The Water Cooler - 2014-03-12

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12:46 AM

This answer has 3 'Very Low Quality' flags:

-4

A: A coworker beat me to resignation. How can I resign in a professional manner?

You just need to own your own professionalism. Approach your boss in the proper setting, in a quiet room or private area depending on layout. Present him with your written two weeks notice and thank him/her for the opportunity of working in your current place of employ. I'd mention factual rea...

I don't think it is VLQ, but I don't know how the heck we're supposed to flag it since none of the existing flag reasons or post notices really apply to 'me too' answers.

(my understanding is that VLQ is when someone struggles to create sentences, let alone string them together to form a coherent answer)

1:19 AM

@jmort, possibly better suited to personal productivity?

0

Q: How do I find my "sense of urgency"

I've been told before that a "sense of urgency" is a good thing to have and I can tell that there are points in my life where I have a sense of urgency. For example when a customer is complaining to me that there computer is running slow or they don't have internet connection I'm all over that pr...

work-environment motivation work-time

Hi Mandy, since editing is a key part of how our site works, you can take a second look as per @enderland's suggestion and edit your post to address anything you missed. On our site, the goal is to create a resource of knowledge in Q&A format, please check out about and the back it up rule for more details on how our site works. With that said, you have a great start to an answer, being professional and helpful in an exit meeting is one approach, but is there more? Hope this helps! — jmort253 9 mins ago

I swear average site content quality has gone down since graduatino

I'm using a zillion downvotes a day

I feel like what's missing here is just more clarity. As a reader, I'm possibly making the assumption that all knowledge transfer happens in an exit interview.

But perhaps what Mandy meant to say, but didn't, is that you as an employee would come up with a knowledge-transfer plan over the course of your 2 week transition.

We really don't know for sure, but answers like these can definitely be improved with some encouragement.

1:34 AM

Hi apples, this isn't really something we can answer for you in Q&A format as answers would be too broad. However, I'd start looking at some articles and research on motivation. This is a great topic, it just unfortunately won't be something that will fit on this site. Hope this helps! — jmort253 18 secs ago

I don't hold much hope for this, but if someone thinks they can make it work, it is a good topic. If the question was formatted to require scientific studies and research on motivation in the workplace, it could work out great.

But in its current format I'm afraid it's a "me too" type poll.

The more I think about it, I'd strongly consider reopening that question if someone could give it a more professional, scientific feel to it.

4 hours later…

5:22 AM

@jmac remember your idea about accounting for CVs in hotness score? It's currently embedded into "reorder" feature request but I recently got a feeling that it actually has good chances to fly separately, especially if presented as targeting solely smaller sites (at SO it's apparently not an issue, with their tens thousands eligible voters closing anything is a matter of minutes, 24x7)...

What do you think?

> Questions that have close votes are treated as if there are no close votes. Smaller communities with questions asked at times when users with privileges are not around may have questions that would normally be closed getting upvotes before the community can moderate and improve the question. Close votes should be counted against questions in that list...
>
> Close votes on the question should reduce the total hotness of the question by 20% (so a closed question would have a 0 hotness score)

6:08 AM

@gnat To be honest, I'd rather have them give us a way to deal with bad answers. You can give it a shot, but I think it will just serve to irk Shog further

6:30 AM

@jmac dang! I wanted to bounty as soon as you reminded, but your was already there. All right, I'm next in the line... :)

14

Q: Improving the System to Deal with Bad Answers

When someone asks a bad question, the closed question system is designed to have three goals: Prevent bad questions from causing harm as-is Allow time for editing/improvement of the question Auto-cleanup if the question is closed and not edited/improved With answers, we don't have that same l...

feature-request flags 10k-tools low-quality-posts post-notice

as for counting close votes, I need a bit more time to decide on it. Here, I was mostly checking if this can make sense at all

2 hours later…

8:29 AM

@gnat I would wager it makes zero sense. If they are going to go in and fix the problem, just adding close votes likely won't cut it. It may help, but if they are going to open up the engine anyway, they may as well look at what they can do if they are going to change it anyway. And it also looks like they are re-trying the reordering of hot questions randomly (or so was the case on TWP a few hours back)

@gnat So my wager is that they have people on the problem, who are probably well versed with all of our various statements on the issue, and are trying to figure out how best to tackle it. In general, Shog seems to be happy to talk through the issue when he's mulling on it, so I think it may be better to wait and see what they come up with.

8:41 AM

@jmac I see, thanks. I've got plenty of time, will wait and see. If they manage to fix the issue of hot questions at sites like ours some other way, so be it

9:39 AM

@enderland People also come here with very odd ideas of how TWP should work

@CMW this is the second time you've made such a claim regarding opinions. In my opinion, unless something is a fact it is an opinion, and since it's impossible for a person to know the facts about every single work environment and every single person in it, in a sense the very nature of this site is opinion oriented. Navigating the work place is not a science. — user16748 6 hours ago

9:50 AM

I felt this is more of a personal productivity issue, so I did a little digging on Personal Productivity and found this question which literally asks "How do I build this sense of urgency for myself ?". I hope that question and its answers are helpful to you! — CMW 25 secs ago

3 hours later…

1:02 PM

workplace.stackexchange.com/review

hmmm I guess we're not using the queues, there were a lot of ones in low quality just now

is the LQP queue single-review or double?

no idea

I remember I found a list at some point, how many people need to review items in certain queues. Can't remember where, now

1:42 PM

how many of you folks can get paid overtime?

I've got the option to do 8-10 hours (not less than 8) for 1.5x my hourly salary

not sure how to really determine if I want to or not...

chuckles under breath

I also get additional 401k match too, so that's nice

but... 10 hours a week more work :P

our company REQUIRES you to work at least 8 hours to get paid OT, so I might see since I have my 1/1 today if I can work a few hours from home Saturday morning doing documentation and other stuff i've been putting off

401k is kind of retirement pension, right?

yeah

how are you tracking time?

I mean whenever I tracked, I was always slightly (or not so slightly) above my hours anyway

so it might actually not be that much more, you have to do

1:49 PM

I'm normally 40-45 hours a week right now, probably average 42/43

Goooooood morning!

I don't always "8 hours I'm out of here" like some of my coworkers

that's a nice start to go for 8

C-c-c-c-c-c-Combo breaker!

:D

@CMW yeah, I would have to adjust my life a bit though, which is the annoying part, be nice if I could "finish out" the hours on sat morning if I had to

1:50 PM

(everybody be quiet. It's THE HUGO.)

ahahhaha

Today is my b-day, so I'm happy

congratz to you, hugo

but got a lot of work to do, so just wanted to give you all a good morning

Thanks :)

celebrate like you would!

@HugoRocha (´・ω・)っ由

@enderland Can you just decide to do or not do this on a week-by-week basis?

or after the fact, even?

@CMW right now yes, I believe so

we ALSO have the option for flextime on a rotating basis (about every 5 wekes for me) where I can work 4x10 hour days and take a day off

1:54 PM

Well if you don't have to commit to it, I'd just try it and see how it feels

I'm on vacation next week and then am taking that monday off via flex time

@CMW I did 50 hour weeks pretty much for 3 months straight last fall

that long is... rough

:) I can imagine

I took a stab at building my own startup for 18 months in '11-'12

if my commute wasn't 40 min it'd be easier too

hell if I moved 5 min from work I'd be able to basically put in a 50 hour week with nearly no additional time :)

hah. Is anything of that overtime pay going to be left after the extra rent?

(factoring in fuel saved)

well the overtime option isn't guaranteed long term

I'm going to ask my boss today how long he does expect it, though

1:59 PM

ah, okay, that would suck

moving there and losing the option

I don't really need the money, either, just saving for a house at this point

2:11 PM

hm, well if you save it for something specific and want to have that fast, I'd take the opportunity as long as it's there

Provided your SO won't leave you because you work too much :)

hahaha. yeah, it's hard to balance that too (life probs, eh)

I recently bought 5 days vacation though, which cost me a lot, maybe I'll just do some OT to get that money back

I find it interesting to see what things people working in bigger COs are occupied with

I never had to discuss whether I was allowed to do over time or not, let alone whether it could be paid. No such thing as paid overtime :D

yeah I've rarely had it, either, so it's a bit of a weird thought exercise for me

closest thing I know was when freelancing and I had to get my hours approved. But that was after I had already done it, and there was no pre-set amount of hours per period in the contract.

2:43 PM

@CMW yeah. though that's a bit different too, it's actually really nice to be in a salaried position which can even pay overtime, that's pretty rare I think

2:56 PM

0

Q: how would you react when you start a conversation in one language and your colleagues finish it their native language?

I'm working in an office where nor the French (my native language) nor the English (a language I speak pretty nicely) is the default language used. My colleagues usually address me in English, but it happen a lot that I start a conversation whit one of my colleagues and when one other colleague e...

contractors conversation

How would you guys react?

@enderland I don't want them to speak in English full time, but at least I Think it's not being crazy to ask that a conversation you start and you are part of should finish in english — Kiwy 3 mins ago

sweet, they edited their own question

Um! Good day indeed :)

@enderland I agree. Though I like my current situation as well. Good pay and flexible times, as long as stuff gets done.

yeah. makes a big difference, I fairly well enjoy my job, pay is good, benefits are pretty solid

3:20 PM

Afternoon all

another european :D

hey @MichaelGrubey

good afternoon

To whoever mentioned "That 70s show" to me in here: This.

i.chzbgr.com/maxW500/8101428736/hB033C7CA

I'm not European....

I love that 70's show! Top notch program.

@MichaelGrubey aren't you living in Great Britain somewhere?

3:29 PM

@enderland You are correct but I'm proudly Australian :)

@MichaelGrubey I meant dweller, not native :)

basically people that say good morning when I do

-ish

:)

I'm so glad they are doing obnoxiously loud construction work like RIGHT BEHIND MY DESK

@CMW Dweller or stranded...got lost on my way to Canada.

@enderland What kind of construction work?

@MichaelGrubey You're lucky you didn't go the other way around the globe. at least on this side there are a couple of decent sized islands

@MichaelGrubey idk, some sort of ratcheting which is OBNOXIOUSLY LOUD

3:34 PM

@CMW Good points. Still the weather we have been experiencing has been all over the shop. Would rather just be cold and wet.

@enderland Headphones possibly?

I'm wearing them

ran out of earplugs under them :(

@MichaelGrubey Then London should be just for you

@CMW Did some consulting there on the weekend. Was not to bad at all but never been to keen on the larger cities.

@enderland You need to get a nice pair of over ear noise cancelling ones. They do the job just fine.

Ah, I've only been to london city once, ages ago. But I quite like Berlin since I moved here

London is nice but you have to be in a rush. No time to stop and smell the roses(if you can find any). I've heard nothing but nice things about Berlin from people. Starting to get my interest...

3:40 PM

@enderland Didn't you have noise issues a couple weeks back already?

@CMW I work in an open office environment. constant noise

@MichaelGrubey does noise cancelling actually block talking types of noise though? I've not looked in many years

@MichaelGrubey from a language standpoint, you might like it. On some expat blog a couple years back they had an article about how berlin doesn't have an english speaking community, but a german speaking one. I think it's just as easy getting around when you don't speak a word of german

@enderland how many people are in your open office?

@CMW I sit in a high traffic area

probably around 200-300 in this building, but I sit right next to the men's restroom (not facing it, thankfully, but close enough)

meh, that sucks

smell distance? :)

no. except the other day when it smelled like burning

3:44 PM

ah, I remember that question!

@enderland I have two sets. My favourite one which I use for plane trips...I hear no noise from the plane at all. philips.co.uk/c-p/SHN2500_00/-

Closed as primarily odor-based

@MichaelGrubey my understanding has always been noise cancelling is better for static noise like planes and not as good for intermittent like people talking, etc

@CMW People need to adapt. If I was to move to Berlin I would start learning the basics of German to get by to start off with and then progress. The world isn't going to change to suit me.

@MichaelGrubey ich bin ein berliner!

3:47 PM

@enderland jelly donuts galore!

@enderland Well I never hear the air hostess offer me nuts if that counts.

@enderland I am...something Berlin is all I get from that. Possibly where you're from?

@MichaelGrubey stop flying budget airlines

Ich bin ein Berliner

"Ich bin ein Berliner" (, "I am a Berliner") is a quotation from a June 26, 1963, speech by U.S. President John F. Kennedy in West Berlin. He was underlining the support of the United States for West Germany 22 months after Soviet-supported East Germany erected the Berlin Wall to prevent mass emigration to the West. The message was aimed as much at the Soviets as it was at Berliners and was a clear statement of U.S. policy in the wake of the construction of the Berlin Wall. Another notable (and defiant) phrase in the speech was also spoken in German, "Lass' sie nach Berlin kommen" ("Let...

It even explains the Jelly Doughnut Misconception

gotta love 'pedia

also for this: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schwenker

@enderland I'm not at the stage yet where I get a choice...maybe a few years time fingers crossed! I am going to go read this...looks interesting.

@MichaelGrubey I was making a joke that on budget airlines you never get offered any food, so of course you wouldn't hear >.>

3:59 PM

@enderland I was charged £1.50 on a small pack of nuts last time I went...their brochure was like a shopping catalogue. It was unreal.

4:17 PM

@enderland That was brilliant.

@MichaelGrubey A while back I sat with a business partner (american) and his 18-ish year old daughter for lunch at a restaurant overlooking the place where that speech was held. He told her in all seriousness, that that was the place where Kennedy told the world that he was a jelly doughnut. Look on her face was priceless.

alright, calling it a day. have a nice portion-of-day-currently-applicable!

hey I'm getting close on SO to being able to close vote

4:34 PM

workplace.stackexchange.com/questions/20380/… -> any advice on handling this?

I edited his answer to remove the agressive tone (because he still has a valid point somewhere), but I am a little afraid this will turn into an annoying discussion

@parasietje I've gotten to the point where I just downvote and sometimes cast a delete vote... so much of that stuff here as of late :)

it is a lot more difficult in The Workplace to give good answers based on hard facts

because there aren't really authorative sources on this stuff

most people don't bother to explain "why" though

that is a little depressing

basically most answers here are "here's my opinion!" without giving any explanation as to "here's why you shoudl believe my opinion"

4:44 PM

my answers generally take about 30minutes to write; that should be a good guideline

wow, of my last 30 votes, only 2 were upvotes :D

@enderland: you're being too negative :P

lots of downvotes, close votes, and delete votes

I try to vote on all questions though, this convo made me go and upvote a bunch of recent ones too

5:22 PM

49

Q: Is it appropriate for an employer to ask skilled professionals to do manual labor?

Although I think it applies to many positions, I am a software developer (mid-level). The company is rather small (30-40). Recently, my employer brought up the idea that to help another department, me and the other software developer may be called upon to do various manual tasks such as moving b...

professionalism software-industry work-environment

This question has gone crazy... I dont think its a bad question but is there a way that this could have been asked that did not result in 10+ bad answers

5:46 PM

@Chad but how else am I going to get a higher than 1:1 downvote/upvote ratio?

3 hours later…

8:48 PM

@Chad with 10K, you can see how it happened explained here. The way to avoid bad answers is well known. Protect the question as soon as it hits the list, flag/vote down, vote for deletion bad answers, vote up SO questions in the list to redirect lemmings attention

this does not seem to add anything substantial over what was already posted in prior 15 answers — gnat 2 days ago

this does not seem to add anything substantial over what was already posted in prior 17 answers — gnat 8 hours ago

garbage lemming answers that aren't deleted only attract more garbage

question has been raped from hot list for almost a week in a row

4

Q: Make hot questions with multiple answers age away faster on smaller / subjective-ish sites

Due to extended exposure to wide SE network, hot questions tend to attract certain amount of low quality answers. These answers would better be (and eventually are) removed, but on smaller / subjective-ish sites removal takes quite a lot of time due to limitations in moderation power and inadequa...

feature-request hot-questions answer-quality sidebar

I once asked this question meta.stackoverflow.com/q/224563/254466 regarding when votes should be cast. I received three answers clearly stating that it is entirely up to me, and not based on any objective criterion. Since that day, I have cast votes almost entirely based on how I feel rather than whether an answer was useful or correct. When reading your answer, I felt annoyed even though you were technically correct, so I downvoted. — Rusher 1 hour ago

that's awesome.

9:14 PM

Guys, urgent stuff, i'll be away for a while

happy trails!

9:31 PM

@gnat It was protected early... I am just wondering if there is anything we could have done to discourage the lemming answers that also conforms to the Play Nice Policy

@enderland I see no where in the linked meta question where someone advocated his approach... I think he needs his frontal lobotomy reversed

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