Write Lightning is a blog from writer Deb Thompson.
Everyone is welcome here.
(Some links or topics may not be completely kid-appropriate.)
Everyone is welcome here.
(Some links or topics may not be completely kid-appropriate.)
Mon, Mar 03 2008
How workers work, how bosses work and how workers and bosses don't see each other working
It's not all that surprising to find that U.S. workers feel they work much harder than their company leaders do. The truth is that the idea of work still means physical work to most folks. People who hold managerial positions often spend a lot of time in meetings and a lot of time talking, while entry-level workers often do a lot more manual labor. What people don't always understand is that there is a lot of pressure on upper managerial workers that workers in positions of manual labor might not be aware of on a daily basis. It may look as though your bosses spend all day jetting around and chatting on conference calls, but the truth is that what they're doing can make the difference between the rest of us having a job and not having a job.
Some of this is absolutely the fault of management attitude. Soneone close to me worked at one company some years ago in which the CEO rarely spoke to anyone who was not in upper or middle management. The CEO would routinely pass lower-level workers in the hall and not give them so much as a glance. Most wrkers felt as though their achievements were not valued. Their time was monitored closely by their direct supervisor whose time was, in turn, monitored closely by the CEO, who remained voiceless and ludicrous to the lower-level workers. He became a buffoon to make fun of behind his back, yet he was feared as the one who could have them dismissed at any moment with a word to their direct supervisor.
By contrast, this person now works for a company where the CEO is often on site with handshakes and casual chats about everyday life. Morale is upbeat and the group works together with actual enjoyment and pride in what they accomplish.
I think we should spend less time having "take your kids to work day" and spend more time "taking the boss to the workers" day. It might not show immediately on the bottom line, but the rise in morale would eventually make a real powerhouse out of a company that would otherwise be average in today's market.
posted at: 08:12 | category: /Miscellaneous | link to this entry
It's not all that surprising to find that U.S. workers feel they work much harder than their company leaders do. The truth is that the idea of work still means physical work to most folks. People who hold managerial positions often spend a lot of time in meetings and a lot of time talking, while entry-level workers often do a lot more manual labor. What people don't always understand is that there is a lot of pressure on upper managerial workers that workers in positions of manual labor might not be aware of on a daily basis. It may look as though your bosses spend all day jetting around and chatting on conference calls, but the truth is that what they're doing can make the difference between the rest of us having a job and not having a job.
Some of this is absolutely the fault of management attitude. Soneone close to me worked at one company some years ago in which the CEO rarely spoke to anyone who was not in upper or middle management. The CEO would routinely pass lower-level workers in the hall and not give them so much as a glance. Most wrkers felt as though their achievements were not valued. Their time was monitored closely by their direct supervisor whose time was, in turn, monitored closely by the CEO, who remained voiceless and ludicrous to the lower-level workers. He became a buffoon to make fun of behind his back, yet he was feared as the one who could have them dismissed at any moment with a word to their direct supervisor.
By contrast, this person now works for a company where the CEO is often on site with handshakes and casual chats about everyday life. Morale is upbeat and the group works together with actual enjoyment and pride in what they accomplish.
I think we should spend less time having "take your kids to work day" and spend more time "taking the boss to the workers" day. It might not show immediately on the bottom line, but the rise in morale would eventually make a real powerhouse out of a company that would otherwise be average in today's market.
posted at: 08:12 | category: /Miscellaneous | link to this entry
