my observations on everything right and wrong with the world - starting with myself.
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Lately here at work, people have been leaving en masse.
Seriously, there's major brain-drain going on here...the older folks who have been with the company for 30+ years are retiring because the company is getting rid of pension plans at the end of this year, and all the young folks who have less than three years of experience are leaving after they get their Masters degrees or realize that they won't get promoted anytime soon.
Is it burnout, as illustrated here?
I'm not quite sure what the 5th or 7th picture is depicting...maybe he's ironing his ears, thereby taking burnout to another level?
My take on the illustration:
1. sleep pretty soundly at 2:00
2. hail a cab, or point at Superman
3. take a freaky floating escalator onto the head of your future self, therefore, it's a form of time-travel
4. work (or abuse the wireless network while using the bathroom)...and prepare for your past self to land on your head
5. iron ears
6. I GOT CHEMICALS IN MY EYES!!! EYEWASH STATION!!!
7. iron ears. again.
8. hail a cab, or point at Superman
9. sleep pretty soundly at 2:00
I don't know about you, but with the exception of ironing one's ears and getting chemicals in your eyes, that really doesn't sound like a bad day.
anyway, FTA:
I think all the young guys (I'm an old and busted fart compared to my 'peers' here) are burning out because they don't see the value in their work since they work and work in a lab but don't understand how it all fits into the big picture. Then again, engineers are so focused on learning so much about so little...
I honestly don't care. If they leave, better for me. I'm already considered senior here (by title only), so I can only look forward to more responsibility, right?
...ooh...maybe even middle management!
Seriously, there's major brain-drain going on here...the older folks who have been with the company for 30+ years are retiring because the company is getting rid of pension plans at the end of this year, and all the young folks who have less than three years of experience are leaving after they get their Masters degrees or realize that they won't get promoted anytime soon.
Is it burnout, as illustrated here?
I'm not quite sure what the 5th or 7th picture is depicting...maybe he's ironing his ears, thereby taking burnout to another level?
My take on the illustration:
1. sleep pretty soundly at 2:00
2. hail a cab, or point at Superman
3. take a freaky floating escalator onto the head of your future self, therefore, it's a form of time-travel
4. work (or abuse the wireless network while using the bathroom)...and prepare for your past self to land on your head
5. iron ears
6. I GOT CHEMICALS IN MY EYES!!! EYEWASH STATION!!!
7. iron ears. again.
8. hail a cab, or point at Superman
9. sleep pretty soundly at 2:00
I don't know about you, but with the exception of ironing one's ears and getting chemicals in your eyes, that really doesn't sound like a bad day.
anyway, FTA:
Ayala Pines, a researcher in Israel who’s looked at burnout in all sorts of inspired contexts (including marriage), rather heartbreakingly sums up the problem as “the failure of the existential quest”—that moment when we wake up one morning and realize that what we’re doing has appallingly little value.
I think all the young guys (I'm an old and busted fart compared to my 'peers' here) are burning out because they don't see the value in their work since they work and work in a lab but don't understand how it all fits into the big picture. Then again, engineers are so focused on learning so much about so little...
I honestly don't care. If they leave, better for me. I'm already considered senior here (by title only), so I can only look forward to more responsibility, right?
...ooh...maybe even middle management!
