Late to work... No biggie right?

[Guest]

When I used to own a brick and mortar business I would have fired your ass well before the 6th time you were late in the month. When people were late that shit would piss me off. I was late one time in 18 months on a 6 day work week schedule.

It was not uncommon for me to fire someone as they were walking in the door for being late. I didn't put up with that shit out of anyone unless they were a badass employee and replacing them would have been a pain in the ass. However I must say these BADASS employees were NEVER late unless some major thing went wrong. And they always called because they were badass employees. And it was maybe once a quarter or something if that.

I would say if you want to be late figure out how to be self employed. It is funny how hard I was on guys for being late. I know if I worked for someone else I would push the envelope on being late. I know I would have gotten fired for it at some point. Hence the reason I have been self employed for the last decade.

I know how you feel on the coming in whenever you want thing. I went through high school coming in late first period. I was always late. I would get scolded by the principal and then just come in late the next day anyways. But given your position you have no choice but to reform. You either come in on time or expect to be fired. No matter what your performance is I can't imagine the boss is going to put up with it. It is just annoying for them. Plus if they let you come in late guess what everyone else starts doing? You can't expect a business to run very smoothly if all the employees just do whatever the hell they want.

[Guest]

[quote1246340732=playercool]
When I used to own a brick and mortar business I would have fired your ass well before the 6th time you were late in the month. When people were late that shit would piss me off. I was late one time in 18 months on a 6 day work week schedule.

It was not uncommon for me to fire someone as they were walking in the door for being late. I didn't put up with that shit out of anyone unless they were a badass employee and replacing them would have been a pain in the ass. However I must say these BADASS employees were NEVER late unless some major thing went wrong. And they always called because they were badass employees. And it was maybe once a quarter or something if that.

I would say if you want to be late figure out how to be self employed. It is funny how hard I was on guys for being late. I know if I worked for someone else I would push the envelope on being late. I know I would have gotten fired for it at some point. Hence the reason I have been self employed for the last decade.

I know how you feel on the coming in whenever you want thing. I went through high school coming in late first period. I was always late. I would get scolded by the principal and then just come in late the next day anyways. But given your position you have no choice but to reform. You either come in on time or expect to be fired. No matter what your performance is I can't imagine the boss is going to put up with it. It is just annoying for them. Plus if they let you come in late guess what everyone else starts doing? You can't expect a business to run very smoothly if all the employees just do whatever the hell they want.




[/quote1246340732]

And this is what I'm talking about, what T's you off so much about 10 minutes? Especially when there is nothing special going on? Work never, and I mean never, begins EXACTLY at the time you are supposed to be there. There is a difference between me thinking I can do whatever I want, vs. me thinking "I'll be there about 9a." Give or take 5 to 10 minutes.

And that's my point, when I get to work, I am good to go right then. Not in 30 minutes after I've had my coffee, not in 15 minutes when I've used the restroom, picked my nose, etc... Not in 45 minutes until after I've checked my email and gotten on myspace. Right then. When I get to work, I expect people to be ready to work right then, Typically, even if I am 10 minutes "late", I am still waiting on people to finish reading their email, or using the restroom, or finishing their breakfast, or whatever. To me, those people are just as "tardy" as I am, if not more. The fact to me is worse because they are doing all this crap on company time.

Like I said, I can understand if there was a special project and I was late, in which case I would definitely call if I even suspected I would be a minute late and I would even show up 30 minutes early on these days, and I would expect to get written up or fired for being late.

But, if you have standard business, that doesn't require immediate attention, but is instead normal work that is related to the standard practice of your business that was left over from the day before, what is wrong about 5 or 10 minutes, especially when that employee stays 30 extra minutes most times? Whats the problem with being there at "about 9a (+or- 10 min)" when dealing with standard work? (Keep in mind I have the plus in there also.) What ticks you off so much about that? That is what I am trying to figure out. I understand that you can't let employees run amok, but why such an across the board thinking?

It's like, "Well, why does he get to do such and such?"

"Well Suzy, if you pulled numbers like his, I'd let you do things your way. But until then, you do things my way." This seems like a perfectly good explanation to me.

How is it annoying for the bosses? If anything it should clue them in to what their employees are really like when they aren't kissing ass.

BTW, I am looking into working for myself, with this being one of the reasons as to why.

[Guest]

Also keep in mind, I am totally for writing someone up for or firing them if consistently more than 10 minutes late... like if it were 15 minutes or more 6 times a month, fired!

But like right now at GNC, she wanted me there at 9:30 to do opening procedures. It takes me 5 minutes to do them and we don't open until 10a...

My boss doesn't care, but...

I don't get there until 9:50a, I am done at 9:55a and open promptly at 10a. Why pay me the additional 20 minutes? At minimum wage you just saved $2.18, and at this location that actually makes a difference. That's 2 products that we don't have to sell now, or 1 large product. On top of which, I normally don't sell anything for the first 2 hours I'm there.

$15.28 they have paid me to sit there and not sell anything. That early in the morning even if I do sell something, its a $5 item that we make maybe $2.50 from.

[Guest]

Also, here is why this matters to me.

I am looking for a way to reframe. Like TD and B R said, it's their reality. I am trying to figure out how to get in there and make them like my reality better.

But for some reason, the corporate world escapes me.

[Guest]

Finesse, my boss had this to say to me a few months back about getting here on time.........."Uncle HOwie......it's all about perception, when you come waltzing in here on your own sweet time in front of everybody it shows you don't care."

I don't put much stock into what others think of me.

[Guest]

[quote1246368904=Finesse]Also, here is why this matters to me.

I am looking for a way to reframe. Like TD and B R said, it's their reality. I am trying to figure out how to get in there and make them like my reality better.

But for some reason, the corporate world escapes me.[/quote1246368904]


Fin, when someone pays you to provide them with a service, there is no reframing their reality. Period. That would be like working as a carpet cleaner, you walk into someone's house and track mud everywhere, then you clean everything up...even though you 'fixed' the problem with your superior carpet cleaning prowess, I highly doubt you could get past the stigma of seeming not to care about your customer's needs and desires. There is no way to reframe you being disrespectful and tracking mud through their house.

This is exactly how your boss/company views you showing up late, a blatant disregard for them and their policies even though you are THEIR employee. Fact is that when you collect a paycheck from an employer, you have just entered into a social contract (sometimes it's implied, sometimes it's overt)...they pay you for your time and skill to perform the duties that they tell you to perform. That's it, there is no changing the contract once you've entered into it.

Just like has been previously mentioned, if you don't think showing up late is a big deal then figure out a way to set your own reality...i.e. find a job where time doesn't matter (usually something in the creative field) or start your own business.

[Guest]

So with this unwritten contract that can go one way, with indefinate terms, with overtime, where they can require extra time on a whim is acceptable, yet it can't work in our favor at times as well?

Who says this corporate jugernaut should have the only say in a work enviroment? Have people really lost all amount of self worth in pursuit of the dollar? I deserve nothing above anyone else, but I am human and as such no company is above me, yet is on even fields.

I was really hoping this conversation wouldn't come to this point. Everyone always says the same thing, "if you dont like it then start your own business", or "if you want a check you will".

Thomas Jefferson once said that with the advent of corporations he fears one day the corporations would put the american people into a state of indentured servitude all in the name of a paycheck.

Thats not what point Im trying to make. Im not trying to make any point really, im trying to figure out why corporations think its ok to think like this and why people accept it. It cant be the above can it? It cant be just for money can it?

[Guest]

Yes it is acceptable as long as you are being compensated fairly and appropriately given the amount of time they ask you to work overtime...

TJ was correct, sort of. But, when you agree to work for someone else, you have entered into a voluntary transaction. Many indentured servants were paid, contrary to popular belief, and were only slaves in the sense that they had no other choice but to perform the duties they were told to perform (usually because they were in debt and could not make good on their promises). The key here is the voluntary nature of the transaction that you have entered with your employer. No entity, law, government, or legal authority is forcing you to work for this employer, therefore you are not an indentured servant in the purest sense of the word.

Instead, the need to collect a paycheck is usually driven by a much softer form of tyranny. And, usually it's something that you have brought upon yourself, which makes us a whole lot more like indentured servants that comfort will allow.

Fact is that our lifestyle choices tend to dictate how badly we need said paycheck and, thus, how likely we'll be willing to just accept our fate relative to the corporations we work for.

It comes down to materialistic things. That house, those clothes, that car, your general lifestyle owns you. You don't own them. The reason is because if you wish to continue to 'own' these items, your options with respect to securing a livelihood become more limited. The drive to 'own' means that you're more willing to sell yourself out.

Another aspect to consider is scarcity. If you possess skills that are rare and in demand, then you become the one that dictates a greater portion of the contract you have with your company. We see this all the time with athletes, CEOs, and musicians. Very often, the 'normal' rules simply don't apply. And the reason for this is because they have talent that is hard to come by and, thus, valuable.

So, when it really gets down to it, you have three options:

1) Start your own business
2) Suck it up and accept it
3) Improve your skill set so as to make yourself so valuable that you dictate the rules

And, as for an original point you made in the thread about America being successful because of the leisurely pace in which we conducted business I have to ask you...what America are you talking about?

The business of America is business. We are so wealthy and successful precisely because we work our tails off...leisure was something reserved only for Sundays. If anything, I will say that's one of the BIGGEST problems in America right now. Too many people too devoted to their leisure time.

[Guest]

How is "too many people too devoted to their leisure time" a problem? The things most people do in their leisure time are way more satisfying than the things they do at their jobs. So why would a person want to devote less time to their leisure activities?

I see a big problem with children being left to fend for themselves because mom and dad are too busy working! Hmmm wonder what trickle down effect that will have on society?

[Guest]

[quote1246387142=UncleHOwie]
How is "too many people too devoted to their leisure time" a problem? The things most people do in their leisure time are way more satisfying than the things they do at their jobs. So why would a person want to devote less time to their leisure activities?

I see a big problem with children being left to fend for themselves because mom and dad are too busy working! Hmmm wonder what trickle down effect that will have on society?
[/quote1246387142]


I'm referring to those people that don't work or carry their weight in our society. There are MILLIONS of such individuals.