Before I come to work, I have to mentally prepare myself for
battle. Not a battle against co-workers, or a battle against my superiors; no,
I have to mentally prepare myself for a battle against ignorance and my
inherent nature to ask ‘did you really just say that?’ It takes, on average, thirty minutes getting
ready for work, a ten minute drive, and no less than six minutes in the parking
lot to revert my mental stage back to that of a middle schooler before I walk
into my building. Before I’m criticized for my use of hyperbole, I should point
out that 76% of the staff (28/37 people) are not college educated, and barely
graduated high school. This, however, does not excuse poor behavior. Nine
employees have attempted college, seven have graduated with degrees, and four
of those employees work in accounting.
While I am sympathetic to those who didn’t have the privilege to attempt
higher education, I refuse to be discriminated against because I’ve chosen to
better myself in order to achieve a career I can be proud of. I don’t believe that being uneducated is an
excuse for childish behavior in the work place. When you work for an
international non-profit, there is a certain professional code to adhere to. The
following are things you shouldn’t do, under any circumstance. Mainly because
common sense would tell you this is not proper business etiquette.
·
The use of Comic Sans as a font for emails
·
The use of emoticons when responding to peers
·
The use of word art in emails to officers in the
organization
·
The use of ‘ain’t’ in an email. To anyone.
·
Giving tax advice if you’re not up on tax laws
of nonprofits.
·
Using profanity when speaking to a member of
said organization on the telephone, in an email, etc.
·
Being inebriated from seven in the morning until
midnight at an international convention for twelve days straight.
·
Smearing your chest on a glass window of a bar
to get attention.
· Publicly stripping to get free drinks.
·
Upon arriving at your destination: pounding six
shots to get as wasted as you can.
·
Propositioning female staff.
·
Watching ‘Teen Mom’ or some other program on
your work laptop during business hours.
·
Sleeping on pallets in a back room while on the
clock.
·
Emailing 33/37 employees to tell them you’ve
brought something in for the office to celebrate your birthday (cake, cookies,
cupcakes, marzipan fruits, etc.) and purposefully leaving the others off
because you don’t like them…
OK, that last one was pretty much the one thing that
suffocated any flame I may have still carried for my job. The selfishness and pettiness in that one act
turned me cold towards a majority of the employees here, and set in motion
actions that can’t be taken back. I filled out applications for three
companies, sent my resume to a head hunter, and spoke to several contacts to
get a feel for who was hiring. I think what made me the most angry about that last
bullet is who committed the unnecessary offense. First: I wouldn’t have eaten any of the cake.
Not because I’m trying to prove a point, but because I don’t generally eat
sweets. Second: I’m an amazing baker. Anything I would have made would have put
her ‘mud pie’ to shame. (Not that I’m bragging, but I’m asked to make
confections for office functions, and friends all the time. I’m making eight
dozen this weekend for a birthday party. I’m pretty good.) Third: I understand
that this person doesn’t like me. That’s perfectly fine. But when the majority
of us ‘under-appreciated, underpaid, and overworked’ employees leave (at the
same time) she’ll be stuck doing my job. Maybe being nice to me would convince
me to leave some type of instruction. My
list of grievances could go on, and on and on, but I think I should keep the
list short and sweet for now.
Stay tuned.
