Work Ethic yella: I've been at my current employer for over 3 years. I started out in an account services area as a stepping stone, and was very good at that job. In that position, I worked with others on the team that have been in that position now for 6 years (3 when I started). One of those former team members has been on interview after interview, and still trying to get out.
He has issues moving on, and the reasons are pretty clear. He's impossible to work with. When I say this I mean that he's extremely negative, complains about his boss (within earshot), bitches about the work he does, doesn't pay attention to detail, and talks bad about his co-workers, and members on other teams. In a basic sense, he alienates everyone around him.
When he found out about my first promotion, he was fuming, and complained to everyone around him how upset he was that I was moving on. He couldn't understand why it was so difficult for him to get out. Once he cooled down, he asked me what I thought of him. Probably a dumb move on his part, but I wanted to help him out. I gave him his reasons, and he bitched about it. Kind of like looking in a mirror and not liking what you see, so you break the mirror. It's the mirror's fault.
When he found out about my 2nd promotion, he wasn't quite as angry, but he wanted me to put in a good word for him. Unfortunately, no matter how many good words I tried to put in (and there weren't many), it didn't matter. He destroyed his own rep.
I'm the type of person who doesn't bite the hand who feeds her, and I take pride in my job. Not to kiss ass, but to get ahead by being polite and well liked. I don't complain out loud, and I don't bitch about other co-workers. If I'm annoyed, I find an outlet. I do my job to the best of my ability because it's my job that feeds me, and feeds my boys. I get ahead by doing my job without complaining about it, and by not associating with others who do.
I make the most of what I have. My ex co-worker, unfortunately doesn't. I'm afraid he'll be in the same position in another 6 years.
What's your take on your co-workers? Do you work with people who have been stuck in the same dead-end job for years and see no way to get out due to attitude?
Re: Work Ethic alonewith2: Pretty interesting story. I've been through the same fast ladder process in the last job I had and my current one.
The last job was McDonald's. I found myself a single mom with an unfinished Bachelor's degree. I couldn't find any jobs dealing with what I went to college for (Business Mgmt - Human Resources). I tried getting entry level positions at many places in order to "get my foot in the door." But to no avail....so when the new McDonald's was accepting applications in the next town over, I got desperate. I was hired as a part time counter person, then went to a part time drive thru person. I won the apple pie selling contest and had the fastest drive thru times. 3 months after my hire date, a manager there recommended me for the manager's position that just became available. I got the promotion and excelled. In another 6 months, I was promoted over all the original manager's to the 2nd Asst manager's position. After a year, I was promoted to 1st Asst. The next step was Store Manager which I would have gotten had I stayed, but I didn't.
I had to deal with a lot of managers pissed off at me because I was promoted over them. They didn't seem to understand that I was given the opportunity over them because I always came in when they needed extra help. I hardly ever asked off time. I didn't play favorites. I was always coming up with new ideas instead of just accepting the status quo. I wasn't afraid of the owner and would challenge ideas I didn't think would work. I strived for improvement in all areas. I took pride in my work even if it was just working at McDonald's...
My current job...I was hired as a per diem ER registration clerk. I caught on quickly for having no medical background whatsoever. I asked questions and wanted to learn more so my manager sent me to Medical Terminology classes...in which I aced the exam. YAY me! I came in all the time when needed. I started looking for a full time job because the 2nd shift per diem work was getting hard to do with no babysitters. I ended up talking to the manager in Medical Records whose sister was the branch manager at the local bank. She said she'd put in a good word for me if I applied there. I also talked to her about coding because we did a little of that in the ER. I managed to walk out of that same conversation with a per diem clerk job in the Medical Records department where she would "teach" me coding while there...
Then a position opened up for a part time coder. I applied for the job and got it. I still filled in as a clerk in the ER, plus I managed to acquire a per diem clerk position on the inpatient floor plus the per diem clerk job in Med Records....so at one point, I had 4 jobs in the hospital. I was working 40+ hours a week between them all. The good thing about that was I was able to interact with people all over the hospital so when my manager in Medical Records tried to fire me, they all stuck up for me. ;D Which in turn got her fired, and I was rewarded with a full time coding position and many of the manager's duties in that department. YAY me!!
The only coworker who was upset was the clerk who had been there the longest. She seemed to think that she should have been given all the manager's duties since she had been there the longest. The problem is she only has an associate's degree. She doesn't understand a lot of the "business." She is afraid to confront people. She's afraid of change. She can't come up with new ideas to save her life. She wants more money, but doesn't want to have to earn it through education or new duties.... ::)
My other coworker is always leaving early. Never finishes her work. Can't organize her time at ALL. Lies constantly. Quits every education thing she starts. Acts to familiar with the doctors and other personnel which they can't stand. Comes up with ideas (usually just short corner type stuff), but doesn't bother to get them approved first to see if they are within laws and policies. Swears constantly. Has no real drive except to get a paycheck.
Re: Work Ethic snkpack: This is going to sound so hypocritical being that I'm on Ojar all day, but I worked my *ss off to get where I am. Come January 29th, I will have been with my current employer for SIX years. That's the longest I've stayed anywhere. In that six years I have had $20,000+ worth of raises. I get the largest bonuses out of anyone in this department aside from my boss. I have an office with a door while everyone else has cubicles, but I earned every privelege I now have.
So now I'm a supervisor and my current workload is to mostly ensure that the work is done correctly and in a timely manner. I run reports and provide the figures for my boss who in turn provides it to our president and shareholders. I have a lot of free time now, but after five years with my nose to the grindstone to earn this privelege, I can honestly say I don't really feel bad.
While all my co-workers out there sit around killing time all day chit-chatting and playing around, I'm the one my boss always turned to to get the job done. She knows she can rely on me and because of that, I am now in a much more comfortable position.
One of my co-workers has been here longer than I have and she has nothing to show for it. She gets a minimal raise each year, has one of the lightest workloads here, but complains SO much that no one can stand her. Another co-worker who has been here about a year less than me is a hard worker and fairly pleasant, but she gossips so much that no one trusts her. The other co-workers really haven't been around long enough to say conclusively . . . .
I definitely think that with my boss, you reap what you sow. My boss knows what I can handle and she is personally grooming me to be management material. And while I appreciate that she lets me have my bad days and actively wanted me to carry a lighter workload so I wouldn't be so stressed, I still know I earned everything she's given me.
Re: Work Ethic BigSky: Being a small business owner, I simply look in the heart of the employee.
I have a kid here that's just 21, wanting to settle down and get married. His priority is mainly his personal love life. He's an 8 to 5er and won't put in another minute of his own time unless he's being paid. That's fine. I have rewarded him for his good efforts along the way, reminding him he has a career here, not just a job. Also managed to get all the staff medical and paid vacations this year, I never had that kind of stuff as an employee. I too have busted my ass to get where I am. It still doesn't seem to matter that much as he's young and has his own priorities. So I have managed to (as someone so nicely put it) put the "golden handcuffs" on him with an incentive program that was unheard of when I was his age. Enough to keep him around as he's an asset to the business but if he leaves we will still survive type of thing.
We have another guy, he's a MACHINE. I mean this guy doesn't get out of his seat all day long during work unless he has to go to the bathroom. Very good work ethics, works THROUGH his lunch, for free even. I have given him raises but he just doesn't cut the mustard so to speak. He's just not as valuable to our team. The difference in work ethic speaks loudly, but a guy that can't carry his own weight can't be rewarded. It's tough... I want to treat everyone fairly but they are different.
I guess I am just thankful and happy that I can give my employees stuff that I never ever had the opportunity for. For that, I hope they feel the same.
Re: Work Ethic icwtsmnl: wow. I see myself in a lot of the bad characteristics you all are describing. I better work on that. Thanks.
