Slashdot Mirror
23% of IT Workers Spend Thanksgiving With Coworkers
itwbennett writes "A timely CareerBuilder survey finds that 23% of IT pros spend the holiday with coworkers, either in the office or at another location. But the findings vary widely by city. In Boston, for example, you're pretty sure to be on your own for the holiday — only 6% of coworkers there nosh together. While in Atlanta (35%) or Dallas (30%) things are downright chummy."
...and there won't even be neither turkey nor booze, over here in Europe *g
Religous speak to God. Insane are spoken to by God. When all shut up, one can finally hear Shostakovich in peace
The remaining 77% spend it in their mom's basement.
...and there won't even be neither turkey nor booze, over here in Europe *g
(emphasis mine) At least, I hope for you there aren't any grammar-Nazis over there...
Linux is for people who don't mind RTFM.
If we stole the country from Native Americans through trickery, scamming, and crooked contracts but every square inch of Europe was taken over by bloodthirsty dictators, kings, emperors, etc surely that deserves even more of a holiday, right? Maybe killsgiving or genocide-o-rama.
I wouldn't be surprised if the "23%" figure is fairly close to the percentage of the general populace that spends Thanksgiving with friends instead of with their own family, or of the general populace that spends Thanksgiving with their coworkers, who are also their friends.
If I lived away from family and couldn't justify the travel to visit them for a meal, and if most of my friends were also coworkers, I'd probably spend time with them, like I'd spend time with the off-work anyway.
This is no surprise.
Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
IT's pro-coworker showing was only 2% less than those put-upon retail workers who may be forced to work right after they finish their plate. The top industry was Transportation and Utilities (28%) and Retail (25%), with IT, Healthcare and Finance tied at 23%.
Politics; n. : A religion whereby man is god.
Really funny story. I was team lead for a small group. I invited everyone over to my house for thanksgiving . We were all young professionals at the time, mostly single. Just as we sat down to eat, the on-call pager went off. Policy was we had 15 minutes to respond. The on-call person waited and called back. "Sorry, just sat down to turkey, please page the backup." For the rest of the meal we repeated going through the on-call list this way, around the table. Sweet :)
At least my coworkers will stick to polite and civil conversation for the duration of a meal. Odds are 99 to 1 that someone in my extended family will go off on a long winded political rant and/or racist screed, such that I will try to find an animal or small child to interact with in a quiet corner rather than have to listen to them.
Occasionally living proof of the Ballmer peak.
...and there won't even be neither turkey nor booze, over here in Europe *g
(emphasis mine) At least, I hope for you there aren't any grammar-Nazis over there...
No, the eurozone has effectively expunged "Nazi" from their vernacular, if the media is to be believed
Source
Money quote:
Users were warned not to take bids on Nazi items from people in France, Germany, Austria or Italy because of laws in those countries. Users with French- or German-language Web browsers also were blocked from searching for Nazi-related items, eBay spokesman Kevin Pursglove said
Mandatory overtime/rotating holidays :/
Join the Slashcott! Feb 10 thru Feb 17!
Deathsgiving
And what's the percentage of those workers that are immigrants or of some religion that doesn't let them celebrate? I know we have a lot of people from India, Russia, and Thailand that all love to get the extra overtime during yet another one of your crazy US holidays. Then we have a few Jehovah Whiteness's that also like this time of year. I bet they account for well over 20% of our staff so how knows.
Secondly, most of my Turkey eating co-workers ended up having thanksgiving at various relatives houses the weekend before and after the holiday. There-for ending up with no where to go on actual turkey day. This happens nearly every year so it's become a custom at my house that I get the biggest turkey(s) (last year we had 2) I can find and invite anyone and everyone I work with (including some from other countries that just want to see what's up) to my house to eat. My mother is from a large southern family and has never been used to our northern way of having less than 10 people for dinner, so she thinks it's great. Last year we had 25 people over (only about 6 I was related to) and this year we're having about 15.
The entire point of the holiday, after all, is to get people together than generally don't get together and give thanks for all that we have. I'm lucky enough that I usually have actual Indians at my table (both kinds!) and I think it's great.
However, you also have to ask....what percentage WANT to work on the holiday?
Some people came from other countries and don't celebrate the same holidays. Others have no family to spend time with or would rather not spend time with theirs. While you could say they should still get the day off too, some days like thanksgiving leave one precious little to do.
I have talked to a number of people who choose to work holidays and like working them.
"I opened my eyes, and everything went dark again"
Am part Cherokee, intend to celebrate Thanksgiving.
Weasel-stomping day?
"[Regarding the 'cloud,'] ownership was what made America different than Russia." -- Woz
But usually there is some other substitute e.g. Oktoberfest or its equivalent. Just about every culture has some sort of fall harvest festival if they have such a season.
putting the 'B' in LGBTQ+
If I lived away from family and couldn't justify the travel to visit them for a meal, and if most of my friends were also coworkers, I'd probably spend time with them, like I'd spend time with the off-work anyway.
I would have done that in my twenties, but pushing 40 now (ugh) I want nothing to do with my cow-orkers after hours. I'll go to happy hour with the team so I don't look like an unsocial jerk, but otherwise forget it unless there's a charge code to bill my time to.
:wq
You forget that the tradition of invasion, conquest; and economic,religious, and cultural assimilation was a grand old tradition in Eurasia long before the Americsa were discovered. E.g. Alexander the Great, the Romans, and the Vandals to name but a few. Americans learned at Europeans feet.
putting the 'B' in LGBTQ+
Dallas, like many cities of the region are colonized by transient populations from far flung areas. Boston is a city of drunks with large families. Are there any more stereotypes we want to use?
putting the 'B' in LGBTQ+
Then you might get to have Thanksgiving with your family.
No where in TFA does it say that celebrating with co-workers and family are mutually exclusive. I will be with my family on Turkey Day. Two of my co-workers will be coming over to my house with their families. So I will also be with my co-workers.
Everyone residing in the US (or Canada, for that matter) should be entitled to celebrate Thanksgiving. I would argue that this goes double for immigrants, considering that that's what the Pilgrims were too.
"[Regarding the 'cloud,'] ownership was what made America different than Russia." -- Woz
One place I was at we were doing 24/7 support so someone had to always be onsite. For holidays our boss just split the day into 3 hour shifts starting at 6am. For only having to work 3 hours wasn't too painful still got most of the day with family/friends. Boss also said it will be dead bring DVDs to watch, just answer phone if it rings. So pretty painless Holiday work.
You forget that the tradition of invasion, conquest; and economic,religious, and cultural assimilation was a grand old tradition in Eurasia long before the Americsa were discovered. E.g. Alexander the Great, the Romans, and the Vandals to name but a few. Americans learned at Europeans feet.
Stop confusing people with historical facts. It's easier to forget the past and blame the present. Really, it's best to blame the present not learning from the past failures.
There are no loopholes. It's either legal or it's not.
X% of people SAID this or that. This is another poll that just measures what people think they should say. In Boston, people feel that they should care more about hard work. In the South, people put more emphasis on family and friends.
The only thing worse than a Democrat is a Republican.
Entitled? Sure, but you don't address whether they want to. Thanksgiving is generally celebrated with family centered feasting. How much of a celebration is it if you have no family to be with? How much celebration is it to sit alone in your apartment while the kids are off with your former spouse? How much do you care if your family is back in India or down in Mexico and you have nobody to feast with?
You know, I love these holidays. But some people dislike them, get depressed by them, whatever. If you want to argue anyone who works that day should get a floater to take another day off, sure, sounds great. If you want to say any hourly workers should automatically get time and a half or more? Sure. Fine.
However, if there is work to do and you have people who would rather work; I KNOW some percentage (maybe not 23% of it) actually does prefer to work those days; its no boon to them to tell them they are not allowed.
"I opened my eyes, and everything went dark again"
Thinking of myself I've spent Thanksgiving at work twice because I was traveling overseas and it wasn't practical to fly back for the holiday. It does wonders for perspective through when you encounter people who insist it is a Christian holiday. You then get to explain that there's only two countries on the planet that celebrate it and they don't even celebrate it on the same day. Out of the US the holiday is known for overeating of food and buying too many presents. sigh
you guys are great to work with, and I enjoy our D&D games on Sunday afternoons, but I have family to annoy during holidays. You know?
More music, fewer hits
This surprises me.
Do THAT many people associate with people they work with outside of the work place???
I mean, for all my working life, I could likely count on my hands the number of times (outside of a company event or company party) that I've actually planned and met and associated with any co-workers outside of the work setting.
I tend to separate my work life from my personal life.
Don't get me wrong, at work, I'm highly sociable, I smile and try to get along with most everyone, but when I walk out of the office and the door slaps me on the ass on the way out...I leave all thoughts and associations for the most part behind those doors, never to even intrude on my thoughts till I come back to work.
I have plenty of long term friends outside the office that I associate with.
I don't even think this decision of mine was made consciously, just something that seemed natural. Maybe it was something subconscious, I mean, I don't want to do or risk doing things that would possibly piss someone off at the place where I earn a living.
It is definitely a reason I've not pursued (more than a couple times) any type of romantic type of relations ships with any co-workers. I mean, at some point there'll likely be a break up and I've not wanted to have a pissed off bitch I have to see every day at work, etc...
I prefer to keep work and personal life as segregated as possible, I kinda assumed most other folks did too?
Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
I had a hard time figuring out the right word to use. What I was trying to convey is that even (or especially) if you're a recent immigrant you should consider Thanskgiving to be "your" holiday too. You should not be thinking "oh, I'm going to skip Thanksgiving because it's just for 'Americans'" -- if you're here long enough to rent an apartment rather than a hotel, you're American enough.
Not wanting to celebrate Thanksgiving because you have nobody to celebrate it with is a separate issue, and applies equally (albeit perhaps not as commonly) to native-born folks.
And if you do happen to be, for example, an Indian tech worker on an H1-B visa, consider Thanksgiving to be your chance to go do something fun. Be thankful that you're enjoying a paid holiday in America instead of slaving away for half the wages back home (which is not intended as a disparagement, but instead a recognition that if home were better, you wouldn't have chosen to leave).
"[Regarding the 'cloud,'] ownership was what made America different than Russia." -- Woz
Hey...a day off is a DAY OFF!!
What do folks do on regular, non-holidays off? Even with no friends or family, you can still take the off time, maybe travel (do a long weekend like most do), or be at home with no one to bother you as you catch up on projects, or maybe play games...whatever you do for fun and relaxation.
Who would rather work than have time off for personal activities and likes???
Time off doesn't necessarily force you to celebrate or participate in a holiday, rent some movies and buy a bottle of scotch if nothing else....
Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
The top of the list is probably an intersection of "cities people move to for work" and "cities which have recently developed IT industry," or places where IT workers are less likely to have extended family.
Bonus points for using "nor" with "neither," though...so close and yet so far...
Unity? Screw that: XFCE. Slashdot Beta? Screw that: SoylentNews. Australis? Screw that: Pale Moon. UX developers DIAF
Yes.
Unity? Screw that: XFCE. Slashdot Beta? Screw that: SoylentNews. Australis? Screw that: Pale Moon. UX developers DIAF
I've spent 3 Thanksgivings with co-workers, once with a building manager (senior manager), once with a manager of a different department, and once with an administrative assistant that I am still friends with. It was a small company though (around 2,000 employees) so everyone knew each other pretty well.
My current employer is a global bank, everyone here just stabs everyone in the back and is extremely defensive about separating their personal life from work.
I'm just going to stay at home this year, all alone, nothing but the heat from the file server to keep me warm. Thanksgiving dinner will be a breakfast casserole made with frozen hashbrowns, sausage, cheddar cheese, and sausage gravy cooked in a slow cooker on low for 8 hours. =D
-==- Buy a Mac and leave me alone!
In Boston, for example, you're pretty sure to be on your own for the holiday — only 6% of coworkers there nosh together.
Ah, well that stinks. Too bad people don't have friends, or family, to spend their holidays with...just coworkers. So, if you're in Boston, you'll probably be alone this Thanksgiving because you don't have friends, you don't have family, and your coworkers hate you.
I prefer to keep work and personal life as segregated as possible, I kinda assumed most other folks did too?
About a month ago, I stuck a job advert on Facebook. I'd meant it for friends-of-friends, siblings-of-friends, etc, but that weekend, the girlfriend of one of my closest friend's told me she was encouraging him to apply. I said I'd be a bit uncomfortable if he did, since if he got the job I would have been his manager. (He didn't apply.)
However, two of my colleagues in IT have spouses in other departments.
Here in the United States it is coming close to Thanksgiving, a holiday to visit family and be thankful for our many blessings. However corporate culture, as a part of our-business-is-a-family mentality likes to do pot lucks. I will encourage and support anyone that wants to have the pot luck on company time as long as the company does not make me participate. I, like many people, do not regard my co-workers as a "family". I don't feel like investing extra money to feed these people in the name of company-is-family and "team building". I'm not a hostile employee but I realize that the company regards everyone as a replaceable cog and a lowest-cost expense. Of course I realize saying anything like this to our company would cause me to be fired. I am sure I am not alone in feeling this.
Here's hoping you have a great Thanksgiving, and spend it with those that matter - your real family.
I submitted this as a submission a few days ago, and didn't get accepted... ah well.
While you could say they should still get the day off too, some days like thanksgiving leave one precious little to do.
I pity people like that. There's always something to do. Some people live to work, those are the folks you're talking about and they're pathetic. Me, I work to live, and next February I retire.
More books to write, electronics to tinker with, probably buy a new soldering iron and multimeter, slashdot,... hell, I may even sweep my floor and wash the dishes for a change.
Free Martian Whores!
Which, of course, is why I pointed out if you wanted to say they should get a day off, like a floating holiday or something...fine but.... I wouldn't even try to compare thanksgiving or xmass to other days. Such a huge portion of the population is doing family things for the day that they really are some of the worst days to have off otherwise.
Actually, I have had years where my family celebrated the day over a weekend to accomidate some family members and was left with nothing to do on those days....I usually end up just playing video games. Which is fine but, I would rather take a normal work day off.
"I opened my eyes, and everything went dark again"
Well, you are on to something here. I live and work in a German-language country. As a matter of fact, using the word "nazi" is simply not done here. People cringe if and when I literally translate "grammar Nazi" or "spelling Nazi" into German, even this long after the war. So I use "grammar taliban" or "spelling fundamentalist" instead. That has the strange property of making people smile uncontrollably. Va comprende, Charles...
Religous speak to God. Insane are spoken to by God. When all shut up, one can finally hear Shostakovich in peace
"However, you also have to ask....what percentage WANT to work on the holiday?"
That's when I get the most work done, you insensitive clod! And great download speeds.
putting the 'B' in LGBTQ+
No one is actually from Dallas, so no family there, and there's nothing to do there but eat and shop anyway.
No lie it made me smile uncontrollably.
How far does your definition of required jobs go? I get the FD and PD you've got there. No argument. How about gas stations? Should they be open to supply the millions of travelers on the holiday? If yes, then what other service industries should be open? (I'd argue that places like Wal-Mart, Target, etc. - who, instead of competing on price, value, service or something are competing on "how early we open on Thanksgiving", should be closed on the holiday and let their employees see their families since the services they provide are far from critical.) But of course Marketing ruins the world.
No and No.
UPVOTE PARENT! 90% of the world dont celebrate Thanksgiving.
If we in Europe would have "thanksgiving" holidays for each good thing that's worth giving thanks for throughout history, some countries would have holiday around 50 weeks of the year.
Though to be honest, that seems to be what some countries do anyway, I mean work only two weeks a year (see e.g. Greece).
/ The Arrow
"How lovely you are. So lovely in my straightjacket..." - Nny
And while you're all sleepy from excessive turkey consumption, your government will dissolve more of your freedoms into the fettered cranberry sauce-like sludge they call democracy and freedom. don't sleep people, it's a trap. put down the turkey and pick up a meth pipe and an "assault weapon", it's the only way to stay alert during a distraction of this magnitude.