Job Requirement # 1 - You must not have feelings
Yesterday was our holiday party/annual meeting for work. Usually the first half of the meeting involves work related boring stuff like policy changes, insurance, and how to better serve the customer. Then there are hors d'oeuvres and alcohol, then lunch, then a funny white elephant gift exchange. Oh, and door prizes. But we don't get the door prizes any more because the *Big National Company* that owns us now frowns upon presenting employees with gifts. That's what our boss said. Ok. Fine. Whatever.
This year was horrible. Not because there were no door prizes. (I never won one anyway). The speeches from our superiors were horrible. Awful. I can't tell it all without getting too pissed off. I do wish I would have had a tape recorder so I could play it back for people and get their opinions.
It was supposed to be a pep talk, I'm sure. You know, to try to bring up morale. Instead I think they managed to piss off all of the employees, except for those career oriented people in management, of course.
Here are some of the highlights:
- Big Boss Lady struggled hard and worked a lot to get where she is today. She left her former coworkers in the dust, working from 6 AM to 8 PM. She never called off work. No matter how sick she was, she never called off and dragged herself in, and miraculously, would always feel better when she got to work. One former coworker would show up at 11, got to lunch at noon, and leave at 3. Where is she now? She's a loser. Not standing there in front of all of her employees. But that's where Big Boss Lady is. (I found out this morning that coworker she was trashing had a husband who committed suicide. I probably wouldn't be very gung-ho on working on ANYTHING if that happened to me. So I thought the story was bad when she told it, but after hearing that, I think it's AWFUL.)
- Leave your personal baggage at the door. Nothing in the world should be more important to you during your work day than your work. Think of the sense of pride you will have when you accomplish something, even if your husband left you, your dog died, or your kids are sick. None of that matters when you are here. You can start fresh every morning, forget about all of that, and feel good when you leave. (I remember one lady that worked here. She was the sweetest lady. She found out one day that her husband had prostate cancer. She was devastated. She cried a lot, but tried to hide it. She was reprimanded and told that if she couldn't leave her emotions at home, perhaps she should consider looking for another job. This poor lady ended up getting really sick herself, and finally had to leave. I'm sad for her because she is not well, but I am glad she got out of here. She didn't deserve that kind of treatment. My aunt died a few years ago. We don't get excused time off for funerals unless it is an immediate family member. I have a small family. I cared about my aunt. I was sad. I wasn't allowed to leave for the wake. I was asked if I would be returning after the funeral (which I took off - used a vacation day) because my boss was out of town and they really needed me. I apologized, said "no" and that next time a relative is going to die, I will ask them to do so on a weekend so it doesn't cut into my work day, and that my family needed me more. I mean seriously, what was I going to say - "oh, sorry family, but I can't gather with you after the funeral for food and memories and support, they need me at work, and that is what's important." I was reprimanded for having a bad attitude, and not setting a good example for the other workers - I was a supervisor at the time. Our HR person called me, because I was reported for being insubordinate and told me that she didn't want me to think that they are cold people, but it WAS just my aunt. It wasn't like it was my dad or someone I was really close too. I almost quit that day. How the fuck do they know who I am close too? Oh - and I was told "supervisors don't cry".
- Some people work here to collect a paycheck. Others are here for a career. If you are one of the ones that are here just for a paycheck, perhaps this isn't your cup of tea and you should look for something else. After all, there are a lot of people out there that have lost their jobs, and more that will , who would love to work here. You career should be the most important thing in your life. You need to take pride in your work. (Time to find my cup of tea)
- We must work together as a team. Together Each Acheives More!
- Do not call off work. It hurts the team. Get up, take a shower, if you still feel lousy, come in anyway! You'll feel good about yourself for doing it.
- Do not speak negatively about work. It is like a cancer and spreads, and you will bring everyone down with you.
And so on.
As I was listening to this, I was looking around at the others to see if I was the only one shocked to be hearing this. And today, after talking to people, I know I wasn't the only one. I have had at least 5 people tell me that they feel worse about working here now then they did before the meeting. Of course there was a lot more said, but I don't feel like going into all of it.
I just know I want out. I have no motivation to work for a company that is going to tell me I should live and breathe this place, and everything else is second. I'm sorry. I don't live to work. If I did, I would be as successful as them and own my own business or be in a position of power in a company. If that is how they want to be, fine. But don't say that everyone in the world should be the same way, and if they aren't, there is something wrong with them. I work to live. I work to pay my bills. I work because I have to. If I didn't have to I wouldn't. There are things in my life that are far more important to me than this. I don't think that qualifies me as a loser.
It sickens me that I am wasting my days doing something I don't enjoy anymore, because the people that I work for have told me how disposable I am.
Damn. I feel pretty low. And after hearing that, I don't think I will ever enjoy working here.
I really need to figure something out.
This year was horrible. Not because there were no door prizes. (I never won one anyway). The speeches from our superiors were horrible. Awful. I can't tell it all without getting too pissed off. I do wish I would have had a tape recorder so I could play it back for people and get their opinions.
It was supposed to be a pep talk, I'm sure. You know, to try to bring up morale. Instead I think they managed to piss off all of the employees, except for those career oriented people in management, of course.
Here are some of the highlights:
- Big Boss Lady struggled hard and worked a lot to get where she is today. She left her former coworkers in the dust, working from 6 AM to 8 PM. She never called off work. No matter how sick she was, she never called off and dragged herself in, and miraculously, would always feel better when she got to work. One former coworker would show up at 11, got to lunch at noon, and leave at 3. Where is she now? She's a loser. Not standing there in front of all of her employees. But that's where Big Boss Lady is. (I found out this morning that coworker she was trashing had a husband who committed suicide. I probably wouldn't be very gung-ho on working on ANYTHING if that happened to me. So I thought the story was bad when she told it, but after hearing that, I think it's AWFUL.)
- Leave your personal baggage at the door. Nothing in the world should be more important to you during your work day than your work. Think of the sense of pride you will have when you accomplish something, even if your husband left you, your dog died, or your kids are sick. None of that matters when you are here. You can start fresh every morning, forget about all of that, and feel good when you leave. (I remember one lady that worked here. She was the sweetest lady. She found out one day that her husband had prostate cancer. She was devastated. She cried a lot, but tried to hide it. She was reprimanded and told that if she couldn't leave her emotions at home, perhaps she should consider looking for another job. This poor lady ended up getting really sick herself, and finally had to leave. I'm sad for her because she is not well, but I am glad she got out of here. She didn't deserve that kind of treatment. My aunt died a few years ago. We don't get excused time off for funerals unless it is an immediate family member. I have a small family. I cared about my aunt. I was sad. I wasn't allowed to leave for the wake. I was asked if I would be returning after the funeral (which I took off - used a vacation day) because my boss was out of town and they really needed me. I apologized, said "no" and that next time a relative is going to die, I will ask them to do so on a weekend so it doesn't cut into my work day, and that my family needed me more. I mean seriously, what was I going to say - "oh, sorry family, but I can't gather with you after the funeral for food and memories and support, they need me at work, and that is what's important." I was reprimanded for having a bad attitude, and not setting a good example for the other workers - I was a supervisor at the time. Our HR person called me, because I was reported for being insubordinate and told me that she didn't want me to think that they are cold people, but it WAS just my aunt. It wasn't like it was my dad or someone I was really close too. I almost quit that day. How the fuck do they know who I am close too? Oh - and I was told "supervisors don't cry".
- Some people work here to collect a paycheck. Others are here for a career. If you are one of the ones that are here just for a paycheck, perhaps this isn't your cup of tea and you should look for something else. After all, there are a lot of people out there that have lost their jobs, and more that will , who would love to work here. You career should be the most important thing in your life. You need to take pride in your work. (Time to find my cup of tea)
- We must work together as a team. Together Each Acheives More!
- Do not call off work. It hurts the team. Get up, take a shower, if you still feel lousy, come in anyway! You'll feel good about yourself for doing it.
- Do not speak negatively about work. It is like a cancer and spreads, and you will bring everyone down with you.
And so on.
As I was listening to this, I was looking around at the others to see if I was the only one shocked to be hearing this. And today, after talking to people, I know I wasn't the only one. I have had at least 5 people tell me that they feel worse about working here now then they did before the meeting. Of course there was a lot more said, but I don't feel like going into all of it.
I just know I want out. I have no motivation to work for a company that is going to tell me I should live and breathe this place, and everything else is second. I'm sorry. I don't live to work. If I did, I would be as successful as them and own my own business or be in a position of power in a company. If that is how they want to be, fine. But don't say that everyone in the world should be the same way, and if they aren't, there is something wrong with them. I work to live. I work to pay my bills. I work because I have to. If I didn't have to I wouldn't. There are things in my life that are far more important to me than this. I don't think that qualifies me as a loser.
It sickens me that I am wasting my days doing something I don't enjoy anymore, because the people that I work for have told me how disposable I am.
Damn. I feel pretty low. And after hearing that, I don't think I will ever enjoy working here.
I really need to figure something out.
posted by Anastasia at Friday, November 12, 2004
4 Comments:
you need to GET OUT OF THERE!!! what level of hell does that company exist in??? that's horrible!
"just your aunt"???? Swear to god, I would have slapped that bitch silly and walked out of the building, never to return.
And come in, even if you feel lousy??? and spread your germs to all the other happy drones? what kind of buisness strategy is that?
this company sounds more like a cult than anything else. They want you to eat sleep and breath their propaganda bullshit. If they offer you kool-aid, run!
get out of there. find somewhere with a healthier work environment. don't end up like stupid big boss lady, who probably has no friends, no family, and will die alone in her buiness suit.
Holy crap! That sounds even worse than the company I used to work for. They had a lot of those "meetings" too - where they would try to brainwash you into thinking that they were so wonderful and a gift from God because after all, they condescended to employ you. The most demoralizing thing an employee can hear is that they think there's plenty of people out there who would be happyy to replace you.
Some pep talk!
I hope you find somewhere else to work - life is too short to deal with that kind of crap.
*Hugs*
Feel better sweetie.
Thanks for the link. Right back at ya.
Thanks guys. I know. I really need to get out of here. I just don't know where to go. I definitely need out of the office environment though.
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