Work ethics!

[PC]

It's been a while since I posted here but I need a place to vent.

I'm working as a contractor in a large call center and distribution center north of the Silicon Valley. I was hired here to fill in for the PC/LAN support role when the previous guy left and they couldn't fill the position in time. The company had a hiring freeze shortly after I started which extended my contract but that's been lifted and a person has been hired. He started Tuesday of last week. Wednesday, he left early for a doctor's appointment. Thursday, he called in sick (food poisoning, he said). The hiring manager asked me on Thursday what I thought about the new guy. I told him that technically, he was more than up to the task for the job but I did not know his work ethics nor his personality since we all tend to put up a mask when starting a new job. I gave a call to my office and asked if we had any record on the guy, more out of curiousity than anything else. The recruiter I spoke with told me that he 'no-showed' for a job she lined up for him, then he got fired from the job he took when he no-showed, got another job and left there for 'differences of opinion' or something like that. Basically, she told me that he was 'bad news'. I asked my recruiter to relay this information to the client but they decided not to for their own reasons (probably for liability reasons more than anything else).

The hiring manager is working from home Tuesday through Thursday this week. The new guy left early yesterday (Tuesday) and is not here today. I don't know if he called in to the manager or what but it seems to me like a case of "when the cat's away..." I am not in a position to say anything to my client about this guy nor can I suggest that they keep me on longer since I start a new contract with a different client on Monday.

With the downturn of the economy that we've been experiencing lately, you would think that this guy would be worried about his new job, especially since this is his first real work in eight months.

Is this the work ethic that people have these days? I sure hope not. Meanwhile, I'm here holding up the fort, solving customer problems, waiting for this Friday when all this will be behind me.

[Tiretool]

Oh man... I can definitely relate...

People with a crumby work ethic are probably one of the most damaging factors of general morale in a workplace. When one member of a business isn't carrying his/her share of the load or is carrying it poorly, everyone else gets irritated and angry because they have to take up his/her slack. I dispise to see someone treat their job like they grow on trees. There are plenty of jobs available for those who are willing to look for them, but they aren't so plentiful that people can just "no-show" at their leisure.
If someone does a job poorly and I get the chance, I usually let them know that their work quality is poor and that I wouldn't claim it if I were them. I guess that's a little harsh, but I don't work in the computer field. I work on utilities (fresh water, sewerage, natural gas, propane, steam, etc.) and when I do maintenance on something I don't want there to be any problems after I am done where someone might say "Pat did that job, that's why that pipe's leaking."
The other day we were almost finished installing a fresh water booster pump at the hospital where I now work and one of the guys made the comment "Good enough for government work." I remember thinking "That used to mean something."

[Frey Grimrod]

I know where your coming from in my experience as well MOST NOT ALL town/city workers are the most lazy workers iv ever seen except some of the electric/phone company crews I suppose these people are everwhere though I hate to point with such blatant generalizations like that but need to get a point across.

I HATE WORK!!! I HATE GETTING UP EARLY!!! Yet everday Iv been up at 5 a.m. even on 5 hours of sleep working away putting in water and sewer lines jackhammering etc. I dont consider myself that good of a worker either.

[PC101]

Well, I see that alot of that these day's. There's a guy here at work that scoots out whenever the boss is gone. He's the kind of guy that will tell you how busy he is without you even asking him, yet whenever I go by his cube, he's either on the phone talking about everything other than job related stuff or on the internet. We just had a massive layoff and I saw a lot of hard working smart people hit the street, and yet when I see this idiot blissfully doing nothin' to speak of, I wonder what's really important? I guess you really got to know how to play the game. But me? I'm greatful to have the job I have, and I do not take it for granted. My 2$

[SARGE]

The better the job security, the more goof offs you have, i.e., gov't workers, teachers and utility companies.

[troysvihl]

The better the job security, the more goof offs you have, i.e., gov't workers, teachers and utility companies.

Sarge, there's acctually a very intricate economic proof that takes pages and pages to show what you just managed to sum up pretty nicely in one sentence.


Ahhh....the benefits of unions and other government sanctioned monopolies: High pay, low productivity.

[kraken]

The best in ethics

Worked 9 months no pay
Bosses missus is bitch

We are a Charity she cries
Ok say no more

Next thing I am explicet with mickY$oft for copyright infringements done by said charity and dobbed by me.

No way Hose B

But I am called the theif and they think that they have the moral high ground.

no way hose A

I decided that I would do nothing but I am accused through the UNSUBSTANTANTED howlings of the (managers) that I called Micky (no way).

Contemptable classics of (they cant be that good) Disintergrated me into the howling beast that types before you.

I had the best work ethic (no pay, no lunch, trained staff) (they still miss me)? so I've been told (good mate) and I was proud of it. Did me no good as the whim of an inferior female(bosses missus) (thats putting it mildly) told me to F**k off and the board allowed her to do so. F**king priest, He didn"t know but I am besoothed by the words from a board member.

"Don't let the rotweiller get to you".

I am not the first nor will I be the last. Beware all out there, be true to you and no-one else.

[SARGE]

There ARE times when I'm utterly speechless...

[Baitcaster]

I don't post here all that much anymore, but HAD to reply to this one.

I see at my job, more lack of attention to detail than you can imagine. Equipment set up poorly, that will not run decently at a low scrap percentage. (gee, materials grows on trees ?) Parts so badly mangled, that it takes twice as much parts to fix it, than if it would have been fixed right in the first place.

The end results of ppl that have paws for hands, and what kind of damage they do to the equipment. Pisses me off to no end, but it gives me job security for what I do. I just HATE having to bail out other techs who've been there more than twice as long as me, but still have no clue on how to massage a machine into producing quality products consistantly.

It doesnt help that morale is at an all time low where I work, and it gets harder by the day to deal with ppl that really don't care. Most are there for a paycheck now. Used to be a nice place to be when I started there.

Guess it boils down to how management treats their people. Treat em' well with respect, and they'll do whatever you want with no problems and right the first time.
Treat em' like garbage, second guessing everything you say n do, and that's EXACTLY what you'll get right back at ya. A surly emplyee that don't care WHAT happens, so long as there's a paycheck at the end of the week.

Sad isn't it ?

[Blankman]

Wow, just had to add my two bits on this one. It's hard to explain the range of emotion one goes through in an average day. For me, well I've never been too skilled at anything. I've prided myself on being the one who learns faster, works harder, and excels past my co-workers in most every situation. I spent my early years serving my country and packing around either an M-16 or M-60 so I had to do this in order to be "employable". In my office there's the gal who was hired as our "controller" (bookkeeper). Her resume' was almost a 1/2" thick (no lie! Boss loved her life story). She's paid $4k a year more than me because she has a degree. The only sad part is I had to train her and even to this day (7 months later) she barely gets through a day without her constant barrage of questions. She spends most of her 7 hour work day (I'm working 9) taking notes on what she has done from 8:01-Arrived at work. She's had at least a total of two and a half weeks off since she was hired and the boss never quivers. I took a personal day last Friday and received an ample butt chewing Monday. He seems to think everyone needs backup if I leave. Heck, I've spent a Friday alone with nobody in the office except myself and it was ok.

Of course that's just the tip of the iceberg. We have our old salesman who thinks the whole place should shudder at his step. He can't use a computer and goes off into a wild tirade if I can't have the fax machine I've never been trained to repair running in under two minutes. He receives an ungodly $70+k a year. Mainly because if someone else sells something he gets their commission as per his contract. He makes error after error on his documentation but if you slip up slightly in six months he threatens to have you fired.

The best part is my boss. He's bipolar. No kidding! We just pray he takes his meds and rests enough not to run us in the dirt or the company for that matter.
He's a good boss to take all your agression out on. Once he yells at you, just reply back to what an ass he is and then you spend a good two hours counceling him while he cries.(It makes the day go faster.)

The rest of the place is a quagmire of this crap but you know what? I'm ok with it. I'm secure in who I am and what I'm there to do. I have pride in a work ethic gleaned from depression era parents and having served my country. I'm there to provide for my family, to take care of them is my obligation. If something opens up I'll take leave and find something that will replace it with a whole new mess of crap I'm sure. I just thank God for forums like this that give us an avenue of approach and let us expel this #$@^& out.

YAHOO! I'M FREE AT LAST!

[mbossman2]

Things learned after being in the work force for 20 years:

Work Ethic is contagious. The key is to 1) hire good people and 2) get rid of the slugs with no remorse.

Once you reach a critical mass of good solid workers, then the work force can take care of slackers on its own thru peer pressure.

Of course all of this assumes that the culture rewards those that do and "punish" (not the right word but...) those that don't.

[Chris in U.K.]

Well said, MB, you summed it up very well.

I've been coming to the same conclusion myself, and I have resolved to be less tolerant of poor work and bad attitude this year. It'll be less of 'Oh well, these things happen' and more of 'If this happens again it'll be the last time'

I won't enjoy it, but it has to be done.

Chris (Mr. Nasty)

[SARGE]

Could be a generational thing, also. Some of the pisants I've seen hired last few years are simply worthless, work ethics-wise. Some never made up their own bed, mowed a yard or had assigned chores growing up. Parents did them no favor, as they're now in an environment expecting one to do an honest day's work, and do it correctly.

I had a morning paper route from 8th thru 12 grades and always a job after school. Had to do it. Been on current job for 30+ years and never missed a day. That either makes me extremely odd or extremely stupid, but it happened anyway. I now see too many attitudes of, "WHAT - you expect me to WORK for my check?".

[Kubie]

Hey Sarge, what happened? Did we grow up together and not know it? I saw my life in your story.
Carl

Btw, how's the weather? I'll be in your neck of the woods over Labor Day.

[Baitcaster]

Easy to say, but not easy to do.

Right now, we aren't replacing those that left or got canned. So it's MORE work, with less people. (sound familiar ? more with less ?)

then there's this:

Of course all of this assumes that the culture rewards those that do and "punish" (not the right word but...) those that don't.

Sadly, now it's all about "teamwork" That means those that can, carry those that can't, cause we can't get anyone with the necicary (sp?) skills to do the work. There is no "correcting" poor work ethics, or shoddy workmanship. If someone screws up, we ALL take the heat. Drives me drink, almost.
Then you have the various programs to get more out of the workers, with little incentive.

Some days are harder than others, but I grin n bear it, and try to leave it there when I go home. That in itself is a task at times.

Bait

[Jade]

Then you have Nephew's or Niece's that have been placed there by some asshole Manager. Glad those days here are over with. Trimmed alot of Fat off this ship (related people at the helm area anyway). More hiring has been done and site explansion is month's if not weeks away.

**** the slackers! They'll sleep themselves into oblivion

[Jade]

***** <---LOL oops!

I guess I could relate to the above prior to April/May

[M. A. Dockter]

Speaking of work eithics...when the boss is planing on going to the bars and is asking his employees to buy him drinks because he has no money....yet he wants My respect as a boss...

Cold day in hell pal

[jessho]

Being the boss lets me cull out the slugs, but it is not easy finding replacements. My line of work requires a person to start at the bottom and work their way to the top. I had to, all of the top hands that work with and for me did too. It's hard to find anyone interested in working long days in crummy weather for starting wages.

[troysvihl]

It's hard to find anyone interested in working long days in crummy weather for starting wages.

You get what you pay for. (Shhhhh! Don't tell the DNC and the other lefties that there acctually is upwards wage pressures without governmental inerference. It would bring their world crumbling down.)

[Jade]

Originally posted by troysvihl You get what you pay for. (Shhhhh! Don't tell the DNC and the other lefties that there acctually is upwards wage pressures without governmental inerference. It would bring their world crumbling down.)

Actually, isn't it more to the right to think "I am better than this Crap, I deserve the world" frame of mind to displace themselves from starting at the bottom nowdays?

[troysvihl]

Actually, isn't it more to the right to think "I am better than this Crap, I deserve the world" frame of mind to displace themselves from starting at the bottom nowdays?

I wouldn't say so. The mentality that people automatically deserve stuff is definitly a lefty one.

[Jade]

Good thing I am the Extreme Centre

[mike breck]

Mind you,

I've seen both sides of this story.

When I was younger I worked in heavy industries like Shipbuilding and Iron foundries. Men were always being recruited and then being paid off. I've been made redundant more times than I remember. It's hard to foster company loyalty in those conditions.


I've worked with lazy workers and I've been supervised by ignorant, abusive foremen and managers. Men who treated the workers like dirt and laughed at them as the sweat poured off them in pints while they sat on their fat backsides drinking tea and smoking.

The result was the workers did as little as possible and as slowly as possible. The philosophy was "why kill yourself for these animals".

In other jobs, I worked with very good managers who treated men with respect and dignity. Who rolled up their sleeves and got dirty when the going was tough, and the workers gave it their all.

My view is you get a good working environment and committed staff through good management. If that leadership isn't there then you can forget everything else.

Good leaders don't just command respect - they earn it.

[Computer Hobbyist]

Troy

You recently stated:

"The mentality that people automatically deserve stuff is definitly a lefty one."

I can't let this pass. Some of the worst offenders of the "life owes me a living" crowd are politically on the right. The key example is the current right wing occupant of the White House. He's been on the job since January and has already taken six weeks of vacation. The same guy assigns all the hard jobs to his retired father's x-right hand man. An old guy with a bad heart. I get the feeling he views the Presidency as his inheritance. That's just one example.

"Lazy" is not a political thing, its a values thing. Actually, Sarge is right, a lot of kids don't learn to work as kids any more. Learning to work as an adult is hard.

As to blanket condemnations of entire groups of people, I work with a lot of government employees, and know a lot of teachers. I can tell you from my experience that some of both groups are lazy, but a lot are very hard working, and are just as dedicated as anybody who posts here. I happen to think that the laziest people are the ones who create and then condemn entire groups just because they look different or have a different job.

On the other hand, I did spend Friday at the DMV....
CH

[kraken]

This whole discussion reminds me of an incedent when I was younger.

While training someone in the job that I was primarily (I had many) involved in I discovered that the companmy was paying this trainee over $1.00 an hour more than me base rate + shift allowance, base rate was still more.

I spat it and asked for an appointment with the "BOSS". I was ignored and was put off of seeking adequate remuneration for my input.

I went on a personal go slow. The particular machine that I was running was integral to the plants production. I set it from the speed of 3 to 1.

When I was told to speed up the machine I said that it would only happen when I got to see the boss about this issue. Guess what, 1 hour later I was talking to the boss and getting a $1.00 per hour increase in my wages. No unions no support but merely my own work ethic got me that raise. There was no arguements from management as to my worth. In my time at that company I worked as though it were my own. Short breaks and working effectively to ensure that the company survived. The company eventually folded but that was after I was retrenched and that decision came from the banking sector who had taken control.

Whom ever employs me will get the full ability that I have. I got respect from management, who were only trying to save a few dollars. They never argued with me and I am one of the very few who received a personal thanks from the boss for my efforts.

It was a good time in my life even if I didn't really like the job that much

[jet_rider]

All to often people are paid what they are willing to take. If you are willing to take 10 an hour and a junior employee is only willing to take 12.50 he may get it or a different job. I have never had a boss willing to pay me more because someone else made more. Then again, I have never approached it in that way. I have always found good reasons for the boss to give me a raise based on attitude and performance. (I all fairness I have got mad as @#$% when I found out some slacker was making more than me, and at that time decided to explain to the boss why he was under paying me and how much I was really worth.)

As for general work ethic I think it has already been said you get what you ask for. I work for a company that let go of 6 highly qualified tech that were contractors so they could hire from within the company. I was the luck one(I think) I got to keep my job. Now we have one highly qualified tech, then me, next guy is coming along at a good pace, then there is the guy that can not put a pc on the network after 8 months. No kidding, he imaged a pc and then put three different nics in because he could not change the driver and make it work. So he swapped nics till he found one the software made work!! LOL (yes what I mean is that all 3 nics were good, he just put in a different card until the pc booted to the network, wala, he got it on the network) Don't get me wrong I have had my problems, but give me a break. To make matters worse he has an advanced degree so he makes the dept. look good on paper so he is being babied. Just makes me sick to watch a company run off knowledgeable hard working people just to give their jobs to people that already have a good job working for the company.



While we are on the subject of work ethic, might not be a bad idea to tell those you work with that do a good job that you appreciate their hard work.

[Computer Hobbyist]

jet_rider

While we are on the subject of work ethic, might not be a bad idea to tell those you work with that do a good job that you appreciate their hard work.

Amen, or as we old guys sometime say, right on

CH