this post was submitted on 05 Mar 2024
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68
Trying to leave a toxic workplace (lemdro.id)
submitted 9 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
29 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

TL;DR: My current workplace is super toxic (the company has been described as modern slavery) and I'm looking for advice/insights on getting out ASAP.

Background

Last September my 12-month contract came to an end without any chance of renewal. It was unfortunate but I understood the risk when I took the position. My previous roles included working as a content moderator and eventually moving my way up to being an expert in the area as well as supporting a small team. This was all through a vendor. The job was good but I needed something more stimulating and working in the content moderation field for very long is not great for your mental health.

Around the middle of last year, I got really into videography and have been trying to grow that side hustle since. It's gained some more traction this month but it's not enough to leave my 9-5 yet.

Current Job/Role

After about a month and a half of being without work, I got into my current role via a referral from an ex-coworker. The role wasn't exactly what I was looking for but I took it because I had bills that I needed to pay. I couldn't survive on just my partner's part-time pay.

I joined the team as a Senior AI Data Trainer. On paper, the work seemed similar to the work I'd done at LinkedIn. That's about where the similarities stop.

Our job is to essentially help train and correct AI models that have received negative feedback from the user. We will evaluate the conversation, critique the response (four in total) and then provide an ideal response. The work isn't very difficult, it's just mind-numbing. We also have some crazy KPIs to achieve.

Initially, management and the company seemed great. Everyone was super helpful and friendly, but after a couple of months (present-day), their true colours have started to shine through. I've been on my current project for three weeks but I'm expected to be achieving the same as someone who has been working on it for months. There is a ton of micromanagement going on.

For example, I had management complain to me today about my AHT because I had one bad day and it was higher than usual. Never mind the fact that the overall trend from the last three weeks has been trending down. When I mentioned this, the response was "Okay..." and then the subject was changed to some other "issue".

Details about the company

We use an app called Hubstaff to track our time. Normally you can see your hourly rate there but they have turned that feature off and only use it for time and activity tracking. We need to use our personal machines for work and need this installed on it. The app will periodically take screenshots of any and all screens. It will also keep track of the websites you visit.

The company is 100% remote but is registered in the US. They send us our pay twice monthly via Wise, so my "payslip" is an email from Wise saying I received a transfer. Since I'm based in Europe the pay gets converted into Euros.

I am paid $15.50 (€14.28) an hour. While management gets $100k + $20k bonus. AI Data Trainers don't have any benefits at all. Management was recently on a trip to the Dominican Republic (paid for by the company), just because they could.

Conclusion

It has been very draining working here. I'm grateful that I got a job and that I can pay for my bills but I can't be here for much longer. I've been applying for jobs on LinkedIn but haven't had any luck yet. I'd love some advice on getting out and into a new role or if anyone has had a similar experience, what did you do?

I sent an email to a recruiter that helped a friend previously so hopefully I can get something from that. I have also been messaging friends and coworkers to try to get referrals.

It’s just really draining working here. I’m super unhappy and need to get out but I haven’t heard back from any of the applications I’ve sent.

Edit: Thank you for all the comments. I have edited the post to make it clearer and easier to follow.

Edit 2: Just seen this message on Slack from management: “Let's Crush It! 🚀 Every question, task, 1:1, and workshop is a step towards our collective success. Remember, we're not just a team; we're a community pushing the boundaries of what's possible! And remember, we are so, so proud of you guys!”.

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[–] [email protected] 51 points 9 months ago (2 children)

What is a Senior AI Data Trainer, and why is a senior title being paid $15.50?

Also, fuck that job, do the bare minimum. Look for a new job. Let them fire you. Assholes get assholes.

[–] otherbarry 14 points 9 months ago

That sounds about right, the people actually dealing with training AI models don't get paid a whole lot. OP's $15.50 is actually pretty good compared to the low wage tasks people are doing on Amazon MTurk e.g https://www.sciencefocus.com/future-technology/artificial-intelligence-quietly-relies-on-workers-earning-2-per-hour

But otherwise yeah I agree, it's kind of a crap job. I don't have any good advice for OP beyond just keep looking for jobs, once they find something new dump this one for sure.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Basically the role entails helping train and correct AI models. If a user reports a response as negative we will try understand why and provide what should have been the correct response. It’s not necessarily difficult but it can be very boring and mentally draining.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Sounds like you deserve more than 15.50 friend.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 9 months ago (1 children)

We’re definitely underplayed big time. Management is getting $100k + $20k bonus.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 9 months ago

Yeah that always grinds my gears

[–] [email protected] 25 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

I would suggest you make improving your situation your top priority. Do the bare minimum for them and focus on finding something else or growing your side hustle. Your own well-being and prosperity is your priority number one, use them as long as you need to discard them as quickly as you can

[–] [email protected] 6 points 9 months ago

That’s the goal. I have no interest in staying here longer than I need.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 9 months ago (1 children)

I don't know what country you're in so I can't offer any opinions or advice on your current pay or condition, but I will say micromanagement sucks.

I'll say personally, American, I was recently job hunting in the tech field and I got a whopping 0% callback rate from online applications. I honestly don't think HR even reads them anymore. No matter how I tailored anything, no one would reply. (It's also a theory that Microsoft and Amazon are just keeping positions open so they can say "Hey look, we're still hiring" while never actually hiring anyone).

Ironically, LinkedIn was my number one way of finding a job. I filled that sucker out top and bottom, SEO'd the shit out of it. Eventually recruiters started messaging me again, and that's how I picked up my new role.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 9 months ago (1 children)

I’m based in Ireland for context.

I did a whole lot of tweaking to my LinkedIn when I was unemployed the last time. What I found was that a lot of the roles here are for much more senior positions.

I reached out directly to a recruiter today, hopefully I’ll hear back from her soon as well.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 8 months ago (1 children)

So I'm an American working for an Irish company in the IT field, and everything you're telling us is shite. The senior role at 15.50 an hour is garbage, my local grocery store pays better than that starting.

I'm not talking shit about/to you, but the job You're doing sounds like glorified data entry. I'd take stick if what real works skills you have and start looking for work...

Also, anything to stop you from running that tracker software in a virtual machine? That would allow you to work in one monitor that they can track, but also allow you to job hunt in a second monitor. Just saying, installing anything on my personal computer is a huge no from me.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

The only “issue” would be that it could show me as being inactive which would raise some flags for them. It would also affect my AHT since I’d be job hunting and not solving tasks.

I’ve been using my phone to apply and search for jobs throughout the day.

Edit: It’s 100% glorified data entry! I always find it amusing that they have this on their homepage.

“[company name] executes your vision to perfection. You give us your most complex challenges and we become your operations, automation, and AI partner to deliver faster outcomes“

They have a lot of people from poorer countries so the $15.50 is worth a lot more to them. It just feels like exploitation to me. There was a team from another project that had a bunch of people fired because they couldn’t reach the quality target as fast as they wanted during the onboarding and training phase.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

Since it sounds like you're looking to get out, could try the malicious compliance quiet quitting route.

  • You need to get that monitoring software off your personal laptop. That's for peace of mind and to speed up your ability to effectively job hunt.

  • Ask a friend if they have a real piece of shit laptop they don't use anymore to lend you, or buy the shittiest laptop you can find for under €100.

  • One day after work, completely reformat your laptop. Restore it to factory settings. Back up any files you want to keep but let anything related to work (except your activity metrics, see below) be wiped. Don't want to risk any part of that monitoring software surviving.

  • If any files critical for your work are lost, good. Let your employer learn why it is dangerous to require employees to work on personal devices.

  • The next day, reach out to your supervisor saying "My laptop died last night and now it doesn't turn on anymore. I'll need some time to get a replacement."

  • Take the excuse to have a couple days off, even if without pay, and even though you already have the piece of shit laptop to use for work instead. Use this time to aggressively job hunt.

  • When you return to work with the shitty laptop, if it is unbearably slow and kills your performance metrics, that's the idea. Use the time spent being less productive to job hunt on your now-clean main laptop.

  • If you get shit from management about being less productive, blame the performance of the laptop. If they tell you that you need a better one, remind them that they don't pay you well enough to afford one. This is all to let your employer feel the sting of not providing devices directly or a stipend to afford something specifically for work.

  • Keep a backup of your performance metrics if you can. Your employer is hopefully providing metrics and feedback to you. Let there be a noticeable dip when you "lose" your laptop so you can demonstrate that your change in performance is entirely related to the device. If your competency is challenged, you have the receipts.

  • Hopefully you are able to find a better job quickly and leave your current job on good terms. However, if they fire you because of your lower performance, that can potentially be demonstrated as an unfair dismissal in Ireland. Especially if your employer is based out of the US and takes the American mentality of firing without cause.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Is there not a website where you can view your hours worked and download payslips?
My company uses ADP.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 9 months ago (1 children)

We use hubstaff but not fully. They only use it for activity tracking and hours worked. Normally you’d be able to see the amount owed based on hours worked but they have that removed for us.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Could you create a reason for your company to give you paystubs?

Maybe you're applying for a new credit card?
Maybe applying for a personal loan?

[–] [email protected] 6 points 9 months ago (1 children)

A lot of apartment complexes will ask for paystubs to prove that you make a stable amount, but that's strictly my American experience.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 8 months ago

It's the same in Ireland. Especially if you go through a management company.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

Isn't it illegal in most industrialized countries for employers to provide pay stubs/slips?

You might want to check with your applicable laws.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 9 months ago (1 children)

I know that Irish law says I need a payslip but that’s for a company doing business here. I’m not sure how that works with fully remote jobs.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago

That's fair.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 9 months ago (1 children)

What's your question?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago

Just looking for advice from people who experienced the same and what they did to get out.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 9 months ago (1 children)

No need for micromanagement, they just need your corrected data, it all counts in Bytes, not hour.

It is toxic and a mess, jump off the boat quick.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 9 months ago

There was a review on Glassdoor, that has now been deleted, that referred to them as a “modern slave company”

[–] [email protected] 5 points 9 months ago (1 children)

I'm not sure about your country but in mine if I request documentation to prove my weekly pay then they must provide it.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 9 months ago (1 children)

It’s a little different for me at the moment since they are based in the USA and I’m not. Most of the company is based outside of the USA.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 9 months ago

Just because the company is headquartered somewhere else doesn't mean they aren't subject to Irish law for your employment.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago

thank you for putting the tldr at the top