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See? Adequate cashiering isn't something just anyone can do, now is it?
There are dozens available per opening that are capable, and stores shouldn't hesitate on getting rid of folks until they get the best of the group available.
Back Breaking Labor? I think not...have you ever dug holes for a living...almost idiot proof, but you can kill your back working an auger.
You can kill your back working an auger and also cashiering and being the garbage collector. That is why these jobs that eat through your body should have some sort of retirement plan.
Good attitude? Yes, should be a requirement at almost all jobs despite pay.
Intelligence? Or intelligent...I'd prefer that my employees are always intelligent despite what they're doing. I can deal with a lack of intelligence to some extent in some jobs...but overall, I expect you to be competent enough and possess common sense to not be asking questions about things that are sorely obvious to anyone with an IQ above 70.
Customer service skills is what I think you're hitting on. Most times it's the job of the employee to carry out the company defined requirements...when I worked sales the idea was "The Customer was right"...now that's true unless they're blatantly wrong (i.e. "I thought this item was $12.00") even still, you could override the system and give it to them for $12.00 but most times, you'd just verify what was on the rack...if it was mismarked, they got the lower price...if not, they paid full price or put it back. Really no major "intellect" needed for that, just an ability to read people, identify motive, and try to help people out.
I think what most people get annoyed with is that at $15/Hour, a person's wages are often creeping into (or well into) those of skilled workers...and the job that we all did when we were 15 is typically not the job we're aspiring to later in life.
Social intelligence is considered one of the seven intellects, a true skill that can be honed. It is actually a more marketable skill than intelligence, and on which HR managers place heavy emphasis on when hiring. Much like IQ, people have various levels of social intelligence.
That is annoying, not because the cashier would make too much, but because the skilled laborer is making too little.
Another addition, there are a number of low education type jobs that employ men, but the minimum wage jobs tend to be the ones that hire mainly women. For instance, garbage collectors where I live make a good wage, and they are mainly men. With the big problem we have with single mothers trying to make ends meet and needing assistance, is it really saving anyone any money keeping wages low?
With the minimum wages issue, It will only encourage companies to push forward with more automation. Like it or not, Self-checkout machines are here to stay (you only need 1 employee to monitor 4-6 stations), and Self-Service Cashiers will be coming to US soon (if not already). Who know what's coming next?
Darwin's theory of Evolution I guess? The question is not "It's a job anyone can do". It should be "Can machines replace the job?"
With the minimum wages issue, It will only encourage companies to push forward with more automation. Like it or not, Self-checkout machines are here to stay (you only need 1 employee to monitor 4-6 stations), and Self-Service Cashiers will be coming to US soon (if not already). Who know what's coming next?
Darwin's theory of Evolution I guess? The question is not "It's a job anyone can do". It should be "Can machines replace the job?"
This logic has the inherent economic question, how lean can all companies run before it has negative effects on the economy? Chili's may might be just at the equilibrium point but if say Red Robin, Applebee's and other diner-style chains do that and other industries run with skeleton crews, that would not lead to long-term economic growth and likely lead to economic collapse. It's all about market equilibrium and if all companies run lean, I don't see the equilibrium being that that stable.
Last edited by mkpunk; 04-20-2014 at 09:12 PM..
Reason: Better wording
This logic has the inherent economic question, how lean can all companies run before it has negative effects on the economy? Chili's may might be just at the equilibrium point but if say Red Robin, Applebee's and other diner-style chains do that and other industries run with skeleton crews, that would not lead to long-term economic growth and likely lead to economic collapse. It's all about market equilibrium and if all companies run lean, I don't see the equilibrium being that that stable.
I am not a economic major (wish I were) so I cannot talk about equilibrium point. If a company able to run lean and earn profit, other companies will follow in order to stay competitive.
Technologies and Human have to keep on evolve in order to survive. Computers are not that common 30 years ago, now computers are able to automate a lot of works. New Technologies will create and reduce jobs at the same time. You either update your skills or take the risk of being left behind.
I am not a economic major (wish I were) so I cannot talk about equilibrium point. If a company able to run lean and earn profit, other companies will follow in order to stay competitive.
Technologies and Human have to keep on evolve in order to survive. Computers are not that common 30 years ago, now computers are able to automate a lot of works. New Technologies will create and reduce jobs at the same time. You either update your skills or take the risk of being left behind.
my 2 cents
Correct. My 1st professional employer had about 100 white collar employees doing less than the work 20 could do today. The difference was the tools we have now are eons above the rudimentary tools available than.
I am not a economic major (wish I were) so I cannot talk about equilibrium point. If a company able to run lean and earn profit, other companies will follow in order to stay competitive.
Technologies and Human have to keep on evolve in order to survive. Computers are not that common 30 years ago, now computers are able to automate a lot of works. New Technologies will create and reduce jobs at the same time. You either update your skills or take the risk of being left behind.
my 2 cents
I am not saying that one shouldn't be up on skills, that goes without saying and is completely different to the idea I was stating. The idea I was stating was more that with fewer players in the economy (individual and perhaps business wise) that lowers demand which in turn causes supply to decrease. It may be sexy to get the machines so you have to keep one forth of the cashiers right now but long-term the costs (fewer customers and/or smaller purchases) may not be worth it.
I am not saying that one shouldn't be up on skills, that goes without saying and is completely different to the idea I was stating. The idea I was stating was more that with fewer players in the economy (individual and perhaps business wise) that lowers demand which in turn causes supply to decrease. It may be sexy to get the machines so you have to keep one forth of the cashiers right now but long-term the costs (fewer customers and/or smaller purchases) may not be worth it.
We'll evolve, just as we survived ATMs changing the banking landscape, and we survived the death of most of the travel agency business (since we can all go online now get our hotels, flights, cars via our own mouseclicks), we survived the loss of coalmen on trains, we survived the loss of those horse and buggy operator jobs.
We'll evolve, and that is what makes our economy terrific.
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