I don't have a exciting text message or video screenshot to tell you. But what I do have is my dignity, and self respect back. Something which I deeply lost during my time at my previous job.
I worked for a very big company in the United Kingdom. Obviously I won't name it, nor will I list the type of work it was. That's not me being a dick, it's just I don't want it to backfire on me, as I have a very good standing with one of my supervisors still ( who went out of his way to protect me in the job)
I was hired on a 8 hour contract with the premise being that I could do overtime and get more hours etc etc.
During the summer I took a few people's shifts to show my manager that I was dedicated and loyal to the job (first mistake there). Having worked 6 days in a row, I thought perhaps I should cut my hours back down a little, only I couldn't, because people kept calling in sick, which then led to me taking their shifts again, because nobody would. Then it happened again, and again, my average work week became 60 hour weeks, 6 days a week.
This was during the summer last year. COVID was starting to take people down a lot more. I told my manager that most of our staff aren't wearing masks, it doesn't take a genius to figure out what happened next.
Yeah. They got COVID. Which meant I was taking their shifts as I mentioned above. To add this, I had to deal with customers trying to physically hit me for telling them to wear a mask (at the time it was law)
I'm a not a small guy, and I've seen my fair share of fighting etc. But it's never nice having to deal with violent customers.
No overtime, no unsociable hours pay, no overtime pay, nothing. New employees were given incentives none stop, whilst I was given nothing, no praise at all, I had people on 20 hour weeks telling me to smile more, “because it's not that bad here” completely oblivious to what I was doing for this company, by working myself to death.
It got to the point I was having to seek mental health charities, because my mental health was so poor. I literally sacrificed my life for this company, for “creating a great customer experience” and all the other bullshit. Whilst my manager came in for 10 hours a week and was on 24 thousand pounds more than me a year.
That's how fucking insane it was.
I was literally carrying the company, taking people's shifts, working weekends, 6 days a week, everything for this company.
I managed to leave that job aka escape in the end, and now have landed a job where I'm paid triple what would I work be paid at my last place, less hours, and I'm given self respect.
Long story short..
You are the most important asset.
YOUR VALUE knows no bounds.. Remember your “boss” is most likely doing less work than you, and getting paid triple what you're being paid.
And finally. A wise co worker once told me “minimum wage, minimum effort” – This is of utmost importance. If a company is paying you a basic wage, it's because that's that's the least they can get away paying you with. I'm in doubt that they would pay less if they could.
Apologies if this is a strange read. It's nearly 5am.