I was chatting to colleagues about one of our junior staff. They mentioned that he started of great, had an amazing work ethic in college, but had significantly dipped in productivity and enthusiasm.
They then concluded that the issue was that his heart wasn’t in it and he should leave. It’s a term I hear so much from management. I completely understand drive is needed to cope in our job, but we aren’t saving lives, we aren’t caring for the vulnerable, we aren’t helping children to develop and learn. We’re making sure that super high earners feel comfortable enough with their bonuses that they don’t feel the need to terminate those trying to make ends meet.
I have no problem with people being lucky enough to land in a job they love, but I absolutely resent this idea that you not only have to work if you want to survive in this world, but you have to find a job that your heart is in (from options largely made up of sitting at a desk ten hours a day, or on your feet serving customers all day for low pay).