The last 3 days have essentially been a blur. I've been working long days trying to scramble and get through delivery all of my performance apprasials for my staff before Sunday evening. Considering that on top of that we are running a bunch of training classes, answering questions, short at least another manager and don't have enough time in the day, I'm feeling extremely run down and stressed out. Adding another layer to the whole mess is that essentially I'm learning that my company which posted 72% increase in earnings in the 4th Quarter last year, chose not to pass along the wealth to it's employees. Along with my staff, I too received what could be a borderline modest to insulting raise in the 3-6% range. And then they go and prorate it if you weren't an employee for an entire year. Seriously? Total sales last year for the company were 51% higher than 2003, to a record $827.8 million. I am deadly serious. I got only 75% of my raise, but even if it were 100% I'm not sure I would be satisfied. I guess the bottom line is that there isn't any money in retail unless you are the top dogs. It's a killer industry and I must take comfort in the fact that I'm not forced to wear a suit and tie everyday and that I get a meaty discount on overpriced junk that is geared towards soccer moms and stoned college kids in Idaho. No, Udaho! HA!!!!
For my staff, I think the knee jerk reaction is to be angry, but since most of them are 18-24, they will adapt and move on with their lives. Considering the job specifics and the base hourly wage, it's a decent job for a college kid working 20 hours a week. A raise, however small, is more money than they were making yesterday. With me, it's a little different. This is my career, as sad as that may seem, and I have to think about how this job is going to suit me for the next 10 or 20 years. Considering the fact that I'm barely beating the cost of living increase, I don't know how I feel about it right now. I guess I'm just shell shocked and exhausted, a prime example of the old addage of overworked and underpaid. In the coming weeks and months I have a lot of considerations to make that I will no doubt spout about endlessly on this here blog, but for tonight I will just take comfort in the fact that at least I'm enjoying my time at UO. The people are cool, the kids are great and I don't dread going to work all the time.
It could be worse. I could be on a pub crawl celebrating the most pathetic of all holidays, St. Patrick's Day.
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