The New Worker
Caught a piece on 60 Minutes that said that Human Resources people all over the land are confused as to how to treat the "new worker" who demands CEO pay and benefits while doing entry level jobs. The 60 Minutes piece said that the new worker is always complaining, is always worried about "ME" and will up and quit if their every need is not attended to.
I've had a lot of bosses in my day - one who dictated that my first task of every day when I was a construction laborer - was to buy him a case of beer and deliver to the job trailer no later than 7 AM. I figured it was part of the job - and every day, when he was blind drunk by noon, I listened to him rant and rave.
Another boss demanded that I do most of his work. While he was a certified executive, I was just his piss boy. For 7 years I carried his sorry ass because he couldn't even write a simple letter - he's enjoying his pension now, bragging that he was a big-shot.
I interviewed a guy for a position with my company. After saying hello - he asked me about vacation time and a company car. I didn't hire him. I couldn't possibly fathom that someone would want to know when his vaction was before his first day of work.
Now you see them coming in for interviews with tongue studs, tattoos and heaven knows what else pierced.
I'll end this quick discussion with an example from days gone by - the boys were 5 and 2 and I had just finished a rather unenjoyable 20-minute ride with them screaming and crying the whole way. I may have also smelled shit rising like a cloud from the backseat. I needed to stop at a gas station for milk - the kids screamed and I promised gum. I headed into the store, keeping an eye on the car the entire time. I was greeted by a 20-year old girl who was talking to her boyfriend on the cell phone as she rang up my purchases. She was smacking her own gum, and fumbled with the register, handed me the wrong change, and never once broke her conversation to tell me 'Have a nice night'.
I hustled back to the car - begged the kids to let me get home before I opened the gum - and finished my trip. When I got home- the gum wasn't in the bag. The kids went nuts, my wife asked me not to go back, but back I went.
As I headed into the store, the gal was still on the cell phone. She smiled and held up the gum to me. Very politely, I asked her to get the hell off the phone. When she did, I explained that she chose her job, and from all accounts her job was simple - "Greet the customer, ring up the charges, and bag the items."
She nodded and smiled again. I said the same thing to her that I insist on with my co-workers:
"If someone gives you a job to do, do more than what is expected."
The girl gave me the pack of gum... and the finger.
I've had a lot of bosses in my day - one who dictated that my first task of every day when I was a construction laborer - was to buy him a case of beer and deliver to the job trailer no later than 7 AM. I figured it was part of the job - and every day, when he was blind drunk by noon, I listened to him rant and rave.
Another boss demanded that I do most of his work. While he was a certified executive, I was just his piss boy. For 7 years I carried his sorry ass because he couldn't even write a simple letter - he's enjoying his pension now, bragging that he was a big-shot.
I interviewed a guy for a position with my company. After saying hello - he asked me about vacation time and a company car. I didn't hire him. I couldn't possibly fathom that someone would want to know when his vaction was before his first day of work.
Now you see them coming in for interviews with tongue studs, tattoos and heaven knows what else pierced.
I'll end this quick discussion with an example from days gone by - the boys were 5 and 2 and I had just finished a rather unenjoyable 20-minute ride with them screaming and crying the whole way. I may have also smelled shit rising like a cloud from the backseat. I needed to stop at a gas station for milk - the kids screamed and I promised gum. I headed into the store, keeping an eye on the car the entire time. I was greeted by a 20-year old girl who was talking to her boyfriend on the cell phone as she rang up my purchases. She was smacking her own gum, and fumbled with the register, handed me the wrong change, and never once broke her conversation to tell me 'Have a nice night'.
I hustled back to the car - begged the kids to let me get home before I opened the gum - and finished my trip. When I got home- the gum wasn't in the bag. The kids went nuts, my wife asked me not to go back, but back I went.
As I headed into the store, the gal was still on the cell phone. She smiled and held up the gum to me. Very politely, I asked her to get the hell off the phone. When she did, I explained that she chose her job, and from all accounts her job was simple - "Greet the customer, ring up the charges, and bag the items."
She nodded and smiled again. I said the same thing to her that I insist on with my co-workers:
"If someone gives you a job to do, do more than what is expected."
The girl gave me the pack of gum... and the finger.
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