https://finance.yahoo.com/news/a-nation-of-quitters-us-workers-arent-staying-at-jobs-for-as-long-as-they-used-to-114100476.html

Remember the Boomers (not all but most) that could sustain a family of 3-5 and buy a house and two cars with just one income? Well there is another aspect where they had it much better: The workload at their job.

The work load in the 60s or 70s or any time before the PC era was a fraction of what it is now. Nowadays you get a call or email or message and are expected to compile a list within minutes. Back then this took time and effort. In the office people nowadays probably do 10x the work people did 40 years ago.

Same goes for most other professions. Machines have made everything faster - so much more is expected today than 40 years ago. Jobs were slow. Now they are fast. Thats why everyone is so stressed. Because we work to exhaustion at our jobs - 5 to 10x than Boomers did and then we earn a fraction of their income.

https://www.businessinsider.com/wealthy-installing-expensive-cold-plunge-pools-stall-aging-help-focus-2023-6

In my 26 years of professionally working, I’ve seen this time and time again. Even if they don’t leave out of fear, their morale and productivity is drastically affected.

Conversely, when you promote the right people, employees are happy for them and gladly follow them. Even when it’s not them who is promoted.

I used to report to a guy who started as an intern for us, but he was really good and knew his stuff. So as we all moved around and he continued to rise up the ranks, when I was eventually shifted into his world, I didn’t begrudge it. I knew he earned it and I knew how good he was. I welcomed him as a leader, as did the rest of the team. Don’t underestimate how important these dynamics are.

I am sad and alone at work today. He won't be in for his shift ever again. He never got to retire and go fishing and everything sucks.

Edit: Steve would help me jump-start my car and I would help him with his IT troubles.

A full service, made-from-scratch restaurant & bar near me is trying to “expand their hours” if they can “expand their crew”. My last pay rate was 19/hr at a casual dining establishment for a nights/weekends line cook - This manager listed the job at “$15-$22 based on experience” on Indeed….

So I apply with my resume, follow up over the phone, get an interview - interview goes great, she wants to hire me, get to the part of the interview that asks about desired pay-rate so I asked for the top rate listed for nights and weekends….she tells me “We only start out at $15-$16, that $22 is just more of a cap on what we pay” -ambiguous hand wave-. And she says it in this super chummy way.

Ummmmmm what?? I said, fibbing a little bit but just trying to negotiate politely, “I had an interview earlier this week where they offered 19, so I might need to just end up taking that one, as much as I love the atmosphere here.”.

She seemed pissed and the niceties were suddenly gone. Her veil of professionalism seemed to nearly slip and she barely forced out a polite ending to the interview.

Why in the hell would you post that job if you won’t even hire someone with my experience at the top rate?? Why waste my time and yours? The only person you should be upset with is either yourself, your boss or your HR department.

Some of you might not know this- but your address might be rural. Even if you live in the city. Rural mail carriers are quitting in mass.

More and more is being put on their shoulders and they can’t do it anymore. They have to supply and maintain their own vehicles in most cases. They are salaried. With reevaluation- many lost thousands in Pay and bringing them close to level with 15$ an hour after their vehicles are done.

It was another 89° day, and wonderfully sunny. In the car it’s again: 104° …. With 8 rural carriers gone they are telling the city carriers (most who WALK their routes) to go as fast as possible with their routes (keep in mind the temperature). Many of these city carriers already have routes stuck on top of their own.

Please be kind and support your local mail carrier. Some of you will start noticing that your mail might not come as regularly here soon. They are being effed harder than most without any lube.

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy work (sometimes) and the people I work with. I enjoy having a work life but does anyone else feel that the work culture in America is completely skewed? I feel like we’re conditioned to just work in America. Our work and what we do is the backbone of our identity. I’ve noticed everything is open nearly 24/7, never a day off for a company. In Europe, many shops close for an hour for lunch and sometimes close earlier on Friday’s so employees can enjoy a longer weekend. Some even close earlier during the summer so workers can enjoy the summer more. God forbid if that should ever happen in America. I really dislike how we work on vacation too. Some even bring their laptops for catching up with work while their at the beach or spending time with friends and family. And PTO? We, on average, have about two weeks? Whereas Europeans get double that? Why do we, as Americans, just have to work all the time? Why are we so work oriented? There is such an emphasis on working and so little attention to actually living your life. I’m not trying to bash the system or shit-talk it, but I just don’t understand this. I hope I articulated my feelings somewhat well.