I learned a very important lesson about employment recently

[HealthyProtein]

And how sad that I am seeing people microdosing on drugs just so they can be more "productive". This is so prevalent in tech and finance.

[northernladuk]

https://www.gov.uk/dismiss-staff/eli...fair-dismissal

Indeed but not being within an eligibility period of one right is completely different to say you have no rights as the original post said.

[vwdan]

Indeed but not being within an eligibility period of one right is completely different to say you have no rights as the original post said.

While you clearly don't have literally "no rights" and the poster was obviously using a bit of hyperbole, I think it's very fair to say that an employee with <2 years of experience is VERY exposed with very little comeback. The fact remains that within that 2 year period you can pretty much be let go with no recourse.

[pauldee]

While you clearly don't have literally "no rights" and the poster was obviously using a bit of hyperbole, I think it's very fair to say that an employee with <2 years of experience is VERY exposed with very little comeback. The fact remains that within that 2 year period you can pretty much be let go with no recourse.

Yes, sorry, "no rights" was a poor choice of phrase, but you can just be marched out of the office at any time.

It used to be one year. After that, employers had to go through a rather trivial set of stages before making people redundant. Sacking people was a bit harder because they needed an actual reason, but as long as they followed some reasonably simple steps they were safe from tribunals.

However, it is clear that this simple procedure designed to protect workers was far too restrictive for some companies, who (I presume) lobbied the government to increase it to two years.

[sbakoola]

yeah it figures..

After graduating from university into a big company doing IT as a permie I learned to just consider it as a means to an end, I was treated badly after the first week and left after a few months to join a smaller trendier, young company where I was treated badly after 6 months. I then realized that the workplace was often a nightmare and even though there may be bouts of joy and fulfillment they are often short lived. So I took an IT job in the city in banking and it turned out to be a nightmare, I stuck it out and did the only sensible thing become an IT contractor in the city earning the big bucks, because at the end of the day money is the most tangible thing you get out of those places.

After decades of IT in the city I set up my own business and treat people like I would like to be treated myself.

I've never been sacked or been made redundant but I've come across my fair share of horrible situations and people during my IT career as both a contractor and permie.

I've seen it all, sadistic managerial bullies, insane people, security come to worker's desk and escort them out without prior warnings, mass redundancies, people smashing up office equipment in anger, people take personal issues outside of the workplace with their colleagues into the office to try and get them sacked, lies at interviews regarding the actual job where employees are disallowed to complain about it, HR not bothering with people when they complain about management bullying them.

A manager at a permie job I remember once made me go home to change my shoes because they were the colour brown for a junior level IT role, I remember a manager at the same place complain to me seriously that I had probably given him a cold ( me having come to work with a cold to meet a deadline) and that he would reprimand me if it happened again. Absolute bull*tulip.

[BrilloPad]

2013 I was begged by an IB to rejoin. I had skills they could not get.

18 months later redundancy.

Whoever said life was fair was a liar.

[BrilloPad]

I've come across my fair share of people

NLyUK?

[original PM]

Cannot disagree with any of this.

Small companies may care bout employees but as soon as they get bought out by anyone the only thing on their mind will be maximising profits which generally means minimising money spent on those annoying employees.

Couple of other things to note as well

1) Rarely if ever will you be promoted much able the level you are at - regardless of how good you are if you ain't been appointed at exec level you will not be promoted to it.

2) Your boss will continually lie to you to get as much out of you for as little as possible - when you hear phrases like 'if you want the job you need to do the job first' and ' showing your commitment and going the extra mile will help you really get on in this company' - ignore them it is a lie. Or the classic 'We can try this for three months (while my mate hands in his notice and I will give him that job and yes I will expect you to train the clueless tw@ while I pay them twice your salary)

3) Your 'boss' is not and never will be your friend - if they have to downsize and you fit the profile of people to downsize then you will go. So save yourself the embarrassment of kissing the bosses ass - all it will get you is some tulip on your nose.

4) When companies ask for 'honest' feedback do not give it - if you are honest and say negative things you will be seen as 'blocking progress' and 'not being onboard the change train', if you say positive things or heaven forbid come out with a good idea it will be taken, twisted and then re-released as the bosses idea.

5) HR are only interested in kissing the bosses ass - they will happily take a tulip on the constitution to keep their position secure and no matter what they say they never have your best interests at heart.

[Paddy]

It's always been this way. The fact that you've only just 'clicked on' makes you appear a bit naïve.

Not to mention that most redundancies are made on a Friday or just before a holiday such a Christmas in order to prevent unrest with other workers.

[sbakoola]

Cannot disagree with any of this.

Small companies may care bout employees but as soon as they get bought out by anyone the only thing on their mind will be maximising profits which generally means minimising money spent on those annoying employees.

Couple of other things to note as well

1) Rarely if ever will you be promoted much able the level you are at - regardless of how good you are if you ain't been appointed at exec level you will not be promoted to it.

2) Your boss will continually lie to you to get as much out of you for as little as possible - when you hear phrases like 'if you want the job you need to do the job first' and ' showing your commitment and going the extra mile will help you really get on in this company' - ignore them it is a lie. Or the classic 'We can try this for three months (while my mate hands in his notice and I will give him that job and yes I will expect you to train the clueless tw@ while I pay them twice your salary)

3) Your 'boss' is not and never will be your friend - if they have to downsize and you fit the profile of people to downsize then you will go. So save yourself the embarrassment of kissing the bosses ass - all it will get you is some tulip on your nose.

4) When companies ask for 'honest' feedback do not give it - if you are honest and say negative things you will be seen as 'blocking progress' and 'not being onboard the change train', if you say positive things or heaven forbid come out with a good idea it will be taken, twisted and then re-released as the bosses idea.

5) HR are only interested in kissing the bosses ass - they will happily take a tulip on the constitution to keep their position secure and no matter what they say they never have your best interests at heart.

This is some really solid advice. At the end of the day within the office environment no-one has any ownership of anything so their stake in the company is minimal apart from some income they receive which is essentially just a rate. My advice is similar to the above. Just go with the flow, don't rock the boat, keep the good ideas to yourself, don't voice opinions that would upset anyone, do the best you an within the time limit. I've never worked in any world changing companies or project such as say, Microsoft or Apple (although they also have their fair share of drudgery I'm sure). The no.1 tip is go for the highest amount of money possible and do everything you can to attain that, looking at market trends, your skillset etc