Are you putting more effort into leading your wife and children, or do you give more to serving the company which employs you?
For most of those I know, the answer is that they give more to their job than their family, but, “That’s just the way it is…” and I can’t have any more of a combative stance against this mindset.
You do not owe your company any loyalty - jobs are just jobs.
But, your family?
They deserve more than the leftovers they can get or whatever permission you’re given to be with them.
Before the 1% of people who claim to have great jobs (Military, Firefighter, Park Ranger, Police, etc.) all chime in with "Well, I like my job" I get it; you're in the minority, so read this and apply the message of placing yourself before your craft without getting caught up in technicalities.
You Are Meant for More
Gone are the days when you work for 20-30 years at one company, and then you get to leave with a nice pension that covers living expenses, a big party with gifts from co-workers, maybe a separation bonus, and finally, a nice Grandfather clock or watch from the boss.
We saw our current reality the moment COVID made a landing on American soil; what started as temporary fears rapidly turned into lockdowns which spread to supply-chain issues that ultimately resulted in the bottom dollar of companies going from black to red, and with that came layoffs and people being deemed as “non-essential” as if somehow their families needed money less than others…
Story, after story, after story of men and women who'd paid their dues for years were being shared as these people were cast to the side as the company had to find "savings".
The unemployment rate jumped in April 2020 to a level not seen since the 1930s — and stood at 4.9 percent in October 2021, compared with 3.5 percent in February 2020. That official unemployment rate, moreover, understated job losses. There were still 4.2 million fewer jobs in October 2021 than in February 2020.
These companies saved their bottom dollar at the cost of their employee’s future, and I’m not against capitalism in any form; these companies are what keep the economy running; it’s this mindset I have an issue with:
Working through every holiday
Staying late without compensation
Taking on jobs that are not a part of your duties
Doing it all to be the best damn employee you can be is a mindset that needs to be destroyed once and for all; those hours given away will not be factored in, and the favor will not be reciprocated when the next wave of recession comes crashing down.
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to The Daily Draft Newsletter to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.