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If its not profitable to do what you do, then find some other occupation or a way to make it work.
Its not up to the employer to pay you a so called living wage: its up to you to earn the wage you desire. If that means leaving a low paying job or bettering your skills, then you must step up.
There are times I have left a job that just wasn't worth the time invested vs the compensation.
Time is the same regardless if you're rich and poor: They all have 24 hours in a day.
Your time is money, don't waste it.
So did you ostentatiously look at your pocket watch when you were done with that, and shove it back in your vest pocket with a good harrumph?
Not sure this thread is about income and salary; the OP pretty much assumed that was "adequate."
Most of us spend most of our waking hours around coworkers. Pretending it's nothing more significant than buying a cup of coffee or work doesn't have any effect on you is denial.
This is also true. Most of us spend more waking time around our coworkers than our own families, never mind friends.
It comes down to, work consumes more than half of your (conscious) life... it's hard not to get pulled into that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth
I wonder if the OP will return to explain his view a bit more. I don't find that it makes sense.
It makes sense to me, in that it's just like someone else said-- don't pour yourself heart-and-soul into something that doesn't feel that way about you. (After all, we'd tell you not to do it for a relationship with another person, right?) Do your job, do a good job for the hours you're paid for, but often you're not going to get a medal for doing extra and it may not even make a difference if they want to ********* over (yeah, I've known people who've found out the hard way and after that, were done with going above and beyond).
For many people, their work is central to who they are. You take away their work and in their view, you take away their identity. That's unhealthy, but all too common.
The better way to view work is like the classic line from the Godfather movies "It's not personal, it's just business."
to utilize " Simple" business transaction- is to Minimize it.
Same too with this off the cuff Indifference attitude of " its not personal, just business".
If 1/3 of my awaking LIFE is being "just business", then I stopped living the FULL life and live the FOOLS life.
Somethings are procedural and can be done so with indifference. I chose not to be near that mindset if all they want is that $ ( Business) .
All of the interactions and issues you have with bosses and coworkers are just fluff.
You perform X service and get Y pay and benefits. There's nothing more to it.
People get way too emotionally involved with their jobs. I know as I've definitely been guilty of that myself.
It's both IMO.
What you do is not a business transaction. What makes up your career, your skills, your talents, etc. The ingredients that go into them are not just business transactions. That IS who you are.
Who you sell those skills to or the circumstances you perform those skills is part of that business transaction.
The key is understanding which area this falls under when you are faced with a situation. Or better yet - what the other party's perspective is.
This is also true. Most of us spend more waking time around our coworkers than our own families, never mind friends.
It comes down to, work consumes more than half of your (conscious) life... it's hard not to get pulled into that.
It makes sense to me, in that it's just like someone else said-- don't pour yourself heart-and-soul into something that doesn't feel that way about you. (After all, we'd tell you not to do it for a relationship with another person, right?) Do your job, do a good job for the hours you're paid for, but often you're not going to get a medal for doing extra and it may not even make a difference if they want to ********* over (yeah, I've known people who've found out the hard way and after that, were done with going above and beyond).
I don't think the issue is about pouring heart and soul into a job. It's about going to work everyday for weeks and months and years, taking pride in a job well done, but in some cases, that doesn't get recognized. If there's a poor, incompetent boss, you may find yourself not only unappreciated, but beset with subtle messages that you're not trusted to work independently, or you may find there's a co-worker that's trying to undermine you in order to ingratiate themselves with the boss, or whatever.
Situations like that aren't about "emotional involvement". They're about fair play. Not that one needs to get patted on the back all the time, but at the very least, people expect things to go more or less smoothly, if they do their part. If that doesn't happen, there's grounds for a legitimate complaint.
This is why I don't understand the OP. I'm not sure what his point is, and it seems to be framed wrongly.
I don't think the issue is about pouring heart and soul into a job.
It's not. It's about the reasons you go to work at all, and why you do what you do where you do it. If that list boils down to "because they give me the biggest paycheck I can get" (or any minor variation thereof)... there's not much to say in response. Not in a forum, anyway. May the good COLA keep you.
I don't think the issue is about pouring heart and soul into a job. It's about going to work everyday for weeks and months and years, taking pride in a job well done, but in some cases, that doesn't get recognized. If there's a poor, incompetent boss, you may find yourself not only unappreciated, but beset with subtle messages that you're not trusted to work independently, or you may find there's a co-worker that's trying to undermine you in order to ingratiate themselves with the boss, or whatever.
Situations like that aren't about "emotional involvement". They're about fair play. Not that one needs to get patted on the back all the time, but at the very least, people expect things to go more or less smoothly, if they do their part. If that doesn't happen, there's grounds for a legitimate complaint.
This is why I don't understand the OP. I'm not sure what his point is, and it seems to be framed wrongly.
Yes, but I can take pride in a job well done and still put in my 8 hours and go home. It's when you get emotionally invested that you're more likely to work free overtime and such, because you care about the company or the job being done or your coworkers who would have extra work to do if you don't put in extra. People don't tend to "go above and beyond" if it's simply about wanting to be competent. And it's that that is sometimes unappreciated.
(Also, seriously?? This site censors "scr*wed"? Did I blunder into a kindergarten by mistake?)
I suppose work is just a business transaction for some, but for many it is who they are. A farmer is a farmer first. A scientist is a scientist first. An engineer is an engineer first. Then they get a job. An engineer who changes jobs from company A to company B is still an engineer. I guess for some people it doesn't matter if they're making razor blades or dog food. But that would never be enough for me no matter how well I was paid. I have to put things in space. It's who I am.
Agree. Of course many people never find or get a chance to work at the thing they might really be inspired to do or are devoted to. I've been very fortunate to work at a career that I couldn't imagine NOT doing. More money, perks, trappings didn't make any difference. Sure there was a lot of emotion tied up in it (which also meant times of anxiety and stress), but I was also able to leave work at work most of the time because down deep I knew I was giving it my all and not begrudging the effort. There is a point where you must do this to stay functional. Problem is, that point is individual. No one else can really tell someone where that point is. The satisfaction, the payoff, the thing that allows you to tolerate the everyday miniscule garbage, is the knowledge that you are doing something meaningful with your life. You can be snide and cynical and say work is nothing more than business if you choose, but that won't fit everyone. Thank goodness. There are professions that wouldn't be very possible without passion.
Blue Wave sounds like they used to be emotional at work, got burned, and are trying to shut off their emotions at work by convincing themselves that work is a simply business transaction. It doesn't work. You are still a human being and you are guaranteed to have an emotional reactions at work.
True, but not quite that simple. For one thing, people must devote large amounts of personal time to their jobs (a 1/3 or more of their day). The office invariably becomes another "home" of sorts, whether we like that or not.
Businesses have their inner concerns, but also have to care about their customers. Just as it's not healthy to "screw over" the customer, employees and bosses should not be screwed over either. They are both reflections of the same point.
Business transactions, yes. Mechanical and robotic with no room for considering feelings and valuing humans, no. Not all emotions are to be banned from the work place. A death in a family, illness, pain, sickness, harassment from people inside or outside an organization... to just shove them away makes us less of human beings, and only adds to potential problems. There is a healthy and natural balance to acknowledge.
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