When It's Bad, Real Bad

Ever worked in a place that was bad, truly bad? A place that gives new meaning to 'vile'?

A place that sets a new world record on the Horrid Place To Work Scale, achieving the dreaded -- but impressive in its own right -- rating of 'No Self-respecting, Intelligent, Reasonably-decent Human Being Should Ever, Ever Work Here'. Yes, that high. Or that low.

A place that takes stupidity to entirely new heights. Stupidity that's incomprehensible, nearly indescribable. Where even you can't quite believe the things you see happen at work.

A place redefining 'demeaning'. Where relentless micro-management would be an improvement. Where management believes trust is demonstrated by not strip-searching employees when they leave work each day.

A job where Monday is dreaded and Tuesday is the hump day to the Hump Day.

A job where frustration builds logarithmically, is endless and unavoidable. Where it actually seems as if things are done purposefully to create frustration, especially in those trying to get things done.

A place awful in every way conceivable. Where even the air has an odor, where the water is foul.

A job creating such boredom that you actually take time to calculate how much you earn each minute, remembering to control for holidays and other days off, subtracting the cost of commuting and food. And when that gets dull -- and depressing -- you figure out how much you earn with each breath.

A place where a bad decision is hoped for, longed for, since a bad decision is better than no decision at all.

Where doing a good job is pointless and, worse, may not even be desired.

A place where long hours are required but productivity is not.

A job in which co-workers actually resent when someone tries to deliver.

Where time until retirement is known by everyone. In hours.

A job you're embarrassed to admit you have. Even to yourself.

A place where there is, indeed, no hope.

We're talking bad. Real bad.

Ever had such a job? Worked in such a place?

We sincerely hope not.

But, given the economy and the impact it's had on many organizations throughout the world, we expect that you've experienced at least some horror, even if minor, where you work. For at times, even the best places to work resemble torture chambers of the worst kind. We've seen how a combination of a poor economy, falling stock price, diminishing market share, and overly ambitious goals can form a perfect storm that creates uncertainty, indecision, even paralysis, and undermines solid organizations. We've watched from afar as companies have lost relevance and we've seen the toll this has taken on what were once vibrant, successful businesses. We've followed the plight of organizations struggling to recover lost glory as they unwittingly -- yet highly effectively -- created a culture of failure and, in the process, extinguished the enthusiasm and drive of the people who work in them.

We've seen this all too often. And we know it's avoidable. Equally important, we know it can be fixed. Companies -- like most living, breathing entities -- can regain their swagger, their mojo. They can again create positive momentum. They can turn things around. They can win. But they'll need their people to do it.

So, even if your job and workplace score high on the Horrid Place To Work Scale, there is hope. The economy is turning. We can see sunlight at the end of the long, dark economic tunnel we've been in.

Take a deep breath: There's the first scent of optimism in the air.

And for that we're grateful. And thankful.