to wonder why people are such jobsworths?

[Achildlessperson]

For people that don’t have a genuine stake in the game (ie partners of an LLP, business owners), why do they care SO much about things to the point it doesn’t genuinely advantage them?

Partly fuelled by another thread I’ve seen about catching out someone with a doctor’s note, I have to ask - why do you care? I understand if it puts more workload on to you, then FINE. But again, that’s a top management problem. Workers are paid in exchange for their labour. I completely get high earning jobs where you know what you’re going into before. However, sometimes I really do wonder why people go out their way to be such jobsworths when the advantage to them is 0.

For example, there’s a pub where we live that also has its own takeaway style bar - fish and chips, ice cream etc. One day DH and I bought fish and chips (£14) and then sat in the outside bit (not the height of summer and not busy) and ordered two drinks from the bar. A waitress told us we couldn’t eat THEIR OWN FOOD in their beer garden. We had already paid for our drinks so got given two plastic cups to put them in and go 1 meter away, behind the wall to eat. What was the point? Why would you care? The young girl didn’t own the pub, is paid under 21 wage.

I feel employers, the ones making the 0.1%, really take advantage of this. They’re fine breaking moral and ethical conduct rules, avoiding tax to the highest, but expecting their employees on minimum wage to go above their pay / job role. If everyone just said no, compensate me fairly for this, then the labour market may actually improve.

Everyone refers to high earning tech jobs and how they’re overpaid etc but these companies just get it right. They pay highly, improve morale, in exchange workers are happy to go above and beyond. The company improves, profits increase, efficiency and productivity improves = win win.

so, why do people care SO much? Especially as by “caring” isn’t actually always the most ethical/moral action?

Not sure what your point is.

Say someone takes on a job to do x for y pay over z hours. They don't have to do this job (x, y and/or z) because of greedy bosses. And if you are a bystander watching this jobsworth in action, you are not supposed to care?

A waitress told us we couldn’t eat THEIR OWN FOOD in their beer garden. We had already paid for our drinks so got given two plastic cups to put them in and go 1 meter away, behind the wall to eat. What was the point? Why would you care? The young girl didn’t own the pub, is paid under 21 wage.

Because it’s literally her job. If their fish and chips are takeaway only they don’t want people pushing for full service and eating on the premises. If the owner or manager comes by and multiple people are eating in the bar then the workers on shift will be the ones in trouble for it.
You just sound like a dick with your ‘omg why do you care so much??’

I feel employers, the ones making the 0.1%, really take advantage of this. They’re fine breaking moral and ethical conduct rules, avoiding tax to the highest, but expecting their employees on minimum wage to go above their pay / job role. If everyone just said no, compensate me fairly for this, then the labour market may actually improve.

What are you talking about?? This has nothing to do with labour conditions. You know the rules of the business and you chose to break them, then get shitty over a young worker just trying to do her job.
The labour market would improve if the general public had a bit more respect for those working in retail or the service industries.

Because the waitress is doing what her employer tells her to? Because she is worried that if she doesn’t try to enforce her employer’s policies she will be in trouble?
OP, if you really need to have this stuff explained to you, it’s pretty clear that you have never had to do minimum wage service industry work in which you have zero discretion, zero autonomy and you just have to do as you’re told. Or else.

I know some pubs permit fish and chips from the local takeaway but some don’t for fairly obvious reasons - I don’t see a problem with them asking you not to.

The problem is that then everyone does it, and they end up with the cleaning which costs them money and it's anti-social and deters trade if they don't manage to keep the place tidy. Plus many places will have their own bar menu...

The phrase "more than my job's worth" basically means "I will get fired if I allow you to do this".

Do you believe that any of your complaints are worth someone losing their job?

What was the point? Why would you care?

Why do you think that you are so special that the rules don't apply to you?

I used to care too when I was in my first job. It's so easy to get swept up in the 'workplace culture' and things that really don't matter seem so important at the time. Looking in from the outside it seems crazy. It's a dream for shit employers though.

Because if your employer wants things a certain way (and you aren't senior enough to influence that) then by not doing it you risk your job.

Sorry but realistically the young girl on the under 21 wage isn't going to risk getting in trouble for two randoms who want to eat their fish and chips at the table, if she's been told not to let that happen

The waitress is upholding the rules of the employer, if they didn't, they might lose their job. The employee is an extension of the employer.

I know sometimes employees overlook rules, it depends how the bosses are, ie what they are likely to get away with. And how long they've worked there etc.

Could be insurance, could be licensing rules, could be brewery policy, could be because they don't want cf arseholes in their pub making lives difficult, so they put these rules in place to flush you customers like this out, to ensure a more enjoyable customer experience for everyone.

Why do you care so much about plastic cups? It's not a new thing!

I have no qualms with service staff, they get made to do the weirdest, annoying shit at work. Like enforcing stupid rules or pushing loyalty cards noone cares about etc. It's soul destroying at times especially when they get mystery shoppers constantly.

With regards to the other thread, those jobsworths are the worst kinds of people to exist.

Some people consider it a work ethic, some are conscientious, some are scared of getting into trouble, some are right to uphold the rules because sometimes the rules make sense.

Not bringing your own food to a restaurant or food serving establishment is pretty standard and it does make sense.

sometimes I really do wonder why people go out their way to be such jobsworths when the advantage to them is 0.

Well, I guess some people aren't doing it for the advantage to them.

Yes, hence why I said I don’t see the problem with them asking OP not to eat them at their table.

This, exactly. I read the whole OP wondering if the poster actually knows what 'jobsworth' means.

You seem baffled that anyone would care about their employers' rules, OP, but seem to assume that people should and do care about what you want enough to risk upsetting their employer. By and large, they do not. It probably isn't that she cared all that much about the takeaway rule, but she cared even less about you getting to eat where you want.

I remember when I was looking at spanx in John Lewis. There was a lady right next to me, helping someone else. A packet had previously been opened and the spanx stuffed back in, it was definitely in her eyeline. I walked over and picked it up, the spanx partially fell out so I decided to touch the material to see if I thought it was thick enough. I then folded them and put them back in the box. She shouted at me not to touch the products. I started explaining but she rolled her eyes and snatched them off me.
Now I'd say she was a jobsworth.

Your waitress sounds like she was just doing her job.

If you are buying food to eat in then it may be liable for VAT. So the pub could be pulled for tax evasion in this instance.

Rules are generally there for a reason (which you might not be privacy to)- not just to make customers lives difficult. Often their are legal, logistical or h&s considerations.

As an employee I want to do my job well - that's just my personal ethic doesn't matter what that job is (I have worked in food service/retail alot) or whether I have a personal/financial stake in the business.

You sound particularly surprised that an underling who doesn't own the business would want to play by the rules.

I think the reverse is true. The less authority a person has within the company, the more likely they are to feel they have to play by the rules, as they either know or suspect that they could be criticised or even sacked for breaking them. The company owner might occasionally bend the rules, because they don't have to answer to anyone else for it.

Isn’t it because you don’t pay VAT on take away food?

Sorry, crossed with @dollymixedup

'The employee is an extension of the employer.'
That is an awful way to look at things.

I agree with you, I've never found myself able to enforce pointless rules, it makes me cringe. I worked briefly in a secondary school and was expected to tell students don't do x don't do y, I don't care! I wasn't a teacher and I didn't give a shit if students were inside at lunch or wearing the wrong shoes.

*privvy, not privacy.

Exactly Georgie8 and HMRC could come down on the business if they are caught out - they can and do use investigators to catch businesses out.

I don't think this is the best example of jobsworth OP. The poor girl was just doing her job.

Not the best example.

But the amount of bootlickers found in the UK is astonishing when it comes to employment.

I have lived in many countries, and the UK is the worst for this.

Its like employees have been beaten down into submission over many years.

They are too scared to speak up so they end up back-stabbing each other just to advance.

Meanwhile....the executive folks laugh and continue on.

It has always baffled me because it is so obvious (I sit about one level below the exec folks).