As a new graduate entering the workforce, I was excited to find my place in the “work family.” But after a few months of being in the corporate world, I realized that the older generations make for a toxic environment that no one should have to endure. Here's a few things that I can highlight from my time in the "professional" world.
It's Not a Joke it's Harrasment:
As someone who has been around some of the most raunchy, downright chaotic behavior living in a fraternity house with nearly 20 guys, I can say that nothing compares to the hostile and uncomfortable environment that can be created by entering a new “work family.” It’s not just the casual sexism engrained into the workplace, which by the way ladies, time to cut the bullshit. As a man, I have personally experienced sexual harassment, sexism, and other things that make me wonder what the f** is wrong with people. And some of the worst cases have been by women of the older generation, so it's really an equal fault problem.
Your Own Family Hates You Why wouldn't I:
The term “family” gets thrown around so much in the workplace, but it’s lost its weight. Instead of calling it a family, let’s call it what you're really going for: a functioning workplace without drama or Karen’s 15th time crying today. Because let's be honest, many of these people have created toxic environments around their own home life, and it spills over into the workplace. Work should be more than just a gathering of weird relatives you visit only want to visit during holidays, and even then, it still feels like you're pulling teeth.
Communication is key:
No, I'm not talking about fucking off around the water cooler for hours or Bill and Linda stopping in front of each other’s desks for the 20th time that day because even though both of them are married their each others "work spouses" (that's it's own problem we will be addressing in another post) . The new generation has social circles that expand past our immediate arms reach and are easily connected to them through our phones, emails, and other remote communication channels. Sorry to the older generation, but we will have our phones in the workplace, we will work from home, and we will still replace you. Older generations seem to have ingrained in the workplace their own weird rules, like seeing a phone in the workplace would be a sin, or you can’t work from home because you won’t do anything. These thought processes are outright harmful to a workplace and employees and have very little actual benefits in companies that have created these weird cut-off from the world, incestual work families, they may as well be an uncontacted tribe in the Amazon during the house of 9-5. With so many people working from home, it seems like the only ones having a problem with it are the same ones standing around the water cooler all day.
In conclusion, to the older generations in the workplace: f*** your “work family.” It’s time to create a healthy and productive work environment that supports all employees, regardless of age.
Comments