"Nobody Wants to Stay Here"

Words like that, especially when they support things I've seen and heard over the last month, are troubling. I think it was only a day or two earlier that I'd been told about the guy, a new hire who'd only been there a couple of weeks, who'd gone to lunch . . . and had never come back. What I found even more distressing is the fact that his work station is just as it was when he left. No one has touched it. Had I not been told of his departure, I would have sworn that he'd just stepped out for a bit. His notepad was still open to a page on which he'd written some things. His pen, with the cap off, was sitting next to it. He'd been gone at least a week.

This is where I work.

Since this is my blog, since this is my life, since this is a way for me to record events, I'm going to spend some time on the blog talking about this job. It's not that I'm trying to fill some space. No. I want to see how my own thought processes work. I already know that I'm not the type to ever have a career. Hell, if I stay in a job a year, that's saying something. This time, as with the last one, I'm not going to put all of the blame on myself. I need to be able to look back on this and laugh. Cos Lord knows I'm not laughing right now.

The first red flag, the one I wasn't sure how to interpret, was that I was hired with the request that I stay for a year. Huh? I didn't know what to make of it, but was actually excited that they were giving me an out at such time as I was ready to move on. Well, now I know why they asked me to stay a year. This place is so badly run and so dysfunctional that it's rare that people even make it through a year there. Most of the people with whom I work have been there for no more than six months. The woman who had been in charge of my department or section or whatever it is (since no one tells you who's in charge and I actually have no idea who my true boss is) just quit. She'd just started the job in December!!

When I made some complaints about my computer not working, and thus preventing me from doing my job, I was told not to complain. My supervisor said that there are too many complainers in the company, that she didn't want anyone on her team to be identified as one. Hmmmm. My complaint, and it's been the only complaint I've verbalized, was related to work and my inability to get it done. I think, in the sane world, people are allowed to do that, aren't they? And in the sane world, the supervisor sets things in motion that will fix the problem and allow the new hire to do what she was hired to do.

The thing that struck me finally was that this place has no retirement plan. Again, this has no bearing on me. I won't be there long enough for it to matter. But a company that doesn't have anything related to retirement is clearly one that could not care less about retaining employees. In fact, I think that's a sign that they don't want people to stay.

So, I am there getting a paycheck for awhile. It's my goal to make it through a year and then walk away. But there's no telling if I will even make it that long. One thing I've also heard is that being fired is also common here. I swear, if I wasn't in the middle of it, I'd find it all quite entertaining. However, I am in the middle of it. I've yet to be entertained. It's the kind of place where no one trains you and then you're criticized for not following the company standard for something. Then, when you say you want to meet to discuss that standard, all of a sudden you're given the paperwork necessary to do the job correctly. And guess what? That paperwork was created two years ago. And guess what? You've been there for a month. And guess what? No one gave it to you until you suggested that meeting.

This is where I work.

With that said, I ain't quittin'. We still need the money. I've already ordered a new, custom board (because I do support my local shapers--yes, that's a hint). I'm getting bills paid. I'm also squirreling away the money to resurface the ramp. After those things are paid for, I will start saving in earnest. I don't spend money on food when I'm at work. It's not worth it and I can bring food from home. I don't spend much money on clothes; right now, I've got enough clothes for work. This job is only about money. Now that I've seen what this place really is, I can and will simply slog it out.

Pray for surf. Pray for the Japanese. Pray for the Middle East. Pray for world peace. Smile often. Watch your back—especially at work. Surf like you mean it. And . . . go left for me!