to do as a manager.  Then there is the good ones you can really learn and take positive things from.

Not being a total cunt was at the top of my lost for sure.

[Podaar]

Also, if you have employees doing that to you, why are they working for you?

Haha, they aren't anymore.

[Lonk]

As a manager up until about three years ago, I'm always intrigued by conversations about...management.

And to clarify, while I'm sure you guys have much more experience than me, I've been in management for quite some time now. So I have my own group of people that report to me (largest group was 24 employees a couple years ago). I report to 3 VPs. I can say with certainty that the issue is not with my performance , but this particular VP.

Last year, one of the VPs I report to quit on the spot because of this person. Showed up to work and 30 minutes later walked out (Which he called me last fall to offer a job, but it would have been over $20K pay-cut  )

[cramx3]

Fuck em mate. Incredible how managers can completely fuck things over.

As a business owner and manager of people, I've a different perspective. It's absolutely incredible how someone can milk a 10 minute task into a 4 hour project and blame it on management because they aren't paid enough. You say, fuck me? Well, fuck you, mate!

It goes both ways though.  Management certainly can be an issue, and also, the person reporting to the manager could also be terrible. Or maybe it's both and a toxic relationship, who knows without more detail. 

[Stadler]

As a manager up until about three years ago, I'm always intrigued by conversations about...management.

NOT AIMED AT WOLFIE OR LONK... I know both of them and I 100% believe the circumstances they describe.  It happens, unfortunately.   But as a general matter, I am fascinated by them too.  If I had a nickel for every "my manager sucks, I could do his job, he doesn't understand what we do, yadda yada yada" conversation I've heard, I'd be booking Dream Theater into my back yard. 

Look, like I said, it happens.  It does.  But more often than not - again MORE OFTEN THAN NOT - the people in an organization are where they need to be.  If your company makes widgets, and you are the person actually making the widget, it's easy - but false - to think that the organization needs to start and end with you.  Unfortunately, at least here in the States, the "widget making" is almost the least of the company's concerns, and that's just the reality of a regulated commercial environment.   Actually leading people - dealing with the day-to-day of everyone's foibles - is a hard job and not everyone can be accommodated in the way that they most likely feel they should be accomodated.   

I'm dealing with that now; we hired a position of leadership (25 people more or less) from a pool of internal candidates and while they don't report to me, I have a lot of interaction with them and had some say in who got the job.  I opted for a very good "functional person" but excellent leader over a slightly superior functional candidate but FAR inferior leadership candidate.  My boss, and several others, agreed.  And the person passed over is acting exactly how I hoped he wouldn't when I though "he's not mature enough to lead this group effectively".   I have no doubt he's saying "my manager sucks, I could do their job better than him and I know more..." but here's the thing:  you don't.  Not, at least, about the criteria on which the job was filled, and that's part of leadership.  If you don't know what the important qualifications are for that job YOU DON'T BELONG THERE.

[cramx3]

I'd say you are likely right more often than not Stadler, but like you, I usually will take the word from my friends before judging further.  But sometimes, you know your friend well enough (not saying this about anyone here) and you just know that they are more likely the problem 

I was watching an old episode of 90 day fiance last night and the guy was like "well, my gf and my friends are all saying the same thing about me, so I guess...maybe it is me?!" and like BINGO DUDE and then he goes off continuing being his shitty self and blaming everyone else.  That may be reality TV but I've seen that plenty of times in real life too.

[TAC]

I was watching an old episode of 90 day fiance last night

It takes a strong and confident man to state this publicly. 

[TAC]

As a business owner and manager of people, I've a different perspective.

Gregg, I’d be interested to know what some of your core principles were for your style and your staff.

[cramx3]

I was watching an old episode of 90 day fiance last night

It takes a strong and confident man to state this publicly. 

Nah, Howard Stern would talk about it daily.  It's a RIDICULOUS show 

[El Barto]

As a manager up until about three years ago, I'm always intrigued by conversations about...management.

NOT AIMED AT WOLFIE OR LONK... I know both of them and I 100% believe the circumstances they describe.  It happens, unfortunately.   But as a general matter, I am fascinated by them too.  If I had a nickel for every "my manager sucks, I could do his job, he doesn't understand what we do, yadda yada yada" conversation I've heard, I'd be booking Dream Theater into my back yard. 

Look, like I said, it happens.  It does.  But more often than not - again MORE OFTEN THAN NOT - the people in an organization are where they need to be.  If your company makes widgets, and you are the person actually making the widget, it's easy - but false - to think that the organization needs to start and end with you.  Unfortunately, at least here in the States, the "widget making" is almost the least of the company's concerns, and that's just the reality of a regulated commercial environment.   Actually leading people - dealing with the day-to-day of everyone's foibles - is a hard job and not everyone can be accommodated in the way that they most likely feel they should be accomodated.   

I'm dealing with that now; we hired a position of leadership (25 people more or less) from a pool of internal candidates and while they don't report to me, I have a lot of interaction with them and had some say in who got the job.  I opted for a very good "functional person" but excellent leader over a slightly superior functional candidate but FAR inferior leadership candidate.  My boss, and several others, agreed.  And the person passed over is acting exactly how I hoped he wouldn't when I though "he's not mature enough to lead this group effectively".   I have no doubt he's saying "my manager sucks, I could do their job better than him and I know more..." but here's the thing:  you don't.  Not, at least, about the criteria on which the job was filled, and that's part of leadership.  If you don't know what the important qualifications are for that job YOU DON'T BELONG THERE.

By and large I agree with you, but there's a reason you know who Larry Peter is. 

I've been on all sides of the equation. Frankly, I think managers and employees tend to suck for the same reason. They don't relate to the other side. Employees tend to have a self-inflated value of themselves and underestimate the skills/abilities of their management. Management tends to underestimate the value of good employees. Honestly, nobody ever seems to really get it right. This applies to me, too. Technically I'm a manager of two. I think they're whiny and petty. They think I'm a lazy dick. The truth is that they could never, ever do what I do, and I damn sure wouldn't want to do what they do for what they make.

The part that always fascinates me, mostly about employees with big heads, is their assessment that a manager is going to wreck the company. Businesses tend to be rather resilient. For one thing, they can withstand a fair amount of mismanagement before collapsing, and that mismanagement isn't typically allowed to continue long enough to do permanent damage. The other is that people tend to significantly overestimate the degree of that mismanagement and its effect on the bottom line. When somebody thinks "the new manager has ruined everything and I'm getting out while the getting is good," they probably should, but for personal reasons rather than professional. No matter what you think they're probably not going to ruin everything, but you don't have to spend your life working for people you can't stand.   

Like any position, managers can be really good or really bad. I've been lucky to have had mostly really good managers over my career. Now that I am one, I work really hard to make sure I give my team what they need. My number one philosophy as a manager is "don't be an asshole" I can definitely say I've been successful there

The one bit of managerial advice I thought really made sense was that it's a lot easier to come in being the asshole and make friends later than it is to be their friends and have to become the asshole when they start fucking off. Obviously it depends on the situation and the people, but there does often come a time when a certain amount of assholishness is required.

[King Postwhore]

I've had 103 resumes in the last month. Only 5 wanted interviews. Talk about a horrific batting average.

[Stadler]

Honestly, nobody ever seems to really get it right. This applies to me, too. Technically I'm a manager of two. I think they're whiny and petty. They think I'm a lazy dick.

Which is it? I thought you said they never seem to get it right?

HAHA

(That was a SOFTBALL, you can't honestly expect us to let that one slide by!!!!)

[El Barto]

Honestly, nobody ever seems to really get it right. This applies to me, too. Technically I'm a manager of two. I think they're whiny and petty. They think I'm a lazy dick.

Which is it? I thought you said they never seem to get it right?

HAHA

(That was a SOFTBALL, you can't honestly expect us to let that one slide by!!!!)

Well, technically I am a lazy dick, but they're wrong for assuming that from a position of ignorance.

[ReaperKK]

Fuck em mate. Incredible how managers can completely fuck things over.

As a business owner and manager of people, I've a different perspective. It's absolutely incredible how someone can milk a 10 minute task into a 4 hour project and blame it on management because they aren't paid enough. You say, fuck me? Well, fuck you, mate!

It goes both ways though.  Management certainly can be an issue, and also, the person reporting to the manager could also be terrible. Or maybe it's both and a toxic relationship, who knows without more detail. 

Agreed. I was a manager for 7 yeras and I've had both great and terrible people work for me. Same goes for managers I've had some have been awful, others are great (like my current manager).

I definitely would never want to manage people again though, I don't really have it in me anymore.

[wolfking]

I definitely would never want to manage people again though, I don't really have it in me anymore.

I personally don't think I'll ever be venturing down that path again either.

[King Postwhore]

Tonight,  was stressful. So many pitfalls.   I still try to be that steady influence in these times. It takes its toll but I hope to wipe the slate clean, tomorrow. 

[TAC]

Tonight,  was stressful. So many pitfalls.   I still try to be that steady influence in these times. It takes its toll but I hope to wipe the slate clean, tomorrow.

What happened?