Wednesday, March 01, 2006

Clueless


What is it with employees who don't have a clue? Lately, all I hear is "Why me?" "It's not fair." Am I the only person who remembers what mom said about life? No one ever said life was fair. As I have said in a previous entry, I feel like everyone's mother.

Do I actually have to explain the realities of life to people? If employees actually listened when I inevitably have to explain why life isn't fair, I could take it. Oh no, that would be too easy. Whine whine whine. This is particularly difficult to stomach when they cause their problems. Here is a general list, that you would think would be obvious, of things to avoid at work:

  • Don't sexually harass your coworkers. This means touching them, commenting on their body parts, and repeatedly telling them you love them. An advanced stage of this is stalking. It may be a free country but following them home, sitting in your car while parked on their street, and keeping a log of their activities doesn't bode well for your continued employment AND freedom from prosecution.
  • Wearing a slacker sign. Show up to work and make an attempt to at least look like you are doing your job. Too many people make it obvious that work is really a social setting that is meant to meet their needs. Try having a few good cover stories versus the typical, "Everyone does it, you are just picking on me." Those of us in HR need something to work with to even attempt to save your lazy ass.
  • Don't play the discrimination card. This is the most overused "Crying Wolf" tactic I see. People, do your homework. Unless you fall into a protected class, you don't have a hope in hell of using that one. Employees believe HR cringes at the mere mention of that word, but we are so used it being thrown around that we often laugh.
  • Oh the hostility. Here we have the second overused phrase "Hostile Work Environment." Usually the employee claiming to be a victim of it is actually the one perpetuating such an environment. The legal requirement for what constitutes a hostile work environment is substantially higher than the dirty look your manager gives you for coming in late again.

Why people believe these things work never ceases to amaze me. I have been told employees share tips on how to avoid getting in trouble. Guess what? It doesn't work.

No comments: