It was a part-time job whose tasks I really enjoyed within a work environment I really did not. Thankfully, I could do my work largely on my own, more annoyed than affected by a culture that was alternatively negligent and aggressively toxic.
Four years into the job, I woke up with the worst migraine I had ever had. I could barely open my eyes and did so only to let my boss know I could not work that day. It was the first time I had ever called out sick in four years. Four years during which I was always on time, never missed a deadline, and always filled in when my schedule allowed. Four years without any writeups, disciplinary action or stated concerns. Four years during which I did my job and did it well.
My phone notified me of a message that I assumed was from my boss. Due to the pain, I considered not checking it but did so anyway, the dutiful employee in me unable to resist. Expecting a standard “hope you feel better”, I was surprised to see that the message was, “Did you plan to be sick today?”
For a moment, I thought my migraine was causing me to hallucinate. Was the message meant to be funny? Cruel? A result of some simple misunderstanding? It was unclear, and I did not know how to respond in a way that did not come off as sarcastic or snarky. So, I answered it the only way I knew how- clearly and honestly. “No,” I wrote, “I did not plan on being sick today.”
My boss proceeded to explain that if I had, then I could not be paid for my sick time. I stopped responding after that and decided then and there that four years was more than enough.
There is ample evidence about how important appreciation is in the workplace. So important, in fact, that nearly 80% of people say the lack of it is a major reason for having left a job. Despite this, organizations continue to operate in a way that is almost defiant to what we know to be true, seemingly going out of their way to make sure their staffs know how very little they actually value them.
For me, I would be willing to forgo the praise if it meant being spared all of the nonsense. If you are going to neglect me with your praise, please also neglect me with the consequences of your poor leadership. But organizations who fail to recognize their staffs are almost always the same ones who go out of their way to engage in unhealthy amounts of such nonsense.
Thankfully, The Great Resignation has shifted the thinking and leverage for employees who now have more freedom and options when it comes to tolerating organizations who do not know how to treat them. Let us hope it is a lesson learned and responded to in kind.
