A company’s reputation is everything. If you have a respected and ethical brand, offer quality products and services, and have earned your customers’ trust, then you’ll likely succeed in business. On the flip side, any shady things that happen have the potential to undo everything that you’ve poured your heart, sweat, and tears into over the years.
#1
I know this isn't that juicy but I used to work at an overnight camp (I had also gone there as a camper) and every morning we had a drawing where we put all the campers names into a hat and picked one out at random, and the kid that got picked got to spin the Wheel of Wonder and do silly stuff to the counselors like pour flour on them, or throw water balloons etc.
WELL as it turns out when I was old enough to be a counselor they let me in on the secret... all the papers inside the hat are blank
They pick a kid that seems to be having a hard time adjusting to camp life, or a kid who isn't very social and then pretend to pull their name out of the hat. In conclusion, MY CHILDHOOD WAS A LIE - I used to sit there every morning hoping and hoping that they would pull my name but I never won.
At least the kids that really needed it end up getting that extra attention though!!
WELL as it turns out when I was old enough to be a counselor they let me in on the secret... all the papers inside the hat are blank
They pick a kid that seems to be having a hard time adjusting to camp life, or a kid who isn't very social and then pretend to pull their name out of the hat. In conclusion, MY CHILDHOOD WAS A LIE - I used to sit there every morning hoping and hoping that they would pull my name but I never won.
At least the kids that really needed it end up getting that extra attention though!!
86points
#2
I worked for 2 years for LEGO, and have nothing but nice things to say about them. For the most part, everyone I encountered there was awesome.
82points
#3
AMR - America's largest private ambulance company
Contracts with counties will specify response times that they need to meet to remain in compliance. Typical response windows are about 10 minutes in heavily populated areas and 14 minutes or more in more rural areas. This compliance usually needs to be maintained to 90% or higher for all 911 calls generated.
Several times this year we've been "too good" and been running compliance up at 98-99% for the month. AMR's response is to cut staffing hours to save labor/diesel costs. They are willing to be late at the end of a month because they know they'll still hit their monthly compliance requirement.
I personally think that's despicable. Even though MOST 911 calls are BS and not a medical emergency, somebody that needs a defibrillator RIGHT NOW could have a reduced chance at survival in the name of pleasing "corporate" and ultimately the shareholders.
Contracts with counties will specify response times that they need to meet to remain in compliance. Typical response windows are about 10 minutes in heavily populated areas and 14 minutes or more in more rural areas. This compliance usually needs to be maintained to 90% or higher for all 911 calls generated.
Several times this year we've been "too good" and been running compliance up at 98-99% for the month. AMR's response is to cut staffing hours to save labor/diesel costs. They are willing to be late at the end of a month because they know they'll still hit their monthly compliance requirement.
I personally think that's despicable. Even though MOST 911 calls are BS and not a medical emergency, somebody that needs a defibrillator RIGHT NOW could have a reduced chance at survival in the name of pleasing "corporate" and ultimately the shareholders.
61points
According to the CFA Institute, your best course of action when “ethical challenges put your career and professional standards on the line,” is to gather and document your facts and questions. You should also check the issue escalation policy and then talk to your supervisor, and then your chief compliance officer.
At the same time, it’s important to question what you’ve witnessed while also not being accusatory or self-righteous. Meanwhile, if you’ve reported your suspicions but those activities continue or are excused, it might be time for you to leave.
If you report a problem internally and you’re fired in retaliation, you should strongly consider hiring an employment lawyer. They’ll help you determine whether you have a potential case against the company for unlawful termination.
#4
My mother, who was a school teacher in an inner city middle school, was "strongly discouraged" from failing any student for any reason. If you failed to many students, you would be sent to the worst school in the district. This policy actually broke about 2 years after she finished working, when a teacher's final grades were changed by a principal who didn't want to fail the students.
Similarly, an incident occurred where one of her co-workers was assaulted by a student and had to go to the hospital because the a*****t aggravated her heart condition. She was told that if she chose to press charges, or if she leaked the incident to the public, she would be transferred to the worst school in the district.
Welcome to American Public Schools.
Similarly, an incident occurred where one of her co-workers was assaulted by a student and had to go to the hospital because the a*****t aggravated her heart condition. She was told that if she chose to press charges, or if she leaked the incident to the public, she would be transferred to the worst school in the district.
Welcome to American Public Schools.
56points
#5
I worked at a pet store once. It was probably the worst job I had. Animals were generally well taken care of in our store but almost never touched or played with (unless the managers were gone). This pretty much makes any animal we sold pretty hostile to its new owner or unmanagable. It also sucked because when stupid kids would come in and want to hold animals, we all would groan on the inside, knowing we were probably gonna get bit. The kid was definately gonna get bitten too. Probably will also drop it in surprise and make us run around trying to catch it again. If the management had let us handle them a bit more we wouldn't have had kids freaking out over being bitten by a gerbil or a parakeet or people bringing the animal back when it wasn't instantly warm and receptive.
EDIT: I'd like to say though if you or someone you know thinking of buying/adopting a pet don't give up just because it doesn't take to you right away. They need love, support, training and time from you. Just because it isn't all loveydovey now doesn't mean it won't be if you treat it right. Just remember the places they come from, where they don't get affection very much. Its new to them.
EDIT: I'd like to say though if you or someone you know thinking of buying/adopting a pet don't give up just because it doesn't take to you right away. They need love, support, training and time from you. Just because it isn't all loveydovey now doesn't mean it won't be if you treat it right. Just remember the places they come from, where they don't get affection very much. Its new to them.
56points
#6
Worked at Chili's for about 6 months; got nothin' on them. I will tell you this: that place was squeaky clean as a m**********r at the end of every close. I worked at close to a dozen restaurants/coffee shops as a college student; nothing ever came close to their level of cleanliness. Very good quality control on the food, too. Sorry for the lame post; feel free to downvote me because I can't follow directions.
51points
It’s a pretty big dilemma about what to do if you witness something unethical happening at work. You want to do the right thing, but it’s likely that you’re also scared of the consequences of speaking up.
On the one hand, you might have signed a bunch of NDAs, don’t want to rock the boat, feel hesitant to act, or you’re also scared to lose your job, career prospects, and financial stability. On the other hand, arguably, everyone has a moral duty to lead by example and push back against shady, immoral, and toxic behavior. And if you see something that may be illegal (not just unethical), there’s even more pressure on you to report it.
#7
Used to work at an ice cream store part time.
We made our waffle cones from scratch and at regular intervals. Not just because of the demand. The strong scent could be smelled from outside the building and draw people in. Also, people were more likely to buy waffle cones or increase their serving size when we were cooking up a fresh batch.
Good business strategy. And hey, made my clothes smell nice (I had a jacket that smelled like fresh waffle cones for 3 months after I left that place)
We made our waffle cones from scratch and at regular intervals. Not just because of the demand. The strong scent could be smelled from outside the building and draw people in. Also, people were more likely to buy waffle cones or increase their serving size when we were cooking up a fresh batch.
Good business strategy. And hey, made my clothes smell nice (I had a jacket that smelled like fresh waffle cones for 3 months after I left that place)
44points
#8
I worked at a Walmart. This is the biggest secret I can share with the public:
Believe it or not, the floor associates have no control over how much of something is in stock.
Believe it or not, the floor associates have no control over how much of something is in stock.
43points
If you see something suspicious and unethical, some good rules of thumb are to:
- Document everything, in detail, so you have evidence of unethical or illegal behavior;
- Have a group of colleagues whom you can tackle the issue with together;
- Speak to your labor union rep or a lawyer before you make any sudden movements;
- Consider speaking to your manager or HR about the toxic behavior;
- Take legal action or reach out to the authorities if you see something unlawful;
- Meanwhile, think about looking for another job with a healthier workplace culture and better values.
#10
I worked at American Apparel for two years. During the time that I worked there, the company implemented a company-wide recruitment policy where any person applying for a position must be photographed (1 headshot, 1 body shot) The actual resumes were thrown in the garbage. These photos were then sent to a company email address where someone would either give a thumbs up or down to the photographs. Staff were encouraged to recruit instore and on the street and were given a $100 bonus for every person they got approved.
Before this was implemented, all existing staff were photographed (again, 1 headshot and 1 body shot) Anyone deemed to be physically unworthy was let go from the company. Of course this wasn't legal, however right before they started this process every employee had to sign a waiver form, that was pretty much a lot of legal gibberish, on the spot. I wanted to have a lawyer take a look at the form however I was told I had to sign it on the spot or I would be let go.
There was also a company intranet website which all employees where to check on a regular basis. This was Dov's main line of communication to all staff. The site would have pictures of girls from the stores where he would rip them apart for having too thin eyebrows, for having "ugly make-up" or bad tattoos and piercings. They were basically publicly shamed for not looking the way he wanted to. He would also post memos saying things like "HIRE MORE ASIANS"
Needless to say, I no longer work for the company and will never shop there again.
Before this was implemented, all existing staff were photographed (again, 1 headshot and 1 body shot) Anyone deemed to be physically unworthy was let go from the company. Of course this wasn't legal, however right before they started this process every employee had to sign a waiver form, that was pretty much a lot of legal gibberish, on the spot. I wanted to have a lawyer take a look at the form however I was told I had to sign it on the spot or I would be let go.
There was also a company intranet website which all employees where to check on a regular basis. This was Dov's main line of communication to all staff. The site would have pictures of girls from the stores where he would rip them apart for having too thin eyebrows, for having "ugly make-up" or bad tattoos and piercings. They were basically publicly shamed for not looking the way he wanted to. He would also post memos saying things like "HIRE MORE ASIANS"
Needless to say, I no longer work for the company and will never shop there again.
37points
#11
I used to work at a Disney store. If you ever hear them mention a customer as a "customer" and not a "guest" it means they are suspected of shoplifting or something else bad.
36points
#12
It's common for restaurants to fill Heinz ketchup bottles up with off-brand ketchup once the bottles are empty.
Off-brand ketchup haters, beware.
Off-brand ketchup haters, beware.
34points
What are the very worst, most unethical things that you’ve seen happen at your old workplace, dear Pandas? Did you report what you saw or were you too afraid of the potential backlash against you?
What are some major red flags that a business might be super shady? If you feel up to sharing a bit about your career, you can tell us about your experiences in the comments below.
#13
I worked at a Hilton hotel where I had to stand for 8 hours straight and was given breaks only if the front desk wasn't busy. There always had to be one person at the front desk at all times. Florida law doesn't require breaks, but most companies do. Hilton does not.
If you book a hotel room on one of those travel websites (Expedia, Travelocity, etc.) you are guaranteed to get the worst rooms available. Sure, if the hotel is completely empty, you'll get a fine room. But if the hotel is half full, you'll be getting the s****y rooms because you paid the lowest price. None of those websites can guarantee room type or accommodations and I've pissed people off MANY times because we didn't have the type of room they thought they booked.
Also shady stuff happens in hotels. Employees have "quickies" in vacant rooms, employees sleep in vacant rooms without telling housekeeping so they don't get in trouble (and it never gets cleaned).
Pro Tip: Be extra sweet and nice to the front desk people. They don't get paid enough to hear people b******g at them for other employee's mistakes. Also, it'll get you special treatment if you're having a problem.
If you book a hotel room on one of those travel websites (Expedia, Travelocity, etc.) you are guaranteed to get the worst rooms available. Sure, if the hotel is completely empty, you'll get a fine room. But if the hotel is half full, you'll be getting the s****y rooms because you paid the lowest price. None of those websites can guarantee room type or accommodations and I've pissed people off MANY times because we didn't have the type of room they thought they booked.
Also shady stuff happens in hotels. Employees have "quickies" in vacant rooms, employees sleep in vacant rooms without telling housekeeping so they don't get in trouble (and it never gets cleaned).
Pro Tip: Be extra sweet and nice to the front desk people. They don't get paid enough to hear people b******g at them for other employee's mistakes. Also, it'll get you special treatment if you're having a problem.
34points
#14
I used to work for toys"r"us and majority of the rare toys that people try to collect usually don't even hit the shelves because the workers already put them aside for themselves.
32points
#15
I used to work at Petco. They had this 'spa upgrade' added to their grooming package. (included special scented shampoo, conditioner, and teeth brushing). By corporate, each store had to sell a certain number of spa packages to meet the quota or they'd be written up.
The manager at my store added it on to every dog, even if thd customer didn't ask for it. Suddenly a dog who's haircut should cost $50 now cost $70. We had many complaints and lost a log of customers.
The manager at my store added it on to every dog, even if thd customer didn't ask for it. Suddenly a dog who's haircut should cost $50 now cost $70. We had many complaints and lost a log of customers.
32points
#16
I worked at a Lowe's home improvement for a few months after college. Everything in the seasonal department has a huge profit margin, and as soon as it's slightly out of season the price will drop and haggling becomes available. More time elapsed since next season's stuff got in = more haggling off the sticker price.
* The outdoor furniture sold during the summer is crazy overpriced. Wait until they start to roll out the fall selection. Your choices will be more limited, but my managers used to give away $200 tables for $50 or less because they just wanted the floor space back for new stuff. This is even more true for decorations, like Halloween inflatables, Christmas lights and fake trees.
* Same thing goes for the seasonal power equipment. Deals can be acquired on leftover snowblowers, depending on who you're talking to. **Also, Lowe's almost always puts power equipment on sale right when they get it, usually 15-25%. For example, snowblower sale in October.** Beware, this may not work as well on expensive, low-stock items such as a log-splitter.
**Protip:** When buying something big, like a mower or an appliance, ask the salesman if the manager can get you a better deal. When this happened to me, my manager would check the margin on that item and give them 10-15% off right on the spot. This happened almost every time someone asked.
* The outdoor furniture sold during the summer is crazy overpriced. Wait until they start to roll out the fall selection. Your choices will be more limited, but my managers used to give away $200 tables for $50 or less because they just wanted the floor space back for new stuff. This is even more true for decorations, like Halloween inflatables, Christmas lights and fake trees.
* Same thing goes for the seasonal power equipment. Deals can be acquired on leftover snowblowers, depending on who you're talking to. **Also, Lowe's almost always puts power equipment on sale right when they get it, usually 15-25%. For example, snowblower sale in October.** Beware, this may not work as well on expensive, low-stock items such as a log-splitter.
**Protip:** When buying something big, like a mower or an appliance, ask the salesman if the manager can get you a better deal. When this happened to me, my manager would check the margin on that item and give them 10-15% off right on the spot. This happened almost every time someone asked.
30points
#17
I used to work at Starbucks. We were always hypervigilant for people who ordered a Tall Mocha and continually checked their phone - Starbucks secret shoppers always order a Tall Mocha and evaluate us based on time, quality of the drink, and whether or not we were pleasant and friendly. These secret shoppers would get us employee rewards if we did a good job.
If you want a d**n stinkin' good cup of chocolate flavored coffee with hilariously over-the-top customer service, you know what to do.
EDIT: Several people have brought up that Starbucks no longer does customer snapshots and instead, they do a printed receipt survey. I worked there from 2008 - 2011 and our store implemented it fully, but granted it was a smaller store in a smaller town. So I apologize if you order a Tall Mocha and you don't get legendary friendliness and abnormally fast service, this might be only at certain locations now.
If you want a d**n stinkin' good cup of chocolate flavored coffee with hilariously over-the-top customer service, you know what to do.
EDIT: Several people have brought up that Starbucks no longer does customer snapshots and instead, they do a printed receipt survey. I worked there from 2008 - 2011 and our store implemented it fully, but granted it was a smaller store in a smaller town. So I apologize if you order a Tall Mocha and you don't get legendary friendliness and abnormally fast service, this might be only at certain locations now.
29points
#18
I used to work at the YMCA as a lifeguard, and we had a security camera at the indoor pool. Multiple coworkers were fired because they were "caught" texting on the job on that camera.
I became good friends with the boss, and he ended up telling me about how our security camera was useless because the lense was constantly fogged up so the footage showed nothing but blurry figures.
He had instead fired my coworkers based off rumors of texting or if he didn't like them.
I became good friends with the boss, and he ended up telling me about how our security camera was useless because the lense was constantly fogged up so the footage showed nothing but blurry figures.
He had instead fired my coworkers based off rumors of texting or if he didn't like them.
27points
#19
I used to work for the state I lived in. The biggest secret about working for the state is that civilization and society as we know it are a farcical construct that could be toppled with a light shove. I can't even begin to consider what kind of identity crises people at the federal level go through. I think Obama's hair went so gray so fast due to the burden of knowing that everything on the d**n world is constantly seconds away from bursting into flames.
26points
#20
Six Flags theme parks have a problem with gangs. Management knows about this and will alter certain operations to deter crime on designated "g**g days".
25points
