Workplace Is Hostile, Stressful, Grim Place for Many Americans

By | August 17, 2017

  • August 17, 2017 at 8:36 am
    I Learned says:
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    My first commercial lines manager told us – “There’s the front door.Leave if you don’t like it.”

    People in the workforce are disposable and they are told so. Hence, workers are stressed to the max these days.

    • August 17, 2017 at 10:11 am
      SWFL Agent says:
      Hot debate. What do you think?
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      “78 percent say they are required to be present in their workplace during working hours” – The gall of an employer to ask workers to be present in their workplace.

      • August 17, 2017 at 10:15 am
        Rosenblatt says:
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        That statistic related to people who are not allowed to work remotely from home and must physically be in the office instead. A lot of jobs can be done via telecommuiting now.

        • August 17, 2017 at 2:06 pm
          SWFL Agent says:
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          I know Rosenblatt, was just trying to be facetious. Interesting that the title of the article includes “hostile, stressful & grim” when one could argue that there are many more safeguards in the workplace now than in the past.

          • August 17, 2017 at 3:25 pm
            Rosenblatt says:
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            Roger that, SWFL! There are some who contribute on this forum who would post something like that and be 100% sincere (similar to a post a I saw on increased traffic accidents with the poster saying the study intentionally excluded cell phone related accidents, which was nowhere to be found in the article or its data.) Since I wasn’t sure if you were serious or not, I erred on the side of caution with my reply.

            I guess I just don’t have a sense of humor (end sarcasm :)

          • August 17, 2017 at 4:26 pm
            Agent says:
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          • August 17, 2017 at 4:50 pm
            Rosenblatt says:
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            It’s not disparaging when (1) I don’t mention you by name (2) I don’t link to the article so people can easily figure out who I’m talking about and (3) when I am telling the absolute truth about what was posted and that the article and its study didn’t support what the poster said occurred.

          • August 17, 2017 at 7:32 pm
            PolarBeaRepeal says:
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            A prose without a name is still not sweet.

      • August 17, 2017 at 7:41 pm
        LadyLisa says:
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        Ever hear of telecommuting or home based workers?

    • August 18, 2017 at 12:22 pm
      Agent says:
      Hot debate. What do you think?
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      You haven’t learned much. Productive employees who have a smile on their face and get the job done do not think they have a grim job. They tend to get complimented and promoted into better positions. Funny how that works.

      • August 21, 2017 at 1:46 pm
        Ohio Agent says:
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        On the contrary. That smile could be a sign of insanity brought on by stress.

        • August 21, 2017 at 2:30 pm
          MAGA says:
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          On the contrary, a grimace/frown is a better sign of stress.

  • August 17, 2017 at 1:34 pm
    Things that make you go hmmmm says:
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    Sadly the days of “hire until retire” are long gone.

    • August 23, 2017 at 1:33 pm
      IRemember says:
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      My dad worked at the same insurance company for over 40 years. He retired with a pretty nice pension.

  • August 17, 2017 at 1:51 pm
    Jack Kanauph says:
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    Some of this isn’t surprising, such as those without a college degree are more involved in physical labor. I agree with SWFL in that workers should be required to be present in the office when needed. Even though some jobs could be done remotely, say in insurance, it still takes away from the staff relationship building and exchange of ideas.
    But the stress can be relieved somewhat by owners or bosses providing a good atmosphere to work in.

    • August 17, 2017 at 4:32 pm
      Agent says:
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      Jack, many insurance companies have field adjusters working out of their home doing their thing by text or email. They probably don’t get by the office much, but their manager does hear from customers or agents if they don’t do their job. I have heard from several clients that the adjustor didn’t show to look at damages or even call them to say they were delayed.

      I have had CSR’s who had to take maternity leave for a few months and we set them up with a connection to their home and they were still able to stay up until they came back to the office. By the way, they don’t consider their job to be hostile, stressful or grim.

      • August 17, 2017 at 7:53 pm
        Peggy says:
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        I am a home based worker at an insurance company and am happy with the job. I am engaged and involved. Probably more so than if I was in the office watching the slackers yakking with each other instead of working. My production is higher, and my blood pressure lower than when I am in the office. Happy employees are hard working employees.

  • August 17, 2017 at 2:04 pm
    J.B. says:
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    No…this is what’s telling…
    “I was surprised at how physically demanding jobs were,” says lead author Nicole Maestas, a Harvard Medical School economist.
    Seriously?
    Sounds like your typical over educated university professor who hasn’t a clue on doing real work and how the real world works.

    • August 17, 2017 at 2:39 pm
      Agent says:
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      • August 17, 2017 at 5:31 pm
        PokeSaladAnnie says:
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        Unemployment benefits last six months in my state. Then you are on your own = dipping into savings, 401K, selling your possessions, maybe your house and such until you land on your feet with a new job. Thank heavens for unemployment compensation. Yes I have used it. Yes I would rather have not been laid off. Yes I was entitled to it.

        • August 18, 2017 at 12:18 pm
          Agent says:
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          • August 18, 2017 at 12:59 pm
            Ron says:
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            How could a business owner not know the unemployment law?

            1. Emergency Unemployment Compensation program ended on in 2013.
            2. Unemployment benefits are dictated by the states, not federal government.
            3. The democrats tried to extend it, but, thankfully, the Republicans stopped it because we had consistent months of significant positive net jobs due to the economic recovery.

            The next time you someone says something that goes against what you think is happening, try a little research.

            http://www.businessinsider.com/heres-how-long-unemployment-benefits-now-last-in-each-state-2014-1

          • August 20, 2017 at 2:34 am
            Doug Fisher says:
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            Ice cold. LOL

      • August 17, 2017 at 6:45 pm
        AgentJ says:
        Hot debate. What do you think?
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        The real problem is that “dope heads” can’t work due to antiquated drug policy at the Federal level. Once cannabis isn’t a schedule 1 drug you have a highly employable work force that becomes available. Sadly, most employers think the devil’s lettuce makes people brain dead. It could not be farther from the truth.

        • August 18, 2017 at 10:12 am
          Agent says:
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          AgentJ, you go ahead and hire all the dope heads you want. I will choose not to do so as is my right.

          • August 18, 2017 at 12:31 pm
            AgentJ says:
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            Derogatory term, check. Justification of statement and action as a “right”, check. Inability to understand current drug policy, check. Congratulations, you are part of the problem.

          • August 18, 2017 at 12:37 pm
            Agent says:
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          • August 18, 2017 at 1:04 pm
            Ron says:
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            Agent,

            Are you saying we should judge all people within a certain group based on the actions of a few?

            We’ve all seen the articles on IJ about insurance agents being busted for running scams. I guess, based on your logic, you are scamming your customers also. Do you even realize how many people already have that perception of those in your occupation?

          • August 21, 2017 at 9:54 am
            PolarBeaRepeal says:
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            http://www.msn.com/en-us/health/healthtrending/marijuana-ended-up-killing-our-son-heartbroken-parents-explain-how/ar-AAqfKYL?li=BBnba9O&ocid=wispr

            I await a reply by AgentJ to the above story.
            I assume he/ she / BOT may reply with … ” alcohol kills many more people…” to try to refute the dangers of weed. THAT is a typical reply by stoners; i.e. a lack of logic and reasoning.

          • August 21, 2017 at 10:04 am
            Confused says:
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            This story is just too easy to refute. I swear you post links solely off of the URL and not the actual content in the story. To wit:

            “But the medical examiner said he cannot say for sure whether cannabis was involved in Michael’s sudden death”

            and

            “Their study…has many limitations and relied on surveys of people who may have smoked marijuana just once in their lives.

            So to recap: the medical examiner could NOT confirm Marijuana killed him and the study admits their participants could have smoked only one time in their entire lives.

          • August 22, 2017 at 8:19 am
            Confused says:
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            Directly taken from that article:

            “But the medical examiner said he cannot say for sure whether cannabis was involved in Michael’s sudden death”

            And yet somehow, someway, you try to claim it WASN’T the medical examiner who said that and that it was the family who did? If that’s true, your link lies. If that’s false, you lie.

        • August 21, 2017 at 9:56 am
          PolarBeaRepeal says:
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          You forgot a HYUUUUGE job killer; i.e. ACA’s 29 hour work week rule.

          Also, once people stop using POT, you have a potential workforce… for entry level jobs.

          But, there must also be trade policy changes, ACA repeal of the 29 hour rule, etc.

          • August 21, 2017 at 11:44 pm
            Doug Fisher says:
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            ACA is a huge job killer = unemployment is currently the lowest it has been in 16 years…

          • August 22, 2017 at 6:41 am
            PolarBeaRepeal says:
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            Imagine how much lower it would be WITHOUT the 29 hour rule in place.

          • August 22, 2017 at 8:43 am
            Doug Fisher says:
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            Imagine how much lower it would be if employers gave out free lollipops to each employee.

            You can literally ALWAYS play the “it could be better” game, but the fact remains, that since the Dot Com bubble burst in 2000, there has never been a time with lower unemployment, that includes 9 years before the ACA.

        • August 21, 2017 at 9:58 am
          PolarBeaRepeal says:
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          PS recent studies show long term use of pot DOES make users less cogent, less able to apply reason, logic, etc. Only stoners deny the study’s conclusions…. what does that tell you?

          • August 21, 2017 at 3:57 pm
            Confused says:
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            Sure they do buddy. Just like how that link you posted today proves someone died from marijuana. (end sarcasm)

          • August 21, 2017 at 5:23 pm
            AgentJ says:
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            I’m glad my comments to challenge others to think critically have sparked such a large response. Please keep in mind, this is regarding work places being hostile environments. The headline of this article is very click baity to draw attention and ultimately, comments.

            PolarBeaRepeal, had you spent even a remote amount of time reading the article you linked (maybe you did not) you would have seen the very powerful comments made by the doctor who examined the body. Confused mentioned a similar point to refute your entire basis for arguing the point.

            “…Michael Ziobro’s death certificate does not list cannabis as the cause of death and Union County Medical Examiner Dr. Junaid Shaikh said he cannot say what caused the young man’s heart to start beating so erratically that it stopped.

            …Although there is scarce research that indicates smoking cannabis can evoke cardiovascular complications, one is unable to attribute the ‘Cause of Death’ was due to smoking cannabis,” Shaikh wrote in a letter to New Jersey state senator Thomas Kean after an inquiry.

            In my opinion, it is highly warranted that family members consult a geneticist and possibly consider cardiovascular genetic testing for hereditary causes of cardiac arrhythmia, Shaikh added in the letter, which the Ziobros provided to NBC News.”

            Amazing. Perhaps the doctor should have wrote this article. Also, who reads MSN lifestyle for news? Do you have an AOL email account as well? Anyways, that’s besides the real point here. The journalist has attempted to confuse feelings with facts once again by using the quotes of disheartened parents. Of course the parents want to know why their son died. Of course they will blame the first thing that can be remotely attributable to his death. Yes, this is tragic and I can only wish his family well moving forward. However, carefully placed quotes making you “feel” like marijuana caused this young man’s death does not mean it actually did.

            Let’s break down your last comment as well.

            “PS recent studies show long term use of pot DOES make users…”

            “Recent studies” – What studies? What medical journal? Which published paper? What source? The ol’ recent studies, people are saying, well I heard from a friend trash doesn’t work when you’re trying to prove a point on cannabis users being…

            “…less cogent, less able to apply reason, logic, etc. Only stoners deny the study’s conclusions…. what does that tell you?” – It tell’s me that you actually have no idea what you are talking about. Quit believing the truths in your head and mistaking them for reality. Come back with some science and logic, friend.

            PS – https://youtu.be/uB2KgDcVXrM

          • August 21, 2017 at 6:03 pm
            Agent says:
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            Hypertension anyone? Hey pot smokers, keep doing it and you will suffer the consequences.

          • August 22, 2017 at 6:44 am
            PolarBeaRepeal says:
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            @AgentMaryJ: The ME said there wasn’t any conclusion to be drawn, NOT that the pot wasn’t the cause.

            The family said pot was the cause, and they see him day after day. I’ll trust the latter as the evidence rather than an ME who cannot draw a conclusion on insufficient evidence when there is a risk of a lawsuit against the state or another party.

          • August 22, 2017 at 8:22 am
            Confused says:
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            SMH. YOU posted the link about marijuana taking us off topic to begin with!

          • August 23, 2017 at 8:37 am
            EclipSolarBear says:
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            No, AgentJ posted a comment about stoners / dopers on 8/17 at 6:45 pm. If you can’t even retrace a thread, you should post about the source of an off topic comment and make yourself look more foolish than before such a gaffe.

          • August 24, 2017 at 3:41 pm
            Agent says:
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            Polar, why would any employer put a stoner behind the wheel of a company vehicle or let them operate a piece of heavy machinery? That is a big accident waiting to happen.

  • August 21, 2017 at 7:15 am
    CL PM says:
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    My father used to tell me “if it was supposed to be fun they wouldn’t call it work.”

    • August 21, 2017 at 12:47 pm
      Agent says:
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      CL, as an employer, I have seen the joy on the faces of new hires for getting that job that was offered. A happy employee will do a lot of things to make their employer proud of them and to get that promotion and better pay. The ones that show up to collect that check every two weeks and only do the minimum are the ones that don’t last. We have had very little turnover the past 20 years and that tells me we must be doing something right.

      • August 21, 2017 at 9:59 pm
        Doug Fisher says:
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        Dang. That pretty much summarizes it.

        Agent, your posts are toxic now because your content forever is toxic. Whether you last post is bad or not (there was nothing in it to necessarily warrant a downvote) matter less because you have basically offended everyone in here, save three that I can think of.

      • August 22, 2017 at 1:24 pm
        Godot says:
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        Agent, sometimes you get down-voted just because you’re you. You’ve made a reputation for yourself.

        • August 22, 2017 at 1:29 pm
          Michael says:
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          Doug Fisher, you win for the most factual, accurate statement on the forum.

  • August 21, 2017 at 1:57 pm
    mightyquinn says:
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    With pensions being mostly a thing of the past and 401k’s being mobile there is little reason to stay with one company for life. Those who do stay with one company won’t be able to leave with benefits until they train someone from a fifth world country as their replacement. Leave now and go for the golden ring.

  • August 21, 2017 at 2:07 pm
    Craig Cornell says:
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    100% of workers say they won’t move to Mexico (or India, China, Venezuela, etc. etc.) to find better working conditions and less hostile work environments. 100% of the complainers aren’t working on their skills to move to a better company. (In related news, 100% of employers report difficulty finding skilled workers who are honest and have a good attitude. And those with a bad attitude complain about everything all the time.)

    • August 21, 2017 at 11:45 pm
      Doug Fisher says:
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      0% of these statistics are real or relevant.

      • August 22, 2017 at 8:53 am
        Doug Fisher says:
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        Yogi, these comments and your link are not related to the topic. Please refrain from wasting everyone’s time.

        Thank you.

      • August 22, 2017 at 8:53 am
        Doug Fisher says:
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        Continued Off-topic posts will be reported to IJ and my mommy!!

      • August 23, 2017 at 7:00 pm
        Doug Fisher says:
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        Agent is a treasure to this website and consistently makes invaluable comments.

  • August 22, 2017 at 1:30 pm
    agencymax says:
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    I know of stories where reps are treated like insects despite their performance because their middle manager doesn’t like them. Employers, make sure you get a census of your line soldiers’ well being. Unfortunately, too many owners don’t take a pulse of their line staff.

    • August 23, 2017 at 10:30 pm
      Captain Planet says:
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      Uh-oh, Yogi would be in deep do-do.



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