Oh, humans
Read this article, please:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/06/nyregion/boys-death-highlights-crisis-in-homes-for-disabled.html?_r=1&pagewanted=1&ref=general&src=me
I know that the real world has a million and one factors working against providing this population with affordable, competent, and compassionate care. I know that the reality of working with potentially violent, frustrating people day in and day out would wear on me very quickly. I know that a $30,000 salary is not easy to live on. I know, from experience, that working too much overtime will turn you into a person you won't recognize anymore.
But I know dozens of people, myself included, that would never asphyxiate or arbitrarily strike a fellow human being. And we would do it for $30,000 per year. For a recent college grad, that's not a bad salary. And judging from the descriptions of the current employees in this article, even a liberal arts major with a terrible GPA like me should have adequate qualifications.
That's fine, that's great- go ahead Jen, apply for this job! Stop whining and wasting our precious time! What's stopping you?
My potential future co-workers were not portrayed very well in this article. While I do not object to drug use in others, I do not want to work with anyone who will allow their personal habits to compromise their effectiveness whilst on the clock. Even when the only thing that might happen is ringing up a purchase incorrectly, I do not forgive myself when I come to work in less than optimal condition and I certainly would not forgive others for similar behavior.
I am known amongst my friends for being cranky, offensive, and not so fond of interacting with my fellow human beings. But I take ethical behavior very seriously. Being blunt to the point of impropriety is very different from striking someone who truly does not know any better with a stick. Depriving someone of food, regardless of age or mental abilities, is not an appropriate punishment for any infraction in my book. This sort of institutionalized cruelty would create an intolerable work environment for me, one counter to the few principles I hold dear.
The most egregious part of this work environment is the lack of transparent problem resolution. Even CVS has an anonymous corporate hotline you can call if you feel like any company, state, or federal regulations are being violated. I'm not sure how effective it is, but it does exist. Within the smaller businesses that have employed me since CVS, there was generally an open exchange between employees and employers. I felt comfortable telling Lee that some of my students were just too young for piano lessons. And he was willing to listen to me and take my recommendations into account in making administrative decisions, even if they were not the best for his bottom line. But the supervisors in these homes refused to effectively address or even pay attention to the few employees that advocated for the rights of their patients. And apparently, the workplace culture was very much like that of a gang, where "snitches" often faced repercussions for reporting poor behavior.
By the way, I think these brave, brave employees are excellent examples of human beings. Brava/bravo!
The most important thing about a job is the quality of your supervisors and co-workers. If the State of New York can provide the responsible coworkers and transparent, effective policies that lead to a tolerable work culture, I will be there with bells on. I doubt any legislators or administrators will be reading my writing, but on the off chance that any of you have the ear of someone who can make a difference, please give them this message: if you build it, they will come. What this blatant appropriation of a movie line means is this: if you can create a work environment where decent people will feel like they can be, you know, decent- they will start applying for those jobs. You don't necessarily need to pay a lot of money, you just need to make sure that employee concerns are effectively addressed, and maybe market to all those unemployed, idealistic college grads. Please, please, for the sake of your fellow humans, please improve these institutions.
That's all. *steps off soapbox*
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/06/nyregion/boys-death-highlights-crisis-in-homes-for-disabled.html?_r=1&pagewanted=1&ref=general&src=me
I know that the real world has a million and one factors working against providing this population with affordable, competent, and compassionate care. I know that the reality of working with potentially violent, frustrating people day in and day out would wear on me very quickly. I know that a $30,000 salary is not easy to live on. I know, from experience, that working too much overtime will turn you into a person you won't recognize anymore.
But I know dozens of people, myself included, that would never asphyxiate or arbitrarily strike a fellow human being. And we would do it for $30,000 per year. For a recent college grad, that's not a bad salary. And judging from the descriptions of the current employees in this article, even a liberal arts major with a terrible GPA like me should have adequate qualifications.
That's fine, that's great- go ahead Jen, apply for this job! Stop whining and wasting our precious time! What's stopping you?
My potential future co-workers were not portrayed very well in this article. While I do not object to drug use in others, I do not want to work with anyone who will allow their personal habits to compromise their effectiveness whilst on the clock. Even when the only thing that might happen is ringing up a purchase incorrectly, I do not forgive myself when I come to work in less than optimal condition and I certainly would not forgive others for similar behavior.
I am known amongst my friends for being cranky, offensive, and not so fond of interacting with my fellow human beings. But I take ethical behavior very seriously. Being blunt to the point of impropriety is very different from striking someone who truly does not know any better with a stick. Depriving someone of food, regardless of age or mental abilities, is not an appropriate punishment for any infraction in my book. This sort of institutionalized cruelty would create an intolerable work environment for me, one counter to the few principles I hold dear.
The most egregious part of this work environment is the lack of transparent problem resolution. Even CVS has an anonymous corporate hotline you can call if you feel like any company, state, or federal regulations are being violated. I'm not sure how effective it is, but it does exist. Within the smaller businesses that have employed me since CVS, there was generally an open exchange between employees and employers. I felt comfortable telling Lee that some of my students were just too young for piano lessons. And he was willing to listen to me and take my recommendations into account in making administrative decisions, even if they were not the best for his bottom line. But the supervisors in these homes refused to effectively address or even pay attention to the few employees that advocated for the rights of their patients. And apparently, the workplace culture was very much like that of a gang, where "snitches" often faced repercussions for reporting poor behavior.
By the way, I think these brave, brave employees are excellent examples of human beings. Brava/bravo!
The most important thing about a job is the quality of your supervisors and co-workers. If the State of New York can provide the responsible coworkers and transparent, effective policies that lead to a tolerable work culture, I will be there with bells on. I doubt any legislators or administrators will be reading my writing, but on the off chance that any of you have the ear of someone who can make a difference, please give them this message: if you build it, they will come. What this blatant appropriation of a movie line means is this: if you can create a work environment where decent people will feel like they can be, you know, decent- they will start applying for those jobs. You don't necessarily need to pay a lot of money, you just need to make sure that employee concerns are effectively addressed, and maybe market to all those unemployed, idealistic college grads. Please, please, for the sake of your fellow humans, please improve these institutions.
That's all. *steps off soapbox*