Vanishing Work Ethic And Dwindling Common CourtesyYes, I've filed this under things I hate. Maybe it's because I'm older, or maybe it's just me...but have any of you noticed that the work ethic among the 20-something's and younger seems to be dwindling at an ever-increasing rate?
I first noticed this while I was working at a retail store just before graduating college. I had worked an 11 hour day with only one 15 minute break because my 20-something co-worker was late for work. Well, when it came time to close I got ready to head out, and she stopped me, saying "I got permission to leave early because I have to get to a party." I checked with the boss (also a 20-something person) - yes, she had given her permission to go to the party knowing I had been there all day with practically no break - and - get ready for it - SHE was going with her. They both left me to close all the registers while they went out and partied. Neither of them had worked more than six hours that day.
Needless to say...I quit that job soon after that.
And then there was the day the hi-tech company I worked for IPO'd. All the twenty-somethings with shares to spare bolted to the garage to drink and smoke (and I'm not kidding people - in the middle of the day) whilst I stayed at my desk finalizing a news release and handling paged calls for my merry marketing co-workers who only cared about how much money they made that day and could have cared less about the long-term success of the company or how what they were doing looked to the other business tenants in the building.
It confounds me - the sheer lack of consideration not only for co-workers but also for customers. Not to mention the fact that it's becoming increasingly acceptable to treat others with complete and total disdain in general and not take responsibility for actions that would have in the past been firing offenses. What is wrong with people? I have to believe it's probably a combination of several things:
1. Poor Role Models. These attitudes I'm sure are a direct result of like behavior exhibited by the parents of these people.
2. Apathy Unchecked. Parents too busy to notice or too tired to care about poor attitudes and behavior exhibited by their kids.
3. Entitlement Society. Yes, folks, we've evolved into an entitlement society - wherein most people think they are owed consideration or material goods by others, rather than taking responsibility for their own selves and having the gumption to go out and earn a buck for what they want - in short, an "IT'S ALL ABOUT ME" and "WHAT DO I GET OUT OF THIS?" attitude.
4. Political Correctness. Many adults - teachers because the system requires it and parents because of guilt issues surrounding not spending time with their kids - believe it's wrong to make a kid "feel bad" about themselves by making them take responsibility for/own up to bad decisions or behavior or by penalizing them for work not done or rules not followed.
5. Rewarding Laziness - Also in the case of parents, they don't want to "put pressure" on the kids by making them get a job to pay for the things they want or ask them to pull their weight around the house for an allowance; they'd rather just reward sloth and apathy rather than making the kid go earn the money he or she wants for extras.
6. Increasingly Lower Employer Expectations. Employers have learned not to expect more from their employees because, quite frankly, it just isn't there - when was the last time you saw a retail worker go the extra mile to get you what you need - they'd rather tell you they're out instead of checking in the back - and we won't even talk about the fact most cashiers are OK with remaining on their phone convo's with their friends while they check you out rather than actually making eye contact with you and paying attention to you personally in any way.
And I'm sure we all have our horror stories of co-workers who let balls drop and were totally okay with letting others pick up the slack so projects could be completed - without a word of thanks to those who covered for them.
I believe the only exception to no. 6 is gaming shops or electronics departments. Why? Because the subject matter is something interesting to THEM and important to THEM - so therefore they'll deign to actually acknowledge your existence and offer assistance in the way of advice or information. To be sure, it's more than likely not because they have a good, strong work ethic.
Having said all that....I do know there are some kids out there that have good parents and are being raised with a sense of how their actions can have an impact on others (both positively and negatively), are required to take responsibility for their behavior, and know the value of a dollar. Unfortunately, these model kids are becoming more and more scarce. Unfortunately, our society as a whole is going to suffer from parental apathy and rewarded laziness and all this "political correctness" when our work force slows to a screaming halt because there will be very few people with the drive and intestinal fortitude to achieve success in an increasingly permissive and entitlement-based society.
Look at France.....if we continue on the current course, it's coming here, people. Mark my words.
Thoughts?
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Comments
AMEN! I actually have some thoughts on this. All of them agreeing with what you have said. But it is late and anything I say right now won't make any sense. But, great post!! Scytheboy is in good hands.
Posted by: buffi on November 30, 2005 11:56 PM
Paula-I agree with you that too much either way can be a bad thing. I myself worked way too hard through HS and college and my grades DID suffer for it. It's the people that went to college, focused on grades, and then do nothing at all above what's expected and in many cases below what's expected (and are fine with that and get away with it) that I'm worried about. Each child is unique, but there has to be a way to instill some level of awareness of others and drive to succeed in life in all kids. If the parents would just bother to try, as you are doing.
Posted by: Peaches on November 30, 2005 12:45 PM
I don't see much of what you mention in the legal profession, where everyone works like mad cuz they all want to make megabux. When the client says jump, they jump. Every time. As far as retail stores though, they irritate me to no end. I CAN'T STAND IT when cashiers are on the phone when I'm standing there READY TO PAY. I don't care if it's another customer with a question. Put them on hold and take the person standing there with a freaking credit card in their hand, DUH. So mostly I shop online so as not to go (any more) insane. I haven't noticed that young peeps are more annoying than older ones though.
As far as childraising, I'm probably guilty of some of that. I give my kids pretty much whatever material things they want and tell them to focus on school. I'm not thrilled with the idea of them wasting energy on part-time jobs; I'd rather hand them stuff for now. I consider it an investment--the better they do now, the better of a career (and more money) they'll have later. My SIL pestered her kids to work while in HS, and both my nieces are utter failures and still need parental financial support in their 30s. *They* are the slackers you speak of, yet both worked really hard at PT jobs while in HS instead of studying.
But, you know, I don't think there's *one* answer to this...some kids have PT jobs and grow up to be more responsible, etc. It just depends on the person. I try to look at my girls as individuals instead of approaching situations with preformed ideas of how things should be. So far it's working okay. We'll see.
Posted by: Paula on November 30, 2005 12:32 PM
So well said. I work in the retail industry and am in charge of many 20 somethings. All of whom should be doing something better with their lives than working prt time for little money and sponging of Mom & Dad. FOr a very few it it a stepping stone while they are in school. For most, it's all they do. and they don't aspire to much more than that.
Posted by: Sarcasmom on November 30, 2005 04:42 AM
