Jody Breuer: Employers want consistency; employees want time away from work
Earlier this month at the Many Paths podcast, we discussed in length the challenges employers and employees face in Galesburg. I was most interested in the discrepancies between what employees want and what employers want.
Time and again what employees are looking for in exchange for loyalty, dependability and hard work is time off. They’re not looking for more money, generally speaking. They want more time away from work as compensation for doing a great job. They want to not have to GO to work instead of getting paid more to be at work. We see this on a large scale as BNSF (Boomers) keeps trying to cut the time off of workers (Gen X and Millenials) and the workers keep saying they want more time off to be with their families.
There’s a new viral idea on TikTok called “quitting quietly?” Surprisingly, it does not mean quitting your job at all. It means doing only the work you’re required to do and no more while you’re at work. This notion is extremely inflammatory to the Boomer generation. They believe the reason any business succeeds is BECAUSE of all the extra effort and time they weren’t compensated for but put in for the good of the business. However, the kids the Boomers raised resented all that time their parents spent at work and taught the Boomer grandchildren that time doing leisure activities is far more important than giving “The Man or The Machine” all your best time.
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Interesting, huh? The very thing Boomers set out to do — put in extra effort, work really hard, go for the promotion, outshine their co-workers, get the raise … those habits and values are the VERY THING the millennial generation refuses to do because THEIR parents TAUGHT them NOT to value those things. The Gen X parents taught our children that “family time” and vacations and game night/movie nights/taco nights are far more valuable than a few extra dollars or helping your boss build a better business.
So how do we bridge the gap? It’s not that hard. It’s actually simple. Talk about it. Listen to the perspective that sounds so foreign to your own ears until you can repeat it convincingly. If you’re an employer listen to the requests for time off, not as a lack of loyalty but as an incentive for a job well done. If you’re an employee, reach outside of yourself and apply thought to what will make the business you work for thrive. Share those ideas with your boss as a show of team spirit and loyalty.
So what do employers want? They want people to show up. They want consistency, especially around scheduling. They wish they didn’t have to tolerate unmotivated employees. They would like to not have to keep hiring for the same position two or three times a year because they found someone willing to show up and do the work. Employers cannot compete with the flashy, instant satisfaction of growing up on video games and pizza rolls. They so desperately want to find someone to shoulder part of the responsibility of the business, without spending tons of money to recruit and retain employees.
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Again, the way to deal with the different desires between employers and employees is to simply actually deal with it. Have the conversations. Talk about what you need and be willing to negotiate to make the workplace be mutually beneficial.
Jody Breuer has been communicating and collaborating in Galesburg since 2008. Director of Business Development at Yemm Auto Group, mom/stepmom to 9 children, B.S. in Social Work from Illinois State University.
This article originally appeared on Galesburg Register-Mail: Labor and business owners need conversation about what they want
