Underappreciated In The Workplace

The days have long since past since there was a dedication between employee and employer. Often times back in the day an employee would dedicate his/her entire working life to their employers. The employers re-paid these services in the form of pensions paid out upon retirement. These were not just matched 401k this was actual company profits put aside to the lifer employee. These employees rarely if ever called in sick and the employer rarely if ever hired from the outside. Their talent was raised from within; which created a well educated employee. There was the prospect of starting out as a stock boy and working your way up to the vice president. This was one component of the American Dream, finding employment and working your way up from scratch all the way to the top. This promoted harder work ethic because everyone knew the hardest worker reaped the greater benefits. These days are all but gone.

The concept of a pension after retirement is very rare. I believe you get a pension on government jobs, and I have heard high level CEO's get large pensions, while normal employees get nothing. I am sure there are a few businesses who still give out pensions, but I would guess they are all but extinct. It is rare for an employee to start his working career with one company and becomes a lifer. The people who usually do are later cut when they become to high price of an employee. If they can find a twenty-four year old to do your job at half the efficiency for a fraction of the price the company is going to choose the kid regardless of the time and dedication this aging person put in. I think if employers took the money they spent on turn around and put it into a pension plan they would be able to keep dedicated employees. It is a win-win-win.

I have always had strong work ethic. I have not called in just because I didn't feel like coming to work in over six years. Even then the day I called in I was filled with such guilt I couldn't enjoy the day. I have come to work and 95% of the time put forth optimal amounts of production. I learned a valuable lesson while I was managing a Video Update back in 2000. My district manager told me one day "you should always work as hard as if it were your own company." I have kept this mantra with me in every single job I have ever done. This mode of thinking helped me become an asset in any job I have ever undertaken, and aided me in working my way up the corporate ladder.

Now flash forward to where I am today. I am a staffing coordinator at a nursing home in Plymouth Minnesota. There is no room for advancement. If I choose to stay here for the long haul this will be what I always am. When I first started here this was a huge issue and I wanted to quit the first few weeks on the job. I am glad I hanged in there because this job suits me perfectly for where I am in my life. My job is to ensure this nursing home is staffed, so I encounter all the call-in's and quitting and what not. I have never in my entire working career had to deal with such irresponsible undedicated workers in my life. On average in a seven day week there are at least 15 call in's. The amount of money we spend on overtime and calling pool can get into over $8k a month. These employees call in because they do not care, and are aware their employer cares just as little for them.

I noticed this one girl who started working here in April of this year has had 22 excused absences' with one unexcused. I brought this up to my boss, who by the way I could tell by here body language I was the last person on earth she even wants to speak to (another post for another time.) I bring this up to her and she says "oh yea she has mental illness" I said "well so do I, and I don't miss any days." She responded with "well you're stable" (I hide my illness very well.) I dropped the conversation since she was present in my office but her desire and mind were way down the hall. In six and a half months this girl has missed 23 days, (average to 3.8 call ins a month!) and this is just ok because she has MI? If her MI is that bad she should probably go on disability. I qualify to collect social security so I am pretty sure IF she was this bad she could to. 

I have just grown frustrated with this place. I have worked here for over two years and I have zero unexcused absences with two excused. Every time I have been sick I come to work. I work when I don't want to. I work when my mental state is so bad I should probably be hospitalized. I am one of their most dedicated employees. When raise time comes around guess what worth they put on all my dedication and hard work? A nickel in year one, and a quarter in year two. Thirty cents in two years! I figure I should start valuing them as much as they value me. I should start calling in all the time because my MI is so bad I can't work. They have already set the bar so there is nothing they could do about it.

In the end I would never do this even though my moral is at an all time low. I take to much pride in the insignificant scope of what I do. The small things I do that no one else really appreciates need to get done. I have too much dedication to my boss and employer to ever be irresponsible. If this place offered a pension plan I would stay here my entire life, regardless of being underpaid and underappreciated. (As it stands now I will leave after I have given up on my writing career.) My point is many people would. High turn around is bad for business in that it can costs millions of dollars, and produces less educated employees. Part of what makes a company thrive is on the backs of their employees. If corporate America would take some of their profits to bring pensions back it would help everyone involved; the employee, employer, and the customer. Win-win-win.