This guy BUILT A BOT to do his job for him
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- Опубліковано 28 вер 2024
- Here's the original Stack Exchange post: workplace.stac...
Hacker News discussion about the post:
news.ycombinat...
This guy fully automated his job to the point where he was working 1-2 hours per week and still collecting a full time paycheck. Is this ethical?? Not knowing what to do he wrote a post on Stack Exchange that was shared on Hacker News and it sparked a huge discussion around what is the right thing to do in this scenario.
In this video we talk about one topic that emerged from that discussion: More work should mean more pay but it rarely does. So how do you get a raise when you are a salaried tech employee? How do you get rewarded for your extra efforts.
Never tell anyone you automated your job. I used to have a job where I automated the process for reporting. I went to request a higher raise and title, at the time I never told them I had automated the job but could improve the process. They told me I didn’t have enough experience and I was already getting paid enough with my title. I started looking for another job instead, when the company found out they decided to replace me. Fast forward six months later the new person they hired quit and they’re still doing everything manually there. Do you and don’t worry about what’s best for the company ever, do what’s best for you.
That call with the boss man for the 4% raise hit home, I said thank you while updating my resume and linked in and left 1 month later for a 50% raise
Yep, every year got the 3-4% meritorious, no one ever said anything negative about my work or how to improve. But several years in I have found I make like 10-15% more for working so hard?!
if I find out one of my employee is so smart that he could automate his job I would be super happy, I would promote him and make him work on automations paying much more money.
I wish every boss thought this way.
10% raise + more work vs using that free time to get another job , I think you are still missing the point
@@danew637 depends on the raise, what about bonuses linked to productivity
@@WHATYOUDONTSEE33 pointless, is always good to Keep smart people working with you, there are many other things to be done!
True. This should be the default criteria for a promotion
Bro, you are getting the work done, your employer is happy, and you get your entire life to yourself. Be happy! You are mad that you are not being drained of your time that your boss doesn’t respect. Never forget that your boss will fire you for breathing too hard. Never forget. They don’t love you
For most working people, having a job is a necessity and the paycheck is the incentive. However, beyond the paycheck, showing genuine, heartfelt appreciation for a job well done is a powerful motivator in the workplace. Showing appreciation has become a lost art for many mangers in the business world. Some reason that if you routinely commend a worker's performance then they will ask for a raise. Making an employee feel valued creates a healthy work environment where employees feel appreciated and will want to stay...even if the pay is sub par.
In my annual meeting, you as a manager need to be able to tell me what I am doing wrong or what I need to be doing in order to get the promotion/raise. If the next year comes around and I choose not to complete the list of improvements, then it is on me. But if I crushed that list and went above and beyond on other things, you bet I expect a real pay raise, not 3-4% since that barely keeps up with official inflation. Appreciation only goes so far. Find a way for the company to appreciate me or forget it.
Hey man loving the videos you're putting out. Here's a video idea; I'd honestly like to see a bit more of your personal life and how much working two remote jobs, youtube, etc, has benefited you financially. This obviously only if you're comfortable with it, I'm just curious to see. I, myself, went to college and studied finance and really into personal finance, which is really where this idea comes from lol
Hey Alex. I'm going to play around with more vlog style videos that will show more of my life. It makes it more interesting than sitting at a desk the whole time. And as far as sharing finances around two jobs and UA-cam that's not a bad idea. I'll keep that in mind. Thanks for the comment.
Great example of work smarter not harder
I'm an IT administrator and there's no concept of work being done.. I wish! There's always some process I an improve or automate, something I could be documenting, something I could be auditing or assessing from a security perspective, someone I can be helping, something to clean, etc. etc. Even if the flood of tickets was finished, which it never is.
Great video, keep it up Jake!
The side effects of hourly or salary pay. The way around it would be switching everyone to commission based pay based on either sales or work. However that begs the question mentioned, how do we measure work? I work as an analyst and it’s the same. People basically do the bare minimum +/- like 10%. There’s no incentive on producing more. The raises are based on a slew of factors that are never really clear, and multiple boxes that need to be checked before you finally get that tiny raise. I’m sure most jobs are like this unfortunately.
It's a hard problem. One time my company set up a bonus structure around conversion wins. So the team that produced the biggest boost in conversion got the biggest bonuses. It incentivized everyone to look for short term wins and it discouraged working across teams because everyone was competing with each other.
This has been my new goal ever since hearing about it. I really wish I knew how to do this
i find the hardest part is getting a data entry job that hasn't already employed automation lol. if you manage to get that far the script can be generated through the use of chat GPT and some basic scripting understanding. honestly if you can do both of those you are living the dream, making full time money while having the freedom to spend your day how you want. even if it's not like amazing pay
I recently asked my boss to subsidise my comany car space beacuse it is getting very expensive, instead of an CPI pay rise this year. My employer refused any sort of increase and told me to take the train and mentioned how much extra work I could do, while sitting on the train for 1.5hours each way every day. I resigned last week and every day so far I've had a meeting in their office about my unreasonable resignation. They just cant seem to understand that paying me for some hours then expecting a heap extra for free isn't the way things work anymore. It's like me going grocery shopping and only paying two thirds of the bill, but telling the cashier I want the rest for free, because I have paid for two thirds of it 🙄
Cool story, great production, interesting to listen to) Thanks and keep up!
I appreciate it!
honestly the best bet is to just not tell anyone. like if the works getting done i don't see the problem. ideally you would want to get to a point where you can make ends meet and save with very little money and then work a basic data entry job that you can fully automate. that way you can essentially live the rest of your days by not working and doing what you enjoy...
the problem is finding a data entry job that hasn't already implemented automation and is fully remote lmao
also have deadman switch
Just treat as a transaction and you completed the tasks. Work smarter not harder and keep quiet. Probably took a lot of brain cells to create an automated script .
The answer is simple, this is a country of greed, not innovation. This country punishes innovation. It punishes hard work. Especially if you have a faster, better way to do something. The answer? Keep your head down and DONT SAY SHIT. Take the pay, enjoy the easy job.
Dont work hard, dont work at all, the moment you feel overwhelmed just remember this, "Is the next guy going to be willing to deal with this shit." Then put yourself on a 30 min break, take plenty 10 min 'restroom' breaks, and work maybe half the day.
Thought provoking!
Equity, where all people get paid the same for different amounts of work.
How much would you charge for the program that automated the data entry work???
Most companies have only pretty standard means of rewarding good employees. They have limited raise pools and limited numbers of higher positions. So you really need good managers and a bit of luck to balance resource to try to maximize rewards for people capable of doing more.
Sadly sometimes, especially at smaller companies you can run into a brick wall, where maybe they just don't have budget for you to move into that next level.
But I think also most companies are too rigid. Like it would make a lot of sense to remove a rec, give you extra work and give you a significant pay increase to cover that work.
But people have trouble when they feel like full time means you can't really handle two full time jobs....
Can someone build me a program for my job? Lol
No seriously
whats ur job. i think i will be able to do it. how do i contact u.
@@abc-pn2eb seriously, depending on the work you can probably pay someone to figure it out for you lol
Hahaha, that 4% raise 😂😂😂
Idk why I watch this sort of content I'm a trucker.
Around 12 years ago, I worked as Linux/Unix System Administrator in a major telecommunication company in my country.
I automated 90% of my job, and while in the office, I used my free time to learn coding as a mobile software engineer. One year later, I switched job, started my software engineer career, and never looked back.
Of course, I switched my role many times over the years, but that one was a major event that improved my life exponentially.
Most jobs using computers can be automated or at least streamlined so that more work can be done in less time. I am beginning to think most companies are not interested in that and this is simply based on my own work experiences. One employee at my current job semi-automated our process. The company used it for a few months, saw that they were paying more bonuses out to people because it allowed us all to do more work faster, so they stopped using this tool. The tool is still on our work desktops-unused. They raised all the metrics and made it much harder to bonus. This person is not an IT person but I think they should go into IT some place where they will be better appreciated.
That's why I have 4 jobs and I have no ethical concerns related to it.
I'm a 10x developer (ok, maybe a 5x). So, instead of working 5x for 1 company... why not have 4-5 jobs and dedicate 1x for each? hahaha
No company will pay me a 600k+ yr salary
As a system administrator working remote, I automated a lot of routine tasks that cut back time. It frees up time to do other tasks and yes spend more time with family. I was always hesitant to let others on the team know and only really shared with one other colleague that I could trust.
I was working at a company where they had 8 full-time employees($10 an hour employees) validating the differences between two database tables(by using a GUI to compare the values between the two systems). I wrote a short script that ran a SQL query+join and printed the same information to a CSV in a few minutes. My boss chose not to use it...I left the company shortly after.
Maybe your boss don't want to use your script because they will probable need to fire some of these 8 employees. Since they will become obsolete.
@@psxbrasil Sadly no as it turns out. The owner was actively in his due diligence period for a buyout from a larger company, and he wanted to prioritize stabilizing the income sheets rather than innovate for future growth. He and his business partner walked out with nearly $50 million; and those 8 employees were looking for a new job within 12 months as the larger company had already made those innovations and wanted our company's clients.
Im glad he chose not to use it.
"Is it unethical"? Right, because companies are never unethical when it comes to dealing with their employees...
He is giving them the work they want, and potentially sooner than they want it and with fewer errors. If nothing else, he is being a better employee than they could ever ask for, and would ever deserve.
I remember when I saw the news and started creating macros for my work as an accounting forming bank reconciliations lol. It shaved an hour out of my day but I had other work to do. Nothing as drastic as this guy.
GOOD. anything that can be automated SHOULD be automated
Can you explain what you mean by macros? Is it like a template for ready-made answers that you can then just copy? I'm studying to become a teacher, and there will obviously be a lot of communication with parents, and I'm thinking of writing 20 or so template emails and then using them repeatedly with little modifications. Some people use some database app or so to store their templates, but I only now Google Sheets/Excel abd similar apps. Are there any tips you'd be willing to share?
I think you need to take a step back and think about Impact > Output
You don’t get promoted because you do good work, you get promoted because you can take on more scope.
By focusing on how you IMPACT a company, rather than your OUTPUT. You’ll start to identify ways to take on more scope and be promoted
The extra shitty thing if you are the person who goes above and beyond when you're in that corporate salaried role, if you realize after you've already taken on that orange and purple box you've shown, and you try to then scale back to the blue box because they're not willing/able to compensate for the better work, your management will often get more mad at you than they would be at the second employee only doing 75% of the blue box.
I'm so glad I work on commission these days. If I ever had to go back to a salaried role I would go on and really take stock of where that blue box is... Unless and until got to the point I *knew* I was going to get rewarded for going above and beyond.
Very true. Taking on the extra work sets a new expectation for you. I've actually considered switching to sales just because the work/reward is so much more clear. In a design role it's hard to prove that your work is what made the difference so I'm not sure how commission would work.
@@JakeFerrin yeah I work in mental health so very different world lol. But I do have a friend that does commission for graphic design. Idk how she sets her rate though.
Exactly! The problem is, in taking on that extra work, he has a created a new standard for himself that he is now expected to follow. There is NO upside to this.
My boss loves to present extra work as a great way to "get your name out there". I've been with the company for 4 years now and every position I've ever been interested in, I'm strongly discouraged that I wouldn't be happy there. Well, what's the point in me going above and beyond to "put my name out there" if I'm going to be stuck in the same job forever!!!!
I think if he is paid per hour then working less hours than you are claiming to your employer is theft.
If you are paid per project and the work is completed to the company's satisfaction then there is nothing wrong with using a script.
If I was CEO I would hire this guy to automate more stuff and then once there was nothing left to automate I would either become a reference for him to do freelance work with other companies or I would work with him to start a new branch or 2nd business and automate that as well.
Literally just quit a job where I was doing much more than anyone else but they wouldnt reward me for it, 2 weeks left on my notice, then I am free
Well let's be frank these legacy companies won't be around if they don't change to meet with the times.
If companies don't understand modern economics then they don't deserve to be around
Automating ur work is the employee version of putting more skilled individuals in salaried positions.
If the employee can put a cap on ur income but not your workload, you can remove the floor on time spent if it doesn't affect ur workload.
How is this even unethical? Education is the most powerful form of wealth, right? And most employees want the most educated employees. If this man automated the job and everything is coming out perfect, then I would leave him to do what he is doing. Jobs that heavily rely on numbers usually have problems with people producing faulty data. Go ask an accounting firm what I am talking about, so they should appreciate him. I would even give him a raise and give him more work to let his algo or while loop cranks shit out. As a matter of fact, I would pay him a couple million for the code. It would be unethical for them to take his job away or automate the operation and take people's job away. Technology is supposed to assist and not take away jobs. Anyone who says they should take his job away because of morality reason is def not a business owner and is a lazy sheep. On top of that, they don't know what opportunity cost is and that is why they are an employee. More power to him!!!!!
So... Kinda related but maybe off topic: I'm tired of doing manual content research and strategies at my full-time job but don't really want to build the automation for the company because then they'd keep the IP, so I really do the bare minimum like you mention in the vid. I've been screwed over way too many times. Maybe we can help each other out with the spare time from doing bare minimum at work? I'm working on my side hustle where I'm automating UA-cam content research lol. Would it be possible to chat with you either via email or Discord or something?
look bro just think that you're a student and those companies pay you for better understanding yr. road and achieving yr. own only own goals after all. they are persons like you.
I would probably buy him out and clear out the unnecessary position across the board
This is fascinating…
Robots are coming.
Love the 4% increase. So true.
AYO! I LOVE IT!
Great content and discussion. People always forget it's a _market_. They have self-righteous expectations which simply do not apply.
How did you get started in UX?
Absolutely. Got started in UX through startups. I worked on my own startup for a couple years then got a UX job when the startup didn't work out.
@@JakeFerrin did you have formal training? It sounds appealing.
@@redpilljesus No formal training. The experience of working on a startup helped a lot though. There is a free Google UX certification you can get online. I would probably start to gauge your interest. Good luck!
@@JakeFerrin awesome! Thank you for that helpful tip.
I would never tell anybody I'd done this. There would be no moral dilemma. The company is getting exactly what they have paid for and I can now do what i want with my free time. Can't lose for winning 😂😂😂 Can't stand people like this 😂😂😂
Love your content man, the short skits are hilarious lol
Thanks man!
This exactly what happened to me in my previous job, except I only got a 2% raise XD. When I resigned, sudddenly they can counter offer with 30% raise.
Why would peoiple do more work if the company actually refuses to pay them more to do more work? Your case of the company refusing to pay you more to add design to your workload is a perfect example. When a company treats an employee like that it is time to slack off and do the bare minimum or switch jobs.
More you work, more they want, so company makes big $ from your extra work, while you get 3k increase
Bro I'm from Utah. How can I get into Tech any tips or advice??
I've realized that my job is too complicated (lol face)
Great video by the way, keep making videos like that.
“get a second full time job"
He turned it into SOW or XaaS
Hey man! I love your channel! keep it up!
(P.S. check your business email) :)