Is Your Employer Asking a Lot More of You
Posted: Wednesday, January 18, 2012
by Dianne Lehmann
Artisan Jewelry from SyZyGy
With the downturn of the American economy and the scarcity of jobs, many employers have begun to expect more and more of the few employees that they maintain. Not only that, some may make what would, in easier times, be considered unreasonable requests.
Growing up, I was indoctrinated into the working world with the idea that whatever your employer told you to do was what you should do and that you should do your best to do it. This of course does not include illegal acts. But it seems that these days, employers are requiring things of their employees that go way beyond their normal job description and border on personality manipulation just because they feel that they have the employee over a barrel.
Somewhere along the line, many employers have accepted the idea that they can tell a person how to behave in all instances. And, I'll admit, in a very loose sense they can. If they require that you be polite with customers, that is not unreasonable. If they want you to follow a specific protocol with each and every business transaction you perform, that's understandable. But determining your behavior in all ways just is not their purview, in my opinion. It is tantamount to saying I want you to be someone other than who you are. If that is the case, why were you hired in the first place?
I hear complaints from people that their employer has told them that if they do not cheer up, they will be fired. The level of a person's "cheer" is totally subjective. Years ago, I was told to cheer up. I was not given the ultimatum that I would be fired if I did not, but it was clear to me that my employers were not happy with my level of expressed happiness. I did a good job, I kept everything neat and organized, I was very good, and friendly, with the customers and the customers liked me. I made sales and regularly added on items as I was requested. I informed the customers about promotions. I did everything I was asked to do. But I wasn't cheerful enough for them, though I was more than cheerful enough for me.
I see the results of this just about everywhere I go. Employees put on false happiness and cheerfulness and so much I'm-just-so-darn-happy-to-see-you-ness that it makes me a bit ill. There is often a certain apparent desperation to these acts (as in I am just acting happy to see you because I've been told that if I don't I will lose my job) that makes me sad.
And that is just one example. Employees are regularly told not to complain or be negative in any way. To make it worse, they cannot depend on their fellow employees not to tattle on them for any negative remarks they might make (although why this happens is beyond me because no one, not even your boss, likes a tattler). And they are regularly expected to perform tasks considerably outside of their regular job description (the salesperson in his suit and tie is asked to wash all the big plate glass windows for example, or a waitress is told that she has to chauffeur the boss' wife around … in the waitress' own car). They are taken advantage of simply because good jobs are hard to find and the employer feels "he" can get away with it.
The only way this will change is if employees stand up and say "We're not gonna' take it anymore." But I don't see that as very likely because the fear of being jobless is real. Your employer can just let you go and hire someone a little more timid and compliant, and probably pay them less to start as well.
Arizona, in particular, is a "right to work state." This is a misnomer in many ways because what it really means is that an employer can fire you for any reason whatsoever … or no reason at all. Yes, you can appeal to the Department of Economic Security, but in all the first hand cases I have heard of, the dispute was settled in favor of the employer.
So what's a good and conscientious employee to do? I wish I knew. Until things get back on track and the economy improves, I don't see that the average employee has any choice but to grin (and that's grin like you really mean it) and bear it.
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Top-level comments on this article: (5 total)Unfortunately, the employment situation isn’t going to change drastically anytime soon. Most employers have their employees ‘over a barrel’ and have a tendency to take advantage of it. You gave the best advice anyone can give – grin and bear it and grin as if you really mean it.
The one thing we can do, as a group, is to do whatever is humanely possible to stop more states from becoming ‘right to work’ states. The brother of a friend of mine owns a business in Texas, I believe, and he was telling me how his brother hires professional builders and pays them $10.00/hour because the business is located in a right to work state.
He was explaining it as if it was a good thing, but it’s very troubling to know that some professionals have spent their entire careers becoming ‘experts’ in their trades and are forced to work for pennies on the dollar, just to feed their families.
Good article Dianne.
P.
Hi Patricia.
I don't see it getting better anytime soon either.
There are other problems with "right to work" states, like not being required to allow breaks. They do have to allow lunch breaks but not the little breaks in between that an employee often needs to remain sane. The small business owners are the worst. The larger more national corporations tend to follow national guidelines.
Thanks for reading!
Hugs,
Dianne
Many of the average problems employees have with employer’s are intensified in Right to Work states. It would be interesting to see an article on conditions in Right to Work states v. other states. I didn’t realize there were so many, but 22 of our states have right-to-work statutes. Not necessarily conditions within the work place, but living conditions in general in those states.
Four states, Arizona, Nevada, Florida and California started out with a disproportionate number of foreclosures compared to the rest of the country when the housing debacle first began. I wonder if it is just a coincidence that all four of these states are Right-to-Work states.
Thanks for the hugs :)
P.
I'd have to guess that it is not a coincidence. As you noted, most right to work states generally have employees that are paid less than in other states. California might be an exception to that however. I think their problem stemmed mainly from over valuing property and indiscriminate lending.
Indiscriminate lending seems to be at the core of most problems in this county, but the bankers are all smiling :)
Someday when I get some time I think I'll do some research on the subject. I really was surprised we have so many right-to-work states and it would be interesting to compare the economics of each.
Thank you for your comment.
P.
When I was laid off from Janus in 2008, I secretly rejoiced because we were so overworked as a small team. A couple years later - 2010 - I talked to one who was not laid off. When I heard that the work had increased, yet there were no new hires, I just quietly shook my head. If I had not been laid off, I would not have been able to carry on, like she did. She was 35. I am just an old guy. My, my. Certain people can be so strong.Hi Christofer.
When I was younger, I was able to do much more. I even wanted to do more. These days, I agree with my husband ... he just wants to do his job for 8 hours a day and then go home. Furthermore, he only wants to do it for a maximum of 5 days a week. Let the younger people bust their backsides if they want to. Been there, done that, ain't gonna' do it no more. :)
Thanks for reading!
Hugs,
Dianne
Well I am glad I'm no longer in the working world. I've been there and done that! Now my kids are seeing that all is not perfect in that world. Oh I wish they could be spared.
You're right about employers expecting a lot, some of it out of their purview. There is no loyalty whatsoever for an employee these days. You struggle to get your salary up with hard work and superior performance and suddenly you make more money - the employer can easily replace you with a much newer person that can be taught and hired at a far lesser rate. The demands they make on you go up. And on it goes. I believe an employee should work hard, do what they can to please, and know his or her worth on the market. While the grass may look greener on the other side, it isn't necessarily true. So a job that is held, like it or lump it, is still better than the one not held. It's tough, real tough. Great article with lots of sense - and so true.Hi Heidi.
My husband is German as you know and my heritage is mostly German. Germans, as you know, have a huge work ethic. We have both always given it our all and mostly it's always been appreciated. But times change.
Thanks for reading and commenting!
Hugs,
Dianne
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