this post was submitted on 12 Aug 2025
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[โ€“] Gibsonhasafluffybutt@aussie.zone 15 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I have an interview for a role next week that's paying about 25% more than my current role and would suit me way, way better.

Cancelled all weekend plans so I can prepare.

The recruiter reached out to me oddly enough. I didn't even apply.

[โ€“] Seagoon_@aussie.zone 6 points 1 month ago

so today ended well ๐Ÿค“ neato

[โ€“] Alamutjones@aussie.zone 13 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (5 children)

The mood at work has really soured. I didnโ€™t post last night because I wanted some time to think it though and not just to scream into the universe, but I might have a problem.

New KPIs went into effect this week, and theyโ€™re a big increase - what was, before, โ€œa really solid dayโ€™s work, excellent effort, youโ€™ve done a bit better than plannedโ€ is now considered โ€œjust about barely adequate, maybeโ€. Not good, just minimally adequate.

Weโ€™ve been busting our collective ass to keep churning through work as everything changed around us. The โ€œnew benchmarksโ€ are based on productivity we were flogging ourselves for, with the understanding that we could breathe once things stopped going bananas. Weโ€™re undermanned, senior members of the team have been seconded out to back up other departments, the system we use is old and breaking regularlyโ€ฆ

Nope. Now the โ€œbusting your assโ€ productivity is a permanent requirement. Everyone hates it.

Me personally, I type with one hand. My right hand wonโ€™t do much of anything, so itโ€™s all with my left. I canโ€™t realistically get much faster at processing than I amโ€ฆand the new benchmarks are set so high Iโ€™m only just scraping past them. If I have a day with particularly complex work, or any technical issues at all, I wonโ€™t make it.

I like my job. Iโ€™d quite like to be competent at my job, and Iโ€™d like to feel there was a realistic way for me to improve at my job.

At the moment, it doesnโ€™t feel that way. My absolute best is now barely good enough, and I canโ€™t see a way for me to get any better than bare minimum (and permanently worrying about being pulled up for low productivity) while still โ€œonly really being able to process work with one handโ€.

[โ€“] Thornburywitch@aussie.zone 9 points 1 month ago (1 children)

My problem with KPIs is that it's so damn easy for a bean counter at HO to just routinely adjust them upwards even though they are unfamiliar with the conditions at the grass roots. It also appears in a lot of 'how to run a company' books that the staff are supposed to always be yearning to 'improve' their stats by continually getting more done with less. This is completely unrealistic imo. American hustle culture being imposed from the top down in the name of efficiency, but really to make the HO bean counter look good in comparison.

spoilerAs a person with a disability, who is essential if the org is going to meet it's diversity and inclusion obligations, then I think you may be able to negotiate a more realistic KPI. Be warned though that this is a very risky move if you want promotions.

Also, having senior staff members seconded elsewhere is a major red flag for 'sub-par' KPI assessments. And something of a get out of jail free card too if played correctly.

[โ€“] Alamutjones@aussie.zone 7 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I need to verbalise it, because it IS a problemโ€ฆand realistically, Iโ€™m probably very well placed to mention the concerns of the whole team, given that โ€œfinding the KPIs unrealisticโ€ would be down to an identifiable medical issue in my case and they supposedly canโ€™t penalise me for that.

But lordy me, I hate to play the โ€œplease hold me to different standards than my colleagues, I canโ€™t do it!โ€ card. I was really, really proud of not being judged by different standards until now. I was genuinely proud and happy to know that I was โ€œgood enoughโ€ and deserved to be there off my own effort.

And now I have to swallow that.

[โ€“] Thornburywitch@aussie.zone 6 points 1 month ago

Play the senior staff seconded elsewhere card as hard as you can.

[โ€“] Seagoon_@aussie.zone 8 points 1 month ago (1 children)
[โ€“] zero_gravitas@aussie.zone 5 points 1 month ago

And get together a meeting of your colleagues to discuss it, or at least establish lines of communication among yourselves in some way

[โ€“] tombruzzo@aussie.zone 8 points 1 month ago (1 children)

That's the problem with KPIs, people look at your output then just think you can do 10% more next year.

I hope things work out, either everyone just collectively agreeing the KPIs were 'stretch goals' all along, or you find somewhere else more chill to work.

[โ€“] Alamutjones@aussie.zone 5 points 1 month ago

I wish it was only 10%. Itโ€™s likeโ€ฆ30

[โ€“] SaneMartigan@aussie.zone 7 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Given you've got CP, if they try to come at you for KPIs you can probably hit them with some disability protection stuff.

[โ€“] Alamutjones@aussie.zone 11 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Iโ€™m probably very well placed to mention the concerns of the whole team, given that โ€œfinding the KPIs unrealisticโ€ would be down to an identifiable medical issue in my case and they supposedly canโ€™t penalise me for that.

But lordy me, I hate to play the โ€œplease hold me to different standards than my colleagues, I canโ€™t do it!โ€ card. I was really, really proud of not being judged by different standards until now. I was genuinely proud and happy to know that I was โ€œgood enoughโ€ and deserved to be there off my own effort.

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[โ€“] Force_majeure123@aussie.zone 6 points 1 month ago (1 children)

It sucks to hear that you're feeling under so much pressure. If these KPIs are unrealistic though, it would make sense that the team across the board struggle. If that's the case, what are management going to do? Fire everyone? or rethink their KPIs. I know what I'd choose. The KPIs don't mean much if no one is meeting them

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[โ€“] Gibsonhasafluffybutt@aussie.zone 13 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Been in bed all day with my recovery friend.

Feeling better. Must have been one of those days I didn't get enough sleep fragments.

[โ€“] Seagoon_@aussie.zone 5 points 1 month ago

aw, feel better soon

[โ€“] Bottom_racer@aussie.zone 11 points 1 month ago

To the tradie next door taking a circular saw vertically to a brick wall right now..

You might want to use some eye protection.

Just a suggestion.

[โ€“] RustyRaven@aussie.zone 11 points 1 month ago (4 children)

I've finished the cross stich I've been working on.

After taking the photo I realised I'd missed a few stitches, but I've fixed that now. Miss Meow approves (assuming trying to walk and roll on top of it is approval). Now I just need to figure out what to do with it.

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[โ€“] Seagoon_@aussie.zone 9 points 1 month ago (2 children)

beach pic

the biggest bluest jellyfish I' ve ever seen

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[โ€“] tone212_@aussie.zone 8 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

The new smoking while walking on the street is vaping while walking. Just as disgusting and vape clouds linger for longer, so you're more likely to breathe in the second hand smoke. I made disgusted sounds and quickly walked past.

[โ€“] Pilk@aussie.zone 6 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I much prefer walking through a cloud of Grape Ice over tobacco stank. ๐Ÿคข

[โ€“] Force_majeure123@aussie.zone 5 points 1 month ago (2 children)

If someone is walking in front of me vaping I follow more closely behind ๐Ÿฝ

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[โ€“] melbaboutown@aussie.zone 7 points 1 month ago (3 children)

Melbcat asked for the door to open and sheโ€™s staring out the screen door at the birds ๐Ÿ‘€

[โ€“] Seagoon_@aussie.zone 6 points 1 month ago (1 children)

this is wonderful ๐Ÿ˜ป

[โ€“] melbaboutown@aussie.zone 8 points 1 month ago (1 children)

She was monkeytailing my cup and put her tail in the coffeeโ€ฆ โ˜•๏ธ

[โ€“] Seagoon_@aussie.zone 5 points 1 month ago

nom nom ...lol

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[โ€“] melbaboutown@aussie.zone 7 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Ughhh. Iโ€™m so tired and depressed itโ€™s hard to do anything.

I wish I had energy to do things like drawing exercises. Maybe if I did them with music or a movie in the background but I am really struggling for motivation.

[โ€“] Seagoon_@aussie.zone 6 points 1 month ago

music is a must ๐Ÿ˜Š

choose something melodic and calming

do your art at the same time everyday

[โ€“] CEOofmyhouse56@aussie.zone 7 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (2 children)

I've had so many hats on this week. The fun party animal, the loving wife and the attentive mother who follows her sick only child back into her bedroom with a can of Glen 20 demanding she does not emerge back out here without a good reason. I even delivered a plate of food to her like a prison warden.

Atleast tomorrow will be a nice day.

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[โ€“] tone212_@aussie.zone 7 points 1 month ago

Just finished up a 7am client call (involved someone in the US so it had to be an early one) which I was a little anxious about. Also too early for my brain to be fully operational but I think it went well.

[โ€“] LowExperience2368@aussie.zone 6 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

Forgot ADHD meds at home today. Sleep was yucky, hair is yucky, skin is yucky, mind is yucky. But I am here til 6 today. I shall survive. Somehow my resting heart rate stays around 100 even when I wake up and haven't taken the meds yet.

I'm excited to complain to the psychiatrist next week.

[โ€“] Electronic_Owl@aussie.zone 8 points 1 month ago (1 children)

After this happened to me a couple of times I bought a key ring/chain pill container from the chemist. I put one each of the various meds I'm on in it, attached to my house keys, so I've always got a backup on me if I forget to take one or need a dex top up.

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[โ€“] Pilk@aussie.zone 6 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Well, I came across a dead bird of prey in the city (looks like an owl?). Likely a natural death I suppose, but a bit surprised Agriculture Victoria didn't seem to want to at least check it out. Wrong suburb to be concerned? Hopefully a fox comes along and cleans it up.

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[โ€“] imoldgreeeg@aussie.zone 6 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Any advice on finding a good panel beater? There's heaps around but how do I tell dodgy bros from legit good quality peeps?

I just had a super frustrating run in with a concrete planter at the local shops (weird height, stupid pointy corner, completely in my blind spot, I stuffed the angle and dented the back door) ๐Ÿ˜ญ

[โ€“] Eagle@aussie.zone 5 points 1 month ago
[โ€“] SaneMartigan@aussie.zone 5 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)
[โ€“] imoldgreeeg@aussie.zone 6 points 1 month ago (1 children)
[โ€“] SaneMartigan@aussie.zone 5 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Good luck, I know a guy in Springvale.

[โ€“] imoldgreeeg@aussie.zone 5 points 1 month ago

Thanks anyway

[โ€“] Gibsonhasafluffybutt@aussie.zone 6 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (2 children)

I'm so flat today. Barely staying alert for work.

This weekend is yet another experiment adjusting the pill so I can get some sleep.

If this doesn't work I honestly don't know what else to do.

Edit: took day off.

[โ€“] Seagoon_@aussie.zone 5 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

I had a trick to help babies and little children sleep.

I would lay down with them , or hold in my arms, and mimic sleep breathing rhythms, it's natural for humans to copy breathing rates, and pretty soon the kids were asleep. Often I was too as when we do something our brain acts as if it's real.

So maybe actively do sleep breathing, maybe do it for Fluffybutt. ( this is not the same as meditation )

also hugs

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[โ€“] TheWitchofThornbury@aussie.zone 6 points 1 month ago (3 children)

Tis a chilly morning kids. Wrap up warrrrm.

[โ€“] bacon@aussie.zone 4 points 1 month ago

๐Ÿ”ฅ๐Ÿ”ฅ๐Ÿ”ฅ๐Ÿ”ฅ๐Ÿ”ฅ๐Ÿ”ฅ๐Ÿ”ฅ๐Ÿ”ฅ๐Ÿ”ฅ

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[โ€“] tombruzzo@aussie.zone 5 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I put my water bottle down at work and now I can't find it. I'd like to think someone came across it and moved it somewhere, I don't think I've misplaced it myself.

It's a work one, so no big deal, but now I need to find another water vessel for my desk.

[โ€“] SaneMartigan@aussie.zone 5 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

Are there more work water bottles being given away? I use old glass spirits bottles now after losing a few fancy water bottles. I've gotten the odd look chugging from a captain morgan bottle on the tram.

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[โ€“] tombruzzo@aussie.zone 5 points 1 month ago (5 children)

The Dillinger Escape Plan are playing tonight and tomorrow. I'm hoping to get out and watch them tonight. To me they're one of the best and most influential bands in the past couple of years. Such a distinctive style and nothing comes close to them, even now

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[โ€“] Duenan@aussie.zone 5 points 1 month ago

Toe just above the joint. Donโ€™t know if it was from yesterday or today.

Ate a snack which was more filling than I thought.

I hope it doesnโ€™t ruin my plans for dinner.

[โ€“] Taleya@aussie.zone 5 points 1 month ago

Stripping the walls of the basement brewery and oh lord i am a fan of coveralls. Big fan. Less of a fan of standing in my shorts on back step in winter while bundling contaminated clothing for washing, but still. Coveralls. Yes.

[โ€“] bacon@aussie.zone 4 points 1 month ago (6 children)

Beep Beep ๐Ÿšš
๐Ÿ๐ŸŽ๐Ÿ๐ŸŠ๐Ÿ‹๐Ÿˆ๐Ÿซ๐Ÿ“๐Ÿ‡๐Ÿ‰๐ŸŒ๐Ÿ’๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿฅญ๐Ÿ๐Ÿฅฅ๐Ÿฅฆ๐Ÿฅ‘๐Ÿซ›๐Ÿ†๐Ÿ…๐Ÿฅ๐Ÿฅฌ๐Ÿฅ’๐ŸŒฝ๐Ÿฅ•๐Ÿฅ๐Ÿ ๐Ÿซš๐Ÿฅ”๐Ÿง…๐Ÿฅฏ๐Ÿž๐Ÿฅ–๐Ÿฅจ๐Ÿง€๐Ÿง‡๐Ÿฅž๐Ÿงˆ๐Ÿณ๐Ÿฅš๐Ÿฅ“๐Ÿฅฉ๐Ÿ—๐Ÿ–๐Ÿซ“๐Ÿ•๐ŸŸ๐Ÿ”๐ŸŒญ๐Ÿฅ™๐Ÿง†๐ŸŒฎ๐ŸŒฏ๐Ÿฅ—๐Ÿฒ๐Ÿœ๐Ÿ๐Ÿฅ˜๐Ÿ›๐Ÿฃ๐Ÿฑ๐ŸฅŸ๐Ÿฆช๐Ÿฅ๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿš๐Ÿ™๐Ÿ ๐Ÿค๐Ÿชผ๐Ÿฆ€๐Ÿ™ ๐Ÿ—๐Ÿฅฎ๐Ÿข๐Ÿก๐Ÿง๐Ÿฐ๐Ÿง๐Ÿฅง๐Ÿฆ๐Ÿจ๐ŸŽ‚๐Ÿฎ๐Ÿญ๐Ÿฌ๐Ÿซ๐Ÿฅœ๐ŸŒฐ๐Ÿช๐Ÿฟ๐Ÿฏ๐Ÿฅ›โ˜•๏ธ๐Ÿต๐Ÿบ๐Ÿถ๐Ÿฅค๐Ÿง‹๐Ÿงƒ๐Ÿฅ‚๐Ÿท๐Ÿฅƒ๐Ÿธ๐Ÿน๐Ÿง‰๐Ÿ”‹

[โ€“] Gibsonhasafluffybutt@aussie.zone 6 points 1 month ago (4 children)

Something that warps me to Friday 4pm?

[โ€“] Eagle@aussie.zone 5 points 1 month ago

I'd settle for 3.30pm.

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