Who Is To Blame For Job Dissatisfaction?
Many of the stereotypes of companies are true. Companies often
hire inexperienced workers for low pay, don't train them and
then wonder why they get poor performance.
Companies don't sufficiently include their employees in the
creative idea process or give attention to individual input.
They continue to enforce higher production requirements with
tighter deadlines - in effect, expecting a "worker bee style"
from its employees to keep up with competitive needs. Staff has
little promise of promotion in this time of cutbacks, and
consequently no real cause for ownership, since they are simply
expected to get the job done. Yet companies feel cheated if they
don't get the quality work they expect from their workers. They
complain that childcare options, flex hours, appreciation
luncheons, sick leave and annual cost of living increases are
frequently disregarded.
Employees feel under appreciated and un-challenged and that
constant complaint prevents stepping up their performance. They
justify doing personal projects on company time since the hours
at their jobs are often extended - never mind that it's often
due to their undisciplined and unfocused work habits. Employees
feel the inequity of being asked to assume leadership roles, if
it means increased workloads with little to no reimbursement
incentives. Employee theft has increased, a contributor to
downsizing and cutting costs due to lost revenue. Longevity and
loyalty are quickly fading concepts of the past.
To guarantee results, management has needed to adopt back up
systems. Divisions of quality control and customer complaint
departments are needed to fix what wasn't done right in the
first place. Numerous policies and guidelines are imported,
including those of fair practices and ethics. Micromanagement is
implemented to double-check work product and enforce behavioral
operating rules that should be a natural mode of operation for
us all. Taking personal responsibility has decreased. We have
backed into corners like boxers duking it out till we settle on
who is to blame for the system not running more smoothly.
Does the burden rest on companies to produce more inspired,
trained and challenged employees or to the employees to be more
self-directed and generative? Both must share in the
responsibility of improving work environments with more
harmonious relationships, mutual respect and acceptance of
individual and company needs. Like the proscenium arch of a
theatre's stage, if only one column gets moved forward, the arch
will fall. By moving both apart at equal distance the structural
support necessary to hold up the archway remains.
I hope this article starts the cycle of recognition. That is
always the first step, then there is more dialogue and brave
first starters. Look at Ben & Jerry's and The Body Shop who were
willing to experiment and close the employee-employer gap. But
why wait for others to act on external big changes? You can
implement changes now if you're willing to stick out from the
rest, generate discussions about what's missing and possible
solutions. Be one of the first to put an end to the right-wrong
game we've all become accustomed to.