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An Anonymous Soylentil 'Connor the Kicking Cog' writes:
Under two months ago I started working at a massive incumbent telecom company in their regional call center. From the start it has been a draining experience. The orientation lasted two days, alternating between how much the company loves us, especially veterans, and how unions are awful things. The first real day of training included a bunch of inane policies such as:
- In the first 90 Days no time off is allowed, even sick time, unless it was brought up during the interview process.
- During the 90 Days, missing a day of work for any reason causes a demerit which is given as a "verbal written warning".
- During the 90 Days, two demerits goes to "final written warning".
- During the 90 Days, three demerits is an automatic firing.
- At any time being more than 10 minutes but less than 2 hours late is a half demerit.
- At any time being more than 2 hours late is a full demerit.
- Time off can be used to counteract a demerit, but only if incurred after 90 days.
- Demerits incurred during the 90 Days do not "wash off" but the warnings do, and the threshold increases before warnings start.
- You cannot be promoted or make a lateral move before one year of service. This is repeated endlessly.
- You cannot be promoted or make a lateral move if you have any warnings within the last six months.
- If promoted after a year there is another new 90 Day period where no time off is allowed. Even if you have more than a decade of service this policy remains.
- The company does not hire for many positions from the outside, so you must do one year in a lower role before being considered. This is true even if you have done work at that level or even higher elsewhere.
- The shift you accepted during the hiring process cannot be changed for one year.
- If you change your shift after one year, you must wait another full year before you can change it again.
Call centers are regimented things, but these policies are so worker-hostile I am surprised staff turnover is not an issue already. The training completed before the 40 day mark, but was longer some time ago, yet the 90 day period remains.
Thankfully another company has hired me and all background checks have cleared so I will be departing from the soulless mega-corporation. Being a professional I would prefer not to needlessly burn bridges, but I am not going to give the customary two weeks notice. Based on the above policies I believe it is likely I will be immediately escorted out should I do so without any compensation for the two week period. Does anyone reading this believe they would "recoup their investment in training me" by keeping me on for those two weeks?
Is it worthwhile to state in my resignation email that these policies were major motivating factors in departing as soon as possible? Or would such an email only be cathartic for me at best? Or even a risk at worst?
(Score: 2, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 31 2016, @07:47PM
Look right now you are mad. I can not blame you for that. That does sound pretty crappy.
However, it is a small world. I have seen excellent people looked over because of the way they acted on their last days in previous jobs.
One guy I worked with was doing contract work. The custom at the company was their last day was a half day and the computer was confiscated at 12PM. He freeking wigged the hell out. Started yelling and basically having a fit over it. Called up 3 different HR people over it. In this company the HR was considered only in the most dire of circumstances. You did not want them around. They came around 'human relation classes for the whole building' offsite meetings for all the managers.
3 months later 'should we hire XYZ back?' 'not after that last time'. 3 months later same thing. He finally got back in with a different group. HE DID THE SAME THING again.
Year later we were looking to hire good engineers (have the right kind of budget for it). He would have got the position easily without an interview (he is that good). We all had a good chuckle and moved on to the next candidate.
My point? Suck it up. People remember you.
On your last day pull your boss to the side and tell him why. He probably will have already heard it 50 times. But above all BE NICE ABOUT IT.
Also tell the HR person why (if they bother to show up). I worked at one of those 'large phone companies'. HR did not even bother to show up on the last day of 50 people. They really do not care. If it was the same one as me, I know they dont care. The amount of fucks given in that company was quite the sight to behold.
If it is the same company as I worked for one of two things will happen if you tell them '2 weeks'. They will walk you out and pay out your last two weeks. The second would be they make you ride out the two weeks nothing eventful happens and you get paid. Either way you would get paid.
Is it worthwhile to state in my resignation email that these policies were major motivating factors in departing as soon as possible
If it is the same company as I worked for? No one will care. Real changes only happen if the NJ VPs want it to happen. It is not even worth your time to type it out. Just say something 'hand wavy' like 'been nice working with you, hope to see you in the future'.