Are You Working for a Loser?
By working for someone other than yourself, you are making a trade – whether you realize it or not. You are trading some of the profits from your labor for some combination of security, health insurance (or other benefit), and the packaging and sale of your product or service. So, the first thing you have to ask yourself is, “Am I getting one or more of these needs met, in exchange for giving up some of the profits from my labor?”
Before spending any time contemplating whether or not you are working for a quality employer, you must make sure your employment represents a basic “value equation.” Your talent may be to teach. Teaching is a difficult, though not impossible, craft to package and re-sell as an independent contractor. So, an educator could easily determine that the basic “value equation” associated with his employment is the packaging and resale of his teaching talent. A consultant, on the other hand, may identify a different value equation. She may be able to package and re-sell her talent individually, but have a specific health situation that causes her to need group health insurance. This benefit (the health insurance) represents the “value equation” associated with her employment.
If you cannot identify the basic “value equation” associated with your employment, then maybe you should consider becoming an independent contractor. It may not matter whether or not you are working for a loser. If, however, you are like the majority of people and you can identify your basic “value equation,” then read on. Now that you understand why you are working for someone else, it is time to make sure you are working for a quality employer.
Demographics suggest that there will be significantly fewer people working than not working, as the baby boomers age. To say the least, there will be a shortage of talent. Successful companies have anticipated this trend for a while, and understand that building an employee centered culture takes time. Yet, many companies are stuck in the old paradigm of, “The employees should feel lucky to have their jobs.” With the exception of a very few extreme circumstances, these companies will not survive.
So, what makes an employer a loser? Here are a few characteristics to look for:
o Performance is measured by hours worked and time served – rather than outcomes delivered.
o You do not know the strategic direction of the firm.
o Employees are not involved in the hiring and evaluation of leadership.
o You cannot trust your immediate supervisor, and do not feel free to speak your mind and take chances.
o If your job requires travel, you are required to front the expenses and get paid back more than 15 days later. (You are loaning your company money – interest free).
o You feel insecure about your position – constantly worrying about what your boss and the company think of your performance.
o You are unable to name at least two specific initiatives your company uses to make you feel you are a valuable part of the team.
o Work-life balance is never discussed and not considered important by your company.
o Employees are not treated fairly.
o The employer does not want employees to better themselves, and uses negative communication when an employee leaves.
If you experience more than one of these, on a regular basis, you may be working for a LOSER. Whether your company is big or small, it may be a waste of energy to try to change the culture. If you are the CEO, owner, or a senior leader, you can influence the culture of your company. You need to contemplate whether or not your company truly considers employees an asset. You should. And, you can begin to change your culture today.
If you’re not a senior leader in your company, and you believe you might be working for a loser, it is time to make a plan. Loser employers, whether intentionally or not, have the effect of “de-powering” employees. They make you feel like you do not have any options, you should be grateful for you’re your job (because you don’t deserve it), you would fail without them, and your boss must be made happy for you to survive. Loser employers thrive on making employees feel insecure. So, you need to begin to balance the power in your employment relationship.
One of the best ways to gain some power in your employment relationship is to begin to prepare your self for a change. Start with updating your resume. If it has been a while, search for resources on resume formats and styles. The Internet has changed the way we format resumes. Join LinkedIn, and consider other networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace. Remember, these are public sites. They will be available for your employer to view. This, though, is part of the dynamic that begins to rebalance the power in your relationship. Consider hiring a recruiter and look for opportunities. Whether or not you’re serious about leaving, getting practice at applying and interviewing for jobs is one of the best ways to gain power in an employment relationship.
The bottom line is that you must first have a positive basic “value equation.” You must be getting one of the basic three needs met by employment: security, health insurance (or some other needed benefit), or the packaging and resale of your product or service. If you don’t need one of these, then you should consider being an independent contractor. If you do, then you need to evaluate your employer to determine whether or not it is a loser. If your employer is a loser, then it is time to make a plan to regain some of the power in the relationship. About
The Author...
Rick Wilfong is a leadership development consultant, who works with entreprenuers and business leaders. His consulting practice is based on his Three Requirements for Success: purpose, balance, and intention. Rick is a principal at RickWilfong Company, LLC www.rickwilfong.com.
Rick has over 20 years of management and consulting experience. His background includes senior level management positions in the hospital, post-acute, and physician practice settings. Mr. Wilfong has been a healthcare management consultant for the past six years, focusing on the needs of physicians. From 2001 to 2006, Rick owned and operated a healthcare information company, giving him valuable business ownership experience to support his consulting and business coaching practice.
Rick holds a B.S. Degree in Health Services Management and Economics from Elmhurst College and an MBA from Rockford College. He is a member of ICF, NCAPBC, ACHE, and THEF.
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