I've seen enough signs over the last few months, including being completely ignored by my manager, to accept that reality. So why am I still ki-ling myself for a place that's about to show me the door?
23 replies (most recent on top)
@y6 There's no management vetting process at SAP. Ask legal to explain in between settlements.
Does the company have any kind of management sanitization process?
Some managers become so obsessed with finding flaws that, when everything is working perfectly, they start looking for defects in the people doing the work. One collects negative feedback. Another collects mistakes. At some point, the team stops functioning as a team and starts resembling a museum of evidence.
It makes me wonder: is there an official process for retiring this particular source of inspiration?
@sy Very curious, do you “ACT / DO" without thinking? if yes, then it is correct to say AI will replace easily all the doers. Read your contracts folks.
@s3 Last time I saw the wall was in a photo, at what was building D. A co-worker ended up on that wall.
@st The stress & aggravation that come with working at SAP will eat away at you. Not caring is how you ensure you survive.
Management wants to do something stupid? Fine, go right ahead. My mental & physiical health is more than important than passion at SAP.
SAP doesn't pay you to be passionate. SAP doesn't pay you to think, only to do.
@rz so if you don”t care about your work, then why do you stay? To become one of those headless chickens running the company? To become a furniture to decorate the office rooms? To become the person dragging down people with drive and creativity? What a pathetic why of thinking, people like these turns spaces into grey and toxic.
@bw please tell more about that wall of deceased. How many people are on the wall? I was in palo alto building 1 recently (a ghost town) for a workshop and did not see the wall.
@nt When you learn not to care, your mental well-being at SAP will improve dramatically.
@nt Great Post. SAP could care less about you and what you contribute.
@mz but exactly passion and energy is what drives people to build products that SAP gets millions for them. When an organization stops truly caring for their people, at least to make it a win-win, they are scrutinizing its future and continuous success. So SAP is game over, and people who turns into an executing machine (without thinking as you advise), it's what creates a toxic and depressing environment where innovation is null.
@ap SAP doesn't pay you to bring passion & energy to the office. SAP doesn't pay you to think, either. Once you understand this, your life at SAP will improve.
@bk Trust you board's dental qualifications.
@OP Another sign is when your manager is "doing everything they can for you."
@e8 Except if they do that who is going to be employed and paid enough to buy their products. It seems we have breed the thickest c suite since the days of henry ford who understood surplus value comes from labour and requires the selfish altruism to pay enough people enough money that they can afford your products.
@aq White-collar jobs are disappearing and the CEO is aspiring for a future where warehouse workers to lawyers are fully replaced with zero human costs. No salaries and human costs needed. This is their tech utopia they are striving for. Meanwhile, universities are still playing catchup 4 years on.
If you are not Indian, your Job is at risk.
Indians are better employees. SAP will try to replace as many Americans and Europeans with Indians.
I also hope that SAP will hire me. Some friends already work in waldorf and make a lot of money. I am sure one of them will get me in.
@OP Your health is more important than SAP. Palo Alto has a wall of the deceased. Do not become part of that wall.
@ap Your (political) connetions inside SAP will ALWAYS win over ki-ling yourself.
Don't be shocked if you find a couple of backstabbers having influence over your management. This is the SAP way.
In the US tooth brushing is the norm and continuous. Not so sure will see any new large scale layoffs in 26..
"So why am I still ki-ling myself for a place that's about to show me the door?"
I'm gonna go with "lack of intellectual horsepower" here.
@OP The software industry is at difficult times, a lot of things are changing very fast, everyday there new AI stuff that you don't want to miss and it's becoming hard to keep up with everything especially if you have family : it's easier when you're single with less responsibilities but it is what it is and you have find a solution without complaining.
Remove the feelings from your job, it's a personal advice. Your manager is probably anxious about his position too so no one is safe and as said here it's about creating connections and preparing the next move... Maybe even out of the software industry... Start looking for a side business or investment because if AI continues at this speed the future of software is without humans so....
@aa it is not that simple, we are not machines. Some people can listen, do and check out like in old factories. Some others bring their full passion and energy to work, they do not compartmentalise. For you is easy, for many others is not. To the person being ignored by the manager, I feel you. It is a sign that definitely you are not the person he or she will save first. At SAP is not about being good, it is about knowing someone. Time to explore if you can make a move to another team, or start preparing for an exit in your own terms. Carve some time to zoom out and prepare for your next role. All the best.
Why are you ki-ling yourself? Work your 8 then go home to your family. It's that simple.