So what's wrong with this picture?
Unbelivable. For a company that claims that "family comes first" Wal-Mart is showing, once again, its ugly head. I'll let you read the article, but it makes you wonder if you're not living in some kind of parallel universe.
So the big issue is that absenteeism has gone up in the workplace. Whoopy-doo. Instead of finding ways in which to chastise the workers, shouldn't they start looking as to why it has gone up?
"Personal illness makes up for only 35 percent of unscheduled absences, with the rest due to family issues, personal needs, stress and an entitlement mentality."
Let's look at this for a minute, shall we?
- Personal illness: if we had better preventive care and more accessibility to medicine (read: being able to afford it), 35% would not be absent.
- Family issues: a bit broad isn't it? are we talking about death of a family member? your father had a heart attack? your grandmother fell and broke a hip? your kids are sick?... which one is it? But again, if we were able to afford health care maybe many of these "issues" wouldn't be an issue at all.
- Stress: hmm, your employer punishing you because, oh I don't know, there was an accident in the highway and you might be 10 minutes late? yeah, that could stress the hell out of anyone.
- Entitlement mentality: Actually I searched for what this one was about and couldn't find any definite answers. There were references about Americans in Lebanon, medicine needed for people in Florida, morality, Katrina and Rush Limbaugh... not quite clear, but anything that mentions "mentality" can be interpreted in so many ways that really, using it as means to punish people seems a little... vague? Call me crazy.
Are people less happy at their workplace? Could this be a reflection on the society at large? What a thought.
I wish corporations, or companies, schools or even governments stopped looking for the "bad" things people are doing and more to the "why" they are doing it.
Well, maybe it is easier to slap than to understand. Let's treat everyone like idiots and idiots they will be...
It's almost winter, and there are no cooking entries so far. This girl is not happy.
4 comments:
Let's get this 1st part out of the way. I despise Wal-Mart. While it has made the "supply chain" more efficient which has had some benefits for the over all US economy and its low prices are very helpful to those who are on tight budgets. How ever the overall / long term cost to the Empire is too high. To see how a company should be run take a look a Costco, it pays higher wages and gives health care benefits to its wage slaves much to the annoyance of wall street. But i digress
The thrust of this article is that Wal mart is changing how its wage slaves report in for being late. And you know what, good for them. I wish my company was as strict. The simple fact is if you are supposed to be at work at X time. be there, if you can't there should be a penalty.
Where i work I have two co workers who give all sorts of BS excuses from " I have a family and its hard you don't understand" to " "ddduuuuuuhhhh"
And I don't mean 10 minutes but 45 min to two hours or more. Is this fair to the poor bastards who have to cover for them. If this a once in a while, the Metro was late thats fine but when its year around, I'm sorry but your slacker butt should be canned. If you can't make the hours assigned go work some other place where they can accommodate your needs.
Yes this is harsh and I will get flamed, but think about it, you are getting paid to be at work for x time to y time to do a job if you aren't there who is going to do it and who has to pick up the slack ? Any other arguments about this being a health care issue or unfair to family or the stress of work are specious and divert form the point of the policy which is to make sure you are at work on time and if you are going to be late call in. Its not hard, people should get over the victim and entailment mentally that has developed over the past 10 years or so that says, ohh i can be 5 - 10 minutes late I'm stressed i deserve it i want to stick it to the man. When you are hired to work, you have set hours and you are supposed to be there, its that simple.
Yes life sucks and we are supposed to "work smarter not harder" and to do more with less resources. But stop blaming wal mart and other firms for all the problems in the work force. is my social life, or the lack there of the problem of the company (well ok in my case with the weird & long hours and 7 days a week schedule for 2.5 years yes it is their fault) or their fault no. Are they a reflection of larger problems with in our society yes. Hoe ever is it their job to make you fell all warm and fuzzy nope. You are there to do a job, so be a good drone and get back to work.
You'r eCrazy (you said to call you crazy)
This article shows that they go to the extremes. So there might be people that take advantage, but to go as far as "Wal-Mart is encouraging employees who are sick for more than three days to apply for unpaid leave of absence"?
And I do not consider this smarter and more efficient: "employees must call an 800 number to report all absences and tardiness by an hour before the scheduled start time. They also have to call their manager with the confirmation code they received when calling the hot line number."
I wonder if Cosco, like you mention, has the same problems. I think not.
Okay, so I'm ignoring the Walmart part - and totally focusing on the cooking part!
I love cooking!
Winter is the best time in the world to make home made tomato sauce - chicken soup - among other things...
What's your fav?
Have to say Steph, coming home from the cold and smelling leg of lamb in the oven or anything that has gratin in it, is the closest thing to heaven for me ;)
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