“It’s just a job” generation

[puzzled in oregon]

I 'think' there are some SEC (maybe US tax code) rules that make that unattractive. Some companies do offer employee stock options on a buy in basis but only as a bonus as part of an already existing profit sharing plan and the stock would be at a set price and usually only at a certain time period.

ESOP's stink.

 

[TexasRancher]

@Lucky That was ridiculous your boss didn't want any of your personal preserved technology for the plant. Shows you what kind of clueless boss he must have been.

 

[puzzled in oregon]

I've noticed that most of our female employees like us to know about their kids and family life while the males employees could care less. We've got one employee that I would say is dedicated the rest of them just come to a job. It's gotten so bad I don't bother to find out what their name is for a few weeks. I know that sounds terrible but I've just become numb to them quitting at the drop of a hat.

At my former place of employment the current manager stated one day that he has hired 150 people, he has been manager for three years. 150 people is enough to totally replace every employee at that store 4 times. A lot of drama kings and queens, it's like they are a mobile soap opera. If most of them spent as much time working, which is what I thought we were there for, as they do gossiping and pointing a finger at others, that store would be immaculate. The high turn over also has an impact on the customers. As far as the really younger generation, most probably have never learned/been taught to work, there are exceptions. I told a co-worker once that I thought we had a responsibility to work with the young people to help them learn good work ethics, after awhile I decided that is a challenge that I am not up to. Want good help you get ranch kids, but any more they are scarce and far between in my area. And most ranch kids would rather skip the drama of some work places and work/hang out in the hayfields.

 

[D2Cat]

The greatest benefit of being self employed is the ability to multiply your time.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Maybe so. Self employed. You set you own schedule, most work hard for them self, learn more skills, work more hours, ect. Most other people don't understand self employed as a job want come around and waste their day trying to slow people down. Knows if it was a normal job they couldn't show up and dick off day with them at. Work.

And if you're self employed you can get fired by the customer just like the boss.
When your attitude or performance is below par you're in the same unemployment line.

 

[WFfarm]

I retired from a 44 year career with a large engineering company. Like most places, there were all levels of achievers. Top, average, low and "why are they here" types. I would sometimes suggest (somewhat jokingly) that everyone should be fired once a year on Friday and told to apply for their job on Monday. Most would have been right back to work at a wage that matched their ability and productivity. But some would not be able to justify their existence. In a lot of large companies, it is difficult to get rid of low achievers. Nobody wants to address it. Whenever I would jokingly make my suggestion, a few people would be offended. I thought it was brilliant.
When people would complain about the company, the boss, policies, etc, I would sometimes say "Well you could always go on strike. But the danger is if no one notices you are on strike. That would not speak well of your performance."

Simme, sounds like you worked in Automation.

 

[BFE]

Hire the best. Pay them extremely well. Fire those who don't work hard and do it pretty quickly after hiring them. Become know as an employer who pays real good but is ruthless.

My brother works for such an outfit, a HVAC contractor. Brother's been with them around 25 years, and he's the man everyone calls when they need to know something. Has lots of flexibility and real good pay, and the owner don't give him any crap. Same with all his good hands. Owner's a real asshole to work for if you can't cut the mustard, though.

 

[Brute 23]

And if you're self employed you can get fired by the customer just like the boss.
When your attitude or performance is below par you're in the same unemployment line.

... and word travels fast.

 

[callmefence]

And if you're self employed you can get fired by the customer just like the boss.
When your attitude or performance is below par you're in the same unemployment line.

You also get to fire the below par customers...

 

[Chevy]

And if you're self employed you can get fired by the customer just like the boss.
When your attitude or performance is below par you're in the same unemployment line.

Maybe or maybe not. Depends on what you do. If your the best man say that rebuilds transmission in the USA or where ever. Say your a one man operation, are extremely busy not the best salesman, don't always return call.... yet your work is top in the USA or wherever. Number one good work or good product sell themselves.
People that are busy don't always have time to return calls or messages.
Word of mouth is best advertisement.
I could be wrong.

 

[simme]

Simme, sounds like you worked in Automation.

Instrumentation and Controls. Mainly in pulp and paper. A little chemical and power. Some engineering disciplines (civil and structural for instance) do not change that much over time other than the design tools. I&C and control systems have had major changes. When I started, you would still see some pneumatic controls in the older facilities with amazing mechanical systems designed for solutions because that's what they had to work with.

And there were lots of employees to operate a facility. Now, instruments, control valves, starters and drives communicating on ethernet networks with model-based control and screens like mission control. And facilities with much smaller employee parking lots than before. And changing rapidly. When I started, I looked around and thought that all these old guys don't understand this technology. Then I slowly became one of those old guys and realized that there are two pieces to the puzzle. Understanding the technology to be applied and understanding how to apply it based on the process and the operations. In some ways, there was a lot more to learn when the technology was not as developed. More creative stuff required then. Now people understand the product technology but may be lacking on how to apply because they have the plug and play approach for just the technology.
My only worry now is keeping up with my important work here on CT.

 

[simme]

You also get to fire the below par customers...

Totally agree. Some people that start a small business think they need to please every customer and win every job. But they have to learn a tough lesson that there are some people that will complain and cause trouble in the hopes of getting a refund or something for free or just because that is how they operate and behave. Or will not pay promptly. Most customers are just looking for someone to do what they say, on time and good quality for a fair price. Avoid the bad customers. You don't need them. Too many good customers to choose from and avoid the drama of the bad ones.
My daughter has a vet clinic. She does not hesitate to hand a troublemaker their records and suggest they don't return. Sometimes they are shocked and apologize. Surefire way to get fired there is to yell at or mistreat the employees. Good employees are worth way more than a bad customer. One hard and expensive to replace and the other you don't need.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Maybe or maybe not. Depends on what you do. If your the best man say that rebuilds transmission in the USA or where ever. Say your a one man operation, are extremely busy not the best salesman, don't always return call.... yet your work is top in the USA or wherever. Number one good work or good product sell themselves.
People that are busy don't always have time to return calls or messages.
Word of mouth is best advertisement.
I could be wrong.

That's what you call gullible people.
When I pull in you work for me not the other way around.
You offer nothing that can't be had elsewhere cept maybe a self inflated ego.

 

[simme]

Lots of people have that ego problem - except for me! Well, maybe I need to think about that. Or ask someone if I suffer from that. Probably not though. I am probably smarter than they are and would have recognized it myself if that was an issue. I think.

 

[callmefence]

Maybe or maybe not. Depends on what you do. If your the best man say that rebuilds transmission in the USA or where ever. Say your a one man operation, are extremely busy not the best salesman, don't always return call.... yet your work is top in the USA or wherever. Number one good work or good product sell themselves.
People that are busy don't always have time to return calls or messages.
Word of mouth is best advertisement.
I could be wrong.

That's what you call gullible people.
When I pull in you work for me not the other way around.
You offer nothing that can't be had elsewhere cept maybe a self inflated ego.

If you're in a small community I can guarantee you pay more for service. You may not realize it , but you are on the list.

 

[Brute 23]

I don't mind being on a list or paying "more" if I get the service I need. I have never parted ways with a contractor that I missed and I'm sure the feeling was mutual.

That is the great thing about contractors. Both sides are free to come and go as they please. If it's working good it's because both sides are making the effort to be there and make it work.

 

[callmefence]

I don't mind being on a list or paying "more" if I get the service I need. I have never parted ways with a contractor that I missed and I'm sure the feeling was mutual.

That is the great thing about contractors. Both sides are free to come and go as they please. If it's working good it's because both sides are making the effort to be there and make it work.

I agree with most that.
I've never told someone to call someone else and ended up regretting it.
There have been a couple times I've packed my steel and left and got a call to come back. Usually on commercial work where a super thought he carried more weight than he actually did.

 

[callmefence]

I don't mind being on a list or paying "more" if I get the service I need. I have never parted ways with a contractor that I missed and I'm sure the feeling was mutual.

That is the great thing about contractors. Both sides are free to come and go as they please. If it's working good it's because both sides are making the effort to be there and make it work.

Your first sentence tell it all. People willing to pay for good reliable work usually don't require their ego being stroked.

 

[HDRider]

When it is all said and done, and the curtain is pulled - It is just a job.

You can always get another job
The job can always get another you

 

[callmefence]

When it is all said and done, and the curtain is pulled - It is just a job.

You can always get another job
The job can always get another you

That's correct as long as you don't get to carried away with it's just a job.
I've always felt what you do should be important to you. It's becomes who you are. You can change the people or the location but you need to take the work seriously.