Joke about Firing Staff

[Nowtide]

Does your boss joke about firing you or other staff members?

Mine does, at least once a day there is a joke about firing someone or getting fired, or joking about me taking my bosses job. I am pretty new there and there was quite a bit of turnover before I started. I like what I am doing and the people I work with but there seems to be this culture of fear of losing ones job, or joking about getting fired- even from my boss directly.

Anyone else experienced this? Any ideas what the reason for this is?

Thanks,

Nowtide

[spiritedaway]

I can't say I've experienced it from my bosses, though I hear that joke every now and then from one of my former coworkers.

If there has been recent layoffs, joking about it probably a way to release some of the tensions/fear of getting fired. Irrational fear or not, the economy has been in shaky ground lately so it's not completely off-base to think about it.

Does your boss joke about firing you or other staff members?
Anyone else experienced this? Any ideas what the reason for this is?

Thanks,

Nowtide

[Nowtide]

I can't say I've experienced it from my bosses, though I hear that joke every now and then from one of my former coworkers.

If there has been recent layoffs, joking about it probably a way to release some of the tensions/fear of getting fired. Irrational fear or not, the economy has been in shaky ground lately so it's not completely off-base to think about it.


That's a good point, they just sort of cleaned house a little while ago and since it is a small place it really affected their culture I think. It ould also be, as you point out, a way of dealing with the situation as a sort of pressure release.

Part of me wonders if it is also a way of expressing control. In other words, that is the closest my boss can come to saying "I am your boss and I have power over you."

My boss often mentions his job title in conversations with staff, as though to remind them that he is in charge...it seems weird to me, like he is insecure and needs people to be afraid of him to some degree to maintain control.

[winneythepooh7]

I wish I could take firing someone so lightly. I have someone who should have gotten the boot long ago, but it's been dragging out for months and months and months...................and months. My employer is afraid of "being sued" because she's older, a woman and a minority. She basically comes to work and does nothing though and gets paid for it. I think it's harder to get fired these days, than it is to actually FIND a job!!! I have a paper trail on this lady from my house to Montauk............and that's still not enough "just yet".

[PenforPrez]

Things are so dysfunctional at my company that we joke about the whole company falling apart with necessary consequences. It's really not funny. I actually became privy to the company's financial situation last week, and it's not as bad as we think, but it's not good either. I'm trying to decide whether or not to worry; it's inconclusive, actually.

Paul

[zz4guy]

What a dip____. You should joke about leaving without notice the next time they put you knee deep in some high profile project.

[Nowtide]

What a dip____. You should joke about leaving without notice the next time they put you knee deep in some high profile project.

It's funny you say that because I have thought of it but I am still pretty new (within probationary period) so don't want to make that joke yet. The other day he said something like once I'm done with you I will fire you, and I almost replied "once I'm done with you I'll find a better paying job"..but didn't.

I did say yesterday though that e should wait a few more months to fire me so that I get severance...I don't know if he got the subtly hit that ti's starting to get annoying.

[caostotale]

Until I get out of temping hell, the whole firing joke thing won't even be close to funny. From my experience, it's just another dimension of people taking their jobs for granted when they start treating the concept of "losing one's job" as an absurdity. For three years since college ended, I've had to get used to being told (albeit nicely) "thanks, you were so helpful, now get the fuck out of here, office slave." Hence, hearing perms joshing about that kind of stuff just puts me in a lousy mood. Lately, I've been getting more annoyed about that kind of shit, because I'm temping at a new place where lots of employees take egregious amounts of time off and similarly make light of it.

[Nowtide]

Until I get out of temping hell, the whole firing joke thing won't even be close to funny. From my experience, it's just another dimension of people taking their jobs for granted when they start treating the concept of "losing one's job" as an absurdity. For three years since college ended, I've had to get used to being told (albeit nicely) "thanks, you were so helpful, now get the fuck out of here, office slave." Hence, hearing perms joshing about that kind of stuff just puts me in a lousy mood. Lately, I've been getting more annoyed about that kind of shit, because I'm temping at a new place where lots of employees take egregious amounts of time off and similarly make light of it.

I'm not sure I understand what you are saying here. Do you often have people joking about you losing your job?

Are you saying that joking about losing one's job is similar to taking that job for granted? If so, am I taking my full time job for granted or is my boss taking my job for granted?

I hear you though- it seems strange to me that I am first one in in the morning and last one out in my department and never have to be coached about performance yet hear that my job is expendable every day.

nowtide