For the past weeks, I've been thinking a lot about the workplace and specifically about how employers view their employees. I can't help but wonder if they truly value their employees purely for being human instead of the work and the capital they bring?
A month or so ago, I met a man in his early 50s and he had worked for this particular company for 18 years. Then in 2012 or 2013 he lost his dear wife and this devastated him so much that he struggled coping at work and he lost his job. Upon learning this, I asked if they had arranged a psychologist or anyone whom he could speak to and he said no. He mentioned that his family had suggested that he sees a psychologist but because of his stubbornness he refused.
I couldn't help but wonder if the employers had done enough to retain him. Did they care enough, did they visit him at home? Did they make him know that he was valuable still regardless of the loss and perhaps let him know they don't want to lose him? How do you let 18 years of experience just go to the drain?
A week ago I met a young, pregnant lady who needed her employer to sign her unemployment insurance fund document. We were at our wits just trying to get her to sign. It turned out there was an issue with the email address & the following day I called and I requested her to email me back. She did and I replied on her emails and a week later suddenly there's some temporary error. When I contacted the lady to find out if her issue had been sorted, she said no. She later went to the Labour department, which decided to take the matter to CCMA. I'm still to ask her for an update.
There's also an issue with my mom's friend whose employer refuses to pay and many other examples of poor treatment of employees. And I can't help but wonder what do employees bear on a daily basis.I can't help but think employers sometimes view their workers as commodities and nothing more. They don't know them. They sometimes see payment as something great; whereas it isn't. Shouldn't employers be focused on giving their workers opportunity for improvement? What about their employees' dreams, talents, capabilities and struggles? Do they care?
With each passing day, I think of ways of not ending up with a boss. God forbid that my people continue to suffer like this while God has given each one of us talent and mental power.
A month or so ago, I met a man in his early 50s and he had worked for this particular company for 18 years. Then in 2012 or 2013 he lost his dear wife and this devastated him so much that he struggled coping at work and he lost his job. Upon learning this, I asked if they had arranged a psychologist or anyone whom he could speak to and he said no. He mentioned that his family had suggested that he sees a psychologist but because of his stubbornness he refused.
I couldn't help but wonder if the employers had done enough to retain him. Did they care enough, did they visit him at home? Did they make him know that he was valuable still regardless of the loss and perhaps let him know they don't want to lose him? How do you let 18 years of experience just go to the drain?
A week ago I met a young, pregnant lady who needed her employer to sign her unemployment insurance fund document. We were at our wits just trying to get her to sign. It turned out there was an issue with the email address & the following day I called and I requested her to email me back. She did and I replied on her emails and a week later suddenly there's some temporary error. When I contacted the lady to find out if her issue had been sorted, she said no. She later went to the Labour department, which decided to take the matter to CCMA. I'm still to ask her for an update.
There's also an issue with my mom's friend whose employer refuses to pay and many other examples of poor treatment of employees. And I can't help but wonder what do employees bear on a daily basis.I can't help but think employers sometimes view their workers as commodities and nothing more. They don't know them. They sometimes see payment as something great; whereas it isn't. Shouldn't employers be focused on giving their workers opportunity for improvement? What about their employees' dreams, talents, capabilities and struggles? Do they care?
With each passing day, I think of ways of not ending up with a boss. God forbid that my people continue to suffer like this while God has given each one of us talent and mental power.
No comments:
Post a Comment