Rules For Being an Employee

[aighead]

Well said John!

 

[Truck Shop]

I was looking at it from a old employer's view from years ago. His philosophy.

Micro managing is probably one of the worst habits an employer can have for the simple
fact he will over look and create problems sometimes more often than not. If you micro
manage your probably going end up stifling any employees ideas missing out on good ideas
to use plus employee sees a ego problem.
His other thought was keeping a happy work environment. As a employer your wages may
not be as high as others but employees have a tendency of staying put at a slightly less
wage because they are comfortable with work place. A steady eddy business for employees
in most cases is more important. He never showed anger or spoke to the help in a
disrespectful way.

Cliff's business ideas--He was a very good employer.

 

[skadill]

A general quote is - The boss pays the employee just enough so he won't quit. The employee gives just enough that he won't get fired.

 

[John C.]

A general quote is - The boss pays the employee just enough so he won't quit. The employee gives just enough that he won't get fired.

That used to be the mantra of capitalism. It doesn't work when labor markets are understaffed. Apparently high talent labor are acting like NFL players now and getting what they ask for. Management has no way of knowing when the talent will just walk away.

 

[aighead]

You guys are hitting very close to home. I like my job pretty well, but I trade probably 30-40% more salary for a very nice work environment. A lot of us understand that but some do not.

 

[Truck Shop]

You guys are hitting very close to home. I like my job pretty well, but I trade probably 30-40% more salary for a very nice work environment. A lot of us understand that but some do not.

Which can create stress, one has to ask themselves is it worth it? Stress is a killer. Plus in many cases the
job goes home with them which causes stress on others in that household.

 

[Shimmy1]

A general quote is - The boss pays the employee just enough so he won't quit. The employee gives just enough that he won't get fired.

And here it is. The root of this entire discuss. Perspective. If bosses didn't abuse this right, and employees actually would get fired for not being productive enough, there wouldn't be anything to haggle over.

But, according to every owner in the world, he's already paying more than he should be to the help, and every employee thinks they are overworked and underpaid.

And, to answer your question, John, I have been on all sides of this as well. Grew up in a family business. For 14 years I had to find work to do in the winter to survive because my father believed that $10k a year from him was enough to keep me there in 2010. I was loyal to a fault to my employers, and was rewarded well for it. I saw and listened to firsthand the type of employees that seem to be the majority today. Gripe, gripe, gripe all day long about how so-and-so makes this much and how management doesn't care about the employees and all the owner cares about is getting his new Camaro and going to Arizona every winter and blah, blah, blah. Just shut up and do your job. That kind of attitude is a cancer for the good ones, BOTH SIDES. The boss gets tired of the crybabies, thinks all workers are the same, and the good workers get soured one of two ways:either they become a rotten employee as well, or they move on to a different job to get away from the bullsh!t. It's a vicious circle that has gotten bigger and bigger, so big that there is almost no escaping it. Now I am an owner, who pays employees, but still works with/for the man that made it possible for me to become a boss. We share employees, and sometimes I'm managing jobs in his operation, and sometimes he's helping me in mine.

What it comes down to is respect. If the boss respects the employees enough, they will get paid enough, and treated excellent. If the employee respects the boss enough, they won't need these rules because they won't matter. But, like everything, respect HAS to be EARNED. Both sides.

 

[CM1995]

like everything, respect HAS to be EARNED. Both sides.

That pretty much sums it up.

The rest is just human nature and humans in general disappoint. Too bad dogs don't have opposable thumbs and could run equipment..

 

[KSSS]

That pretty much sums it up.

The rest is just human nature and humans in general disappoint. Too bad dogs don't have opposable thumbs and could run equipment..

Lock your wife and your dog in the truck. Open it up and see which one still loves you, pretty much says it all.

 

[Truck Shop]

And here it is. The root of this entire discuss. Perspective. If bosses didn't abuse this right, and employees actually would get fired for not being productive enough, there wouldn't be anything to haggle over.

But, according to every owner in the world, he's already paying more than he should be to the help, and every employee thinks they are overworked and underpaid.

And, to answer your question, John, I have been on all sides of this as well. Grew up in a family business. For 14 years I had to find work to do in the winter to survive because my father believed that $10k a year from him was enough to keep me there in 2010. I was loyal to a fault to my employers, and was rewarded well for it. I saw and listened to firsthand the type of employees that seem to be the majority today. Gripe, gripe, gripe all day long about how so-and-so makes this much and how management doesn't care about the employees and all the owner cares about is getting his new Camaro and going to Arizona every winter and blah, blah, blah. Just shut up and do your job. That kind of attitude is a cancer for the good ones, BOTH SIDES. The boss gets tired of the crybabies, thinks all workers are the same, and the good workers get soured one of two ways:either they become a rotten employee as well, or they move on to a different job to get away from the bullsh!t. It's a vicious circle that has gotten bigger and bigger, so big that there is almost no escaping it. Now I am an owner, who pays employees, but still works with/for the man that made it possible for me to become a boss. We share employees, and sometimes I'm managing jobs in his operation, and sometimes he's helping me in mine.

What it comes down to is respect. If the boss respects the employees enough, they will get paid enough, and treated excellent. If the employee respects the boss enough, they won't need these rules because they won't matter. But, like everything, respect HAS to be EARNED. Both sides.

I agree Shimmy.

I look at my job several ways, maybe that's odd this day and age. My job is keeping
the owner out of a liability situation, the driver and the public out of harms way first
and foremost. The number one issue is safety. Without it the company could possibly
be out of business in a heart beat. If I neglected to do what I was paid to do and it
caused injury or someones life-I should be shot. I respect the owner for having the trust
he has in me to get the job done. I'm happy with my pay, we laugh and joke in the shop.
But the job is taken seriously. If I worked for you or anyone else I would handle it the
same way.

 

[BigWrench55]

This is the kind of employee that I am. I show up everyday and on time. I get the job done and done well. When I make mistakes I own them rather than make excuses for my mistakes. I treat company resources as they were my own and I treat their money the same way. But my number one rule is. I am number one my needs come first no matter what. If the job is causing unnecessary stress then I am gone. If I want more money or a better position and you can't or won't give it to me. Then I'm gone. My needs and my family come first. I am a good employee for the most part and I will do the job I am hired to do. But any company or owner that thinks I should be loyal to them and stick around because they treat me well. Is sadly mistaken. I owe you nothing but a job well done. Like I said before. This isn't personal it business and my needs come first. Just the same way any company or business owners run their business.

 

[skyking1]

I will hold this for a while. Thanks for reading, bigwrench.

 

[Neily]

I am a good employee for the most part and I will do the job I am hired to do. But any company or owner that thinks I should be loyal to them and stick around because they treat me well. Is sadly mistaken. I owe you nothing but a job well done. Like I said before. This isn't personal it business and my needs come first. Just the same way any company or business owners run their business.

I’ve been both side of the fence and I’m not convinced through my own experience that I could work for or employ someone without some degree of loyalty. There’s no way I could treat an employee with the mindset of “it just business” say for example my workers wife gets sick, whatever scenario you can think of. I’ll just get rid of him like that old loader with the damaged trans cause it doesn’t make sense to fix it? It’s just not that simple. I only have experience in family run businesses, I can see your point perhaps if I was working for a corporate company.

 

[DMiller]

When get to loyalty there has to be some, a Owner takes that chance you will be a good worker, get jobs done adequately and derive a profit from your labor to which improvement on all, his, your, customer conditions where as money expands can provide subsequent raises. A employee doing the minimum, to meet their own needs and provide a good service is not adding value but riding a fence. On the other side a owner that does not recognize where rewards better value in their employee is as selfish or worse.

Worked as employee, worked as employer, worked as Union and Non where the subtlety’s do not change just the conditions to which benefit can be applied or penalty pushed. A employee with no loyalty is of little value, sure they produce yet can be gone as fast as arrived, zero tangible asset. A employee that shows up on time and ready to work every day without fail is only a benefit should quality exist within that work. A employer that expects max load with minimal payroll is looking for a reason to quit the business knowingly or not. And a employer that fails to understand a employee that does good work promptly, efficiently with no concern to reward has no business being in business.

 

[skyking1]

In the wake of my sister's illness and passing, I can say fairly that my employer has indeed been family for me. I took any and all time that I wanted or needed, and still got the work done for them too. When I did not need to be there, there was no expectation of me coming in to take care of little punchlist crap around the office.
I set my priorities and they include taking care of what is needed and not a thing more, when that serves my needs.
There is plenty of deferred wrenching and cleaning up around there and I will get back to it now. I need the hours!

 

[DMiller]

Great employers are few and far between, glad to know there still are.

 

[92U 3406]

The original post in this thread was literally exactly what I needed to read right now.