Last week, I ranted about how our society often thinks it is OK to devalue services, especially when those services are provided free of charge. I think our servers, chefs, and retail workers are often devalued because they do not make top dollar. Only those who make the most seem to be of the most value in our society.
When we get the best hair cut, the most skilled and creative job done, would we consider telling that professional stylist that we will only pay half the price, even though they did a great job? Or our accountants, should we devalue them by telling them that they did a great job, saved us money, and were on time, but will only be given partial pay? Do a great job and get paid less for it; the argument is so ridiculous but that is where our society is going.
So, should we ever have the right to devalue a service? Should we say, now that you have earned the reputation of expert, completed the service, and did a great job, that now we want to pay less than what was agreed? Sure, I will write an article one day on paying too much for the value received but not today; today is about the great services out there and the experts being devalued because they are not paid directly, or because we can just say “not paying”, now that the service is done!
If you hire an expert, pay what was agreed upon. Give a good tip, if the service was excellent. Think about the years of education, reputation, business acumen, and resources accumulated before you renegotiate a price after the service is done! If you hire someone who is paid by another source, appreciate the knowledge, time, and effort those experts bring to the table. There was a reason for hiring that service in the first place, so respect the price behind it. And if it is a free service, “you get what you pay for” does not apply; appreciate that service provider’s experience and choice of career!
Times are tight and dollars are hard to come by, so if a service deserves less, truly deserves less, have a conversation with the person being paid to discuss why less should be offered. But, just having the ability to complain or that someone just does not want pay, is not an option! This type of attitude brings down every service based industry and our society as a whole!
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Devalued Service
When did it become common place to devalue service based professions? When we hire an expert to do a job for us, we expect that person or company to offer something valuable. You want to get what you pay for, as they say, but what happens when you receive a service that you do not have to pay for, or when you agree on a price for a service, but feel you are paying too much for that service?
Our society seems to be OK with dickering on an established price. We sometimes forget that price is usually based on fair market value, years of experience, level of required education, ability to provide something we do not have expertise in, or access to resources. Sometimes we can negotiate a deal, receiving more value for what we paid in price.
Our society views certain professionals as highly valued and highly priced experts, such as lawyers, accountants, and doctors; the more you pay – the better the advice or so we think. But that mentality that has been grilled into us forever can devalue those who are not as highly paid, or who choose to help those who cannot afford the highest paid.
There are many industries that are devalued, either for what they charge, or because they don’t charge at all. When did we become a society that values individuals who make the most money, while we can be perfectly fine with not tipping wait staff, even if they do a great job, or we try to renegotiate the price of a service after it has already been done.
In a world of unlimited choices, why would anyone want to work in a devalued service industry, where price and rates decrease after the service is done, and the people we need most make the least money?
My industry is a service based industry. After working to help candidates find appropriate work for many years, our industry has become devalued by many. Candidates do not pay staffing agencies for anything. Instead, we work day in and day out to interview and effectively assess these candidates in order to help them. But because candidates do not pay us, some do not value the service we provide them. On the flip side, we’ve spent years and plenty of money attracting the right employers and working with them to find the best possible candidate for their positions. Employers do pay us once we have found the best fit, the most reliable and most perfectly skilled candidate for their position. But often, once we’ve found this perfect candidate, employers will try to renegotiate the price for this service, even though this service has already been completed, and the price has been agreed to.
I think our industry is devalued along with many others…To be continued ...
Our society seems to be OK with dickering on an established price. We sometimes forget that price is usually based on fair market value, years of experience, level of required education, ability to provide something we do not have expertise in, or access to resources. Sometimes we can negotiate a deal, receiving more value for what we paid in price.
Our society views certain professionals as highly valued and highly priced experts, such as lawyers, accountants, and doctors; the more you pay – the better the advice or so we think. But that mentality that has been grilled into us forever can devalue those who are not as highly paid, or who choose to help those who cannot afford the highest paid.
There are many industries that are devalued, either for what they charge, or because they don’t charge at all. When did we become a society that values individuals who make the most money, while we can be perfectly fine with not tipping wait staff, even if they do a great job, or we try to renegotiate the price of a service after it has already been done.
In a world of unlimited choices, why would anyone want to work in a devalued service industry, where price and rates decrease after the service is done, and the people we need most make the least money?
My industry is a service based industry. After working to help candidates find appropriate work for many years, our industry has become devalued by many. Candidates do not pay staffing agencies for anything. Instead, we work day in and day out to interview and effectively assess these candidates in order to help them. But because candidates do not pay us, some do not value the service we provide them. On the flip side, we’ve spent years and plenty of money attracting the right employers and working with them to find the best possible candidate for their positions. Employers do pay us once we have found the best fit, the most reliable and most perfectly skilled candidate for their position. But often, once we’ve found this perfect candidate, employers will try to renegotiate the price for this service, even though this service has already been completed, and the price has been agreed to.
I think our industry is devalued along with many others…To be continued ...
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
How you quit your job will be remembered
Employees are getting pretty fed up with being left behind during the mass layoffs of the last year. Companies started cutting costs last fall, right around this time, mid-September, when the world of investments toppled. Front page news was how many job losses today, and what companies went bankrupt this week. But really, those who lost their jobs are dealing with it now, moving on, filling in their time with courses and hobbies and other jobs. Forgotten over the past year are those who kept their jobs; those lucky enough to stay working.
Employees who have kept their jobs are working harder than ever before, perhaps working 3 or 4 people’s jobs, covering for the layoffs and working an overloaded schedule. Companies laid off as many employees as they could, so the remaining staff have been handling more work with less time off, creating more stress in their lives, and for many, less money.
So now that the remaining employees have been pushed to the maximum, many are quitting their jobs as they are fed up with the lack of money, holidays, benefits, friendships, boss appreciation, and everything else that brought them to that job in the first place. The problem is that many employees are quitting “badly”, without any forethought to what will happen next, after they quit. They just kind of snap.
Lately, employers are complaining about the “quitting” process; the how, not the why. Employees are quitting via text, email, and even Facebook! They are quitting the day they leave on holidays, with the holiday as their notice period, or the day they get back, and then refusing to train a new person. Employees are quitting and then walking around telling the remaining staff how great the new job will be, how much money they will be making, and how all the stress will be gone! Employees are getting really mad at their current bosses, some yelling that they “quit” to their bosses, in front of others, and stomping out. And finally, employees are taking stuff with them when they go, as they know how crippled the company will be without them and the stuff they have created. These employees are acting maliciously.
The thing is, the way in which an employee quits does follow them around to their new jobs, new bosses, and new co-workers. People talk and references are being completed, some on the record and some off the record. It won’t matter how much work was done or how many relationships were fostered or how long an employee stuck it out; how they walk out is what will be forever remembered.
For those employees who are fed up, done like dinner, and finished working for nothing, think about the proper steps of quitting and leave with grace. Give proper notice, offer to train the newbie, be available for questions, don’t take anything that belongs to the employer, and stay positive throughout, it will go remembered!
Employees who have kept their jobs are working harder than ever before, perhaps working 3 or 4 people’s jobs, covering for the layoffs and working an overloaded schedule. Companies laid off as many employees as they could, so the remaining staff have been handling more work with less time off, creating more stress in their lives, and for many, less money.
So now that the remaining employees have been pushed to the maximum, many are quitting their jobs as they are fed up with the lack of money, holidays, benefits, friendships, boss appreciation, and everything else that brought them to that job in the first place. The problem is that many employees are quitting “badly”, without any forethought to what will happen next, after they quit. They just kind of snap.
Lately, employers are complaining about the “quitting” process; the how, not the why. Employees are quitting via text, email, and even Facebook! They are quitting the day they leave on holidays, with the holiday as their notice period, or the day they get back, and then refusing to train a new person. Employees are quitting and then walking around telling the remaining staff how great the new job will be, how much money they will be making, and how all the stress will be gone! Employees are getting really mad at their current bosses, some yelling that they “quit” to their bosses, in front of others, and stomping out. And finally, employees are taking stuff with them when they go, as they know how crippled the company will be without them and the stuff they have created. These employees are acting maliciously.
The thing is, the way in which an employee quits does follow them around to their new jobs, new bosses, and new co-workers. People talk and references are being completed, some on the record and some off the record. It won’t matter how much work was done or how many relationships were fostered or how long an employee stuck it out; how they walk out is what will be forever remembered.
For those employees who are fed up, done like dinner, and finished working for nothing, think about the proper steps of quitting and leave with grace. Give proper notice, offer to train the newbie, be available for questions, don’t take anything that belongs to the employer, and stay positive throughout, it will go remembered!
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Humour in the workplace
We have all had a pretty stressful year. Work has become unsecure and unstable in every possible form. Volatile market conditions have created almost intolerable workplaces and managing stress is the number one health concern for our workforce.
Lack of funds has made it nearly impossible for companies to offer the cool benefits and staff functions and expense accounts they offered just a short year ago. Motivating employees is a tough job for employers when their staff feels as though they don’t belong anymore, and the workload is unbearable, and their friends are all gone off to somewhere else.
The one common thread that seems to work for everyone, employers and employees, to make everyone feel great about themselves and their workplace, is humour! A truly fun and naturally encouraged laugh is the best medicine for everything. Laughing gives you energy, releases stress, and makes you feel more attached to the people around you.
At our office, we have had a year of seriousness, a year of goals and cuts, and revamping, and learning, with our candidates and our clients and our internal staff. So, we decided to inject some fun into our Friday staff meetings. We have added to our regular agenda, a 10-15 minute fun Friday item. Every week a different employee has a turn to come up with something free, easy, and for pure fun to lighten up the work week. We have played games, told stories, and enjoyed popsicles, cupcakes, and skittles, for just a few minutes over lunch on Fridays.
This new piece aimed to help manage the stress and change at work has actually turned into something more fantastic than I had ever imagined. All the employees have had a chance to be creative, and show parts of their personalities normally kept under wraps during such tough times. It has brought teamwork and fun back into the work week, and has allowed everyone to get a bit closer to each other, and remember why they choose to work here.
The best part of all is the humour that is injected into the staff meetings. Fun Fridays are hilarious, exciting, creative, and free. Friday staff meetings are now filled with laughter, real laughter, from the belly! And it is helping us maintain a healthy and stress free work environment.
Lack of funds has made it nearly impossible for companies to offer the cool benefits and staff functions and expense accounts they offered just a short year ago. Motivating employees is a tough job for employers when their staff feels as though they don’t belong anymore, and the workload is unbearable, and their friends are all gone off to somewhere else.
The one common thread that seems to work for everyone, employers and employees, to make everyone feel great about themselves and their workplace, is humour! A truly fun and naturally encouraged laugh is the best medicine for everything. Laughing gives you energy, releases stress, and makes you feel more attached to the people around you.
At our office, we have had a year of seriousness, a year of goals and cuts, and revamping, and learning, with our candidates and our clients and our internal staff. So, we decided to inject some fun into our Friday staff meetings. We have added to our regular agenda, a 10-15 minute fun Friday item. Every week a different employee has a turn to come up with something free, easy, and for pure fun to lighten up the work week. We have played games, told stories, and enjoyed popsicles, cupcakes, and skittles, for just a few minutes over lunch on Fridays.
This new piece aimed to help manage the stress and change at work has actually turned into something more fantastic than I had ever imagined. All the employees have had a chance to be creative, and show parts of their personalities normally kept under wraps during such tough times. It has brought teamwork and fun back into the work week, and has allowed everyone to get a bit closer to each other, and remember why they choose to work here.
The best part of all is the humour that is injected into the staff meetings. Fun Fridays are hilarious, exciting, creative, and free. Friday staff meetings are now filled with laughter, real laughter, from the belly! And it is helping us maintain a healthy and stress free work environment.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Labour Day
“Labour Day or Labor Day is an annual holiday celebrated all over the world that resulted from the labour union movement, to celebrate the economic and social achievements of workers...The celebration of Labour Day has its origins in the Eight-hour day movement, which advocated eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation, and eight hours for rest,” as taken from the definition of Labour Day in Wikipedia. I had to look this up because I did not know what Labour Day is really all about, and I am in the labour business!
Finding out the reasons behind things we take for granted really opens our eyes, doesn’t it? Often, we make inaccurate assumptions. We m,ay have assumed Labour Day to be a celebration of workers in general, and that it is the last long weekend of the summer. We may assume the kids go back to school after Labour Day (which is not the case this year).
Maybe we look at successful people who drive nice cars and live in big houses, whether they are co-workers, family, friends, or neighbours, and maybe we assume that they are just lucky or that they come by their achievements easily. In actuality, most of those people have worked very hard to be where they are, given something else up, and had hardships they have had to overcome. Success does not come without sacrifice.
Labour Day for some people is just like every other day. Some are still thinking about work, or working from home, or just working as though there is no holiday. For others, the Labour Day statutory holiday feels earned.
Just because someone once dictated that there needs to be a movement to celebrate the economic achievements of workers, should that still deserve recognition today, with the economy in the shape it is, and unions being the uncommon workforce solution?
Well, I would assume that it will never change, and Labour Day will continue to be a huge holiday to celebrate and enjoy the end of summer. I will assume that those who are super successful will be working on Labour Day, and giving up the day off. Ah, who knows? You know what they say about assumptions.
And who works 8 hours a day anymore anyway?
Finding out the reasons behind things we take for granted really opens our eyes, doesn’t it? Often, we make inaccurate assumptions. We m,ay have assumed Labour Day to be a celebration of workers in general, and that it is the last long weekend of the summer. We may assume the kids go back to school after Labour Day (which is not the case this year).
Maybe we look at successful people who drive nice cars and live in big houses, whether they are co-workers, family, friends, or neighbours, and maybe we assume that they are just lucky or that they come by their achievements easily. In actuality, most of those people have worked very hard to be where they are, given something else up, and had hardships they have had to overcome. Success does not come without sacrifice.
Labour Day for some people is just like every other day. Some are still thinking about work, or working from home, or just working as though there is no holiday. For others, the Labour Day statutory holiday feels earned.
Just because someone once dictated that there needs to be a movement to celebrate the economic achievements of workers, should that still deserve recognition today, with the economy in the shape it is, and unions being the uncommon workforce solution?
Well, I would assume that it will never change, and Labour Day will continue to be a huge holiday to celebrate and enjoy the end of summer. I will assume that those who are super successful will be working on Labour Day, and giving up the day off. Ah, who knows? You know what they say about assumptions.
And who works 8 hours a day anymore anyway?
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