Sad Picture of America’s Workforce

5 Comments

1. 

   ligneus1

   Jun 2, 2008

   It polled 500 American adults who work in office buildings.

   They made a mistake there, these were definitely not adults. It would be interesting too to know how many were males and how many females. Just curious. It’s bad enough that women carry on like babies but when men do it’s just sickening.
   I’m trying to imagine a worker on a construction site asking the boss for nap time. I can’t do it but I can imagine what the other workers would call him should such a thing occur.
2. 

   Gabriel Malor

   Jun 3, 2008

   Blaming Gen Y is a sadly common activity for, well, older folks. Boomers have happily adopted the “get off my lawn” philosophy of their parents.

   First, only 6% of those interviewed were between 18-24. 68% of those polled were over the age of 34. So these results most likely represent the views of people older than Generation Y. In fact, many of those who wanted better work conditions are Boomers who you congratulate for understanding the work ethic.

   Second, this was a survey of office worker attitudes to see what affected their job performance, opinion of their employers, and decisionmaking when it comes to accepting or quiting a job. Of course the presence or absence of office benefits–like “free popcorn, coffee and fruit once a week” are going to affect those attitudes.

   I know that when I was interviewing last year I paid close attention to each firm’s atmosphere and benefits. All else equal, of course I’m going to pick the firm that provides covered parking or free lunches on Friday to the firm that doesn’t. Especially if other firms are offering similar office benefits.

   Third, given that the listed requests are implemented in many offices these days, it only makes sense that those office workers whose employers haven’t adopted similar benefits would want them. This isn’t whining; this is putting employers on notice: you want to hire me, you want to retain me, offer the same or better benefits than your competitor. Otherwise, I’ll just go work for them.

   The days of the stoic Boomer, chaining himself to the same desk and the same company for twenty years are long over. This isn’t Opus Dei; you don’t get credit for manfully suffering through the work day. And even if we were to charitably extend you some props for having such an onerous work ethic, you lose points when you rub it in everyone else’s faces…especially your childrens’.

   The full results of the survey are available at the Blumberg Capital Partners website.
3. 

   zee

   Jun 3, 2008

   @ Gabriel Malor:
   The attitude that I ascribe to your generation is more properly assigned to the culture at large, irrespective of age. It’s called entitlement and it is noxious no matter how you dress it up or rationalize it.

   But then, I have forgotten that the research describes the automatons, the tiny little clogs in a big wheel. Those who don’t quite have what it takes to go out on their own and create their own company, just the arrogant presumption that they can dictate terms to those who had the wherewithal to provide them their employment.

   You see, I am quite used to being around self-made men, such as my father, husband, brothers and sons. Men who made their own companies, their own way, and quite frankly wouldn’t hire a pretentious snot like you to wipe their ass clean their offices.

   Dress it up any way you like, you are still the same rats running about, but now in “green” cubicles (complete with a bankie for your nap time), your lives still owned by men who are, quite frankly, better than you.
4. 

   MK

   Jun 4, 2008

   “…subsidized cafeteria food. Bullet-proof glass would be an asset. Free popcorn, coffee and fruit once a week.”

   This is why leftism will never die out, it’s like the flu virus, you can’t get rid of it completely. Socialism and leftism will always be around because of man’s tendency to free-load, slack off and avoid responsibility. It’s just in our nature.
5. 

   zee

   Jun 5, 2008

   Socialism and leftism will always be around because of man’s tendency to free-load, slack off and avoid responsibility.

   Yes, as commenter Gabriel Malor, up above, aptly demonstrates.

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