Monday, October 27, 2008

Tempted to Throw a Tantrum

There is a lot to like about being a temporary employee. I meet a lot of people and learn a lot of new things, and if I don't like a job, generally I just stick it out for a while and then don't have to worry about it. But there is one thing I greatly dislike: being disposable.

No, I don't mean people see me as easy to get rid of. I mean people see me as unnecessary to think about. Like the office manager who never once spoke to me until a foreign dignitary was visiting, and then all of a sudden he was upset that I didn't run to the door to greet them. Sorry, buddy, I thought you would be embarrassed and unable to introduce me since I had no reason to believe you even knew my name!

So, this morning I come to work after a weekend home. I don't want to be at work. I want to be with my kid, who misses me and who didn't get any schoolwork done over the weekend 'cause his dad was visiting. I come to work, and I find stacks and stacks of paper with post-it notes in various places with half-written instructions on them that make nearly no sense to me. Half my desk is covered in half-unpacked boxes. My garbage can and computer have been moved, my speakers are missing so I can't listen to music, I can't find the items I carefully left on my desk so that I could work on them when I came in, someone has gotten into my spreadsheet and deleted whole columns, the maintenance guy is here about a job I didn't know we needed done, and no one else shows up until two hours after I do.

I am a good employee. I am a cheerful person. I show up on time and get my work done. But I am a person and it would sure be nice if people treated me like one.

1 comment:

Christina said...

Uuuggghhhh! I worked at a place like that! I really hope they start realizing what a good worker you are and that you are valuable to them. What a bummer.