The owner of my company has actually told me that young people have the mindset of only working 8 hour days, and that it’s so hard to convert hourly employees into thinking like salary employees… meaning they think it’s time to go home after an 8 hour day.
My workplace is so toxic. They are dipping their hands into all these different fields, trying to diversify and grow, but they expect the employees to always work overtime and to not get a raise, basically ever.
I put my foot down on overtime about 2 years ago. I worked so much overtime over the course of two years that I had physical symptoms of stress. I had to go to the doctor because I thought I had nerve damage in my left arm. Recently, I put my foot down about not getting a raise in 3.5 years. I backed it up with data and cited government sources for inflation, adjusted for my 2-3 day WFH benefit, etc., and I got a good raise, which was awesome. I’m happy with it, but am already dreading the next round because I was told not to expect a raise every year. That’s fine with me as long as inflation is flat….
The thing is this, it’s going to be the same fucking cycle, over and over and over, at this company, AND probably most other ones too. It’s exhausting having to constantly advocate for yourself when you’ve proven your worth a million times over. It’s life draining.
The owners of my company are actually good people at heart, and they work their asses off. They really do. They will even help you out if they really like you, which is weird because they’re so stingy with pay, but not if it’s an extreme personal emergency for some reason. I don’t know, that’s a whole other mind fuck. I feel like it’s Stockholm Syndrome in funny but dead serious way.
But one thing that they probably don’t consider is, we have to do all those things that they can afford to pay people to do. They’re so tight with money and it makes all of our lives hell. Hire more people for fucks sake. Pay your employees what they’re worth without making them beg. I really believe happy employees will work harder for you than worn out miserable ones.
I’m sorry for this really long rant, but I’m tired of constantly having to advocate for myself. I’m also tired of seeing good, hard working coworkers burned out and just steadily taking it without advocating for themselves.
Sorry for the long rant. If there are mistakes or typos, I have faith that y’all can figure it out. This isn’t work and I’m tired.
Tl;dr being overworked and underpaid blows.