Don't We Do This For A Living?
The American workforce is beaten down, disinterested, and too often unhelpful. But it's not their fault-this comes from the very top of every US business and it's crushing all of our souls.
I’ll be honest with ya, I’m almost out of places to go where employees appear to care and at least try to help us on the customer side of the counter. Sometimes, some don’t seem to understand even the basics of the equipment they’re operating to ring up the sale.
Hell, I don’t even get a “hello” anymore. Occasionally a grunt. A nod - yes - the nod is a big player these days. Because too few train their people to simply smile and say hello.
I feel sorry for the workers who aren’t being trained or being paid even marginally well. It’s hard to watch all the way around.
Just yesterday, I ask the manager at a place that’s doing work at my house next week to give me a time of arrival. She responds with a ridiculous window, given I’m the only job for that crew for two days. The owner of the company - the OWNER - emails me to say - how could they possibly give me an accurate time - they could get stuck in traffic.
Or - their dog could eat their homework too! I wonder what happens over there if anybody has to catch a flight…. This is the owner telling the customer we’ll get there when we’re damned well good and ready. That’s the message his employees get everyday - don’t worry about the people paying our salaries - get there whenever you get there.
I’m down to only these places where I can go anymore where I know the employees are treated well and trained, and I know I’ll get treated like a real person;
In N Out Burger in my neighborhood, Trader Joes down the street too. My pharmacy is pretty good. My new insurance agent is wonderful. Oh - the weed store too - the gals are super nice to me there.
That’s it. I’m not kidding. I don’t go many places anymore, it’s too depressing.
Because in addition to not getting paid or trained well, employees are generally told by their bosses, … Don’t make any decisions. Just keep repeating the phrase - that’s our policy… No matter what the customer asks - say no, or some version of I can’t do that - OH - and make sure you get all their data and sell them a protection plan, our credit card, and ask them to join our rewards club will ya? Oh - AND DON’T FORGET TO MENTION THE SURVEY!!!
If you work inside an office, it’s worse than that and you know it. In addition to all the restrictions, low wages, poor training, and then some, corporate policy now, in almost every space, is run by lawyers and governed by and with fear. The fear of a lawsuit. The fear of an employee who might not be feeling exactly how they think they’re supposed to feel. The fear by an employee of losing a job, or a promotion, or a bonus. The fear of one employee thinking he or she is losing out to another. The fear of simply saying the wrong thing in front of the wrong person.
These are factories of despair, killing spirits, squashing unique thoughts.
At the very top of any business or industry - life is great. Beef jerky, aged whiskey, and pumpkin pie every day. However, just a rung or two below that and downward, rank and file workers are fucked. And it’s getting worse.
I don’t know what we do about this, but acknowledging where we are and understanding that whatever side of the counter you’re on - you’re on the same team is a good start.
And that’s the beginnings of a plan…
