I joined a new office since January. Work isn't very exciting but it pays alright although not great pay. However, when I used my headphones to listen to music, the boss said he doesn't like it. So, I don't listen to music at office. However, I sometimes wish if I had some music. On top of that, my office doesn't have any eating area, no kitchen, no fridge, no microwave. No talks besides ones related to work. If something was discussed before, no discussion on same thing again because boss thinks it's waste of time. I got yelled at couple of times because there were some bugs. I'm not sure if I'm over reacting or the office isn't good. We are just 3 in office including boss.
Tip of the iceberg. Leave ASAP.<p>My coworker (a salaried employee) was working on the weekend as a courtesy to my boss (small business). She saw him wearing headphones and told him to take them off immediately and that they weren't allowed.<p>He never came in on the weekend again.<p>Rules like 'no headphones' are the signal that the boss is suffering from pathological behavior. This is a very unhealthy environment for the employees. Leave immediately.
This sounds like a very bad workplace. Not just in terms of perks, but in management style. <i>Only</i> talk about work while at work? Mmmm....OK, there's always lunch time. No "discussion on same thing again because boss thinks it's waste of time"...either you're exaggerating or your boss sounds like a deluded-YOLO-Steve-Jobs-wannabe. And the ban on headphones seems like a move out of insecurity, as if your boss can't trust you to stay focused on your job unless he has the uninterrupted ability to get your attention at all times during the day.<p>And getting yelled at over some bugs? If you have a choice, move out, ASAP.
That sounds like a bad place to work. In better workplaces, and in terms of headphones policy, wearing them should be allowed, but it should be seen as a temporary do not disturb sign, and one shouldn't wear them all the time. Being in a shared office implies communication between the other people and wearing headphones all the time may interrupt with that.<p>In practice, what I've seen is that in the mornings with the stand ups and other meetings and calls with clients nobody wears headphones. Then after lunch and heads go down, the headphones go on.
>I got yelled at couple of times because there were some bugs.<p>I'm having trouble finding words strong enough to convey how absolutely unacceptable that is. I would start interviewing at other companies immediately. When asked why, cite this. If you can afford being unemployed (check unemployment eligibility), I'd walk out of the office immediately the next time your boss yells at you.<p>"Don't make mistakes" is a completely unreasonable demand. If you want fewer mistakes, implement better processes and teach people better techniques.
Your employer is paying for your labor, nothing more. If it doesn't impact safety, workplace rights or efficient collaboration, it's none of his business. He doesn't own your time, your sensory experience, or your right to happiness.<p>Make that clear and if nothing changes move on.<p>> I got yelled at couple of times because there were some bugs.<p>This is entirely the wrong way to deal with bugs. Bugs are not the product of bad programmers; bugs are symptoms of bad processes. Bugs happen. The response to them should be preventative, not punitive, i.e., how did this happen, how can we detect it in the future, is it worth not just detecting but preventing in the future, and if so, how do we do that systematically. Of course there will be bad programmers, but environments like this give them the scaffolding to improve, and if they don't there's much more basis for letting them go than just, "you made a bug."
You don't seem to be overreacting. That's a small, intense, pressure cooker type environment with a lot of control going on.<p>If it were me, I would be looking elsewhere.
Is your boss over 45? It could just be a generational thing. For context, in my younger days, I worked in offices where no one ever (literally NEVER) took a personal phone call unless it was an emergency (this is before mobile phones and texting). And it still looks strange to me when I see people working at an office with headphones. (Even though I prefer to work with music).
Okay, so no headphones. How about playing some music in the open? I've worked in small workshops were we all built a playlist and everyone put in their favorite stuff so the music would rotate. Doesn't have to blast, keep it low so it doesn't bother anyone outside your immediate area.
What if you decided to wear noise canceling headphones to keep you in the flow of work? Which I actually think listening to music does. Your boss sounds like a dick-tator or you're working in some government office in communist China. Leave now.
All the places I have worked allowed headphones. I don't think I'd work somewhere that didn't allow headphones. How do you get in the f'n zone without some awesome music?
> Are you allowed to listen to music at work (with headphones)?<p>Really up to the work place I guess. All my work place so far let me listen to music with headphones...<p>I'd start looking for another job unless you don't have any good resume experiences and having a hard time getting a position. Then you would probably want to stick it out for a year and get friendly with that 1 other worker for a reference.
How someone gets their work done shouldnt be a concern for your boss, as long as you did it yourself within the reasonable amount of time. Asking you to not listen to music, just because, sounds unfair and ill-advised.<p>Sounds like you're new to working, so dont make any opinions about work culture from this. Workplaces are much much nicer than what you're experiencing right now.
One office I worked in had a 2 kW sound system and sound proofing. Happy days !<p>Currently, the open plan office I work in makes headphones a necessity - for focussed isolation and for calls.<p>So you're lacking basic amenities, your colleagues are antisocial, blame and aggression take the place of thorough testing.<p>Sounds to me like the office isn't good.
Where I work we have music playing within the workplace through speakers, we're also free to use headphones if we wish. I don't see why you wouldn't be allowed to be honest - that seems a little unfair!
I had to invest in noise cancelling headphones solely to use at work because the office is so damn noisy and so many people lack consideration towards others.
it would sound like as if there could be office environments for you where you would feel better. are you coding? how long have you been in this (or a similar) position?<p>I would start to ask myself what I'm getting from the job (besides the money) and why I joined in the first place. maybe make a weighed pro's and con's list and see how I score.<p>does that help?
Don't walk away. Run.<p>You are at the very bottom as far as work environments go.<p><i>I got yelled at couple of times because there were some bugs</i><p>There is no point discussing further or bringing anything up to your "employer". Just leave.