Hiring

 

I’m not doing this anymore and am thankful for it, but I do notice who is being hired and who no longer work at establishments I attend.

I do remember being hired and the application I had to fill out. It was pretty much name, rank and serial number and some school stuff and references. After an interview I was sent to a doctor who just checked if I was breathing and didn’t have any rashes.

As time went on, as time does, requirements for hiring changed. No discrimination due to sex, color, height (unless working on a roller coaster) or weight. Employers had to accommodate the disabled. I would think today’s application are several pages long. Wonder if they still ask your religion?

After you sign on the dotted line of the contract, you expect to be shown where you sit, what your particular duties are, how long the lunchtime is and what is your pay. From that you ask your fellow workers where the bathrooms are, how many vacations can you take, is there any sick days and what is the hubbub at the water cooler? Then you try to find a spot to fit in.

People like to talk. You can soon learn what to say around people you share the space with and who to suck up to. Some get along and become family. You join a company softball team. Some come with agendas and work becomes Thanksgiving dinner everyday.

What do the managers really know about you?

If you perform your task on time and correctly, you are possible for a yearly review and a raise in pay. If you over achieve you may be up for a promotion.  

My question is how much do you relate to your health?

If you tell your employer you have epilepsy or need to take daily medications for any number of ailments, how will the manager treat you? If you are pregnant everyone will treat you with kid gloves because you are carrying around another person. If you have an addiction how will management handle it?

At my workplace we had classes in mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and defibrillation but we were no emergency medical practitioners. The lawyers of the company had to decide how much to let their managers know about possible health matters in the workplace or call 911 and wait for the professionals?

In today’s world, people are suing companies because the popular trend of bring a weapon to work and shooting up people (for whatever reason) should have be aware by management and taken care of before the bullets started flying.

Again, I say, I am glad that I don’t have to deal with that anymore. I do feel for the managers who must adjust their daily charges with sensitivity while not being evasive.