Comments on: This person is serious???

By: Dave

Dave — Wed, 21 May 2008 12:53:21 +0000

Hi Sam,
Yeah i have to say that being in sales & marketing performance and results are more important than hours worked.
I totally agree with all of the listeners about respect having to go both ways.

If you are a loyal worker you will always go the extra mile. If you’re a slacker you’ll always look for the easy way out.
I have taken 4 sick days in 23 years of working full time and am always in the office at 7am even though we don’t officially start until 8:45am so no one hassles me for taking an occasional 2 hour lunch or leaving a bit early if i don’t feel well.

One time i tried to get to work despite a terrible snow storm and had to turn around and go home half way when snow and ice coated my wipers so icould no longer see out my windows. When i called my boss to tell her i would be working from home she was shocked that i would even attempt to make into work that day.

When i told my boss 2 years ago that i was getting divorced she said i could take as much off time off work that i needed to sort things out and get counseling if i needed and not ot worry for one second about my job because i had proved myself for the past several years.
If a person has proven themself over aperiod of time then managment should support the person in their time of need.
I didn’t need any time off but my boss’s support and belief in me made me even more loyal and hard-working than before.

The person who sent you that e-mail has a totally unrealistic view of how to treat people.
Keep playing those great tunes Sam and look forward to seeing you in the warmer months.

By: irock

irock — Tue, 20 May 2008 20:53:26 +0000

Ohhhh! I hope that wasn’t from Mr. Rogers himself. lol

I too have unresolved issues with my previous employer. It was hard watching the entire office dash out early each friday during the summer months when our department had to stay behind in case of an emergency. First of all it was the HR department. What possible work emergency would require HR admin staff to handle while the VP and Senior Managers headed up to the cottage or to play a round of golf? You would think an emergency of that magnitude would require someone with authority!

Anyhow, my new boss is the total opposite - very easy going - he says “as long as the work gets done”…just makes me realize not all workplaces are run by idots and/or slavedrivers!!

By: Rick McCabe

Rick McCabe — Tue, 20 May 2008 18:30:49 +0000

What a crock of —-! I think your encouraging words are more of a look forward to and can’t wait till I finish, sure the odd person may take it serious but come on, keep up the great work Samantha as always from somebody that’s been listening to you a long time.

By: Amanda

Amanda — Tue, 20 May 2008 15:24:33 +0000

WOW! I could very easily believe that this letter was written by my old boss! He was an ass and no one liked/likes working for him. I keep in contact with the people I used to work with and they still hate him.

He is the type of person that will take credit for anything that goes well (whether he had anything to do with it or not) and blame everything that goes wrong on the “lowly” workers (even if it was his fault). He had no problem taking holidays whenever he wanted but wouldn’t let employees even take a day here or they for legitimate reasons. He showed absolutely no respect for anyone (even his wife when she was around) and would talk to you in a way that seemed nice on the surface but really you knew he thought of you as disposable. He was the biggest manipulator of people I ever met, I don’t think he knew other ways to deal with people.

There is no point in me stating his name (would get removed anyway) but it doesn’t really matter since people like that ALWAYS get it back eventually. If you put yourself out into the world as a creep, eventually people are going to treat you as one.

Fortunately where I work now, they are much better, and respect that people have lives outside of work, and understand that people enjoy their time when they’re not in the office.

By: Nancy

Nancy — Sun, 18 May 2008 22:42:15 +0000

There are essentially two types of people: those who are responsible and those who are not. Having said that, the very occasional “time out” activity is not a crime, provided it does not greatly impact those who depend upon you. As Management, I often arranged for alternating staff to leave early on Fridays during the summer provided work was done (which it always was). And “NEWS FLASH” those fantastic hot, sunny days do not abruptly end at 5:00-so worst case senerio, one can enjoy a little later than sooner!
PS-JACK, as for your encouragement to get out and enjoy life “ROCK ON!

By: JudiB

JudiB — Sun, 18 May 2008 19:37:16 +0000

Wow this sounds like the “pat ourselves on the back for ridiculously unimportant things” management I work for - but don’t communicate anything to the real working staff/stiff. I mainly work on the weekends so don’t have to deal with them too often thankfully. When I work during the week I don’t dare play the radio! What’s with these boneheads anyway? Studies have actually proven that music is beneficial in a working environment. So you made a comment, obviously just kidding - because the weather was nice. We were all thinking it anyway, but did we act on it - NO. Maybe her/his company should try a “classical” music station to meet with the egghead standards. Perhaps Bach, Beethoven and Mozart are more along their prudish lines - not Bachman, Beatles and Ozzie. Music is a diversion from the daily drudgery everyone feels at work, at home, while driving, in an elevator, at a shopping mall, life in general. You were working when you made the comments, did you play hooky Sam? - I’m sure the answer is NO. SUPER MANAGER needs to lighten up - or fire her/himself. WHAT A WAY TO CAUSE RESENTMENT AMONGST THE STAFF — THAT’S POOR MANAGEMENT!! (I’m guessing female, because although I hate to admit it, in my experience, working for women is much harder than working for men, plus the fact they wrote a letter about it indicates a female pettiness, that kind of stuff doesn’t have men writing radio stations - usually). There seems to be no pleasing power drunk female managers - I’m sorry ladies, I’m female too - but it’s true.

By: Melody

Melody — Sun, 18 May 2008 14:15:35 +0000

I am a true believer if people are happy and challenged at work, they make every effort to come in. Sounds like some people at this company are not. I’ll bet those employees will be even less happy after this person in management stops playing JACK.

By: Kevin

Kevin — Sun, 18 May 2008 12:07:39 +0000

If you can work smart why not spend an extra half hour on the patio with co-workers. Beer - sunshine - patio and preferrably on an expense report bring bring out the best ideas. Obviously this guy doesn’t know that adding alcohol improves creativity and removes barriers.
I guess we use our patio rendevous code word arond this guy.
FTD, it’s not flower delivery but similar to making puppies.
Favourite patio is the Duchess in Markham. My boss likes it too, probably why I stay at the company is the great people.

By: PaulB from Waterdown

PaulB from Waterdown — Sat, 17 May 2008 20:17:55 +0000

It would be interesting to see how much “extra” these employees do when required. I bet you that they pitch in when it is needed and do overtime and work weekends etc. And I bet they get nothing in return like a day off or time in leu

Lighten up buddy - what goes around comes around. If you treat people like crap, they are more like to treat you back like crap twice as much. Try being nice and you will be surprised at how they respond back.

Alternatively, you can fire them all and your business will go t*ts-up anyways!

By: wesM

wesM — Sat, 17 May 2008 03:56:22 +0000

I agree with the guy, I’m not management, I’m an average worker, I know the people he’s talking about. And I see some of them have commented here. We need more vacation time? Ask the auto workers who have been given notice that their jobs are going to people that will appreciate more work. I have worked with people who are dumb enough or should I say irresponsible enough that yes, a dj saying take the day off is validation to do so. Their co-workers have to pick up the slack. Loyalty and respect are earned, both ways. Would you promote someone that may or may not show up?
My employer deducts a holiday for each “snow day”. Seems fair to me. They don’t deduct that it took 3 hours to get in, they appreciate the effort. Perfect attendance is rewarded. The best system I worked with involved the loss of profit share. For every sick day you lost 10%of your profit share, which was divided amongst the other employees.
A lot of people don’t seem to realize that they have a vested interest in the profitability of their employer. Yes we should all be happy, and have manageable stress levels, but how we handle our lives is our responsibility not our employers.