The Office
I watched The Office for the first time last night. It struck such a familiar chord with me, it's not funny. (Well, the show was funny, but the familiarity wasn't. It was rather sad, actually.)
The two bosses are out looking at a condo. While they're away, most of the employees are playing. Office Olympics. There are a few holdouts--the man who's got kids to put through college, so his head is down and he's working. Hard. The woman who's self-righteous, to the point where she's counting the number of times that one of the employees goes up to the front to talk to the receptionist.
I am a firm believer that 8 hours of pay dictate 8 hours of work. But work should also be fun--not to the point of Office Olympics on the clock, but people should enjoy being at work. They should have a chance to slow down every once in a while and take a breath.
I also believe that comedies show real life much more clearly than dramas. I mean, people are funny creatures, aren't they? Take, for instance, the boss's final piece of wisdom shared about buying a condo: "You shouldn't be the best looking person in the complex. If you are, you can only go down from there."
See what I mean? There's some truth to the "rumor" that women buy cars because they look pretty, caring less about performance. (I will admit. I bought my car because it was gold (hides dirt better) and had a sunroof. And it's an Acura, so I can be pretty sure of dependability.) Do single guys determine where they'll rent or buy based on how many pretty girls live nearby?
People can be pretty funny sometimes.
7 comments:
I've never seen The Office and don't think I ever will after what you wrote.
You're right - a day's wage for a day's work. Screwing around at work has never been my motto.
From what my friends in the work force say, it seems these light-hearted attitudes portrayed on TV teach our young children poor work ethics.
I agree with Sloane. I do believe in 8 hours work for 8 hours pay. While I have had slow times at work where I maybe doing other things. I always make sure my work is done before I do anything else that is not work related, or its done on my lunch time.
I've noticed for a few years, the kids that were coming to work for the company I work for had veyr poor work ethics. And as those departments are now being phased out these kids no longer have jobs because of poor job performance and they wonder why.
Jenna refuses to comment after these ladies.
Nope.
She. Is. Going. To. Shut. Her. Mouth. and whistle innocently.
As if we all don't know why, Diva.
It's not just "kids" that have poor work ethics. In my last job, some of the people I had to watch the most were in their 40s and 50s.
It's the sense of entitlement that people get. They think their employer OWES them benefits and paid vacation and paid holidays and parties and bonuses... The only thing the employer OWES them is 8 hours' pay for 8 hours' work. Period.
Oy. Don't get me started. LOL
I guess in my company most of us who have worked 20+ years, really don't have that attitude. It's the ones with under 20 years that do. I will admit, its hard some days because the company has cut back on so much. No OT pay or compensation for managers who work over 8 hours, not wanting to let people work at home, used to get 4 hours off Christmas eve (that stopped 3 years ago), no more Christmas parties that the company would chip in money for, etc.
I know times are hard for many companies, but I will also say, like Sherrill's company we're losing qualified, quality people left and right.
It's a sad fact that most companies believe their first obligation to their shareholders, then to their employees. I know it was that way where I worked. The Board of Directors were more concerned about making sure shareholders were taken care of than that the upper 1/3 of management was about 30% underpaid. And working 60+ hours/week. AND under a dictatorship. As long as they had their fancy boardroom, their assigned parking, and beer at the summer picnic, they were happy.
Ay carumba. Soooooo glad I'm gone.
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