Morale at Work

[Dave Hess]

100% on all of that.

My 25yrs went by like a flash! There's times I'm physically and/or mentally worn out from the job, but when I do get frustrated, it never lasts long.

Management listens to me. If I suggest we need to stop production to make a repair, etc, we stop production. It's more work for me in those scenarios because it's my job to either isolate that part of the process or take the whole thing down, make it safe to work on, figure out how to test it and get it back online.

Ive said it before, you’re on the other side of healthcare that few know even exist.

During Covid hospitals were struggling with oxygen levels and monitoring oxygen levels every 3 hours, it got that bad. One hospital stopped admitting NICU babies and had to transport them to another hospital by ambulances with police escort due to the situation. Everything got tested to its limitations..... staffing, clinicians, nurses, doctors, equipment, supply chain, etc...

Down here I see the company Airgas delivering liquid oxygen and cylinders / tanks to the hospitals. Without your industry hospitals could not function.

No job is perfect. When people accept that fact, it’s a little bit easier to get by.

I would hate to be in the ship scrapping business in a very poor country and working in hazardous conditions for poverty wages.




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[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

Questions:
1. On a scale of 1-10 (1 low, 10 high), how is the current morale in your workplace?
I'd say a 7-8
2. Have you yourself considered leaving your current job, and why?
Nope.
3. Have you considered changing industries completely?
No, changed jobs in same department last February, happiness is 100x what it was.
4. What are you looking for in another job/industry, that you currently don't have at your current job?
5. What industry are you in?
Transportation. But I work IT.

The world is a tough place right now. We will soldier through it.


Not sure why people are so upset by this. There is no vaccine mandate. If you don't want the vaccine, get a weekly test. I've had several tests, they're quick, easy, free, and the whole process takes maybe 10 minutes? A lot of cry babies.

With so much access by people to social media + the strange way media companies do not just report anymore (not being political with this) there is simply too much misinformation flying around and lots of rumors and untruths that cause people a lot of trouble and anxiety over some things that are not even true.

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

I'm not believing people complaining about 40 hr. work weeks. I'm disabled now as the result of a construction accident but from the time I went to work in 1977 until my injury in 2000 most of my jobs were 48-72 hrs. a week with most of them being on the higher end of that spectrum. These weren't cushy office jobs either. First 8 years was mainly working in the automotive bumper manufacturing industry which was usually at least 7/8hr. days a week and often 12-16 hour days. The rest were on commercial and industrial construction usually a minimum of 6/8 hour days and usually 6/10 or 12 hour days with the occasional Sunday and/or 14-18 hour day and an additional 2 hour commute. There were times when I'd go in for a concrete pour at 1-2 AM and be there till 7-8 PM doing layout for the next days work. When I had a 40 hour week it was like being on vacation. I sometimes had over 40 hours by the end of the day Wednesday. All those hours just to turn around and give half of it to the government in taxes.

My last work was a 4 day 10 hour schedule the last 3-4 years after doing the 0700 to 0300 Monday thru Friday. We couldn't wait till they gave us vote of either. The 4 x 10hrs won in a landslide.

 

[The_Jeff]

I didn't have a 2,700 sq. ft. house like people buy today. Instead it was barely 1,000 ft. It suited me just fine for over 9 years, until I paid it off. I've never had a mortgage since.

Where are these 1000 sq ft houses and what percentage of the sale goes to fixed costs like lot size, permits, well, septic etc?

We don't have a ton of "starter" houses here because they aren't getting permitted, and those who own existing stock still want 90% the price of a 2700 sq ft house if it's in a good school district.

Maybe if we changed how schools are funded, people would be more open to letting 1000 sq ft houses go up, again.

 

[dareo]

Spent some time in the local walmart today, something i don't often do, and it seemed like all the workers were really sad, almost tortured looking. One of my old friends is finally quitting there after 15 years.

The inflation is crazy, everything is way up in price. Yes, these workers are getting some raises but they have to be getting wrecked in terms of housing, food, fuel, even wiper blades. Yep, cheapest wiper blade at Wal-Mart $7.50, high end $30 a blade.

As far as moral at my small business? Not great, we are slowly shrinking in sales and we know the inflation is putting us behind. One must really get at least 10% increases now to even keep pace. Going backwards 10-15% while costs go up 10% is not good. At some point we won't be able to afford the skyrocketing market wages and transition to owner operated. Fortunately i have multiple streams of income/investments to bolster my finances.

 

[billt460]

Spent some time in the local walmart today, something i don't often do, and it seemed like all the workers were really sad, almost tortured looking. One of my old friends is finally quitting there after 15 years.

The inflation is crazy, everything is way up in price. Yes, these workers are getting some raises but they have to be getting wrecked in terms of housing, food, fuel, even wiper blades. Yep, cheapest wiper blade at Wal-Mart $7.50, high end $30 a blade.

As far as moral at my small business? Not great, we are slowly shrinking in sales and we know the inflation is putting us behind. One must really get at least 10% increases now to even keep pace. Going backwards 10-15% while costs go up 10% is not good. At some point we won't be able to afford the skyrocketing market wages and transition to owner operated. Fortunately i have multiple streams of income/investments to bolster my finances.

I've never been to a Wal-Mart that was full of smiling faces..... Never. Most who work for minimum wage are not happy, because minimum wage jobs were never designed to live off of. Those who try are usually miserable.

 

[billt460]

Where are these 1000 sq ft houses and what percentage of the sale goes to fixed costs like lot size, permits, well, septic etc?

We don't have a ton of "starter" houses here because they aren't getting permitted, and those who own existing stock still want 90% the price of a 2700 sq ft house if it's in a good school district.

Maybe if we changed how schools are funded, people would be more open to letting 1000 sq ft houses go up, again.

If you're worried about school districts you have kids. If you have kids you're not going to be able to live in a 1,000 sq. ft. house to begin with.

 

[dareo]

I've never been to a Wal-Mart that was full of smiling faces..... Never. Most who work for minimum wage are not happy, because minimum wage jobs were never designed to live off of. Those who try are usually miserable.

It's far from min wage. $15-22 with some making a lot more is normal now at Wal-Mart. I made it to like $14 an hour i left in 2009 when money was still worth something. The real market wage in Utah is like $17 with people breaking into the $20s for the first time ever.

 

[The_Jeff]

If you're worried about school districts you have kids. If you have kids you're not going to be able to live in a 1,000 sq. ft. house to begin with.

People will actually squeeze kids into a 1000 sq ft house in a town with good schools. Everyone else in town knows this and works diligently to block these houses from existing, as the residents won't pay their "fair share" with regard to the services they demand.

 

[dareo]

People will actually squeeze kids into a 1000 sq ft house in a town with good schools. Everyone else in town knows this and works diligently to block these houses from existing, as the residents won't pay their "fair share" with regard to the services they demand.

1000 sq ft is enough for 3 bedrooms, 1 for parents 1 for boys 1 for girls. Some families even live in RVs these days. Now that is some small space.

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

Spent some time in the local walmart today, something i don't often do, and it seemed like all the workers were really sad, almost tortured looking. One of my old friends is finally quitting there after 15 years.

The inflation is crazy, everything is way up in price. Yes, these workers are getting some raises but they have to be getting wrecked in terms of housing, food, fuel, even wiper blades. Yep, cheapest wiper blade at Wal-Mart $7.50, high end $30 a blade.

As far as moral at my small business? Not great, we are slowly shrinking in sales and we know the inflation is putting us behind. One must really get at least 10% increases now to even keep pace. Going backwards 10-15% while costs go up 10% is not good. At some point we won't be able to afford the skyrocketing market wages and transition to owner operated. Fortunately i have multiple streams of income/investments to bolster my finances.

If you're worried about school districts you have kids. If you have kids you're not going to be able to live in a 1,000 sq. ft. house to begin with.

I really feel for folks today trying to raise and take care of kids. If you in an area you can't use public schools then the cost of private schools whill buckle your knees. Cost is outrageous.

 

[jeepman3071]

There was a time 40 years ago you could work your way through college and have a part time job.

Today it’s impossible to expect a person in early 20’s to do that..... even if it was a community college and working 30 hours making $15 an hour.

This.

I was fortunate to be able to graduate college with zero debt. I did it by taking 5 years to complete it while working full-time, doing side jobs, and commuting to school. My parents were able to pay for college and rent an apartment all while working a part-time job. Many college grads now have huge amounts of student debt that will take them years to pay off. One of my previous employers was hiring an entry level HR position about 2 years back. The starting pay was $33,000 a year, and required a bachelor's degree in that field. I'm not sure how a new graduate would be able to do anything besides live in their parents' basement while paying their school debt making $33,000 per year. They certainly wouldn't qualify to rent anything. The hilarious part to me was the HR manager and Director interviewing candidates for those positions who set the qualifications didn't even meet them. The manager started as a secretary years ago (no degree) and the director had an associate's and worked her way up.

I'm sure pulling themselves up by their boot straps would solve their problems with low wages.

 

[Leo99]

Coincidentally, my boss sent me an email today (Sunday) that our department's employee happiness factor based on the most recent survey has dipped below 80% and we need to discuss how to raise it at our 7:30 am staff meeting tomorrow morning. The irony seems lost on her.

 

[Skippy722]

If you're worried about school districts you have kids. If you have kids you're not going to be able to live in a 1,000 sq. ft. house to begin with.

You can do it… my first house was 1,100sq ft and we had 2 kids… a little tight but each kid had their own room.

 

[billt460]

You can do it… my first house was 1,100sq ft and we had 2 kids… a little tight but each kid had their own room.

My concern would be in the bathroom department. You can live in small rooms. But I only had one bathroom. That can become a problem with 4 or more people under the same roof, at the same time...... If you know what I mean.

 

[billt460]

I really feel for folks today trying to raise and take care of kids. If you in an area you can't use public schools then the cost of private schools whill buckle your knees. Cost is outrageous.

I agree. Many people who have kids don't really take the time to analyze the cost involved. Public schools are a 2 edged sword today. Kids need to experience the social aspect of interacting with other students, (good as well as bad). But on the other hand, the public school system in this country has deteriorated massively as far as curriculum. We're seeing this all over the news recently. Many parents in some areas of the nation are in an uproar over it.

The flip side is private education. Which as you noted, has become all but unaffordable for a lot of families. My wife and I debated having children for years. Too many years, and for us the clock simply ran out. My wife felt we would live to regret that. But the way things are going in this country today, I don't think we will.

 

[dlundblad]

At my last job, things were getting pretty bad IMO. They were slow and to keep people busy, they were given other tasks... many didn’t appreciate that either. No direction either.

No complaints about where I’m at now. I do work with an older guy who has said many times that he doesn’t care. He’s not very delightful to work with when given a big job mid to late day on a Friday either. Others warned me that it’s funny when he gets mad and they weren’t wrong. Lol.

 

[Skippy722]

My concern would be in the bathroom department. You can live in small rooms. But I only had one bathroom. That can become a problem with 4 or more people under the same roof, at the same time...... If you know what I mean.

Yeah that part got kinda old real quick lol

 

[Davejam]

But on the other hand, the public school system in this country has deteriorated massively as far as curriculum. We're seeing this all over the news recently. Many parents in some areas of the nation are in an uproar over it.

Some places are falling behind but not because curriculum. Mostly because of wealth disparity.
Blame the curriculum, blame the teachers, blame someone or something else. This is the losing mentality that will definitely result in a worse education.

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

I agree. Many people who have kids don't really take the time to analyze the cost involved. Public schools are a 2 edged sword today. Kids need to experience the social aspect of interacting with other students, (good as well as bad). But on the other hand, the public school system in this country has deteriorated massively as far as curriculum. We're seeing this all over the news recently. Many parents in some areas of the nation are in an uproar over it.

The flip side is private education. Which as you noted, has become all but unaffordable for a lot of families. My wife and I debated having children for years. Too many years, and for us the clock simply ran out. My wife felt we would live to regret that. But the way things are going in this country today, I don't think we will.

Some places are falling behind but not because curriculum. Mostly because of wealth disparity.
Blame the curriculum, blame the teachers, blame someone or something else. This is the losing mentality that will definitely result in a worse education.

Well one problem that stands out in my area. People in charge were exposed to be throwing away certified teachers resumes so they could hire their unqualified / uneducated "friends" to good paying public school jobs with benefits. I don't even think the ones caught doing that were ever even made to resign or pay any consequences. I really don't see how that kind of management can have any type of positive affect on the schools or students. Another big problem always seems to get over looked. There is far too much money thrown at the situations that never make a difference. Almost every woman in my family + in-laws family are life long educators. Wife is also. They say there are too many unqualified people in charge who either flat out steal, misappropriate large amounts of funds or base contract awards for improvements or services to friends or cronies who are not only NOT professionals but are also not even good at what they are hired to do. Far too much of the monies never hit the class room levels to help students. OK. Too much. This feels like it is going to end up political which is not supposed to be going on at BITOG I was told and I totally agree and see why.