We already knew about EA management and was likely the first game dev/publisher to be sued for employee abuse and of course easily lost but got away as is typical with a "settlement". So for breaking the law,EA got away settling for LESS than they owed and nobody gets fined on top of that nor does any management lose their jobs. In other words give a portion of the money we owe and everyone is happy,carry on but talk to their lawyers to make sure they are not caught next time.
The sad reality is that much of what the employee is talking about is common place in ALL businesses,there really is ZERO law protecting employees unless you have 100% cold hard facts documented on paper or via mails.There are many ways an employer can get rid of an employee and they will do it if you do not act like a slave and in essence we really are slaves in our workplace because our rights are VERY few if any. I do not think it would be a secret knowing all developers are pushing their product out way before it is ready and that employees are given incentives or pushed into long over time hours.
However i look at a word like incentive,what exactly does that tell me?You are hoping the workers hands move faster,his brain thinks faster?Are you expecting them to put in added hours on their own time,are you expecting hem to work long hours when barely awake and not thinking straight?I see the same ideas in sports,incentives for so many homeruns or incentives for so many innings pitched etc etc,do they actually think the players are not trying?I feel |MOST employees have pride ,an ego and want to prove their work is the best.Yes there are some real lazy employees everywhere but you'll never change them.
OK!!! So is there harassment happening at EA? A company of 8500 people? I'm sure it does. It's an inevitability. However, who are you to say that management aren't fired due to harassment? You know, literally, nothing. It's not like the company issues a press release every time that someone is released due to harassment.
There are, actually, laws protecting employees from harassment. However, I don't know why you'd think that it would be unexpected that you would need some sort of supporting documentation? Otherwise, someone who is let go from a company could, what? Turn around and make accusations while exiting the company? So let this be a lesson to people. If you are being harassed, make sure that you document the behavior, for one, also make sure that you inform the person that the behavior is unwanted and ask them to stop. That is your obligation as an employee. Trust me, HR wants to help the employee, for the sake of the company, but help them help you! Like really! I can't walk into Wal-Mart and talk about how the TV I bought there is broken, without producing the TV and receipt. There needs to be some sort of paper trail, otherwise it's all just your word against theirs.
You last point is exactly what I feel about this person's review. Their pride was wounded so they went off on this diatribe that's entirely unsupported by any real evidence.
Oh!! As far as incentives for performance, I do agree to a point. Effectively it promotes performance that makes sacrifices elsewhere. So you give incentives for home runs, then strike outs go up and batting average goes down. You give incentives for working extra hours, you get someone who is burnt out and works longer at a lower level of performance. You get diminishing returns.
Sounds like every normal tech company I've worked at.
Sounds like most normal jobs to me.
sounds better than some "normal" jobs to me - paying for lunch! 30 maybe 40 minutes unpaid is more the norm. And they at least tried a development programme.
So .... former Bioware employee who stuck it out for 5 years reveals excellent working conditions ... yep that sounds better.
Sounds like every normal tech company I've worked at.
Sounds like most normal jobs to me.
sounds better than some "normal" jobs to me - paying for lunch! 30 maybe 40 minutes unpaid is more the norm. And they at least tried a development programme.
So .... former Bioware employee who stuck it out for 5 years reveals excellent working conditions ... yep that sounds better.
That's also another good point, they have a "development" program. They didn't just try to fire people but train them in what the company wants.
My company actually does this (sort of) in that if a person isn't performing his/her duties it's caught in a weekly 1:1 and they set goals and help the employee to better himself/herself, meet the goals set for the quarter/year.
And in the end, when all is said and one, a company hires a person to do things their way. If one doesn't like it then they are free to leave and find a company that allows them to have more input.
Again, maybe Bioware really is a horrible company to work at but some of the things this person claims to be issues aren't issues.
Like Skyrim? Need more content? Try my Skyrim mod "Godfred's Tomb."
And that is how you build a good game- treat your employees like slaves and you will build a product like the pyramids..fucking kings and queens
Based on what? Again, take a look at the metrics of employee satisfaction. The actually provide a distribution of reviews based on stars and there are more 4 and 5 star reviews than 1, 2, and 3, star combined. Also, there are merely a handful of 1 star reviews.
However, you are making a valid demonstration of entitlement. There is an interesting cultural anomaly in North America that is mostly absent from other cultures. Place an American in China or Japan and see how long they last with their entitlement. What's funnier is that we label things like sternly reminding a worker to PLEASE get back to work and stop texting/surfing/socializing/undesirable behavior and then Managers as slavery. Honestly, get educated. Same goes for the whole "OCD Movement" as I call it. Someone does something routinely one way and they're OCD. Like I happen to religiously eat my Twix bars by biting them off in equal 1/5 increments, breaking off the caramel with my molar, eating that, then eating the cookie half after that. I'm sooooo OCD. Come on! You've all heard it. Imagine that! Someone over-exaggerating these days.
You did read the rest of the former employee reviews at Glass Door, right? Out of EIGHTY SEVEN reviews, 82% would recommend BioWare to a friend for employment and 96% of the reviewers approve of the CEO. This sounds like one guy with sour grapes rather than an ongoing persistent issue.
NO place for anyone who might actually disagree with that!
I am sure he did read the other reviews, just conveniently forgot to bring that up as it doesnt fit the EA / Bioware hate narrative.
I work in healthcare as a Registered Nurse, been doing it for over 15 years. Frequently have worked 60 ( or more ) hour weeks, short handed with an asshole manager / supervisor as icing on the cake. Oh and I didnt ( and still do not ) get my 30 minute lunch paid for. This is nothing new and is not just at companies like EA. Its a job and you are not a special snowflake. Either do the work to the companies satisfaction or you get the boot. EA doesnt have a patent on this idea....
You did read the rest of the former employee reviews at Glass Door, right? Out of EIGHTY SEVEN reviews, 82% would recommend BioWare to a friend for employment and 96% of the reviewers approve of the CEO. This sounds like one guy with sour grapes rather than an ongoing persistent issue.
NO place for anyone who might actually disagree with that!
I am sure he did read the other reviews, just conveniently forgot to bring that up as it doesnt fit the EA / Bioware hate narrative.
I work in healthcare as a Registered Nurse, been doing it for over 15 years. Frequently have worked 60 ( or more ) hour weeks, short handed with an asshole manager / supervisor as icing on the cake. Oh and I didnt ( and still do not ) get my 30 minute lunch paid for. This is nothing new and is not just at companies like EA. Its a job and you are not a special snowflake. Either do the work to the companies satisfaction or you get the boot. EA doesnt have a patent on this idea....
Oh the humanity!!!!!! Totally agree, I actually worked standard 60-hour work weeks when I worked for an eCommerce SaaS in a previous life. I couldn't do it now, but it's definitely something for the youngsters. The brightest wicks burn quick, right?
You did read the rest of the former employee reviews at Glass Door, right? Out of EIGHTY SEVEN reviews, 82% would recommend BioWare to a friend for employment and 96% of the reviewers approve of the CEO. This sounds like one guy with sour grapes rather than an ongoing persistent issue.
NO place for anyone who might actually disagree with that!
I am sure he did read the other reviews, just conveniently forgot to bring that up as it doesnt fit the EA / Bioware hate narrative.
I work in healthcare as a Registered Nurse, been doing it for over 15 years. Frequently have worked 60 ( or more ) hour weeks, short handed with an asshole manager / supervisor as icing on the cake. Oh and I didnt ( and still do not ) get my 30 minute lunch paid for. This is nothing new and is not just at companies like EA. Its a job and you are not a special snowflake. Either do the work to the companies satisfaction or you get the boot. EA doesnt have a patent on this idea....
Oh the humanity!!!!!! Totally agree, I actually worked standard 60-hour work weeks when I worked for an eCommerce SaaS in a previous life. I couldn't do it now, but it's definitely something for the youngsters. The brightest wicks burn quick, right?
My record is a 36 hour day. Had to get a job out the door in time.
None of this sounds unusual to me who in 37 plus years of salary working at jobs both in and out of Tech have experienced: 1) mandatory 50 hour work weeks 2) worked for 3 months from 5 am to 11pm 3) supported weekend implementations at all hours with 20 hour Fridays not being uncommon. 4) voluntarily worked 60 to 70 hours a week once I got into senior mgmt 5) for all of that being told I "met" expectations
Guess the people who gave up sleeping received the "exceeds"
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
You did read the rest of the former employee reviews at Glass Door, right? Out of EIGHTY SEVEN reviews, 82% would recommend BioWare to a friend for employment and 96% of the reviewers approve of the CEO. This sounds like one guy with sour grapes rather than an ongoing persistent issue.
NO place for anyone who might actually disagree with that!
I am sure he did read the other reviews, just conveniently forgot to bring that up as it doesnt fit the EA / Bioware hate narrative.
I work in healthcare as a Registered Nurse, been doing it for over 15 years. Frequently have worked 60 ( or more ) hour weeks, short handed with an asshole manager / supervisor as icing on the cake. Oh and I didnt ( and still do not ) get my 30 minute lunch paid for. This is nothing new and is not just at companies like EA. Its a job and you are not a special snowflake. Either do the work to the companies satisfaction or you get the boot. EA doesnt have a patent on this idea....
Oh the humanity!!!!!! Totally agree, I actually worked standard 60-hour work weeks when I worked for an eCommerce SaaS in a previous life. I couldn't do it now, but it's definitely something for the youngsters. The brightest wicks burn quick, right?
My record is a 36 hour day. Had to get a job out the door in time.
Not literally a 36-hour day, though, right? lol
Is this topic getting real all of a sudden? Heeeeyyyy, look at all these old people telling the younger-folk how they busted their ass and not one time did they mention that they were being abused by their company. Huh! Interesting! Seems like the pups can't handle it, lol.
This is the sad truth for the working conditions of most big Publishers / Developers. A lot of news stories have been going around about EA for a long long time with this type of thing going on (like the letter from the wife of a game developer news story). In general they take massive advantage of salaried workers, and contract workers, and push them to the limits to try to produce games faster and faster, at the same quality, which isn't ever what they should be doing. I wish the industry would change for the people having to work in these conditions.
You did read the rest of the former employee reviews at Glass Door, right? Out of EIGHTY SEVEN reviews, 82% would recommend BioWare to a friend for employment and 96% of the reviewers approve of the CEO. This sounds like one guy with sour grapes rather than an ongoing persistent issue.
NO place for anyone who might actually disagree with that!
I am sure he did read the other reviews, just conveniently forgot to bring that up as it doesnt fit the EA / Bioware hate narrative.
I work in healthcare as a Registered Nurse, been doing it for over 15 years. Frequently have worked 60 ( or more ) hour weeks, short handed with an asshole manager / supervisor as icing on the cake. Oh and I didnt ( and still do not ) get my 30 minute lunch paid for. This is nothing new and is not just at companies like EA. Its a job and you are not a special snowflake. Either do the work to the companies satisfaction or you get the boot. EA doesnt have a patent on this idea....
Oh the humanity!!!!!! Totally agree, I actually worked standard 60-hour work weeks when I worked for an eCommerce SaaS in a previous life. I couldn't do it now, but it's definitely something for the youngsters. The brightest wicks burn quick, right?
My record is a 36 hour day. Had to get a job out the door in time.
Not literally a 36-hour day, though, right? lol
Is this topic getting real all of a sudden? Heeeeyyyy, look at all these old people telling the younger-folk how they busted their ass and not one time did they mention that they were being abused by their company. Huh! Interesting! Seems like the pups can't handle it, lol.
My brother in law works for the oil industry in Alberta. You should hear him talk about his hours I know a few in the movie business who work crazy hours as well.
The compensation is worth it to them though. If it wasn't, they wouldn't be doing it.
Too many young people these days want to start at the top. I was taught that's not how things work at a very young age
poking around (as little as i actually can) i get the feeling that this is a situation of "some from pile A and some from pile B"
The employee I'm do sure have some valid claims, especially with the rep that BW used to have. Going in and expecting that, being faced with a much harsher reality will set some people off. We also have a time with many senior leads reaching an age where living and dying for the company no longer feels like it is worth it. They are replaced with new people who lack the experience to manage the position... So they turn and burn.
Then you have the usual shit show of office politics.
But to be fair I'm fairly certain that there is a solid kernel of truth to the story, seeing as it is more a BW coming down to the level of mortals, than the level of mortals being pitched in to the depth of hell.
30 mins too eat is pretty standrd in any company tough. i wana see more reports because you never know if this is just an angry employee or a valid opinion
Yea, I guess we've to look at the global picture rather than at just one former employee's review.
On Glassdoor they report that 81% of the employees recommend this work place and 97% approve of CEO.
Is this topic getting real all of a sudden? Heeeeyyyy, look at all these old people telling the younger-folk how they busted their ass and not one time did they mention that they were being abused by their company. Huh! Interesting! Seems like the pups can't handle it, lol.
My brother in law works for the oil industry in Alberta. You should hear him talk about his hours I know a few in the movie business who work crazy hours as well.
The compensation is worth it to them though. If it wasn't, they wouldn't be doing it.
Too many young people these days want to start at the top. I was taught that's not how things work at a very young age
Yup!!! I work in a tech-rich area too, where we have top-tier talent, universities, incubators, etc., etc. Honestly, I die a little inside every time I interview a new crop of interns. On a positive note, the differentiation is like night and day. I need probably 5 minutes and I can tell whether your parents sold you on the idea that you can be "anything you want in life!" or if you were taught about harsh realities of working for what you want.
An unsigned article citing an anonymous source. I'm not saying that the stuff described is entirely fictional or hyperbole but i always take such anonymous "sources" with a big grain of salt.
Comments
OK!!! So is there harassment happening at EA? A company of 8500 people? I'm sure it does. It's an inevitability. However, who are you to say that management aren't fired due to harassment? You know, literally, nothing. It's not like the company issues a press release every time that someone is released due to harassment.
There are, actually, laws protecting employees from harassment. However, I don't know why you'd think that it would be unexpected that you would need some sort of supporting documentation? Otherwise, someone who is let go from a company could, what? Turn around and make accusations while exiting the company? So let this be a lesson to people. If you are being harassed, make sure that you document the behavior, for one, also make sure that you inform the person that the behavior is unwanted and ask them to stop. That is your obligation as an employee. Trust me, HR wants to help the employee, for the sake of the company, but help them help you! Like really! I can't walk into Wal-Mart and talk about how the TV I bought there is broken, without producing the TV and receipt. There needs to be some sort of paper trail, otherwise it's all just your word against theirs.
You last point is exactly what I feel about this person's review. Their pride was wounded so they went off on this diatribe that's entirely unsupported by any real evidence.
Oh!! As far as incentives for performance, I do agree to a point. Effectively it promotes performance that makes sacrifices elsewhere. So you give incentives for home runs, then strike outs go up and batting average goes down. You give incentives for working extra hours, you get someone who is burnt out and works longer at a lower level of performance. You get diminishing returns.
Crazkanuk
----------------
Azarelos - 90 Hunter - Emerald
Durnzig - 90 Paladin - Emerald
Demonicron - 90 Death Knight - Emerald Dream - US
Tankinpain - 90 Monk - Azjol-Nerub - US
Brindell - 90 Warrior - Emerald Dream - US
----------------
So .... former Bioware employee who stuck it out for 5 years reveals excellent working conditions ... yep that sounds better.
"Be water my friend" - Bruce Lee
MAGA
My company actually does this (sort of) in that if a person isn't performing his/her duties it's caught in a weekly 1:1 and they set goals and help the employee to better himself/herself, meet the goals set for the quarter/year.
And in the end, when all is said and one, a company hires a person to do things their way. If one doesn't like it then they are free to leave and find a company that allows them to have more input.
Again, maybe Bioware really is a horrible company to work at but some of the things this person claims to be issues aren't issues.
Godfred's Tomb Trailer: https://youtu.be/-nsXGddj_4w
Original Skyrim: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/109547
Serph toze kindly has started a walk-through. https://youtu.be/UIelCK-lldo
mmorpg junkie since 1999
Based on what? Again, take a look at the metrics of employee satisfaction. The actually provide a distribution of reviews based on stars and there are more 4 and 5 star reviews than 1, 2, and 3, star combined. Also, there are merely a handful of 1 star reviews.
However, you are making a valid demonstration of entitlement. There is an interesting cultural anomaly in North America that is mostly absent from other cultures. Place an American in China or Japan and see how long they last with their entitlement. What's funnier is that we label things like sternly reminding a worker to PLEASE get back to work and stop texting/surfing/socializing/undesirable behavior and then Managers as slavery. Honestly, get educated. Same goes for the whole "OCD Movement" as I call it. Someone does something routinely one way and they're OCD. Like I happen to religiously eat my Twix bars by biting them off in equal 1/5 increments, breaking off the caramel with my molar, eating that, then eating the cookie half after that. I'm sooooo OCD. Come on! You've all heard it. Imagine that! Someone over-exaggerating these days.
Crazkanuk
----------------
Azarelos - 90 Hunter - Emerald
Durnzig - 90 Paladin - Emerald
Demonicron - 90 Death Knight - Emerald Dream - US
Tankinpain - 90 Monk - Azjol-Nerub - US
Brindell - 90 Warrior - Emerald Dream - US
----------------
EA BAD! Bioware BAD!!
NO place for anyone who might actually disagree with that!
I am sure he did read the other reviews, just conveniently forgot to bring that up as it doesnt fit the EA / Bioware hate narrative.
I work in healthcare as a Registered Nurse, been doing it for over 15 years. Frequently have worked 60 ( or more ) hour weeks, short handed with an asshole manager / supervisor as icing on the cake. Oh and I didnt ( and still do not ) get my 30 minute lunch paid for.
This is nothing new and is not just at companies like EA. Its a job and you are not a special snowflake. Either do the work to the companies satisfaction or you get the boot. EA doesnt have a patent on this idea....
Oh the humanity!!!!!! Totally agree, I actually worked standard 60-hour work weeks when I worked for an eCommerce SaaS in a previous life. I couldn't do it now, but it's definitely something for the youngsters. The brightest wicks burn quick, right?
Crazkanuk
----------------
Azarelos - 90 Hunter - Emerald
Durnzig - 90 Paladin - Emerald
Demonicron - 90 Death Knight - Emerald Dream - US
Tankinpain - 90 Monk - Azjol-Nerub - US
Brindell - 90 Warrior - Emerald Dream - US
----------------
"Be water my friend" - Bruce Lee
1) mandatory 50 hour work weeks
2) worked for 3 months from 5 am to 11pm
3) supported weekend implementations at all hours with 20 hour Fridays not being uncommon.
4) voluntarily worked 60 to 70 hours a week once I got into senior mgmt
5) for all of that being told I "met" expectations
Guess the people who gave up sleeping received the "exceeds"
Business as usual here in corp America.
"True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde
"I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
Not literally a 36-hour day, though, right? lol
Is this topic getting real all of a sudden? Heeeeyyyy, look at all these old people telling the younger-folk how they busted their ass and not one time did they mention that they were being abused by their company. Huh! Interesting! Seems like the pups can't handle it, lol.
Crazkanuk
----------------
Azarelos - 90 Hunter - Emerald
Durnzig - 90 Paladin - Emerald
Demonicron - 90 Death Knight - Emerald Dream - US
Tankinpain - 90 Monk - Azjol-Nerub - US
Brindell - 90 Warrior - Emerald Dream - US
----------------
The compensation is worth it to them though. If it wasn't, they wouldn't be doing it.
Too many young people these days want to start at the top. I was taught that's not how things work at a very young age
"Be water my friend" - Bruce Lee
The employee I'm do sure have some valid claims, especially with the rep that BW used to have. Going in and expecting that, being faced with a much harsher reality will set some people off. We also have a time with many senior leads reaching an age where living and dying for the company no longer feels like it is worth it. They are replaced with new people who lack the experience to manage the position... So they turn and burn.
Then you have the usual shit show of office politics.
But to be fair I'm fairly certain that there is a solid kernel of truth to the story, seeing as it is more a BW coming down to the level of mortals, than the level of mortals being pitched in to the depth of hell.
This have been a good conversation
On Glassdoor they report that 81% of the employees recommend this work place and 97% approve of CEO.
Yup!!! I work in a tech-rich area too, where we have top-tier talent, universities, incubators, etc., etc. Honestly, I die a little inside every time I interview a new crop of interns. On a positive note, the differentiation is like night and day. I need probably 5 minutes and I can tell whether your parents sold you on the idea that you can be "anything you want in life!" or if you were taught about harsh realities of working for what you want.
Crazkanuk
----------------
Azarelos - 90 Hunter - Emerald
Durnzig - 90 Paladin - Emerald
Demonicron - 90 Death Knight - Emerald Dream - US
Tankinpain - 90 Monk - Azjol-Nerub - US
Brindell - 90 Warrior - Emerald Dream - US
----------------