The Experiement, Phase 1

Where I work, we have a social media policy.  To be honest, I've never actually read it.  But just the fact that we have one makes me think that it's a pretty big deal around here.  Then they throw around words like "fired" and it makes you think twice about work-related blogs.  Of course, if I were to blog about work, I would have only positive things to say and wouldn't even think about mentioning less than positive or even unpositive things about my work place.  Especially in my position of authority (okay, okay, I'm just a lowly supervisor...of the world) it would be completely unprofessional of me to slag my employees or my colleagues or my managers.  In fact, I wouldn't even consider it.  So I don't have to even read the social media policy, because I would never, ever, ever write a post about my work, employees, etc., etc.

However, I have this friend...

No seriously, I know when people say they have a "friend", it really means themselves, but really it's not me.  It's my friend.  I've already stated above how dedicated I am to the secrecy of my work place.  So much so that I haven't even mentioned (in this post) where I work.  If you're eager enough to go through all my previous posts to find out where I work, well I appreciate your dedication to the blog, I absolutely do, but that's your problem.  This post is definitely about my friend's work place.  She tells me stories, like all. the. time.  So many stories, that I actually feel as though I work there (but I don't) and I feel equally qualified to talk about some of her co-workers and such.  Because she talks about them that much.

So much fodder, she gives me, I'm actually considering a regular post about her job.  Of course, she'll get royalties if I ever get that famous off it.  I'm that generous of a friend.  I really am.  Tell me what you think...

There are a few similarities between her job and mine.  I cannot explain this, it's pure coincidence.  For instance, she works the night shift too.  Also, she works with unionized employees who's collective agreement is substantial.  It covers most everything.  And let me tell you, these employees are covered.

One employee doesn't show up to work for 7 months.  Seven months!!  They send him letter after letter saying, "Uh, hello?  Are you there?  We're worried about you..." and progressively get more serious, like "Okay, now we're really worried about you.  You must come back to work.  Or at least call us."  And then, "Now, Mister...now, we're really mad.  You have to come to work.  Now.  Okay?"  Then they fire him.  Well, they send a letter saying,

"Dear Mr. Such and such,

You haven't been at work for four months now, you haven't contacted us, so we're pretty sure you're either not coming back or you've dropped off the face of the planet.  We wish you luck in all your future endeavours. 

Sincerely,

The Management"

The employee gets this letter and evidently figures he's in trouble, so he starts calling in sick.  And he sends in a doctor's note as an additional CYA.  For three months, he does this.  Sends doctor's notes every month and calls in.  For a job he no longer has.  For a job from which he's been terminated.  Then, one day seven months later, he shows up for his job.  With a list of conditions (he can only work four hours a day).  And the company takes him back, conditions and all.  They've decided to give him a 'second chance'. 

Isn't that thoughtful of them.

These employees are Teflon coated.  And they know it.

It makes me wonder...

It makes me wonder how far we have to go these days in order to get fired.  If you can not show up for work for seven whole months and still have a job at the end of it...I wonder, what else can you get away with?  What is it that makes people think they can get away with it and then actually get away with it?  What does it say about our society where it's acceptable to have little to no work ethic?  What's happening to us?

To be clear, my friend does not work with youngsters, the gen X-ers who've never had to work hard for anything and therefore have no appreciation for the value of a dollar earned (typically...tsk, tsk to the generalizations, I say).  These are all people in the prime of their career.  They are not working in a highly skilled profession nor a job that requires physical exertion.  They do not have degrees or trades or special powers.  Well, they might...but they're not specific to this job.  They have entry level jobs that requires very little training.  They all get paid very, very well ($20.00/hr - where the minimum wage in BC is $8.00/hr.) for the job they do.  They have health and dental benefits up the ying yang and they will all retire with a full pension and benefits package.  To slack off in this environment is an idea completely foreign to me.  Where does this sense of entitlement come from? 

And why don't I have it?