No thanks, ever

I work for a small 20 person office. I don't get anything from my job. All I get is a paycheque. I don't get any benefits. There are no perks: no spontaneous lunches by the bosses, swag, entry into Vancouver events, nothing. Our Christmas party consists of this: they ask us to bring food to contribute to the whole meal, so it's potluck, and our spouses have to pay money to attend. Occasionally there will be left over food for the staff from a meeting the night before. So yes, we're offered to eat up the previous night's waste as a freebie. I work my butt off, answering emails at 7AM and 9PM at night to move things forward; I save the company money by finding discounts; I vocalize as many ideas as I can to further market the business; I problem solve and find ways to stretch our resources. But the lack of any perks is second to this: I never get any thanks, acknowledgement or recognition for my contributions, either privately or publicly, by any one in management. I want to quit so badly and show them the hole that I'd leave if I were gone. I don't know if offices are leaner now, after the recession. In previous jobs and in even smaller companies (4 people in the office), even we would be treated to lunch once a month as some sort of concrete thanks. I can't wait to give my notice. There's no incentive and no acknowledgment for all the energy I expend for them.

11 Comments

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Here is an idea...

Sep 9, 2014 at 9:54pm

If you are so invaluable to the company you work for then you must be quite something. Sack up. Pony up. And put your money where your mouth is and start your own competing business and bury them. If not. Shut up. Put up. And sit down and do the job they are paying you to do. The world has no time for poseurs.

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You are expendable

Sep 10, 2014 at 6:53am

As good as you think you are, in the company's eyes you are expendable. This is the way of business. If you leave, they would not bat an eyelash because they know they can find another young, up and comer to your job. Someone willing to put in those exact same hours if not more. No one is bigger than the company and even the company has a price. You have 3 choices...change it, leave it or stay. Your move.

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therobotmonster

Sep 10, 2014 at 7:08am

Oh come off it. Have you ever had a good co-worker leave before? And did you actually really notice much difference after they left? Did the company fall apart?

If you really are that smart and indispensable, surely you can figure out a better way to make a living. Just remember that you are choosing to be there every day. You can go on complaining and coming up with excuses as to why you need to stay there, or you can make some different choices. Love, the the Robot Monster.

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Do you have any idea

Sep 10, 2014 at 7:39am

That billions of people are in your thankless position? Billions. As for me--sounds like where I used to work except the company was owned by Jehovah's Witnesses so there wasn't even a Christmas party!

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FUCK THOSE ASSHOLES

Sep 10, 2014 at 10:46am

I apologize for those that previously replied. They are assholes, very much like the company you are employed by. Assholes.

You sound pretty rad, and it sounds like another company would really appreciate you way more than the giant pile of shit you are currently working for.

So sweetie pie, chin up, puff up that chest, turn out a bad ass resume AND KEEP FUCKING APPLYING EVERYWHERE UNTIL YOU GET HIRED SOMEWHERE BETTER! And you know what? It will happen. You know why? Because you know it will. Your only option is to find greener pastures, and you will. Fuck all the naysaying pricks that spoke before me, their words mean nothing. You fucking got this, man. I am rooting for you :)

Now get it!

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Natty

Sep 10, 2014 at 12:30pm

Just keep plugging away at those job applications and when you do get interviews, schedule them before or after work so as not to raise suspicion. If needed, use the dental appointment excuse. Be prepared for your search to take months, but don't give up.

@therobotmonster: actually I worked in an office where a manager went on mat leave (and didn't come back) and the operation went to pieces without her. Despite her prepping of the staff. The company sold a year and a half after her departure. So it can happen.

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High Ho

Sep 10, 2014 at 5:31pm

You're living in a fantasy land. Maybe there are a handful of companies out there who offer the occasional perk, like lunches, swag, etc., but they are definitely not the majority. Do you get benefits? If so, you're miles ahead of many workers and should consider yourself lucky. I would love to get overtime hours, but my boss won't let me get more than 37 hours a week so i don't qualify for benefits. But I consider myself lucky to even be employed.

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Great Confession

Sep 10, 2014 at 6:49pm

Who the hell do you work for? That was an entertaining read I thought. I pictured you as a monotone sounding female in my head. It makes even more miserable sounding.

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it's universal

Sep 11, 2014 at 10:52am

I feel your pain! And I also welcome you to the club. Of all my friends in BC, we're all in the same boat. Like someone said above, we're expendable. I left a job where we were grossly unappreciated and mistreated, found what I thought was a great position with a great team...and boom. Same story, different day. Other friends aren't so lucky. They quit jobs in a huff and over a year later, still unemployed in Vancity. I agree with "here's and idea," in a way. Start your own business. Could you? If not, maybe it's time to let go of the expectations and try to be happy with what you've got.

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I was in the same boat.

Sep 11, 2014 at 5:41pm

Unhappy with how I was treated and doing 3 peoples jobs as well. They were forcing people to leave as it was new owners and they wanted to hire their friends. So we were expendable. Anyway I did quit and I found out they replaced me with 2 people so there ya go. I was working hard. I ended up getting a better job in the long run.

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