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Subject:Employers - was Re: Writing / Drug Tests From:Damien Braniff <dbraniff -at- iss-dsp -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Mon, 23 Oct 2000 09:09:53 +0100
> I've worked for quite a few companies over the years and, as Andrew says, it's
> a two-way relationship. However, (not sure about the US) here in the UK a lot
> of the 'goodwill factor' from companies has disappeared in the drive to
> maximise profits. Obviously the company aim is to make money but it's finding
> a balance (the hard part). I've worked for companies where I did my 9-5,
> nothing more or less and had absolutely no loyalty at all to the company; team
> loyalty but none to the company. Perhaps it's a size thing, larger companies
> seem to be the ones who lose the 'human touch'. Once we'd done a 22 hr day to
> get a proposal out and as we were leaving I said I was off to be and the
> management comment was "having a days holiday". My immediate boss said he'd
> sign the sick form if they were funny - a matter of attitude really.
On the other hand I worked for a company which operated a flexi system but there
was no clocking in/out, it trusted the employees and as long as the system
wasn't being abused (managers had a pretty good idea on the hours worked).
Because of the way the company operated people felt a certain loyalty to the
company and when deadlines had to be met people willingly put in the time. When
taken over by a large group, management fought off suggested corporate changes
and won using the one argument that work - money (we were the most profitable
bit of the group and they didn't want to rock the boat.
Where I work at the moment is very similar (maybe I've just been lucky!) -
company believe in investing in their assets (staff via training etc), have
yearly staff survey and act upon feedback received etc
Where you get good companies like that you no longer become simply a wage slave
- money IS important (isn't it always) but it ceases to be the be-all and
end-all and you're not likely to leave at the drop of a hat without very good
reason. With bad companies you work purely for the money and if something
better comes up then you're off.
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