Working Without Gratitude
I'm a pretty sociable person. In the old days, the only reason I went to work was to socialize. Luckily, I worked at the NDP caucus at Queen's Park. But then I was out of the workforce for quite a few years looking after babies and toddlers and the only interaction I had with co-workers was when I'd go with my now ex to one of his workplace parties. It was pretty demoralizing, "What do you do?" "I'm a homemaker." Then his/her eyes would roll back into his/her head and his/her mouth would drop open and after a while flies would start buzzing in and out and eventually a spider would move in and build a web... You know what I'm talking about. Yeah. That's me.
A decade or so later, I find myself running an office pretty much by myself. No co-workers. A boss who only occasionally drops in. Just me, the phone, and my computer. Once in a while a fed/ex delivery person. That's pretty much it.
Anyway, I was sitting here the other day, looking at the artwork on the walls, such as it is, and thinking, "We need a pick me up. A special event. A reason to keep going." That's when it hit me - I needed my own Employee of the Month contest.
Now, normally I wouldn't be one to support such an event but since I'm the only employee, I figure I won't have to strive overly much to win every month. Because no matter how great the job, I simply do not believe a person should ever go more than mediocre in terms of meeting workplace goals. Well, goals may be too strong a term. How about... requirements. Yeah. Requirements. My motto is: No Worker Shall Go More Than Mediocre In Meeting Workplace Requirements.
I know in this day and age such an attitude is frowned upon - I can't tell you the number of times people have said to me of their employment, "I guess I should be grateful to have a job." To which I always respond, "Why, dammit? Why be grateful? Why not be 'In Your Face - SUCKER!'?" Because I honestly can't imagine how such a concept (and for some reason I always picture shrikers like Conrad Black equating jobs (for others) with gratitude (to guys like him) whenever anyone uses "job" and "grateful" in the same sentence. Or I picture those long-suffering women employees who think they have to over-achieve in the workplace because they spent years running a home for ungrateful... uh... nevermind...
So yeah - I'm not grateful to have a job. Sure, I'm glad I have one. Because it sure beats not having one and needing to look for one. But grateful? To whom? I work, I get paid - it's a fair transaction. I don't see any need for gratitude from either side. In fact, I think gratitude has an overall negative impact on the balance of nature - resulting in resentment and a tendency to snipe about others because one feels unappreciated and taken for granted.
But back to Employee of the Month. I'm very excited about this upcoming contest because I can define the perimeters of the competition without being shown up by over-achievers and martyrs - since I'm the only contestant - and I'm really looking forward to rewarding myself with appreciation every time I answer a phone, or send an e-mail - while giving a little extra to the person on the other end. I figure I've got the sort of easy going workplace where I can afford to go the extra mile - not for the boss - but for all the other workers out there. I'm thinking, "Employee of the Month" isn't so much for me, as it is for others - others less or more fortunate with whom I have job-related contact during my otherwise lonely and isolated day. And since I'm from Northern Ontario I could never go the extra mile for a boss - I really wouldn't have any idea what the extra mile would be - er... that would fall within the Employment Standards Act.... But the extra mile for other employees just like me - that I can do.
Oops. Almost happy hour. Gotta finish up this blog entry. Until next time.
Signed,
Employee of the Month
Sooey
