Today’s employee is continually walking a shaky tightrope. All around the country, employees are losing their jobs and many times it is no fault of their own. The current economic downward spiral has companies continually tightening their belts as they look to cut away the deadwood. If an employee is seen as nonproductive or less productive than what they should or could be, they most assuredly will be let go.
An employee who in the past may have felt that they were doing the job they were hired to do, should look around them to see what they can do to improve their productivity. Make a mental note of who was given a commendation in the past. What makes that employee stand out amongst the others? Are they always on time, very few if any missed days, a team player, supportive of their peers, willing to put in overtime when requested? These are all qualities that an employer appreciates and will usually let that employee know and thereby his/her peers that those are the qualities that are desirable and will ensure that employee will keep their position in the company. This is from the perspective of the employer who has the power over the employee as to whether the employee stays employed with that company or not.
However, from the employee’s perspective they should evaluate whether this company is where they want to continue to be employed. The employee should take stock of their life and how content they are with what they are doing to earn a living. It is not necessary to sell your soul to be employed. Some employees are content to do work that others would despise. Does the employee love where they live and to continue to live there they only have a few choices as to where they can work? Would more education or training enable the employee to secure a position doing something more worthwhile with their time? A paycheck and benefits cannot be the measure of our worth any longer. Our overall contribution to the betterment of our country and our planet should be an important guideline when reexamining our work lives. Can we fit some volunteer time into our schedule to give where it is needed? Simple things such as reading to an elderly person in a nursing home who receives few or no visitors would benefit both parties immensely. Our soul needs more than a paycheck for it to flourish.