Corporate Blogging

The media has raised flags recently about the dangers about blogging about your work. Read this article for an example.

Obviously, this blog falls into that category. Am I worried? I don't really say anything that really could touch a corporate nerve here. I don't blog on company time or on my company computer. I don't reveal any secrets or mention anyone identifiably. I think I'm doing things pretty cleanly. Of course, the only way I'll find out is if they do. And the only way you'll find out is if I disappear.

Baal Tashchis

As a food company, millions of pounds of food never make it to shelves after leaving our plants. Most of it is donated, if it is safe for human consumption. But some comes to Headquarters for various projects. The other day, I saw three cases of a specific product sitting with the garbage as I was leaving work. The cases were still sealed, but had been slapped with big "Please throw out. Basura. Wziwekpa." stickers. Or something like that. So not wanting to waste, I hastily raided the garbage, ripping open the case, and removing three sealed boxes of product. It looked like a good one too. Not sure why it should just be thrown out. My guess is the group working on the project has seen so much of the stuff that they don't want to even look at it, much less take it home. Why they didn't search for other users in the company I'm not sure. But I'd hate to waste. Of course, there could be something wrong with the product. Haven't really tasted it yet. I'd love to get some kind of clean "bill of sale" or "bill of health."

Corporate Perks

This might just be a commentary on corporate waste, but it's a nice feeling when your boss tells you that you can use your corporate Amex card to get yourself a Kosher dinner. When the work day is late, the managers will order in food for the whole group. For me, they've at least authorized me to get my own food at their expense.

The only trick is I have to get it myself. So instead of having dinner brought to me because I am working late, I have to drive out to some restaurant inevitably down the block from my house, pick up food, and take it back to work. So I usually just end up finishing what I'm doing and going home a little earlier. The whole ordering in thing is supposed to save you from having to interrupt your work to eat. So the ordering Kosher hasn't really proven smooth yet.

Flirting with the Devil

Ah, nothing like a slow day. So many ways to kill time. But I'm not into betraying my employer. They pay me, so my time belongs to them, whether they use it or not. (It's a Biblical thing.) But that doesn't mean I can't kill time "on the job."

Talking to friends on the phone is not frowned upon by the office, but only up to a point. So spending all day on the phone with them might not be an option, but that doesn't mean I can't make new friends. One of the contacts from the vendors I work with is a 26 year old girl from Minnesota. When we talk, it can be a good half hour conversation. And we usually talk every day, if not more often. And we usually don't talk about business either. But, hey, it is a client, so this isn't "stealing" from the company. I'm just keeping our corporate relationship happy.

Unfortately, she's married, not that that tones me down. But she has mentioned that I'd like her 23 year old sister, and she has invited me up for a visit. Who knows, maybe I'll really make a new friend...

Slacker?

Lately, I've been swamped at work. And psychological this has the reverse effect of what you would have thought. Instead of dragging through long hours and busting my tail, I'm slacking. I think I'm so overwhelmed that I won't catch up, that I'm just not interested in exerting myself. So I've been a lot less intense at work lately, and trimming my hours on both ends. The only question is how long it will take for others to catch on. And how long before a fire is lit underneath me...

Shomer Negiah

One inevitablity in the business world will be that you will be in a group, introduced to some new people, and each one will stick out their hand to you in turn. And at least one of them will be a woman. In Jewish Law, physical touch between the sexes is forbidden. There are exceptions and there are loopholes, but living in a society where casual touching is the norm, and equality between the sexes the expectation, it is hard to be a religious Jew in an environment where business relationships are at stake. I will not explore the underpinnings of this Jewish Law, just it's application.

Ideally, I would avoid all physical contact. But in reality, there is often little time to make a decision between being introduced to some business woman and having her hand thrust towards you. There are a number of ways you could react in this situation. You could ignore the hand, and risk whatever reaction this might create. You could limply extend your hand to meet hers in lifeless defeat. You could stop the introductions and explain your religious restrictions and your reasons for restraining from meeting hands. Or you could run away. None of the above are that easy.

For the official record, I heard directly from HaRav Chaim Pinchas Sheinberg, Sh"lita, during a public appearance in Chicago, say that one should not shake hands, and if he can't get out of it, he should fake a sneeze into his hand, and thereby apologetically refrain from meeting her hand without having to engage in any embarassing situation. That was his Psak/Eitzah. I happen to also be of the opinion that actually explaining your concerns to the person, either at the moment or after the fact, actually generates a tremendous amount of respect in most people, and it will, in addition to creating a Kiddush Hashem, sanctification of Gd's name, relieve you from having to face the dilemma with that person in the future.

But in most cases, you don't have enough time to enter a lengthy discussion. Nor do you necessarily have the capability of gauging whether your response will be favorably received or simply scoffed at. The last factor left is simply understanding a person's feelings. If you can't explain your reason for holding back from physical contact, the person may be insulted. I wouldn't want to hurt another person's feelings. So my default position has always been if you can't completely avoid the contact situation or explain it, best to just shake hands and rely on the opinions that allow it. I don't extend my hand first, and I try and avoid shaking (say by standing opposite a table from women I may be introduced to), but when push comes to shove, I don't want to be the one doing the shoving. Just a little physical contact is more than enough.

Visting Boss

I spent Shabbos (Saturday) in my bosses neighborhood. I told him ahead of time that I'd stop by. I did. He actually has a nice house (he just moved in). He took me on a tour, and introduced me to his family. I got along well with his youngest son. I even ate cookies out of his mouth. Then my boss comes up to me at work Monday afternoon, telling me that his son has diahrea and a fever. Oops. This'll test my immune system. But this should definitely be points for me. Takes "getting to know your coworkers on a personal level" to a whole new ballgame.