Simon AbramovitchPersonal phone calls, smoke breaks, email, instant messaging ... there are many ways that office workers fill their lunches and breaks every day. Simon Abramovitch explores why gaming is often not an option.
Issue 47 - Cubicle Vision
- Thread starter The Escapist Staff
- Start date
Original Comment by: Spadefoot
I've worked in several environments where gaming during lunch was activley discouraged. In one office, the manager directed us (the IT staff) to remove even the Windows games (Freecell, Minesweeper, and so on), so that people couldn't play at all.
As I've moved up the IT ladder to the point where I can have some impact on policy, I always push the approach that IT staff aren't cops and that Internet abuse and gaming abuse are managment problems, not technical problems and should be handled outside of IT. I have no desire to be put in a position where a user is afraid to call the helpdesk with a problem because she happens to have a copy of WordWhomp installed.
I've worked in several environments where gaming during lunch was activley discouraged. In one office, the manager directed us (the IT staff) to remove even the Windows games (Freecell, Minesweeper, and so on), so that people couldn't play at all.
As I've moved up the IT ladder to the point where I can have some impact on policy, I always push the approach that IT staff aren't cops and that Internet abuse and gaming abuse are managment problems, not technical problems and should be handled outside of IT. I have no desire to be put in a position where a user is afraid to call the helpdesk with a problem because she happens to have a copy of WordWhomp installed.
Original Comment by: Wizard of Wor
Okay, so don't play games on the company's equipment. Not a problem. Go get yourself a Game Boy, DS, PSP, hell, even an old Atari Lynx, and have your relaxing game of Tetris or whatever during your federally mandated lunch break. Since the game unit is portable, why not take that hour away from your desk? The cubicle world - with all its email, voice mail, and memos - will still be there when you return.
Okay, so don't play games on the company's equipment. Not a problem. Go get yourself a Game Boy, DS, PSP, hell, even an old Atari Lynx, and have your relaxing game of Tetris or whatever during your federally mandated lunch break. Since the game unit is portable, why not take that hour away from your desk? The cubicle world - with all its email, voice mail, and memos - will still be there when you return.
Original Comment by: Charlie_Six
http://virtualmerc.blogspot.com
IMy first job was a cubicle job: data processing at an oil company. What's funny is that I immediately sstarted "slacking off" by bringing in a CDROM full of MAME arcade ROMs. I'd be playing Street Fighter 2 during my lunch break. I'm generally a clueless person when it comes to what is "ok" and "not ok" in the office place culture, so I had no idea it was a bad idea to be running over people with my Cadillac in "Caddlacs and Dinosaurs" while some upper-level employees could watch from their glass-wall meeting room.
Hopefully I'll figure things out soon. Hehe.
http://virtualmerc.blogspot.com
IMy first job was a cubicle job: data processing at an oil company. What's funny is that I immediately sstarted "slacking off" by bringing in a CDROM full of MAME arcade ROMs. I'd be playing Street Fighter 2 during my lunch break. I'm generally a clueless person when it comes to what is "ok" and "not ok" in the office place culture, so I had no idea it was a bad idea to be running over people with my Cadillac in "Caddlacs and Dinosaurs" while some upper-level employees could watch from their glass-wall meeting room.
Hopefully I'll figure things out soon. Hehe.
Original Comment by: Guy
Our office is also one that doesn't allow any gaming of any kind on a work PC. Misuse of company assets is what they'd deem it no doubt. Company policy clearly denotes this... and alot of gaming, entertainment, pornographic, etc websites have been blocked... but do we follow the rules? Not always. We have a few rebels w/in our midst.
Freecell, Minesweeper, etc.. were removed from our PC's also. Apparently we can't be trusted... heh. So we get online and play Mini Putt, etc... during breaks and lunches.
My sister, a physician, and myself actually had a Mini Putt tourney several months back... 95% of which took place during company time. It was going great until the other 5% happened. Apparently "Dr. Evil" decided that playing at home on his free time for more hours than I can comprehend (and I'm very open minded about that sort of thing) was fair play. Doc's never like to play by the rules.
As you can see, some of us like to take it that much further. Using our breaks and lunches for outdoor activities (such as walking while DSing) and getting in our gaming/internet time during company time.
You might say we're deranged, or just plain lazy.
If you ask me, it's all about sticking it to the man. Take that you micro-managing, cheap skate, corporate sell out bastard(s)! I say "Game On"!
BTW... I'm on company time right now! Bee-yotch!
Our office is also one that doesn't allow any gaming of any kind on a work PC. Misuse of company assets is what they'd deem it no doubt. Company policy clearly denotes this... and alot of gaming, entertainment, pornographic, etc websites have been blocked... but do we follow the rules? Not always. We have a few rebels w/in our midst.
Freecell, Minesweeper, etc.. were removed from our PC's also. Apparently we can't be trusted... heh. So we get online and play Mini Putt, etc... during breaks and lunches.
My sister, a physician, and myself actually had a Mini Putt tourney several months back... 95% of which took place during company time. It was going great until the other 5% happened. Apparently "Dr. Evil" decided that playing at home on his free time for more hours than I can comprehend (and I'm very open minded about that sort of thing) was fair play. Doc's never like to play by the rules.
As you can see, some of us like to take it that much further. Using our breaks and lunches for outdoor activities (such as walking while DSing) and getting in our gaming/internet time during company time.
You might say we're deranged, or just plain lazy.
If you ask me, it's all about sticking it to the man. Take that you micro-managing, cheap skate, corporate sell out bastard(s)! I say "Game On"!
BTW... I'm on company time right now! Bee-yotch!
Original Comment by: Alex
I've actually had the fantastic experience of telling "Lumberg" where to go. This was the rant I had as far as I can remeber it:
"Listen arsehole, I pulled 82 hours hours last week fixing up the mess (some guy) left on that moronic project the cocksuckers in upper mangement thought was such a great fucking idea. And it fucking flopped like everyone knew it would and I really couldn't give a shit if it looks "bad" that I'm playing MoH:AA on company time when I get called out to work at 8pm on a Saturday night three weeks out of every four. And I'm sure that if you like checking up on me so much you'll see how many millions of dollars my team has brought in to this fucking company and I'm sure if I looked hard enough I'd be able to find the 65GB of porn that you have stashed on the unpassworded PC you have on the company network. I know you pulled this same shit on (my predecessor) and it wouldn't surprise me if that was the reason he left this fucking company. You people make me fucking sick. Give me something to do and I'll get it done, but don't you retards give me grief about how I do it".
I was fired two weeks later.
A few weeks after that I picked up a very nice cunsultancy gig with another company at about 7 times my hourly rate at the other job.
Life is way too short to waste on shitty jobs where nobody appreciates the fact that you're a human being.
I've actually had the fantastic experience of telling "Lumberg" where to go. This was the rant I had as far as I can remeber it:
"Listen arsehole, I pulled 82 hours hours last week fixing up the mess (some guy) left on that moronic project the cocksuckers in upper mangement thought was such a great fucking idea. And it fucking flopped like everyone knew it would and I really couldn't give a shit if it looks "bad" that I'm playing MoH:AA on company time when I get called out to work at 8pm on a Saturday night three weeks out of every four. And I'm sure that if you like checking up on me so much you'll see how many millions of dollars my team has brought in to this fucking company and I'm sure if I looked hard enough I'd be able to find the 65GB of porn that you have stashed on the unpassworded PC you have on the company network. I know you pulled this same shit on (my predecessor) and it wouldn't surprise me if that was the reason he left this fucking company. You people make me fucking sick. Give me something to do and I'll get it done, but don't you retards give me grief about how I do it".
I was fired two weeks later.
A few weeks after that I picked up a very nice cunsultancy gig with another company at about 7 times my hourly rate at the other job.
Life is way too short to waste on shitty jobs where nobody appreciates the fact that you're a human being.
Original Comment by: Bob_Arctor
I like the ending. I don't think if I had an office job I could stand to stay in the cubicle on the PC for the whole time, I'd want to escape in my lunch break too.
Maybe even read a book outside. Surely it's more fun anyway to go out and play Nintendo DS or Gameboy than play some 'net game which isn't even Flash because they don't have the latest version installed.
I like the ending. I don't think if I had an office job I could stand to stay in the cubicle on the PC for the whole time, I'd want to escape in my lunch break too.
Maybe even read a book outside. Surely it's more fun anyway to go out and play Nintendo DS or Gameboy than play some 'net game which isn't even Flash because they don't have the latest version installed.
Original Comment by: Jon
In general, I think gaming at work is always a sign of something bad. Maybe it's an employee who doesn't care about what they're doing. Maybe it's an office environment that's got people pulling too many hours. Maybe it's tensions building between people who have different notions of what's acceptable in a workplace. Maybe it's lost productivity when you've got everyone taking a couple hours out of the day for an ad-hoc LAN party.
There's no debate about drinking on the job. There's no debate about having sex on the job. Don't. Maybe I like games too much, but IMO they're in the same league: there's gotta be a taboo.
In general, I think gaming at work is always a sign of something bad. Maybe it's an employee who doesn't care about what they're doing. Maybe it's an office environment that's got people pulling too many hours. Maybe it's tensions building between people who have different notions of what's acceptable in a workplace. Maybe it's lost productivity when you've got everyone taking a couple hours out of the day for an ad-hoc LAN party.
There's no debate about drinking on the job. There's no debate about having sex on the job. Don't. Maybe I like games too much, but IMO they're in the same league: there's gotta be a taboo.
Original Comment by: JLAN
I can't really speak out against games because I have gotten away with murder in the past. I think that if I owned the business, I wouldn't want to see that. I also know I don't care how people reach their goals as long as they do, and on time. It's especially not good for visitors or suppliers and customers getting a tour and seeing that. It's like judging how intelligent a person is based on the typos in their blog post. The employees play games here so this company is not serious.
If anything, a well equiped breakroom well out of view of ouside visitors and VP traffic might be the answer.
I can't really speak out against games because I have gotten away with murder in the past. I think that if I owned the business, I wouldn't want to see that. I also know I don't care how people reach their goals as long as they do, and on time. It's especially not good for visitors or suppliers and customers getting a tour and seeing that. It's like judging how intelligent a person is based on the typos in their blog post. The employees play games here so this company is not serious.
If anything, a well equiped breakroom well out of view of ouside visitors and VP traffic might be the answer.
Original Comment by: Tom
It must be nice working at a company that designs & produces games. If I walked up and down the rows of cubicles at your place of work, I'm sure I'd be less than surpised to see someone playing a game. If not to test a game they are currently designing... then perhaps for inspiration.
The enviroment Lauren works in not very unlike the one I am currently working in. There are strict rules and policies in place that prevent and dissuade users from installing games and programs. Suprisingly, the employees at the call center in my company are not graduates of technical colleges, experienced programmers or system administrators. For this reason, we often are called to help them if they have problems with their computer. This, of course, is what my department is there for. We are Tech Support. 3 people incharge of 400+ users and a more than problematic network. It takes a lot of effort to run/support this many users & programs. Adding random games and applications downloaded off the internet is not exactly going to help us in this already large task.
Do I think you and your co-workers should be able to play games? Yes, it's a part of your company and the employees are more than equiped to handle the concequences. A call center is not likely to have the expertise and knowledge necessary to be able to have this kind of freedom.
It must be nice working at a company that designs & produces games. If I walked up and down the rows of cubicles at your place of work, I'm sure I'd be less than surpised to see someone playing a game. If not to test a game they are currently designing... then perhaps for inspiration.
The enviroment Lauren works in not very unlike the one I am currently working in. There are strict rules and policies in place that prevent and dissuade users from installing games and programs. Suprisingly, the employees at the call center in my company are not graduates of technical colleges, experienced programmers or system administrators. For this reason, we often are called to help them if they have problems with their computer. This, of course, is what my department is there for. We are Tech Support. 3 people incharge of 400+ users and a more than problematic network. It takes a lot of effort to run/support this many users & programs. Adding random games and applications downloaded off the internet is not exactly going to help us in this already large task.
Do I think you and your co-workers should be able to play games? Yes, it's a part of your company and the employees are more than equiped to handle the concequences. A call center is not likely to have the expertise and knowledge necessary to be able to have this kind of freedom.
Original Comment by: FunkyJ
http://www.funkyj.com
I do work in a games company, and yes, we are allowed to play games on company time. Encouraged to in fact.
But I do know of a few companies who don't let people play non-company games on their time. I think that's stupid, it's like telling a toyota mechanic not to drive anything but Toyotas.
http://www.funkyj.com
I do work in a games company, and yes, we are allowed to play games on company time. Encouraged to in fact.
But I do know of a few companies who don't let people play non-company games on their time. I think that's stupid, it's like telling a toyota mechanic not to drive anything but Toyotas.
Original Comment by: Tom
The analogy to dress codes is appropriate. Ultimately, playing a game during your lunch hour really doesn't "matter" with respect to job performance, but it LOOKS like it does to someone. Just like wearing jeans instead of slacks doesn't make you any dumber, yet we still have rules about what to wear and what to do during down time.
I think smoking is way worse by far....I'd rather not see a cook taking a smoke break, and then have him go back and stank up the food he is about to prepare for me.
We live in a society ruled by perceptions and expectations, and some rich white guys get to determine exactly what those expectations will be.
The analogy to dress codes is appropriate. Ultimately, playing a game during your lunch hour really doesn't "matter" with respect to job performance, but it LOOKS like it does to someone. Just like wearing jeans instead of slacks doesn't make you any dumber, yet we still have rules about what to wear and what to do during down time.
I think smoking is way worse by far....I'd rather not see a cook taking a smoke break, and then have him go back and stank up the food he is about to prepare for me.
We live in a society ruled by perceptions and expectations, and some rich white guys get to determine exactly what those expectations will be.