Why You Are Doing 'Shadow Work' for Free and Don't Even Know It

[Jesus Malverde]

‘Shadow Work’ includes all the unpaid tasks we do on behalf of businesses and organizations every day from pumping gas to bagging groceries, said Craig Lambert, author of 'Shadow Work.' Lambert adds that the self service economy has been fueled by technology and cost cutting. He said employees often don't realize how much time and effort goes into commuting and also points out that interns are being used to push down the cost of labor. While it is too early to tell how the expansion of shadow work has affected hiring and firing, Lambert said the trend is growing and could very well create structural unemployment in some sectors.

http://www.thestreet.com/video/13152384/why-you-are-doing-shadow-work-for-free-and-dont-even-know-it.html

Video at the link.

[tblue37]

1. KnR. nt

[daredtowork]

7. Too much work and cost

has been pushed into the job application process as well.

It's a traditional joke that job hunting is a full-time job, but for people with significant barriers to employment it is a LONG TERM full time job. This level of time and cost isn't fair, and it's literally soul-sucking when you realize how much of your life is being used up - and you aren't even being paid for it. If you never do get work, it's slavery in hindsight.

[merrily]

2. I know it's not much, but I refuse to do anything online or

via an automated phone system that I could do with a human.

A few years back, said humans would assure me that I could have completed the same transaction by going to www.somethingorother.com/something else.

I would say I would rather do business with a human who needs a paycheck.

They would laugh and tell me not to worry-- that they had plenty to do.

Now, they don't laugh. They just very earnestly say, "Thank you."

[Hissyspit]

11. www.somethingorother.com/something else

[Jim Lane]

25. I just checked and that domain name is for sale. (n/t)

[laundry_queen]

3. K&R

it also has a negative effect on GDP. All those little bits of work you do that corporations don't pay people to do anymore means they are no longer recorded as part of the economy. Yet another thing the corporations do that hurt the economy.

[Oldtimeralso]

4. PLEASE

Please do not use the self checkout lanes at any of the big box stores!

[rpannier]

5. I never do

I did one time like 16 years ago. Thought it was dumb and there was a problem, so someone had to come over and fix it
I thought, "Wow! What a joke."

When I'm in the states I stand in line

Funny thing is, in Korea if you use them, there is someone who stands there and helps you ring your groceries. Again I think, that is dumb

on edit: I still don't use them

[tblue37]

8. Someone is there to help here in the Lawrence, Kansas, Dillon's stores, too.nt

[Jesus Malverde]

6. I refuse that

In the states and Japan. I'd rather wait in line.

[FLPanhandle]

14. Don't use them if you don't like them

However, please don't tell me what to do.

I prefer to use self checkout lanes and not have to deal with people.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

19. I normally use self-checkout as well

I only go through the regular line if I have a cart full of stuff, which is very rare.

It's not that I don't like dealing with people in general, it's just that I've found that at my local grocery stores, most of the cashiers are more often than not so surly, I'd rather not deal with them. The ones that do provide the best service have the longest lines, and I'm not inclined to wait when I'm buying only a few things.

[Arugula Latte]

20. I admit, I do too, if I only have a few items.

[1939]

9. My ways of fighting the system

I don't do:

Self check out lines

Drive thru at banks or eateries

ATM machines

Home delivery of pizzas or takeout

[Travis_0004]

10. Are we really doing it for free?

All busines cost are reflected in the cost of what we buy. Lets say a business is forced to pump your gas and they hire somebody to pump your gas and charge .10 a gallon. I would argure you save .10 cents a gallon and are being paid to do the work through lower prices. On fact if it takes you 5 minutes to pump 20 gallons you are effectively making 2 dollars or 24 dollars and hour, and its untaxed.

[Bluenorthwest]

13. I live in Oregon, we do not pump our own gas, stations have persons who pump the gas for the

customer.

[Travis_0004]

15. I know

But the price you pay reflects that employee cost, so you are paying for that service.

I never thought it was difficult to do myself.

[Aerows]

16. I looked up gas prices for Washington

and for Oregon - they were the same price. Obviously California was way more expensive than either state.

I'm not sure where you are seeing that cost. Look it up for yourself.

[Travis_0004]

21. Washingon has higher fuel taxes, Oregon has higher employee cost to operate a gas station

So they should be about the same.

Of course California is more expensive they higher taxes on gas and use a different blend that a lot of refineries dont bother to make, so sometimes a limited supply.

The bottom line is if you increase a business cost, the sale price of goods has to go up. More employees equals more expensive gasonline.

[Aerows]

29. That doesn't bear out in your example, though

And I illustrated that. Other folks illustrated that the same is true in NJ.

I realize that it is still "common knowledge" that having employees is a horrible horrible thing, but the truth is that most businesses can profit from having extra help.

I know that is anathema to some, but things that "we accept as true" aren't always true. For instance, that if we raised the minimum wage to 15/hr nobody could buy a hamburger. It's just not true.

[Gormy Cuss]

22. The same comparison is true for NJ (the other state where attendants pump) and NY.

The price at the pump is affected by a host of factors. NJ pump prices are kept down by lower state taxes.

[FLPanhandle]

12. I prefer to do things myself.

I'd much rather do self-checkout than deal with a check out person.

I'd rather pump my own gas than deal with an attendant.

I'd rather use a mobile phone app or website than call and speak to customer service.

[MindPilot]

32. I'm with you!

The fewer human interactions between me and the completion of the transaction, the better.

(In my best Sheldon voice) "...and I don't like other people."

[Nye Bevan]

17. Another example is internet discussion boards that use unpaid labor to moderate posts

while raking in the profits from Google ads.

[Jesus Malverde]

18. DUZY...

And fill a site with content. Spot on.

[hunter]

24. Or more frustrating, people who are unwitting lobbyists for dirty industries and dirtier politics.

The fossil fuel industry is very good at that game.

Fracking gas, it's natural! It's a bridge fuel!

( I heard it on NPR, it has to be true! )



It's about as dumb as Brawndo, it's got what plants crave, it's got Electrolytes!

Personally, I don't have a list of things I boycott, I boycott everything as best I'm able.

90% of everything is crap, including most jobs.

"Economic Productivity" as it is now defined is a direct measure of the damage we do to our earth's environment and the human spirit.

If we were not such busy little beavers, and we were all using birth control, this planet wouldn't be falling apart around us.

[hfojvt]

23. I usually do shadow work on purpose

at least some of it

I pick up trash off the street for free - some of it

Whenever I go into a store, I like to take a cart in with me. It helps the person who is shagging the carts, and it really does not cost me anything.

[Jackpine Radical]

26. Your next car

will be delivered to you by UPS. It will consist of 17 boxes of parts and complete assembly instructions.

[Glassunion]

28. I'll call it the IKIA

[Jackpine Radical]

30. That's sick, SICK! Do you hear me? Sick!

[Glassunion]

27. Meh...

Should we avoid advances in technology and methods so that we can retain obsolete jobs?

[Jackpine Radical]

31. No, we need to re-structure the whole concept of "jobs"

& figure out a way that permits the whole bunch of us to share in the advances we are making. If productivity has gone up, why can't wages also go up, and hours go down?