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But you also agreed to provide certain services at whatever price when you signed the employment contract and it would be unprofessional and dishonest to not fulfill your obligation. Now if you arrive at your new workplace and find out they treat you like crap and pay far below market, despite putting in your best efforts for a few months and doing everything reasonable to adapt to their feedback, then I'd have no qualms doing the absolute minimum of what's expect until I find something better and leave for that.
It's unprofessional of management to not do anything about a hostile environment.
Based on personal experience, I would say "yes," but with the caveat that I'd be looking for another job once it became clear that the work environment was never going to improve.
My most recent job at a failing machine shop was like this.
I was grossly underpaid for my profession, but some income was better than no income, and the work environment was downright hostile for everyone there. Every department hated every other department, the place was full of far-right-wing lunatic, including proud KKK supporters, and management hated all the employees. Every problem turned into a screaming argument, and the COO who ran the place into the ground escalated every confrontation to just one step short of a fist-fight. The place was run by the seat of the pants with no business sense, the work environment was dismal on top of being hostile, and many of the workers had devolved into hate-filled shells who found comfort in stealing each other's lunches and urinating all over the place in the restrooms... restrooms that never had enough paper towels even though the COO could afford a brand-new luxury BMW sports car with his huge paycheck.
The place eventually crashed and burned, and I was part of the layoffs, but I wasn't sticking around there much longer anyway. It would literally have been better for my mental health to not work at all then to work there, but while I was there, I still gave it my all since it was a matter of personal pride and I didn't want to give them a reason to fire me since the COO LOVED firing people over stupid things. Thankfully, that didn't happen, and the place crashed because of his stupidity, not because of mistakes made by the grunts, and I still got my unemployment benefits.
Or a soldier, or a teacher, or a day care worker, or a minister, or a social worker, or one of a half-dozen more jobs that are considered "callings."
Quote:
Originally Posted by RoadWarrior12
As an employer, I've understood one simple concept that has made my staffing and training decisions very easy for a number of years:
You get the effort you pay for, and the behavior that you reinforce.
Anyone that would give everything for nothing in return is a moron. That's not an ethics question, that's a question of intelligence.
There are many people who work certain jobs hoping to make a difference in other people's lives. That altruism is often taken advantage of in the form of low pay, poor working conditions, and increasingly changing objectives imposed by outsiders onto them.
No one goes into these professions expecting to get rich, but unrealistic expectations and dwindling compensation often manifests itself in high turnover, a less-than-stellar applicant pool, and egregious behavior by some.
Imagine factory workers or firefighters buying basic safety equipment. What would happen if you were expected to work an extra 17-20 hrs per week for the next 3 months to earn only $3,600?
Many quit after only a few years on the job. Others stick it out hoping things get better. A few snap under pressure with criminal results.
I still believe that you should give any job your 100% even if you're being paid under the fair/market salary.. at the same time, you'd definitely want to find something better.
Although it's not ideal, I can tolerate a certain level of "disrespect" if I'm being fairly or over paid.
Now suppose you are being paid below your market value. Not just slightly below like 10% but grossly, say 30% or more below. ALSO, your boss doesn't treat you with the respect any human being expects to be treated. For example, any of the following (but not limited to those):
- Yelling/screaming at you on a regular basis over the smallest mistakes, especially if other coworkers aren't treated the same way.
- Talking negatives about you behind your back with other coworkers.
- etc.
Assume you've done all of the following to no avail in the short term:
- Asked for a raise.
- Asked to be treated with some basic respect.
- Applied to jobs elsewhere.
Would you still be willing to give your employer your 100%? The ethical answer is "Yes", but would you be willing to work just as hard in practice? Or you would give your employer "what he/she paid for"? In practice, I don't think I could do it.
Just wondering..
You know what you're going to be paid when you accept the job, so that's no excuse not to give 100%.
Having said that, if anyone yells/screams at me, they can shove it up their hind end. I will not work for people like that. It wouldn't be, "Oh, I'll just give 10%", I won't give any percent, I'll leave.
I still give my all to my job even though I am overworked, underpaid and disrespected all in the same day every day. I mean, it's my job to do my job, even though it gets very hard at times and I feel like walking out.
You know what you're going to be paid when you accept the job, so that's no excuse not to give 100%.
Having said that, if anyone yells/screams at me, they can shove it up their hind end. I will not work for people like that. It wouldn't be, "Oh, I'll just give 10%", I won't give any percent, I'll leave.
I share the same view.
When a person is applying for a job, they are selling a product. Their work skills. they agreed to the selling price. Now they have to provide the product they sold. Even if they sold short.
If the working conditions change. You get on your horse and ride out of Dodge
Good people will mostly work hard regardless. It's honorable to work hard regardless. Partly because that effort reflects on YOU. Not them.
That's not to say you wouldn't be looking for a better job. But anyone who is willing to put less effort into a job isn't someone I would want to hire.
One of the problems right now is that so many people have such a narrow view and have been brainwashed that the "rich" or the corporation are evil so they convince themselves that their job isn't worthy of their effort regardless of what the truth is.
Frankly, it's one of the big problems we have in our country. Everyone thinks they are above most jobs. Even if they were truly objective, they might find that it's a job they should feel fortunate to have.
And you wouldn't be hired by me because your attitude would show through in an interview.
Bottom line is, good people work hard because it is reflective of THEMSELVES.
This term "disrespected" is SOOOOO lame and over used. It's used by so many as an excuse to be a loser
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