a strange thing happened at work

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joshthebanker

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So, we were told that the company couldnt fund our Christmas bash this year because of all the cost-cuttings that were going on. So I looked up this policy on the intranet that says that the company is in fact committed to funding the Christmas celebration within each team, but only for up to $20 per head. Highlighted this to my managers manager and got told off.

Then another manager started messing about with one of my projects and delayed delivery of it for another quarter. This means I wont be able to count the income benefits of that project to this years bonus, which made me furious. To get back at him I pretended to not know anything about excel when he asked me to help out with a presentation to the MD. Spent most of the day not doing a lot and a quarter to five i got back to him with diddely squat. Quite enjoyed to see how stressed he looks knowing that he needed to do all the work himself in just 15 min. I assured him i did my best and he said "ok - you might need an excel course".

Going back to the $20 christmas funding, my manager later asked if we were planning to take any courses in 2009 so i thought "what the heck, if they wont pay for our christmas dinner, then maybe they will fund an MBA. lets request $40k instead and see what happens".

sadly, i got some lame response back but i think they took my request seriously. his response was very diplomatic, however, he reassured me that even though they cant pay for an mba, they were willing to send me on a one day excel course. Doh!
 
Dude right now is not the time to drag your feet; people are getting laid off left and right. Your stunt might just be the tipping point to lay you off verse a coworker. On the plus side you might have all the time in the world to work on your excel skills. You should change yopur screen name to joshtheEXbanker
 
clearly you don't watch CNBC and witch-hunt in the last 2 months, which has made banks basically cancel Christmas parties or "more cost-efficient" across the globe.
 
i think joshtheunemployed ID is still available. jus' sayin'. dude what you did is that politically incorrect R word that ends with etarded.
 
Yeah, I dont understand the OP's point...It makes sense to cut Christmas parties...I would much prefer my company to cut parties and almost any expenses to save people's jobs and not cause salary cuts, etc.
 
I'm not sure what's more embarassing, you trying to correct your manager's manager about the company expense policy or the excel fiasco. If you were my Analyst I would have laid into you too and I would consider firing you for ignoring a deadline like that.

Think--do you really want your bosses knowing that you're wasting time reading up on the company expense policy?
 
I have a few guys at work who for various reasons (actually only one: family money) don't care much about the job and do things which one would think would make them loose their job in a jiffy. But guess what, they are still there and the bosses are scared of them. And whenever things get bad and somebody needs to step up to twist the VP's balls until they bleed, guess who everyone looks up to..................
 
This is the kind of entitlement attitude that cripples businesses. You are probably not worth the money you are paid, even though you think you are worth more.
 
Yeah - we cut the xmas party and no one blinked an eye - it's expected in this market...but your hissy fit might get you on to The O.C....
 
I wish they would cut our Christmas party. The last thing in the world I want to do is mingle and make small talk with very nerdy, very uninteresting people (of which I am one). Count your blessings.
 
they are still having a massive one for us. But who am I to argue, apparently danes get very very drunk, and most of the ladies are hot!
 
Josh,

End yourself please. And what kind of rinky dink place do you work where anyone could get by without knowing excel? Apparently one without Christmas parties.... WAHHHH!!!!

I'll make sure to pour an extra Gin & Tonic for you at mine.
 
joshthebanker Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>Quite enjoyed to see how stressed he looks knowing that he needed to do all the work
> himself in just 15 min. I assured him i did my
> best...


I thought the best part was that your manager was able to do the Excel project in 15 minutes, which made you look even more like an a-hole. I'm all for fighting things WHEN justified, but you probably would have been better off just accepting that there wouldn't be an xmas party and just went on with helping the company that employs you.

my $0.02
 
Good point- there are literally thousands of qualified finance professionals clawing at the gates and you just demonstrated to your manager what took you all day can be accomplished by a competent person in less than half an hour. Genius.
 
Josh: I forgot to mention that if you want to come to Boston and fill in for me at my Christmas party, you're more than welcome. I don't even feel like going.

It's in the North End, so at least you'd be getting a good meal. Plus open bar. Let me know.
 
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