Tag: employees

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Where Does It Start?

I got bent out of shape this week over a certain governments decision to lower the minimum wage, and stop overtime pay for teenage workers. I was even more upset by the support this received.

On many levels, this is just plain wrong. And stupid.

First of all, this is blatant discrimination, not that this is anything new in companies. They pay women less, ethnic groups less, seniors less. Why not teenagers too?

If you do the work, you should be paid for it.

Everyone jumps to the conclusion such a move will benefit small business. These types of decisions are not for small business. This is to win support from big business, after all, they are the ones who monetarily support politicians and hire most of the labour.

Most definitely these same companies are not cash strapped or too poor to pay people. They use the money saved from paying their employees to lavish CEO’s and shareholders with millions upon millions of dollars they did nothing for.

Politicians pull the ‘help small business’ bullshit card because people automatically root for the underdog. They forget who does most of the hiring; it is the Walmarts, Canadian Tires, Tim Hortons and the like. They are the ones who really benefit.

Having employees and despising that fact is common in all business. It is a version of the Fawlty Towers syndrome; this hotel would run smoothly if we didn’t have customers – this business would be rich if we didn’t have employees – better yet, have them and not pay them!

Kings and Queens, Lords and Emperors and the like from the beginning of time figured this one out – it is called slavery.

How prevalent and accepted it still is in our affluent societies. Many beautiful creations of human kind have been built from slavery. Is this something we should be proud of and continue?

Lowering minimum wage is one thing, but perhaps the most devious part of this plan is to not pay for overtime. Wow, you know what that means. If you do not do overtime when they ask, and they will demand it because they don’t have to pay you more, you will be terminated. They will need more employees to do overtime because they will hire less. This is the law of the land for most retail – do as we say or you are replaced, the bottom line is always money. Oh, I could go on about retail! We don’t have to pay you shit, we can work you till you drop and then, next!

Such seemingly little policies like lowering minimum wage and not paying overtime for teenagers can soon infiltrate a larger populace, namely the adult worker.

What is the real reason we have poverty in this world – especially in our own filthy rich country? Where does it start? Right here.

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Performance Appraisals

There is a reason employees hate performance appraisals.  It is not a time to shine, it is a time when authority figures can judge, condemn, shame and guilt, with the odd compliment thrown in to make it all seem okay.  Worst of all, tiny seeds of doubt get planted in a persons mind which can jade their entire future.

In a world so intensely focused on the negative, it is far too easy to slash the hearts of good people and deeply wound them with unfounded criticism.

Criticism is unfounded because we all have strengths and weaknesses.   Zoning in on our weaknesses makes us believe we are faulty, unworthy and not enough.  We will struggle to fix these so called issues for perhaps the rest of our lives.  And the even more damning part is, it is usually a totally inaccurate assessment in the first place, because appraisals are from some other faulty person judging another.

Appraisals force people to work harder for less.  They make people work on things that perhaps cannot easily be changed, or worse, on a condition that doesn’t even exist.  Many times that same problem no longer exists in a different environment.  Appraisals wound.

What is needed is a change of focus to positive things.  What are a persons strengths that can be developed and encouraged?  What things would this person like to try, learn or grow in?  Are they happy as they are?  Is there a better place for them in this company that could use their talents? This should be an ongoing communication, not a dreaded once a year sit down with the boss.

Many places I worked at where I enjoyed my job would try to promote me into positions doing something entirely different and I was quickly very unhappy.  Instead of giving me more opportunities to do what I enjoy and shine at, they have their own agendas that have nothing to do with my happiness.

However, one place I stayed at for 20 years because they kept rewarding my strengths and interests.  For instance, when they discovered my love of photography they got me a little camera and made me official photographer of their company events.  Knowing I enjoyed drawing, they gave me the duty of making posters and forms.  When I wanted to learn something new, they sent me on courses.  These were the gems that enabled me endure other duties I did not so enjoy.  When management changed, I was put in charge of scheduling and arranging meetings for 9 committees and I quickly died.

I loathe the last part of appraisals; what are your five and ten year goals?  Easy, in 5 years to be long gone from here, and in ten, forget I ever worked here.  At eighteen I applied for a cashier job at a drug store, and the manager wanted to know what my future was with the company, my five and ten year goals.  Seriously?  At 18?  A cashier job?  My goals were how I was going to spend my cheque on the weekend, how much fun I could have.

Right up there with performance appraisals are the motivational staff meetings.  The message at those is clear.  We are not good enough.  We need to do ridiculous and embarrassing things in public to prove we are part of the culture.  It is humiliating and degrading.  Just stop that stuff.

Managers, stop being assholes.  Reward your employees by looking for their strengths, the things they love, and promote them to positions that utilize their abilities, and ultimately make them outstanding employees, because they love what they are doing.

You’ll be amazed at what happens.

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Bail

I recently read an article about not giving your 2 week notice when you leave a company.  It was even suggested it is okay to bail, that is, just leave.  That being fired didn’t require a notice so why should leaving?  I beg to differ.  There is a huge difference between being terminated and a planned departure.

Obviously this person has never experienced a ‘bail’.

I was working part time and caring for an elderly Mother when the full time employee cheerily announced at noon “Don’t be surprised if I don’t come back after lunch.”

All of a sudden at 1 p.m. I became a full time employee, doing 2 persons jobs.  She intended to hurt our employer, but our boss was GLAD she left.  She hurt me plenty however.

Not only did I now have extra work and hours at the same part time rate, but I had to do all the required paperwork for a termination, plus I had the task of finding a replacement for her; preparing and placing an ad, screening resumes, interviewing prospects, and training them, all the while doing 2 jobs.  I found a person, trained them, it didn’t work out and I had to go through the whole process again!

I will NEVER forget this persons name and face.

Is this how you want to be remembered?

It is just common courtesy to give notice.  Even if you are mad at the boss and want to run out!  Looking for another job while employed and leaving the current one without notice is murder in the first degree.  Your fellow employees will narrow their eyes at the mention of your name.  They will think you sneaky, untrustworthy, mean, irresponsible and at the least, lacking good manners. Which means, you are a shit. You saddle them with extra work that they may not even know how to do.  And for months, you were planning to do this to them all along.  Thanks a lot!

If you’re mad at the boss, take the afternoon off and cool down.  If you still want to leave, give notice!  That way you’ll still have friends.  Friends that might one day end up in a position to hire you for a job you covet.  And guess what will happen when they see your name.

This is the old, don’t burn your bridges lecture that Mom and Dad gave you.

Take heed.  It is true.  Don’t bail.  Ever.