Ethics?

[Mamamo]

Is there a place to find Graphic Ethics? I own a small company -7 people- One of our graphic artists took home our 2 external hard drives with all the client artwork- no financial info. I told him after the first day to bring them back and that they are not to leave the office. It took him 3 days to bring them back. I want to fire him but my partner does not. What do you think?

[PrintDriver]

Depends on why he brought them home.
One good reason I can think of is to get the files offsite in case of a catastrophic event at the office (fire, flood, sprinkler system, etc...)
Should have been discussed first. Or maybe it was with his direct supervisor?
Or were these not copies?

[budafist]

You need to have a sit down and establish why he took them. I know that around here, if you steal from the company, then you can get fired, but if it's not that, you need 2 verbal warnings and 1 written warning before you can be fired.

If you are unhappy still, you should make him sign an agreement that he will destroy all copies of client files that he has at home or lose his job.

I take home 1 external hard drive with all our clients files. I keep it at home as it is our only offsite backup in case there is a fire at work. I've been asked "what if I have a fire at work and at home?". My answer is if I have a fire at work and at home, client files are the least of my worries!

[Mamamo]

Files are stored at three locations. He said he took them because he does work at home. That doesn't hold up. These are files from 8 years of business. My trust level with him is at null.
Second question- We have no policy about ipods at work. I would like to buy speaker docks for the desks, institute and "no ipod/MAC connection" and then have them remove all itunes software. The computer he uses is filled with itunes and itunes software. I assume that it slows the computer down with the storage and playing. Is that correct? Or am I overreacting?

[tZ]

itunes slowing the computer down?- I wouldn't think so. Unless your running one from the stone ages,lol

[Mamamo]

glad I asked! I didn't want to over react. I am afraid that my mistrust of him is affecting the way I work with him.

[budafist]

Files are stored at three locations. He said he took them because he does work at home. That doesn't hold up. These are files from 8 years of business. My trust level with him is at null.

Make everyone at work sign an agreement not to take client files home and to destroy any client files they have at home immediately because they are company property. You can only hope for honesty after that point.

The ipod issue - I think you are overreacting. You need to treat your staff with respect and give them a little space. They are not your minions to do your bidding, they are adults helping you to run a successful business. Making the work environment as comfortable for them as possible includes allowing them to listen to music that makes them productive. We have the most horrible music here at work - how many times can a radio station play Celine Dion in 1 day?!??!!!!

[Mamamo]

lol I agree. It is funny, it always boils down to respect. I wonder if we can get that back- both ways.

[Kool]

Coming at this from another angle, what kind of employee is he? If he's really good, does kick ass work then tell him not to do it again and move on. If on the other hand he's a crappy worker then give him the boot. It's your company, you can set whatever standards and policies you want.

You could order him to delete the files from his home PC but I don't know how you would enforce it.

[morea]

good advice.

You could enforce it by having him bring his hard drive in so you can search it... and then give it back to him in three days. Turnabout is fair play, isn't it? ;)

[cornfed]

On the itunes issue...I find that if a lot of music is stored in the itunes library, then it can actually slow down a machine. We aren't allowed to have iTunes where I work. We can listen to music through ipods or cd players or whatever way we want, just not through iTunes. I have iTunes on my machine but I found out that its only cause the IT guy forgot to take it off.

[Cahenz]

...I would like to buy speaker docks for the desks, institute and "no ipod/MAC connection" and then have them remove all itunes software. The computer he uses is filled with itunes and itunes software. I assume that it slows the computer down with the storage and playing. Is that correct? Or am I overreacting?

Well, sort of on the iPod thing, but lemme address the first topic. Taking the files offsite - that's a big big f-up. That's not cool. The designer should know better. I would be very firm and let them know that's not the done thing.

Now the iPod deal...this is something we designers face at work all the time. It's the sort of micro management, annoying nit pickery that makes a job much less pleasant. The iTunes program is designed to work with the system software. I would insist that the employee bring in their own cds if they want to burn music, but you have to give artists enough room to do good work, and music is vital to that function.

[PrintDriver]

Music may be vital but the office system resources are not yours to squander. I've seen computer hard drives absolutely cranked with downloaded music. If you are having long waits on saves, you may want to consider freeing up some of that disk space. And this includes the laptops you use for doing work offsite. I don't even like it when the whole office uses streaming music websites cuz that slows down our pipeline when I gotta download some 500mb wad of files from some client's FTP site. iPods are fine. External anything is fine. Loading up your work hard drive is not.
<I work in large format. Every mb counts here ;)).

[morea]

I personally don't find music vital, and I consider myself and my work PLENTY creative. Honestly, I think that a lot of us expect to be a little spoiled in the workplace "in the name of creativity".

I've worked in a few places where not only were things like iPods and iTunes prohibited, but there wasn't even a radio in the place... and good work was still produced. Now I find that I tend to tune music out when I am working.

To each his own, and I don't have a problem with folks listening to music while they work, but I do think that it should be considered a luxury and not a right or a necessity. ;)

[Ovaltine]

Personally. I work better with music in the background. I find it drowns out some of the "need" for mindless chatter. The music I don't have to divert my attention to, but another employee trying to fill the emptiness with chit-chat is hard to ignor (and not come accross like a selfish brat). Plus my mind does tend to be following several tracks at once, if I can fill one up with music, I'm less distracted.

[PrintDriver]

That's like the people who think they should be allowed to wear earbuds in the production areas. That's against the safety rules.

[Cahenz]

Music may be vital but the office system resources are not yours to squander. I've seen computer hard drives absolutely cranked with downloaded music.

You've got a valid point there. I guess I was coming at it from an iPod and not a computer point of view. I've worked in (awful) places where the scumbag owners won't allow anything...phonecalls, ipods ANYTHING. That's unreasonable. But at the end of the day, it's their computer and not yours. If the boss says don't do something, then don't do it.

[morea]

I guess I just don't see how it can be considered unreasonable for the owners not to allow music or personal phone calls during business hours. We're there to *work*, and should still be able to do good work without music, etc. Things like music and forum access and the like are PERKS, and should be appreciated as such... not expected.

I think that a lot of designers have a pretty high sense of entitlement. If a designer can't do their job without distractions, there are plenty of others who would be willing to step in just for the chance at a steady paycheck and would not be upset over the lack of "luxuries" on the job. Trust me, I can assure you of that based on past personal experiences.

[Cahenz]

I think that a lot of designers have a pretty high sense of entitlement. If a designer can't do their job without distractions, there are plenty of others who would be willing to step in just for the chance at a steady paycheck and would not be upset over the lack of "luxuries" on the job.

Heh heh. That's not entirely untrue, but it's the same rancid nonsense I hear from most of my past employers. The thing that gets on my nerves is that I'm personally a very professional employee. I don't take phone calls unless it's absolutely necessary. I'm very mindful of what files are bogging down the machine and I do very good work.

Despite all that, I've still had to tolerate all this Big Brother tactics, micro management and insipid RULES concerning every tiny little thing. It's what prompts designers to seek a like of self employment.

I know your point is valid, and yes designers can be primadonnas. But employers want to treat what we do like it's any other desk job, and that's just not the cast. We need a bit of wiggle room for creative inspiration and recharge. When some jagoff is on our back constantly, it makes the job unbearable.

[morea]

again, you're not telling me anything that I don't already know. ;)

I've had an employer tell me that I couldn't have time off to have day surgery to remove possible cancer - they wanted me to put it off for 4 months until the end of our busy season.

This same company also had a policy that employees could not clock in more than three minutes before the start of their shift, so we would all line up at the time clock and wait... if you were at the end of the line, you invariably clocked in one to two minutes late, so you had to arrive 10-15 minutes early to wait in line. If you clocked in one minute late, it went on your record, and if it happened 3 times in a review period (6 or 12 months based on your length of service) you were given a formal reprimand and denied your raise. Cost of living increases were not given at all. That should put the lack of music in the workplace into perspective.

Trust me, you don't want to get me started... I really could go on and on! My point is simply that there are truly BAD companies to work for. If you work for one of those, you've got to find a way out. I ended up leaving that company to take a position that paid less (and I had not thought that was possible!) in order to improve my working situation, and it was worth it.

[Cahenz]

... but my point is that there are truly BAD companies to work for, if that puts the lack of music in the workplace into perspective.

Very very true. I worked for one employer that couldn't say my name without the word "Gawd dammit!" in the sentence. The place I work now has their little hiccups, but for the most part it's a very cool job. Sure I get frustrated as hell, but the simple fact is there just isn't a perfect job. The ideal of a life of art and glamour is a fantasy. The real world just won't allow it.

It's a shame that companies can't find a happier balance. Sure, it's unprofessional to have a group of arteeeests running around acting like crazy art school students (capes, trans gender makeup and all that silliness), but we do a LOT better work when we aren't "put in our place constantly".

[budafist]

It's a shame that companies can't find a happier balance. Sure, it's unprofessional to have a group of arteeeests running around acting like crazy art school students (capes, trans gender makeup and all that silliness), but we do a LOT better work when we aren't "put in our place constantly".

I actully wear what I want to work every day. I guess I am lucky I grew out of the capes and trans gener makeup phase. :D

[Cahenz]

I actully wear what I want to work every day. I guess I am lucky I grew out of the capes and trans gener makeup phase. :D

Yeah...it's stuff like that that really enhances the work environment. They require business casual here, but Fridays are casual. I don't mind that. What I REALLY hated was at this AWFUL print shop I worked at, they made us wear uniforms...company shirts for crissakes. I wanted to smash the owner's face and burn his business to cinders.

Wait...I STILL wanna do that.

[D-Frag]

I take all of my files home, of course I use my own transportation (ie: cd's, thumb drives, etc.) but since he is a designer, and im guessing he didn't sign a contract stating otherwise. He is entitled to the artwork he created for their portfolio.

As for itunes, I have winamp on my work puter, with a library of around 7,000 songs. It does slow down a computers memory.

[D-Frag]

but the simple fact is there just isn't a perfect job. The ideal of a life of art and glamour is a fantasy. The real world just won't allow it.


not necessarily true, after 8+ years in this biz ive found the perfect company. SUPER RELAXED, and I mean super relaxed. you wanna take a phone call, do it. you wanna surf the net, go for it. you want to draw, go right ahead. 15 minutes late, no worries. and hey, at the end of the day go ahead and grab a beer out of the fridge and kick back with your co-workers.

yes, yes there really is the perfect job out there for everyone, you just have to have the motivation and the experience to find it.

[CkretAjint]

D-Frag, you guys hiring?! :p

[D-Frag]

ill keep you in the loop for future hire on's :) im just hoping this company expands and becomes one of the top agencies in the country. we have big hopes and dreams.

[CkretAjint]

Whelp, I am in S FL and willing to help start an east coast chapter for you guys!!! ;)

[Cahenz]

not necessarily true, after 8+ years in this biz ive found the perfect company. SUPER RELAXED

That's great. I'm glad to hear it. It's good to know there are companies out there like that. Unfortunately (and I hope this fate doesn't befall you) many of the artists I work with used to work in similar environments, before the agency they felt wonderful and relaxed at lost an account, fired everyone and then forced them into a soul-devouring corporate cube nightmare.

But I kid. I love it here. They're monitoring my post right now so of COURSE I love my job.

[PrintDriver]

I've got a good job too. Sure the hours can be long but it's never dull. We don't seem to have the lulls you designers and regular printers have.

[Broacher]

There's money--and there's Monopoly money.

There's ethics, and there's Monopoly ethics.

A lot of businesses like to use Monopoly ethics as a shortcut to getting more non-Monopoly money.

[Drorain]

Buda the number of warnings is nice, but that doesn’t always apply…here in Massachusetts most people are hired as “employee at will,” essentially meaning a person can be fired, for non-discrimatory reasons, on whim of their manager. This is usually avoided because of the money they pay to unemployement insurance and cause not everyone is an *******, but you never know.

Now as to why he brought the HDs home, maybe he was grabbing copies of his own work for portfolio use…or was he working on something from home? How high up is he on the totem pole, are they a number 3 in the design group, or someone lower on the food-chain. Could getting rid of the employee cost you business rather than keep clients on. Find out the ‘why’ on him bring the HDs home then make your case for or against him.

Having him sign a non-compete as a condition of continued employment is illegal, any agreement such as a non-compete needs to be filled out before hire. I don’t know if the same is true of NDAs, those I think can be pressed upon someone at any point because they cover business practices and trade secrets.

Music…essential to me, but a radio with cd play will do, or a ipod speaker dock not connected to my pc…internet radio though nice, eats up bandwith.

On subject of wasting time at work…if you have a no internet/personal phone call policy…everyone should keep to that standard including the owners/managers. If your trading stocks all day while I’m doing production work/making late nights on salary…then it’s simply BS. Either way, such flagrant disreagard for the lowbies, I wouldn’t continue working in said environment anyway.

I enjoy where I work, I put my best into my work and they have made it known that I’m doing well (verbally and financial positive reinforcement), we’re laid back though, not overly so, but enough that my managers are consistently 10 min late each day.

[budafist]

Buda the number of warnings is nice, but that doesn’t always apply…here in Massachusetts most people are hired as “employee at will,” essentially meaning a person can be fired, for non-discrimatory reasons, on whim of their manager. This is usually avoided because of the money they pay to unemployement insurance and cause not everyone is an *******, but you never know.

You are right, laws are different everywhere. Our laws are maybe too kind to workers.

[JPnyc]

I saw the word "ethics" in the business issues section, and got confused..couldn't see what one could possibly have to do with the other.