Enjoying Ones Job is Simply

When I worked for a non-defunct major food retailer, the company was plagued by a high turnover rate among employees so a consulting firm was hired to determine what needed to be done to turn things around.  The results of their investigation showed that 80% of the comments from management to employees were negative and 19% were neutral.  Give positive feedback and employees would be happier was the conclusion. 

The company didn't listen.  I'm not going to touch the subject of why they went out of business but I can say with certainty that the company's refusal to change was the reason employee turnover remained high. 

For your boss to give you a hardy "Well done"  everyday would soon lose its impact  but when an employee steps up in a tough situation a hardy thanks goes a long way.  Managers are quick to point out mistakes, to ask us to work a little harder, or to work over time, or correct us in mid job either because they think they know a better way of doing the job or just don't understand out thought process.  But just let us step up when a co-worker is out or we just received a rush order, or you discovered a more efficient way to do a task, and getting a well done from the boss is almost as hard as finding a magic lamp at the flea market. 

But feeling appreciated is more than the boss giving us a compliment now and then.  Employees like to feel they are important to the company so keeping them in the loop is important too.  I know companies are going to institute new policies without consulting employees  and often that is the best way to handle change.  But rather than just change things and expecting the employees to be happy about that change, what if the managers ask the employees how best to implement those changes.  Knowing that your opinion counts makes one feel better about themselves. 

I had planned to retire in November of 2011 but actually retired in June of last year.  The day I decided to retire I was scheduled off at 4 pm.  Chris left at two as always and I was the wrapper that day.  I ran out of labels at almost the exact moment I was handed a list of items that needed to be cut.  Rather than make things hard on whomever was to take my place on the wrapper, I went to achieve a fresh roll of labels before I started on my cutting list. 

The market manager, mistakenly thinking I had locked my knives away, made the following statement to me:   "This is my bar and I will make the decision on last call, not you." 

I have always set the bar high for myself and after working with this man for eight years, if he thought so little of me as to cause him to say such a stupid thing, then he is welcomed to own the bar but I certainly did not have tto patronize his place. 

Sometimes I was asked to work over.  Never did I receive a thanks for that but I was always reminded  of how much overtime I had and that I needed to that that time off. 

I do a lot of things I'm not compensated for.  I mow the grass at the church, volunteer for any and all work porojects, and take the videos for the shut-ins.  Not only that, but I purchased the lawnmower to cut the grass with and I purchased the video camera to make the videos with.  The last work project we had, I ran all the errands and furnish half the equipment and tools.

I have been working on clearing some property at the church, planted a pumpkin patch, and shared the harvest from my own garden with everyone who goes to church there.  I get paid zilch  but I know my efforts are appreciated.  Sometimes that is worth a lot more than money.