I work in advertising and our floor is an "open atmosphere" that has been promoted as an environment that increases communication. However, since a recent merger that has changed the makeup of those within the office, the open environment seems to be cultivating an environment social interaction.

I am a supervisor and my seat within this environment is next to another supervisor on this floor. This supervisor has a bit of a different work ethic than I and places more emphasis on being the social butterfly of the group as opposed to a professional leader whom is respected by his coworkers for his knowledge of the business.

Often throughout the day, this coworker will spend up to 30 mins talking away on his cell phone to his friends overseas or carrying on with conversations with other coworkers. Over the past 5 months, I have complained to our management that I do not like sitting in this environment (specifically next to this social supervisor) and asked to be moved to an environment that is more like the environment I had agreed to work in prior to the merger. Recently after asking my management to discuss this issue, it was suggested that while waiting for a response, I simply check out a laptop from IT and work in a quieter area of the office. When the head of my group heard that I had done just this, I was told "that it was unacceptable and to return to my assigned seat".

This flagrant act of alternative dispute resolution lead me to contact HR. HR took the situation seriously, but stated that HR was not aware of any other complaints (despite the fact that there are a few others that have expressed a disappointment in the change of environment). Not really having an argument to dispute the fact that HR had no other complaints, I questioned the tone and the approach that management had taken up to this time, as an example that the lack of professionalism is in fact missing from our group and accepted.

To make a long story short – I am considering just resigning my position as I clearly see no future now that the merger has taken place. However, the group my group sits on 2 separate floors, the second of which I have experienced as being perfectly tolerable. I DO see a future by simply sitting on this quieter floor.

Am I really at the mercy of a terrible work environment such as this? Am I really at the mercy of management that does not wish to work with their employees and ensure that serious and (not to brag) but competent employees are happy with their work environment?

I hate to be one to "abuse" the system but are changes in environment due to a merger, grounds for a compensated resignation? By the state?

Any suggestions would be helpful. Thank you!

My 11yr old has NO work ethic. I have been trying to come up with solutions to this. Her father and I work hard for what we have (we have our own business) but she doesn’t make the connection between working hard and having rewards. Even though we have explained to her that if you don’t want to work hard, you don’t get fun things- she just doesn’t get it. I am considering implementing a new, real-life, reward/consequences system next year when she gets into middle school. What do you think?
The rewards/consequences for grades are as follows:
** Note: she is a smart kid and she ALWAYS has access to help with anything she may not understand. (there is no reason she should get a D or an F)

Any F’s or D’s – No time for playing because she has to re-do any assignments she did poorly or has to complete assignments she didn’t do, this includes re-doing tests at home and getting good grades on them. If she has good grades in all but the 1 class she got an F or D in she might have time to play after she re-does the work. If she has more than 1 F or D, don’t count on any recrational time. When the grade is brought up, she no longer has to re-do work.

Any C’s no electronics: Tv, video games, computer, phone until the grade is brought up. No exceptions until the grade goes up. If a D or F is brought up to a C, she doesn’t have to re-do any assignments but still doesn’t get electronics.

B’s- gets access to all fun things in the house including electronics when homework is done. Has a regular bed time and has to stick to it.

A’s- gets access to all fun things in the house and gets to go out and do something special on the weekends if all other grades are B’s or above.

ALL A’s: Gets special privledges which include staying up a little later, spending money, and will get 1 day off school after recieving a report card with all A’s to just have fun.

If she has all A’s and 1 C, no electronics and nothing special until the C gets up to a B. If she has all A’s/B’s and an F/D she still has to re-do work and won’t get to do anything fun until she re-does the work and her grade goes up.

The purpose of this is to show her that life sucks if you don’t put effort into it and that if you work hard and go above and beyond, you will get great rewards. Anything worth having is worth working for. If she wants to hang out with friends on the weekend and have fun, she needs to take care of her school responsabilities during the week