The manufacturing business where my husband works is a prime example. We both will agree, the wages are not top notch. However, they have decent benefits, the company has grown and they continue to make changes, planning for the future.
The biggest issue in Marty's department is the turnover. He supervises second shift in a warehouse. His employees, after training, are expected to know about packaging, part numbers, shipping details and return procedures. They learn fork truck operation and trailer loading procedures as appropriate. An employee is also expected to be on time to work and show up everyday. A positive attitude with an inclination to learn would be considered a huge bonus! Unfortunately for Marty, who has worked there 18 years, employees who grasp the warehouse mindset are few and far between.
The work environment is tedious at times, always counting inventory, stacking boxes, pulling orders and loading trucks. And depending on the season, it can be too hot or too cold. Marty & I talked about the number of people he has trained and lost, rough guess, 200+. During the worst periods it has been as many as 2 or 3 a month.
Most of these employees have been 20 somethings. NOT lumping ALL 20 somethings together because we do know many that are wonderful young people, assets to the business and to the community. But as mid range baby boomers, Marty & I wonder where his experience group learned their work ethic or more to the point, why they don't have a good work ethic??
Who told them it's OK to not show up for work during the second week of a new job, without calling?
Who told them it's OK to not take a bath, brush their teeth or wash their hair, at the very least, once a week?
Who told them it's OK to disrespect their supervisor and fellow employees with colorful #@$%% language?
Who told them they don't have to work to support themselves and their families?
Who told them they don't have to have a reliable form of transportation so they can report to work?
Marty and I are not a perfect employees by any stretch, but in 18 years each, at our current jobs, Marty has missed maybe 12 days of work; I've probably missed double that amount. And in Marty's case there have been several years in a row when he didn't miss a single day! But many of these young people miss 12 or more days in their first 3 or 4 months and then wonder why they are let go. When they are let go, Marty gets someone new to train and the frustration of the cycle starts all over.
My oldest son is 22 and he seems to think it's OK to have a PT job and not look for something with more hours. I do have to give him credit though - he is never late, he doesn't miss unless he is really deathly sick, he gets up without me having to remind him (this was an issue when he was in high school), and he has held this job for a few years. He just began taking classes as a local community college too.
ReplyDeleteNow that I think about it, I guess he isn't all that bad. I suppose I didn't do a bad job raising him. :)