this post was submitted on 27 Oct 2025
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Work Reform

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A place to discuss positive changes that can make work more equitable, and to vent about current practices. We are NOT against work; we just want the fruits of our labor to be recognized better.

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[–] jjjalljs@ttrpg.network 128 points 3 days ago (2 children)

Time to repeat my topical story.

I worked for a startup that prided itself on being "data driven". They'd talk about how other startups were doing stupid things because they followed their feelings instead of data.

One day in one of those all hands meetings, the CEO was taking questions. Someone said, "Studies are showing that four day work weeks are more effective on like every metric. Can we look into that?"

The CEO said "No, we're not doing that ". Didn't read the linked studies. Didn't entertain it at all. His mind was made up, and the data was irrelevant.

Because he doesn't really care about data. He cares about feeling smart and irreverent. He cares about being seen as a cool disruptive startup guy who's going to grind his way to success.

The dishonesty makes me want to puke.

But you know what also makes me sick? All the sycophantic boot lickers that would gather round and tell him his every idea was great. The people who would work unpaid long hours to "get shit done". Bunch of fucking wormtongues who would sell out their coworkers for crumbs.

Maybe he was a real person once who really did care about data. But by the time I met him, he was an empty suit

[–] quetzaldilla@lemmy.world 33 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Lol, did we work at the same place?

"Empty suits" it's the realest statement.

I resigned my position because I couldn't take it anymore. I told leadership that I refuse to use my skills and talents for those who I do not respect, and they responded by saying that there was a lot of money on the line.

They can fucking keep it. Fucking ghouls.

[–] umbrella@lemmy.ml 9 points 3 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

maybe we all met. i worked at the same place.

except there wasn't a lot of money on the table, just money shaped carrots they dangled in front of us to have us overworked to death.

[–] quetzaldilla@lemmy.world 5 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

That's exactly it.

When they said that there's a lot of money on the line they meant for themselves since they were partners.

They offered to share some of it with me in the shape of a very generous 3% contingent salary increase, which would come with strings attached like everything they ever offered me.

I've been learning to grow veggies, cook dry beans, and bake bread since money is tight after I resigned, and my partner and I are way happier because I'm not as stressed out from dealing with sociopaths and morons at work all day long.

[–] Hasherm0n@lemmy.world 10 points 3 days ago

You just reminded me of a similar incident at a company I worked at. Larger than a startup, but still not huge. Same situation where it was a question at an all hands, the response from the CTO was simply that he had not seen that data and immediately moved on.

Funny thing was, the guy that asked the question wasn't even adding about a 32 hour work week, he just wanted to option to do 4 10s over 5 8s but they moved on from his question so fast they never gave him a chance to clarify.