New Knowledge

I've learned something new today. My new knowledge does not lie in the arena of engineering, or anything technical for that matter. It has to do with people, and how they behave. More specifically, how individuals handle themselves in a corporate setting.

After chatting with an older work-friend for a few moments, our conversation strayed into different areas and he began talking about some of the less than adequate members of this corporation's workforce. Up until this point, I have seen few who do not get their work done. Well, according to this older gentlemen there once was a guy who would come in about an hour late, take a forty-five minute break, go around and chat for a while, go early to lunch, come back late, and do a lap of the office once before disappearing. Well, needless to say, he was eventually caught after months of this. He took a leave of absence and upon returning did the same thing all over again. He was eventually fired. Then there was a guy who would clock in and do about three to four hours of work before leaving for lunch and basically sitting at the bar for hours. He would come back an hour or two before time to leave, drunk, and pretend to do work. From what I hear, his neighbors only knew because of the smell on his breath. He did this for several weeks before being let go.



I was surprised to hear that this happened, at this level. Why, after get a good job, would someone do these things is beyond my understanding. In the course of my day I may take a couple of minutes here and there to get a coffee, or chat, but it will never compare to the degrees of the above individuals. Also, how do these people get away with it for so long? They either must have been in the company for years or where friends with someone important.