Business

Work, Life, and Satisfaction: Too Many People Hate Their Jobs

A Gallup poll published long before the lockdowns revealed that only 30% of Americans are passionate and enthusiastic about their work

Published

2 years ago

July 17, 2021

Jeff Davidson

The summer before entering graduate school, I landed a job working for a large moving company where imposed deadlines ruled. Each day the drivers and helpers (I was a helper) left the company parking lot at 6:30 a.m.

Everyone’s daily goal boiled down to the same thing, however varied the assignments – finishing the move by the day’s end. If we were moving office equipment or entire offices, the deadlines were often based upon the closing times of loading docks, secured parking lots, and office buildings. If we were handling household moves, we sought to finish before dark.

My Job Drives Me Crazy
The full-time employees, or “lifers” as they were called, came from all kinds of backgrounds. The work was demanding, exhausting, and unrelenting. The lifers basically hated their jobs, but for many, that’s all they qualified for – many were high school dropouts. Later, I’d learn, people in all types of industries hate their jobs.

Visibly, most of the lifers were aging faster than normal. Each knew the importance of meeting their daily deadlines with an incremental approach, and in inducing the customer to ask them to stop:

An Incremental Approach – In the moving business, one simply could not make a hurried move. For one thing, you’d start dropping items, bumping into other people, and placing items in the wrong rooms.

If you tried to quickly unload a truck, you’d become so tired halfway through that you physically could not finish. So, we unloaded our trucks methodically. I caught on from the first day, largely because I had no choice.

Those first couple of days, I was so sore by the evening that I couldn’t proceed any faster, even if I wanted. By the second week, I started to build up some muscles and could maintain the status quo.

Please Stop

Item by item, the lifer and his helper would lift items off the truck or roll them onto dollies. Office moves were easier than household moves because buildings had loading docks, freight elevators, and long tiled hallways. Houses, by contrast, had front steps, narrow doors, heavily carpeted living rooms, winding stairs, and other irritating impediments.

On household moves, once the truck was cleared of a family’s possessions and all items were in the house, the next task was to unpack all of the boxes. Many contained items which were singly wrapped with newspaper or plastic bubbled sheets.

It was physically easier to unpack boxes, rather than lift, carry, and place them, but by this point in the day, neither the lifers or helpers wanted to do anymore work.

A Wink and a Nod
One sure-fire technique helped shorten our day. With a simple nod to one another, lifers and helpers working on household moves began to unpack the individual items in boxes at a furious pace.

At first, the family was pleased to see such efforts. After a couple of minutes, as one box was opened after another, and hundreds of items started pouring forth, the family typically panicked. They realized that if they let the movers go unchecked, every box in the house would be open and every item they owned would be parked in the far reaches of the house. So, invariably, families asked us to stop.

They wanted to open the boxes, later, at their own pace and regain the ability to make incremental progress themselves. We always feigned perplexity. We’d say, “Are you sure you don’t want us to do any more unpacking?” They were sure, alright. They could hardly wait to see us go. They signed off on the moving contract and displayed signs of relief as we made our way out their front door.

Universal Job Dissatisfaction

The next day, once again, we’d arrive at work early, and depart on our assignments by 6:30 a.m. Thank goodness it was only a summer job.

Decades later, well into my career, I learned that most people, not merely lifers in the moving business, hated their jobs.

As startling as it seems to those of us who love our work, a majority of American workers either loathe their jobs or couldn’t care less about what they do. These results, coming from a Gallup poll BEFORE the lockdowns, published in The State of the American Workplace Report, reveal that some 30% of Americans are passionate and enthusiastic about their work, and are actively engaged in their tasks on a daily basis. These are the high-performing, highly productive segments of the labor force.

Far Short

According to Gallup, apparently all others fall far short of being actively engaged and nearly 20 million workers are what Gallup terms “actively disengaged.” These workers are unhappy and only too willing to convey their sense of dissatisfaction about the jobs they do. Another 50 million workers are “passively disengaged.”

In all, about 70% of our 100 million person workforce fall into the “I don’t like my job” category. Thus, a broad swath of industries, executives, managers, and supervisors today face a continuing challenge when it comes to enticing the 70% to consistently reach their productivity potential.

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Jeff Davidson is the world's only holder of the title "The Work-Life Balance Expert®" as awarded by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. He is the premier thought leader on work-life balance, integration, and harmony. Jeff speaks to organizations that seek to enhance their overall productivity by improving the effectiveness of their people. He is the author of Breathing Space, Simpler Living, Dial it Down, and Everyday Project Management. Visit www.BreathingSpace.com for more information on Jeff's keynote speeches and seminars, including: Managing the Pace with Grace® * Achieving Work-Life Balance™ * Managing Information and Communication Overload®

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Business

The Tensions that Will Define America’s Future

Published

2 weeks ago

March 13, 2023

Terry L. Paulson, Ph.D., CSP, CPAE

Agreeing to participate in Robert Tucker’s Pacific Coast Futures Retreat in Santa Barbara has challenged me to explore some of the trends and forces that will influence America’s future. The most impactful forces that define periods in history are often not linear. They are cyclical, a tension of forces that force movement between two extremes. Defining such tensions and where we are on them can open us to opportunity and possibly save us from disasters of our own making. Here are ten tensions in play at this time in history:

Energy Scarcity or Energy Abundance: Affordable energy is needed for economies to prosper and citizens to reach their own potential. With the current administration’s rejection of fossil fuels and promotion of specific alternative energies, energy scarcity with its inflationary pressure is winning the day. Within the next ten years, increased use of nuclear energy, less restrictions on fossil fuels, and developments in fusion energy will help reestablish energy abundance.

Embracing Technological Innovation or Rejection of Technology: Rapid technological innovation and artificial intelligence (AI) have increased our dependence on devices to perform daily activities. This trend will increase with those rejecting such advances falling behind and limiting their employment opportunities. Today, embracing innovation is winning the future, but there are dangers on the horizon. Will the AI innovations we create eventually create machine cognition that becomes hard to control increasing resistance?.

Human Relationships or Virtual Reality: You don’t have to look far to see the preoccupation with smart phone interaction in place of actual social conversations. Expect that metaverse advances in the use and quality of virtual reality (VR) interaction and augmented reality (AR) headsets will become more intense and attractive. True relationships take time, can be frustrating, and are seldom as consistently satisfying. Sadly, pornography will likely be leading the way in driving the expansion of virtual reality. This powerful force will strike a blow at our social fabric and cohesion.

Government Dependence or Personal Responsibility: Biden’s administration has argued for guaranteed income and established more government entitlements. With a small Republican majority in the House and Biden’s veto power, more citizens remain dependent on the government, and those producing services and products face increased taxes. The conflicting draw of socialism and capitalism will always be with us, but free-enterprise capitalism will win the future on the basis of economic results.

Soft on Crime or Strong Enforcement: We’ve witnessed increased criticism of law enforcement abuse and growing demands to defund the police. Traditionally, one of the basic functions of a civil society is for authorities to hold people accountable for crimes and protect citizens and their property. Far too many district attorneys and politicians are refusing to prosecute criminals and are calling for gun control. With citizens feeling unsafe, guns and private security systems have proliferated. The growing call for stricter enforcement will continue to grow in response to the riots and increases in crime. Law and order is a winning campaign issue for 2024 and beyond.

Peace or War: The longing for peace and the reality of war have always been with us. With the proliferation of more powerful weapons, waging war is far more destructive. There is hope that diplomacy, global economic interdependence, and the resulting economic opportunity will be enough to maintain world peace and limit destructive conflict. Unfortunately, the existence of biological, nuclear, EMT weapons makes the likelihood of mutual destruction a frightening reality. The current open conflict in Ukraine gives war a scary advantage for the immediate future.

Out of Many One or Out of Many Tribes: The civil rights movement and the dream of Martin Luther King Jr. was to make our motto e pluribus unum, “out of many one,” a reality. Since that time there has been a strong focus and progress in eliminating racial bias. Recent societal forces have worked to divide citizens by skin color to justify ‘special interest” rewards for certain groups. A reaction to this new “tribal racism” is beginning to gain support and fuel a fight against special interest reparations for past racism. Expect a hard-fought resistance to reparations and a renewed call common rights and responsibilities for all citizens, no matter their age, gender, race, or ethnicity.

School Choice or Public Schools: After the poor performance and questionable indoctrination from public schools, there is a strong drive for school choice. Parents want more control over what schools children attend and what they are taught. With strong minority support, this is a trend that will win the day and result in a better education for our children.

Open Borders or Controlled Immigration: There is no question that we need more workers to continue to drive our economy. With the flow of drugs and illegal immigrants adversely impacting cities throughout the country, there is renewed interest in controlling our borders. Expect a resurgence in demands for secure borders, accountability for drug cartels, and increases in legal immigration.

Greed or Compassion: America has always supported individuals pursuing happiness and success, but it has valued others being able to do the same. A commitment to compassion supports benevolent self-interest where compassion for one’s fellow man is realized as the only way for all to thrive. Care for one’s community over selfishness will remain a strong force that should win the day in coming years.

Secular or Sacred: America has been a Judeo-Christian country that anchored its freedoms and future in the assurance of a loving God who cares about every individual and demands ethical behavior. Dostoevsky’s would observe, “If there is no God, everything is permissible.” Without faith, ethical absolutes are not shared. Although there’s been a decrease in church attendance, there seem to be signs of a spiritual revival. In tough times, people search for and depend on God. Expect a renewed focus on faith, ethics, and involvement in religious communities in the challenging times ahead.

At any given time, all of these tensions become forces that define what the future holds for countries and individuals. There are dangers ahead that must be managed, but tough times develop stronger citizens and demand more responsive politicians. Those who thrive in these times will do so by finding ways to tap and capitalize on the ascending forces impacting society. Thankfully for America, President Biden’s radical liberal changes have created strong counter forces that will result in a rejection of many unpopular changes and fuel a call for more conservative policies and priorities.

Purchase Dr. Paulson’s newly released ”Joy Comes with the Morning” course today! Get ready to enjoy the 31 short, recorded messages on your computer or smart phone. Each message is designed to expand and enhance your joy-filled faith experience whenever you need or want it. Visit tomeapp.com/joy to start bringing more Christian joy to your morning today. Contact him at [email protected]

Business

Top Five Online Scams to Avoid

How to recognize them, and what to do when they come your way.

Published

2 weeks ago

March 8, 2023

News Staff

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Scams have been around for centuries, but with the advancement of technology, it has become easier for scammers to reach a wider audience and deceive more people. In this article, we will discuss the top five scams to avoid, how to recognize them, and what to do when they come your way.

Phishing Scams

Phishing scams are one of the most common types of scams that people fall for. This type of scam involves a scammer sending you an email, text message or phone call pretending to be a legitimate company, such as your bank, PayPal, or Amazon. The scammer will then ask you to provide your personal information, such as your username, password, credit card number, or social security number.

How to recognize a phishing scam:

The email, text message or phone call will usually have urgent language, urging you to take immediate action.

The email or website may have poor spelling or grammar.

The website link provided may look similar to the legitimate website, but it will have a different URL.

The email may come from an unfamiliar email address.

What to do if you receive a phishing scam:

Do not click on any links or download any attachments from the email.

Do not provide any personal information.

Contact the company directly using the contact information on their legitimate website.

Forward the email to the company’s fraud department.

Investment Scams

Investment scams are designed to make you believe that you can make a lot of money quickly and easily. These scams can be found in many forms, such as Ponzi schemes, pyramid schemes, or high-yield investment programs. These scams often require you to invest a large amount of money upfront and promise high returns in a short amount of time.

How to recognize an investment scam:

The investment opportunity promises high returns in a short amount of time.

The investment opportunity requires you to invest a large amount of money upfront.

The investment opportunity is not registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

The person offering the investment opportunity is not licensed or registered with the SEC.

What to do if you come across an investment scam:

Do not invest any money.

Research the investment opportunity thoroughly.

Contact the SEC to see if the investment opportunity is registered.

Report the scam to the SEC.

Lottery and Sweepstakes Scams

Lottery and sweepstakes scams are designed to make you believe that you have won a large sum of money. The scammer will then ask you to pay a fee or provide personal information to claim your prize. These scams can be found in many forms, such as email, text message, or phone call.

How to recognize a lottery or sweepstakes scam:

You are notified that you have won a prize, but you have not entered any lottery or sweepstakes.

You are asked to pay a fee or provide personal information to claim your prize.

The email, text message, or phone call is from an unknown source.

The prize amount is much larger than the entry fee.

What to do if you come across a lottery or sweepstakes scam:

Do not provide any personal information.

Do not pay any fees.

Do not respond to the email, text message, or phone call.

Report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

Tech Support Scams

Tech support scams are designed to make you believe that there is something wrong with your computer or device. The scammer will then offer to fix the problem for a fee or by gaining remote access to your device. These scams can be found in many forms, such as pop-up ads, phone calls, or emails.

How to recognize a tech support scam:

You receive an unsolicited phone call, email, or pop-up

The caller claims to be from a well-known tech company, such as Microsoft or Apple.

The caller will usually use scare tactics to make you believe that your device has a serious problem.

The caller will ask for remote access to your computer or ask you to install software on your device.

What to do if you come across a tech support scam:

Do not provide any personal information.

Do not allow remote access to your computer.

Do not download any software.

Hang up the phone or close the pop-up ad.

Report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

Romance Scams

Romance scams are designed to make you believe that you have found love online. The scammer will often create a fake profile on a dating website or social media platform and start a conversation with you. The scammer will then ask for money, either for travel expenses, medical expenses, or other reasons.

How to recognize a romance scam:

The person’s profile may have very few details or photos.

The person will often profess their love very quickly.

The person will ask for money.

The person may claim to be in a foreign country.

What to do if you come across a romance scam:

Do not send any money.

Do not provide any personal information.

Research the person’s profile and ask for proof of their identity.

Report the scam to the dating website or social media platform.

In conclusion, it is important to be aware of these top five scams and how to recognize them. By following the tips provided and taking the necessary precautions, you can avoid falling victim to these scams. Remember to always be cautious when providing personal information and never send money to anyone you do not know or trust. If you do come across a scam, be sure to report it to the appropriate authorities. Stay safe and stay informed.