I've been working at my place of business for a little over 3 months. Benefits are about to kick in, and I'm being given the opportunity to move up, if I so decide.
When I make comparisons between the place that I work and the place that my sister works at, I am certain that the reason why I have the better job is solely because of the way that we employees are treated at my workplace. Both jobs involve long hours at a computer. Each job requires the ability to type, read, and above all, be polite and professional when dealing with clients. My job entails more problem-solving and client relations and I am paid a bit better for this, but really, there is no reason, in my opinion, why employees at her workplace cannot perform a job such as mine.
But, when you look at the differences between employees, it becomes that much clearer about how hiring procedures and HR styles make a difference in job satisfaction.
When I went for my first interview, I was told that they were looking for upbeat people who weren't afraid to take a challenge. I noted the staff were primarily within my age range, and all seemed enthusiastic about what they were were doing. There are people there who are both older and younger than I, but the common denominator between us all is that everyone seems to generally be open, friendly and helpful. I thought that this might change after being hired permanently, but I was wrong. We are all starting to become a tight-knit group and friendships are forming between both the old and the new. While the opportunity to work with the same crowd day in and day out are nil, we are seeing the same people daily, yet also meeting new people depending on the shift that we work. It's not all bad. But taking a look at my sister's work, and then it looks like a bit of heaven.
My sister's job has a high turnover rate. Mostly older people and students comprise their workforce. There is no incentive to move forward: supervisors are paid the exact same as day staff and have little perks but to lay claim to the title alone. They're even shafted when you consider that they must be available to work all shifts, and not just daytime hours. People ditch shifts left, right and center, and there were mass walk-offs when my company came to town. There were quite a few people from her company that were hired immediately by mine, and the sad part is, no effort seemed to be made by hers to retain them.
Concerning employment: many jobs are similar to one another. It takes good management to make another company more inviting than another. I'm glad that I'm where I'm at, because, if I have to see the same people everyday, I'd rather be with the group that respects and values my work and participation. I'm all the more motivated to do my job correctly and honestly at a place that earns my respect, then piss-ass around at a job that is completely unsatisfactory but for the paycheck at the end of the week.