Employee apathy [NA]

EHITCH said:
I'm with Bill on this one. After 30+ years in the workforce, I've had all the team-building exercises, holiday parties, and strategic planning visioning blather I can take.
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I used to think this was "blather" as well but I've found that over time, if it can become part of the corporate culture instead of just a series of meetings, it's makes a HUGE difference in attitudes and company performance.

It's made a difference here. While pay has gone up across the board, employee buy-in for safety programs and strategic planning have taken this company from the edge of bankruptcy to almost $2M profitability in just three years. Sure, that's money in the owner's pocket but it's peace of mind and pride for those that work for him...and he's taken care of us as well.
 
So, after reading this thread, what's an employer to do? Some want money only, some want money and recognition, some want time to enjoy with their families, etc, etc. I've been trying to get this right for about 30 years. I gave ownership to three employees some 20 years ago. Within 16 months, one tossed the stock certificate on my desk and said "This means nothing to me", and the other two keep wanting to withdraw their earnings. We are a manufacturer and nobody gets any dividends. The company needs more money than we'll ever be able to generate through earnings alone.

We have Christmas/award dinners (no booze, lot's of checks, and usually a weeks pay as a bonus). Lot's of employees never show up for these and some look forward to them for months. We buy tickets for all to an amusement park complete with a picnic every summer. again, some say it's dumb, some think it's great!

After all these years, I'll continue to do what I've done in the past. I like it, I'm paying for it. Join in if you want.

On the other hand, I'll never make them all happy, so I won't try. I'll do what I think to be right and not look back. I hope that my employees do the same.
 
One thing that I always look for (and rarely find) in an employer is the willingness to tailor a position to the individual employee.

Compensate me the way I want to be compensated. Maybe money ISN'T the whole deal for me - maybe it's being treated well and being recognized for my work. Maybe you'll get more out of me in 8 hours a day than you do if you force me to work 10.

The key is fitting the position and perks to the employee (within reason). If the employee is motivated using his particular motivators, he'll work hard for you and usually enjoy the work. If you treat people like they are interchangable parts, don't be surprised when they break.
 
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MSmith said:
One thing that I always look for (and rarely find) in an employer is the willingness to tailor a position to the individual employee....
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While I can see a little "tailoring" might be needed, who is the person writing the check here?

I think a lot of us forget that the employer is essentially our customer. I don't "work" for anyone, I provide services to my employer and he pays me for those services.

If we had a contractor working on our house or plane, would we accept the same type of demands that we place on our employers? It's just a longer term relationship (well, it should be but my home remodel is starting to look like an employer/employee relationship lately).

If something isn't to my liking at my employer, I'll bring it up to my supervisor. If it can be changed, great. If not, I'll either live with it or move on (and I've done both, including taking some significant paycuts in a move). Sitting around whining about it isn't going to get anything done. Life is too short to deal with that kind of crap.
 
Brian Austin said:
While I can see a little "tailoring" might be needed, who is the person writing the check here?

I think a lot of us forget that the employer is essentially our customer. I don't "work" for anyone, I provide services to my employer and he pays me for those services.
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This is a good point, Brian. As a contractor, I am constantly under the gun to please my client or risk losing the contract. At the same time they are constantly under the gun to avoid crapping on me to the extent that it's no longer worth my while to service their account. The dynamic is similar to employer/employee, except it's somewhat easier to make the psychological break in loyalty should things go sour.

At Christmas, I get cards/gifts/etc and I send cards/gifts/etc. It's in the best interest of both parties to look out for the welfare of the other, as employer/employee or contractor/client are symbiotic relationships. There cannot be one without the other.
 
MSmith said:
One thing that I always look for (and rarely find) in an employer is the willingness to tailor a position to the individual employee.

Compensate me the way I want to be compensated. Maybe money ISN'T the whole deal for me - maybe it's being treated well and being recognized for my work. Maybe you'll get more out of me in 8 hours a day than you do if you force me to work 10.

The key is fitting the position and perks to the employee (within reason). If the employee is motivated using his particular motivators, he'll work hard for you and usually enjoy the work. If you treat people like they are interchangable parts, don't be surprised when they break.
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During one of my careers in the past I was head of a department in the hospital where the hours were GREAT and the work not any more demanding than other equivalent departments. I always had plenty of applicants from which to choose. I told all my employees they were picked because they were the best (which was true) and treated them that way. They knew they had a good deal, so did I. I also told them (not quite terribly tongue-in-cheek) I picked them because I wanted the best-looking staff in the entire hospital and competing hospitals. I did :) I was always fair to them, good or bad. I never let any doctors or anyone treat them like handmaidens. They saw to it that if somehow I hired someone that didn't work well with the team that the person left on his/her own fairly quickly.

To this day one of my former employees will tell you (right in front of her current employer as a matter of fact) that I was the best boss she ever had.

We went out to eat together on occasion but whether or not you participated had no effect on your overall standing. The team knew each other pretty well. When the schedule was busy we busted a**. When it was slack they made sure the other tasks were done and I never nagged them about sitting around the lounge.

I wish I had that job and that staff again.
 
I wish I had that job and that staff again.
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My current employer was like that about 5 years ago. Our group was truly a team, and could be counted on to back each other. The main reason was that the leader was somebody who treated each employee like an individual. She built the team environment.

Then she got forced out by a corporate climber, and it hasn't been the same since.

My resume is up on Monster, but until my wife's job situation is resolved I really can't look much harder.
 
MSmith said:
My resume is up on Monster, but until my wife's job situation is resolved I really can't look much harder.
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Mine is always up there, too, and it's always updated. I had an employer comment on it once. "Yup," I said. "I was looking for a job when I got here and I'll be looking when I leave." Every employer I've had has always known that they'll know when it's time. I'm not one to search for jobs on the sly.
 
this is a interesting thread for it shows all the different "sides" of employer and employee relationships. Just about 30 years ago I decided to be independent and provide consulting services. I in away became my own employer. I have never become dependent on employers and I always look at providing a service that many employers can use. Also it gives me a chance to enjoy mnay differnent things in life and the one thing that is so much fun is flying and aviation. Work and life issues are very much a personal choice and we are so lucky to have that choice.

John J
 
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