Work Ethic. Anybody have any?

[pilot-one 0]

Why is it that so many employees have to take their nephews and nieces to the emergency room?
And what about court that takes all day? And of course they didn't remember until the morning of.
I am a small business owner that pays a very generous wage but that doesn't seem to make a difference. Is there anybody out there that can come to work other than to pickup a paycheck?
What goes on in the minds of such a people?

[denete 2]

So why not fire them?

SCR #14809

"our attitude is the thing most capable of keeping us safe"
(look, grab, look, grab, peel, punch, punch, arch)

[shermanator 3]

weird. I've seen a license plate with your dz.com name pilot-one"

CLICK HERE! new blog posted 9/21/08
CSA #720

[airtwardo 6]

Back in '80 when I moved to San Diego, I got hired by an aerospace firm 20 minutes after I applied...

"Can you start today?"


Was it my stunning good looks, my excellent resume, the quick witted & entertaining way that I breezed through the interviewers questions???


NOPE!



The 'Human Racehorses' person that hired me, told me later it was because I was from the Mid-West...where the work ethic involves actually WORKING!


Back in the Regan years of massive defence spending, a couple of guys in my department, 'myself included'...worked 18 months without a day off...


During Desert Shield & Desert Storm..same thing, we were sole source supplier to the Air Force & Navy for many jet engine and missile parts....16-18 hour days were the norm.

There was a 'core' group of us that were committed to put forth whatever effort was needed.

I'd say about another 60-70% of the employees spent as much time each day figuring out how to AVOID working as they did doing anything productive...were it MY call, I'd have fired 'em ALL!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[downwardspiral 0]

Hire veterans.

www.FourWheelerHB.com

[JohnMitchell 14]

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The 'Human Racehorses' person that hired me, told me later it was because I was from the Mid-West...where the work ethic involves actually WORKING!

I somehow inherited the work ethic from somewhere. I use my sick leave for illness, keep my breaks shorter than most, and try to do my best work everyday. My work place is full of people wanting the pay, but dodging the job every chance they get. Too bad it's so hard to get fired from a government job.

Or, maybe that's okay.

[Squeak 17]

longest i have ever been unemployed is 2 months, 5 weeks of that i was traveling across the country.

I know of people who have stress leave. one person had 12 months off of her teaching job for stress....for frigg sake SACK the woman

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[pilot-one 0]

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So why not fire them?

Easier said than done. Not to mention the fact that the next person will be the same.
If I could only hire the people that really want to work: Illegal immigrants from Mexico.

[Squeak 17]

How much do you pay

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[JohnMitchell 14]

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I know of people who have stress leave. one person had 12 months off of her teaching job for stress....for frigg sake SACK the woman

That is amazing. They should tell her she's not cut out for the job and give her a shove off.

Where I work, a supervisor, who was notorious for questioning everyone else's sick leave use and playing holier-than-thou, saved up almost a year's worth, then got a note from a doctor saying the stress was too much, and he needed to leave. This guy then spent about 11 months vacationing in Germany on sick leave, at the taxpayers' expense, then retired. The FAA did throw in one injury to him. They needed a signature on a retirement form and refused to accept a fax. He had to fly from Germany to Seattle just to sign a piece of paper.

[kschilk 0]

For some people, work is a noun.

"T'was ever thus."

[CSpenceFLY 1]

I have a lawn service business. I work by myself. Got tired of the BS that you describe.

I had a guy once that used the "kid to the doctor" thing all the time. He called one morning using it and I told him that was fine but when he came to work I needed to see some proof the the doc saw his kid that morning. He quit on the spot.

[BIGUN 1,053]

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So why not fire them?

Easier said than done.

Actually, easier done than you think. If you live in an at-will employment State and are a small business owner, all you need is an employee handbook that differentiates issues for termination for cause and issues for progressive counseling and have all the employees sign a copy.

Small Business Employee Manual Template

Little bit of time could save you a lot of stress and heartache.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[Lastchance 0]

I got my work ethic from my dad. When I was about 9 my dad fell off a scaffold and nearly broke his leg. The next day I watched him go off to work using a bed slat as a crutch. He was always the first to show up and the last to leave. I admire him more than any person in the world.

I may be getting old but I got to see all the cool bands.

[denete 2]

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There was a 'core' group of us that were committed to put forth whatever effort was needed.

At work I have two goals:
1. Do what is best for the company.
2. Do what is best for the customer.

Then I have 3 fundamental principles that guide my work:
1. Yes, it IS possible.
2. Do whatever must be done in order to create a successful product.
3. Do things that make sense.

Yep, I'm in the minority.

SCR #14809

"our attitude is the thing most capable of keeping us safe"
(look, grab, look, grab, peel, punch, punch, arch)

[Lastchance 0]

I was going to go to work today but the voices inside my head told me that it was a good day to stay home and clean my guns. I also have anal glaucoma. I can't see my ass going to work.

I may be getting old but I got to see all the cool bands.

[jimmytavino 16]

you either have it or you don't...

My Father used to say... " you don't work... you don't eat"

Everybody wants a JOB
Not everybody wants to WORK


for me, it's a case of a clear conscience when i lay down to go to sleep.

plus in my work,, If I don't do it,,, NO one will...


jmy

[Gato 0]

I was a waiter and bartender for almost 20 years - if you don't show up and REALLY do your job, REALLY take care of your customers, you won't take shit home. Period.

I also remember my dad and I watching "Then Came Bronson" a looooonnng time ago, I think I was around 4 years old. He had just picked up this girl (Bronson, not my dad) and they showed up a job site where he proceeds to clean bricks or something to earn some cash - but the girl just sits around doing nothing. The next morning, she's looking for breakfast, finds an empty egg carton, and he's in the process of eating a dozen scrambled eggs. He looks up at her and says, "You don't work, you don't eat."

Had a big, big impact on me. Kinda silly, though.

T.I.N.S.

[pilot-one 0]

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So why not fire them?

Easier said than done.

Actually, easier done than you think. If you live in an at-will employment State and are a small business owner, all you need is an employee handbook that differentiates issues for termination for cause and issues for progressive counseling and have all the employees sign a copy.

Small Business Employee Manual Template

Little bit of time could save you a lot of stress and heartache.

Texas is an "at will" state and I do have employee handbooks but the problem is the training. I spend thousands of dollars in training each employee. I can't just get rid of one and get another. The other obstacle is the Texas Employment Commission. In most cases they award the employee that quit or is fired for any reason unemployment compensation. That money basically comes directly from my bank account.

[mnealtx 0]

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In most cases they award the employee that quit or is fired for any reason unemployment compensation. That money basically comes directly from my bank account.

I don't see how, unless you're paying them under the table. Unemployment insurance it taken from the pay at the time it is processed and sent to the state, is it not?

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[Whiskeyboi 0]

My dad, who died when I was six, somehow managed to instill the values of hard work into me. (He did third-shift to support his wife and three kids.)

I've been salaried for over 10 years, but I don't think I've worked less than 60 hours a week since then. I take work home, stay late, ALWAYS lose vacation days that I'm entitled to...

I just don't sit still well. So many people judge you on so many different things...I think people, to a great respect, are only worth the work they do. Then again, I don't have a degree to get me in the door anywhere, so I think I've had to work that much harder to stay "VALUED". (No one's fault but my own...I'm just paranoid...) Then again - I don't have other people to take care of...just me...

I'm proud of the fact that I've taken one sick day in almost 15 years of work...and that was because I was discharged form the hospital at 6:00 AM and didn't want to go to work in the same clothes. (Okay, the Vicadin MAY have been a factor...)

I'm one step short of indentured servant...

[galvar2439 0]

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Why is it that so many employees have to take their nephews and nieces to the emergency room?
And what about court that takes all day? And of course they didn't remember until the morning of.
I am a small business owner that pays a very generous wage but that doesn't seem to make a difference. Is there anybody out there that can come to work other than to pickup a paycheck?

I own also and like every owner out there, this is always a problem especially with the younger people. I dont want to sound like i am bashing Americans since i am one but the work ethic in thids country is almost gone. Everyone wants to live life like they are an MTV movie star. If the type of work you do allows it there are agencies you can call to hire people from other countries legally. The times i have used this it has worked out awsome. In some cases the U.S. government helps pay part of thier wage. I fear the future for this country with the attitudes we have these days. No one is responsible for themselves, its always someone elses fault.

So i just broke up with this woman who wasn't even my girlfriend!

Hellfish #782, POPS #10664

[DSE 3]

you said it well.
We pay *very* well. One 19 y/o kid made nearly 55k last year, working not much more than part time. It's not easy work and requires deadline-based performance.
He left to work at Costco, because it has fixed and fewer hours. He loves the two-three weeks off, but hates the 10 day power stretches we get into. Can't bother to respond to email, phone calls, text messages until his car insurance or rent is due. Then it becomes a flurry of phone calls with "Whatcha got for me?"
Most kids (and many adults) today have shit work ethic.
We're always looking for good people, BTW But part of what we do is to perpetuate the MTV star-look and lifestyle.

[Squeak 17]

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We're always looking for good people, BTW But part of what we do is to perpetuate the MTV star-look and lifestyle.

Wadda ya got for me

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[NWFlyer 2]

There's work ethic and there's workaholism... you might be on the wrong side. But I sense you have some awareness of that.

As for me, I have a solid work ethic, yes. I believe in accountability, setting and honoring commitments, and being an honorable and reliable employee. The flip side is that as a professional, I also expect and enjoy the freedom to be able to meet and honor those commitments without micromanagement - that's what accountability's all about. One of the first things I'll do in a new working relationship with a boss is talk about how he/she wants to work together and what his/her expectations are around time management and reporting in on work and project progress, etc. I want to work for the kind of boss who doesn't care if I'm working 14 hours on Monday and 5 on Friday so long as s/he sees me working productively and effectively.

Because more than anything, I believe in work-life balance, and leaving my job (for the most part) when I leave the office. I no longer choose the types of jobs that require consistent 70+ hour workweeks, or regular weekend work, or for which how many all-nighters you pulled in the name of meeting the client deadline is a badge of honor. The occasional late night to meet a corporate goal - absolutely, I'm a team player. But when it's part of the corporate culture and expected, all day, every day? Nope, not important enough to me. I prefer some balance, and I'll take a little more predictability for a little less salary. For me, being balanced in my life is as important a value as work, too.

Implying that people who don't want to work huge amounts of hours a week don't have a strong work ethic is b.s., IMHO (I'm not saying you were doing this, but I get the sense that others might be). To me, a strong work ethic means honoring the commitments you do choose to make - whether that's to showing up 10 hours a week for a part-time job or to put in 80 billable hours a week at a corporate law firm.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke