A question
Erik Noble wonders if I really hate my job, and if so, why I’m still here.
He is correct in his assumption that the reasons I’m still here are financial. I’m getting close to having been here 5 years, and those of you with pensions funds know what 5 years means. Fully vested! So there’s no incentive to leave before that. After that? We’ll see. I don’t necessarily hate the work I do. I take great pride in doing my job well, and continuing to learn whether the $$ to do so is forthcoming or not. I have great freedom to do what I want during the day, and prioritizing my work to fit my own needs. That’s all good, but it doesn’t overcome the one big factor from the article:
Above all, they want respect, not so much for themselves but for their area of knowledge.
Technology is not considered to be vitally important to what we do here. At least the actions of management do not leave you with the impression that they consider it important. Yet without it, we’d be screwed. I know that. A few select people here know that. The people who’s opinions matter, who control the checkbook, both for purchasing technology, and paying me fair market value for the work I do, do not. But it goes beyond that. That’s not all that atypical in small businesses. It goes more to the heart of recognizing and rewarding the people who do the actual work around here. The people who’s knowledge has walked out the door without even a meager attempt to find out what would keep them here. The people who would’ve stayed if they could only have been open and honest with them, who were completely disillusioned when they weren’t, when promises were broken, when concessions were made to other, more “favored”, employees who accomplish much less actual work, while they were not granted similar concessions, when they put off making tough decisions, or when they fail to match people’s skills with the job requirements in hiring. Those sort of “institutional” things make you hate your job, because they are out of your control, and will never change.
I submit to you, THAT is why some people really do hate their jobs. Do you agree?
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