Employees Are Not Paid for Showing Up

I suppose I have finally crossed over to old age because I am going to start this post with . . .

In my day, we had pride in our job.

It didn’t matter what the employer asked us to do (as long as it was legal and ethical) we did it. No task was too big or too small. However, that doesn’t seem to be true anymore.

I remember going to my first job in a bakery. The goods had to be baked and package before the first customer walked in the door, so we started early. I was scheduled to start at 5:00 am and the store opened at 7:00. I showed up at a quarter ’til five, washed my hands, put on a hairnet and apron so as to be prepared to start when the clock struck 5. I knew if the shelves were to be filled in time, I needed every minute plus some to make the department inviting, efficient and appetizing. I believed the quality of the product reflected my effort and ability.

But something has changed. Often, I now observe workers arriving moments before they are expected to begin working. Then they prepare themselves, thus, actually beginning to produce 15–20 minutes later. The minutes lost really are not the concern but the lack of feeling of pride for a job well done is devastating. It seems acceptable to get most of the work done or just enough.

As a public-school teacher thirty years ago, I don’t recall a significant problem with tardies. Maybe a random Vinnie Barbarino (You know, the cool kid) challenged the system but the whole students understood the value of being punctual. At the end of my career in 2018, a student arriving late for class produced no shock, in fact, too often became the norm. Once, a teen argued that they were not tardy because their foot was in the door when the bell rang; it didn’t matter that they were unprepared, distracting, and not seated.

Carry this behavior into the workplace and the system breaks down. A student actually complained to me when he was fired for arriving 10 minutes late to a job, even going so far as to say, “The boss should just be happy I showed up.” Thus, implying the employer should be indebted to him instead of the other way around.

When I converse with managers, their frustration is clearly apparent. Academic grades have become secondary to work ethic. They crave ambitious, punctual staff who take pride in their work.

There appears to be a misunderstanding that money accumulates towards a paycheck for each hour an employee is at the job.

Then if the job completion is adequate, praise (maybe even a bonus) is due. People desire incentives for work done well which once upon a time was the purpose of the hourly wage. A bonus accrued when work showed exceptionalism and impressed the employer.

There needs to be a lesson on the expectation of earning a paycheck. When hired an amount of money is agreed to be paid for each hour worked. It doesn’t mean it is an entitlement for showing up. The pay provides compensation for output. If an employee is present in the body but produces nothing, then nothing has been earned. Therefore, a paycheck is not required. My head aches when I attempt to understand any other rationale.

However, society has gone awry and few seem to agree with my line of thinking anymore. In fact, I can imagine the lawsuits that would arise if an employer withheld pay because the employee did not produce.

My headache intensifies when I hear, “It’s not in my job description.” It’s a misnomer that the job description (one piece of paper) provides a complete list of job expectations. The woman checking me out at the supermarket was trained to scan groceries, take money, and return the amount indicated on the cash register. Do not ask unrelated questions, present an item without a price tag, or require special assistance; this results in calling a manager and slows the entire process. Best case scenario, use a credit card so making change is not required and thinking is not necessary. They don’t even check ID anymore!

The day a teaching peer announced, they do not grade papers, attend meetings, volunteer, or plan lessons outside of their contract hours, a migraine disabled my thinking. (A whole other paper can be written on the need to pay teacher more but that is for later.) To believe the salary of a teacher compensates for only the hours of 7:15 to 3:30 is unrealistic.

Teaching is and always has been a public service job. Maybe someday that will change but until then if you plan to enter the occupation, know you will arrive early for meetings, sometimes work during lunch tutoring, collaborate after school, and take papers home to grade. Educators are not paid by the hour but for completing the job — and not simply the stated expectation in the job description.

While talking to an employer, he shared what he is looking for in a candidate. During the interview, a candidate who is ambitious, hardworking, displays a positive attitude and shows a willingness to learn, receive the job offer; even if there is another more credentialed candidate who doesn’t fill the above criteria.

Developing a good work ethic is a key to success. Apply yourself at whatever you do, whether you’re a janitor or taking your first summer job, because that work ethic will be reflected in everything you do in life. — Tyler Perry