I don't socialize well......

[SourRoses]

Arrgh.. I know what you mean.
It was quite nice actually, after this, graduating up to jobs where people had extensive training... the weeding had been done, and those who were secret sulkers learned to hide it pretty well

Can I rant, too? It might make you feel less alone!
When I was 19.. and working at Dominos pizza.. of all places.. Oh My Goodness! I started working there part-time and was 'promoted' to assistant manager after 3 months... if that clues you into the typical caliber of workers at all. The boss who hired me was a good person.. but the day my 'training' was supposed to start.. his wife gave birth to twins stuck in the ICU.. so they brought in a previous 'manager' who had been only doing 'deliveries' for a couple of years (?)... And his training was a walk through of how to inventory and cheat the computer system to make the numbers look good. When the other experienced employees were needed to fill gaps in other stores.. this guy hired on 2 new girls. Oh my gosh. All they wanted to do was stare at their fingernails and gossip. Not that I never enjoyed a chit-chat.. but it's supposed to come secondary to the reason you are getting paid.

The 'boss' would call me at 8 in the morning and ask me to take his shift for him at 10... because of this reason or that reason.. only later for me to hear everyone talking about how 'crunked' or whatever they got at his lunch bash. Or the day I had worked a full week, full of extra shifts.. and the other asistant manager didn't come in to take over after my ten hours at work... so I was stuck working another 8 hours, into the wee morning... I called the owner of the stores when I couldn't get through to my boss after an hour of trying and messages.. she called him and all of a sudden hes on the phone with me screeching about 'going over his head', but still of course, if I walked out the door as I said I was about to, he threatened to terminate me.. Snort. So for 25 cents more an hour, I got to do all the work.

Then came the day... after many hassles with the two 'phone' girls... and many instances of my re-iterating and pointing to the big signs... that explained customer service and not to be eating where customers can see you.... and them saying things like "You're not the boss here.. you're just the shift-leader!" in snotty little girl voices. I walk in from the back room (where I had been rushing about doing prep work during a lull).. to find they had cooked themselves up some wings (not allowed... employee food had to be documented/paid for, they already got free foodstuffs from me at the end of their shifts) had the wings spread out on the front counter with dips and the whole she-bang.. leaning over the counter.. eating the wings... and a customer sitting in one of the seats, no one had come to tell me about.. watching them eat and looking angry! When they saw me they jumped and started sticking labels on boxes.. I very calmly picked up the two boxes of wings, half eaten.. and not so calmly threw them in the trash.. to their loud cursing at me... then I asked the customer what he would like to recieve to compensate him for the terrible service, and made up his food.. all the while they are screeching profanities at me with the customer right there! I told them "Go home".. as was my right to do... the other assistant manager had sent me home quite often, just if it was a slow day... and they call up the manager... again in front of the customer.. screeching and crying to him about being deprived of that nights 'work'. What does he do... but asks me why "I am making a big deal out of it"... What did I do.. After the customer left, I took the girls off the clock from the back office.. and told them so.. so then they didn't want to be sticking around any longer.

The next day, the manager waltzes in glaring at me, and obviously bent on yelling or firing.. when out of the blue, the store 'owner' lady called... she spoke to him and then he handed me the phone.. she thanked me for the night before.. said the customer had called her and explained the whole thing.. and gave me another 25 cents an hour

Of course it was just a stupid little job... but I liked to do things the right way.. and I like to think how I, as a customer, like to be treated.
Needless to say, though... I quit not long after that... but all that experience does it make me really wonder if I would be any good in a 'normal' management situation... or if it is just too 'weird' to expect co-workers to at least try.

 

[mandelyn]

I know how you feel! Every job I've ever had, even if it was "stupid" I showed up on time, and did everything to the best of my ability. But I can't tell you how many times I've bickered with people over job performance, or been told to slow down, I was working too hard. Or whatever. It's not like I'm running around stressed out and frazzled, I work at a really comfortable pace for myself. Same pace I work at home doing chores. But for most people, I guess it is fast. The best compliment my dad ever paid me was saying I was really efficient. I'm not working too fast, if I was, my work would be riddled with mistakes, and it isn't. I've had a lot of managers and trainers follow behind me double checking, like they couldn't believe I was getting it done right at that pace. Sorry, just how my brain works. If I slow down to a normal pace, I get bored. Then I get distracted and start day dreaming. Then my work is no better than anyone else's who plays solitaire half the day.

I'll get hired to do one thing, and then they'll realize what I'm doing, and move me. From register to warehouse. From phones to filing and restoring order. I'm also REALLY bad about expressing any boredom I have and seeking out additional responsibility. That really irks the co workers. But I'm just no good at twiddling my thumbs! I would rather get my work done in the morning and take the rest of the day off, than set there and try to fill 8 hours with 3 hours of work.

Imagine how much money companies would save on payroll if they only hired people like us. Can't tell you how many morons I have worked with, who fell behind, creating mandatory over time, so I really was sitting there, for time and a half, day dreaming. Sometimes I'd get lucky and I could help someone, or get put to work in some other capacity when I was done with what I was hired to do.

My dad and brother both have the same work ethic. Brother got promoted this year to Lead Maintenance Supervisor. At 25 years old. At the other factories within the company, the guys holding that title are in their 40's and up. But he fills the role of like 4 people. Dad too got promoted this year. They're sending him to Germany in May to see some new Audi models and test drive them. He's crazy excited about it, but his co workers... not so much. Technically, he's still the new guy. But there he is promoted and off on the coveted Germany trip.

Good work ethics have perks, I don't know why other people insist on doing the bare minimum. Or worse, brown nosing and being a suck up and performing well only when the bosses are watching. Only to be caught napping when the boss does a surprise visit.

 

[duckyfromoz]

I will not allow myself to get started into this topic...it has been a big problem for me for years. I will therefor keep this short.

1. I go to work to WORK. Not to meet and make friends.

2. I get paid to work - not to play with photos on facebbook, winge, complain, belittle people, play computer games, or just waste time in general .

3. I recently got a promotion- and two people cannot keep up with the work I used to do in my own.

4. I nearly didnt get the promotion as management were worried about my " moodiness" Ok...they call it moodiness- I call it UTTER FRUSTRATION from working with mindless robots who no longer care or take pride in the little work they do each day.


TajMaChicken At the end of a day- no matter what you do- if you can sleep well at night knowing you are earning your money then thats all you can do. Worrying about others and what they do all day can be very stressful. At the moment - I find it hard to concentrate as I am learning a new and very technical role- and the " young ones" just want to play around. I am trying to block out their conversations so I can concentrate- it can be hard a times- but I really have no interest in the self centered gossipy conversations they have.

One day- you will find somewhere you do enjoy- and you will be rewarded for your efforts.

 

[dkvart1]

It is truely sad that a large part of the population seems to have no work ethic at all. My last full time job I worked for a wholesale of printable apparell (T-shirts, jackets, sports clothing, etc.) processing phone orders. I was amazed at all the people that were texting, chit chatting, arriving late to work, doing anything but work!! And yet these same people complained all the time that they weren't being paid enough!

I guess I was lucky, my father taught me anything worth doing was worth doing right, something I instilled in my own children. And I definately believe if the company is providing me the means to support myself they deserve my very best, regardless of whether I enjoy the job or not. I always give my best at my job, whether it was as a CNA when I was younger or in management positions I've held, it made no difference. You pay me, I give you my best.

It's sad too, some of these people would think stealing supplies or money was theft, but don't view the time they steal by not working as theft. You got me.

 

[chickendude]

Quote:
I feel the same way you feel. I hate when people make the same mistakes repeatedly. In my 44 years in this world I have learned to not point out other peoples short comings. They tend to feel I am being judgmental and demeaning toward them. This is not the case, I simply am trying to get things done correctly the first time. At work I can overlook most of these situations with the exception of a life threatening situation. Now at home with my family I have a harder time looking the other way. My DW and kids say that I am too critical and not to worry about it so much. It is a hard situation to deal with at times but to make life easier on you it is best to look the other way. In doing so you will realize that most problems work themselves out with out any conflict. Good luck from one "picky perfectionist" to another.