Crappy work ethic

[winneythepooh7]

I don't understand why people apply for a job and accept it if they have no intention on following through with it.

Scenario: We hired this woman a few months back to provide in-home support services to our clients (ie. similar to a "home attendant").

In any event, she calls my supervisor constantly requesting cases. Everytime he calls her with one she's like "Oh, I have to work at my temp job".

Well, last week, she called again begging for work so I took her to meet with one of my cases. I had a bad feeling because she seemed grossed out that on rare occasions he might lose control of his bowels, so she will need to help him "clean-up". This was a week ago. I told her that if she is uncomfortable, to let me know immediately because it's not fair to make the committment and then renig. (His partner/caregiver has tickets for Broadway shows every Friday that are non-refundable).

Well, what does she do, she calls my supervisor TODAY to say that there was a death and her family and blah blah blah and also she was doing some thinking and doesn't think he is the type of person she wants to work with anyways. WTF? Doesn't anyone have common courtesy and work ethic anymore? No wonder she can't keep a job!

Now his caregiver is out the show tickets!

[shimmer728]

This reminds me of my former best friend. That girl left every job she ever had on horrible terms--she even got canned a time or two. Why? Lousy work ethic. She once called off work because she had a BEE STING, for cryin' out loud (no, she wasn't allergic). She also lied about deaths in the family and family trips out-of-state. It was ridiculous.

[wordsmith]

Nearly every sports editor I've ever had has had an absolute shit work ethic. The guy I have right now is the best I've ever had, and even so, thus far today, he's taken a nearly two-hour lunch, and will finish out the afternoon with three or four smoke breaks and shooting the shit in our boss's office for at least 45 minutes.

They figure that because it pays shit, they're entitled to not have to do any work. I'm sorry, but a work ethic IS doing your job, ESPECIALLY if it pays shit.

[Skyblade]

It reminds me of the wife on "Everybody Hates Chris" always quitting jobs saying "I do not need this, my man has 2 jobs!"

I guess some people can afford the luxury of quitting a job if they don't like something about it. Every job has parts of it you will not enjoy, but thats life.

[RudeGirl]

They figure that because it pays shit, they're entitled to not have to do any work. I'm sorry, but a work ethic IS doing your job, ESPECIALLY if it pays shit.

My SO didn't put in 100% at his newpaper job, because once you figured in the gas mileage and the lack of overtime -- staying at the paper until 10 pm or later with no pay borders on obscene -- he was probably making 7.50 an hour, which was what he was making as a bar cook. When people are paid more, they work harder; conversely, when pay is low relative to workload, people slack. How many people are rushing around at Burger King, doing their very best? None. They're all standing around slack-jawed and stone-eyed because they realize their time is very cheap.

There's no real virtue in working hard for little money, and there's no particular virtue in making a low income, either. People go where the money is. If you and this guy don't share that view, and his ethics are detrimental to your work and to the timely publication of your daily, you should can him, and let him go where the money is -- or where he can make the same income and twiddle his thumbs.

You post time and again that journalism is a thankless, low-paying job. That might be the case at some papers, but it certainly isn't the case for all. The major dailies in my city start their entry-level staff out at 30K, and their workload is reasonable. Most of these tidbits that this generation has been taught -- internships lead to a job, you have to work hard for pennies an hour, your first job will suck -- often simply aren't true.

[WeirdBrake]

There's no real virtue in working hard for little money, and there's no particular virtue in making a low income, either.

Excellent point.

[wordsmith]

The virtue doesn't lie in the pay or lack thereof. It lies in taking pride in your work for work's sake. If you can't take pride in your work regardless of what you're making, you've got problems.

[WeirdBrake]

The virtue doesn't lie in the pay or lack thereof. It lies in taking pride in your work for work's sake. If you can't take pride in your work regardless of what you're making, you've got problems.

But I think there often comes a point at which you have to ask yourself when it's worth it to have a good work ethic and when it's not. I'm all for having a good work ethic when it's something worthwhile. But I've never been the type of person who is able to "take pride in work for work's sake." Especially if it's something that I judge as unnecessary for self-interest nor particularly fulfilling or enjoyable. Sorry, I don't have an unconditional work ethic. At a certain point, it's like raking leaves in a pile. Sure, you could take "pride" in it. But what's the point? I don't see any nobility in overworking oneself when it's simply not worth it in any tangible way.

[pisces2473]

Winney, this woman sounds like she would rather sit on her ass all day than work a job making SOME kind of money, because to her, sitting around is worth more than any measly hourly wage she might make. I know some people with this mentality.

[wordsmith]

But I think there often comes a point at which you have to ask yourself when it's worth it to have a good work ethic and when it's not. I'm all for having a good work ethic when it's something worthwhile. But I've never been the type of person who is able to "take pride in work for work's sake." Especially if it's something that I judge as unnecessary for self-interest nor particularly fulfilling or enjoyable. Sorry, I don't have an unconditional work ethic. At a certain point, it's like raking leaves in a pile. Sure, you could take "pride" in it. But what's the point? I don't see any nobility in overworking oneself when it's simply not worth it in any tangible way.

I suppose this is my perspective, because I ONLY have had careers that I find essentially worthshile, fulfilling and enjoyable (in the end, if not always every step of the way, naturally, even something you love and are passionate about has its sucky elements, cough*city government reporting and photographing fatal collisions*cough), and wouldn't consider anything else unless direst circumstances made it inevitable.

[unpopular]

There are 2 BILLION people in the world who make less than $2 per day.

There are over 12 MILLION slaves in the world today. They work solely because if they don't they will be punished. They are given no pay, no free time, and barely enough to eat.



I learned all this stuff at a UN internship with a stipend of $1100 per month. I never complained again.

[wordsmith]

I earned an $80 a month (plus room and board) stipend working with impoverished inner city folks with nothing.

But I'm not really sure what that or the above post has to do with crappy work ethics.

[mags81]

I earned an $80 a month (plus room and board) stipend working with impoverished inner city folks with nothing.

But I'm not really sure what that or the above post has to do with crappy work ethics.

Were you in Americorps?

[wordsmith]

No, but a similar program. I did get to claim some of my hours through Americorps.

[yankeeyosh]

I was watching the Simpsons episode this evening with Frank Grimes...so this this is sooooo apropos.

[MetFanL]

I don't believe in half a*sing anything... And, that's what a poor work ethic is -- half-a*sing. It doesn't matter waht you're doing, you should do it right and see it through to the end. And, I expect the same of my co-workers and anyone I would hire to perform a service for me.

[winneythepooh7]

I don't believe in half a*sing anything... And, that's what a poor work ethic is -- half-a*sing. It doesn't matter waht you're doing, you should do it right and see it through to the end. And, I expect the same of my co-workers and anyone I would hire to perform a service for me.

I agree. And I also don't buy when people who go full-knowing into lower-paying professions that they are doing it "half-asked" because they don't feel they are being paid their whole worth. It has been my experience that if you are truly cut out for these kinds of fields, you will go even above and beyond because money is not your driving force for entering a lower-paying field.

[MetFanL]

I agree. And I also don't buy when people who go full-knowing into lower-paying professions that they are doing it "half-asked" because they don't feel they are being paid their whole worth. It has been my experience that if you are truly cut out for these kinds of fields, you will go even above and beyond because money is not your driving force for entering a lower-paying field.

You know what makes me nuts? When you go to the grocery store and the cashiers don't hustle. Or, when you're at a fast food place or a concession stand and there is no hustle. I'll NEVER understand that. When I worked two and three jobs in college, I ALWAYS hustled. Always. And, if that was my only job, I'd do it even more so. I just don't get it and I CERTAINLY feel that I should be able to expect it from people in every field -- from the grocery store clerk to my co-workers to my lawyer to whoever.

[pisces2473]

You know what makes me nuts? When you go to the grocery store and the cashiers don't hustle. Or, when you're at a fast food place or a concession stand and there is no hustle. I'll NEVER understand that. When I worked two and three jobs in college, I ALWAYS hustled. Always. And, if that was my only job, I'd do it even more so. I just don't get it and I CERTAINLY feel that I should be able to expect it from people in every field -- from the grocery store clerk to my co-workers to my lawyer to whoever.
So true. I hate when the checkout people take their sweet time. That's why I do self-checkout now, because my groceries cost the same price whether I ring/bag them, or the ditzy 16 year old girl does. My time's precious and I don't want to waste time waiting around.

[wordsmith]

I always felt like I HAD TO hustle. But then, I was a raw nerve as a teen.


And to respond to an earlier post, I also don't believe in half-assing in a job performance. If I'm doing something where I feel resentful and/or slack and/or compelled to half-ass it, I'm not in the right job and need to get out.

[pisces2473]

Oh my god, when I was working in HS, I was a NUT at work. I now know why I was able to stay slimmer when eating a bunch of crap. I never stopped running around. I served hungry old people--they were grouchy enough when they were full--I had to keep them happy!