Timeline for Is it reasonable for me to complain about an objectionable newspaper being ordered for the office?
Current License: CC BY-SA 3.0
15 events
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| Dec 1, 2017 at 18:20 | comment | added | Wildcard | Andrei, exactly. Your last two comments made me laugh. @employee-X, I'm not talking about "playing a card." I'm talking about informing them factually of what is going on. If it's not true that the offense was so bad that you were considering quitting, then obviously don't say that. (Duh....) And if your workplace has enough toxicity that it makes you frequently consider quitting, you probably should. I thought this was all hypothetical and thus very straightforward; the devil is in the particular cases. Now I'm wondering if you're really facing this situation. | |
| Dec 1, 2017 at 18:06 | comment | added | Andrei | @employee-X you keep saying that they're self-defeating, but that doesn't make it true. When played smart they put you in a win-win position. If they change the policy, you don't see daily mail every day, if they don't, you don't see daily mail every day. Your goal is to not see daily mail every day! | |
| Dec 1, 2017 at 18:02 | comment | added | employee-X | @Andrei My argument is that ultimatums are self-defeating, and unlikely to succeed, because they can be ignored. In my opinion, they should be; but that's not relevant to my argument. | |
| Dec 1, 2017 at 18:01 | comment | added | Andrei | Don't worry, you can't be a boss, it's all in the nickname, you're @employee-X . But I could be your boss, and if I'd bring racy magazines and you'd say you quit unless I stop and you'd be some sort of genius, I'd stop. Seems unlikely though | |
| Dec 1, 2017 at 17:57 | comment | added | employee-X | @Wildcard I agree, but I wouldn't even go so far as to say I was considering quitting. You can only play that card once or twice, and If they don't take your concerns seriously (without the implied threat of quitting), then do you actually want to work there? | |
| Dec 1, 2017 at 17:53 | comment | added | Andrei | @employee-X It's impossible for you to extricate yourself from the content. I already said that I personally think that generally you shouldn't quit for a magazine, unless for some reason it's a big deal for you. And I am in no position to judge what's a big deal for whom. If your employer would do something that is a big deal to you, wouldn't you give them an ultimatum and be ready to leave? Let's say that he would tell you that your girlfriend is stupid every time he sees you | |
| Dec 1, 2017 at 17:52 | comment | added | Wildcard | (I have several friends who have politely complained to various grocery store managers about a recent offensively bigoted magazine cover, and in each case had the manager agree completely and remove the magazines from the store rack and send them back. A bit different from complaining to your employer but still relevant I think.) | |
| Dec 1, 2017 at 17:51 | comment | added | Wildcard | @employee-X, right. I worded my comment carefully. Ultimata are just a bad idea, period. But if you are factually considering quitting a job that you otherwise like and are valued at because some doofus brought a hate-inciting rag into the office—which truly does have a very toxic effect on your work environment—you should make that known to your employer. Most employers in such a case would apologize and make things right. | |
| Dec 1, 2017 at 17:46 | comment | added | employee-X | @Wildcard If you deliver your concerns in a respectful way, I'd agree with you; but giving an outright ultimatum implies they're better off without you, because you want them to value the relationship more than you do. If the concerns aren't addressed, then leave without giving an ultimatum; there's no benefit to it. | |
| Dec 1, 2017 at 17:41 | comment | added | employee-X | @Andrei The point of ultimatums is that they cannot be ignored unless the target is willing to severe the relationship. Ultimatums are ultimately self-defeating, because you're demonstrating clearly how little the relationship is worth to you, while also asking the target to value the relationship more than you do. It's uneven! Even if it works, you leave a negative impression with the target. I have never accepted an ultimatum in any relationship, and I would not if I were your boss. | |
| Dec 1, 2017 at 16:51 | comment | added | Andrei | @employee-X The whole point of ultimatums is that they cannot be ignored. Also, for most people there are some things more important than work. Moreover your employer might value you (and his money) more than the issue. But all of this is already too much explained in the answer | |
| Dec 1, 2017 at 3:32 | comment | added | Wildcard | @employee-X, if you are a valued employee and you tell your management that you are seriously considering quitting due to company support of a paper that publishes hateful lies regarding a minority group you are in, and they ignore you, then you are definitely better off elsewhere. | |
| Nov 30, 2017 at 16:10 | comment | added | employee-X | If you're delivering an ultimatum to your employer (or in any relationship), be prepared to be ignored. They may want you to leave, because It indicates that you're more invested in the issue at hand than the relationship with your employer. (And, if you're not telling them why you're leaving, that's more obviously self-defeating.) | |
| Nov 28, 2017 at 22:50 | comment | added | Andrei | Disclaimer for moderators: I personally have enough trust in the users of stackexchange to take responsible decisions about their financial status. Moreover, not suggesting leaving as an option for what the asker might find to be a hateful environment is, in my opinion, in no way helpful. In my opinion a stress-free environment trumps financial reasoning, since health trumps money any day. | |
| Nov 28, 2017 at 22:43 | history | answered | Andrei | CC BY-SA 3.0 |