Today is one of my days off this week, but it’s also the 138th day since I started the job (on December 11, 2017.) According to the Employees manual, I was supposed to get a review at 60 days. According to my boss, I was to get that review at 90 days, but the administrative section of the company just ok’d my 90 day review.
My 90 day review included stuff that’s happened since day 90, so I consider it my 137 day review.
Generally what I’ve seen here is that if you do a good to a pretty damn good job, you generally get ignored. If you do a good job but make an error, you get brought into an exam room, and get a kind meeting to discuss what happened, maybe learn, maybe clarify, but always be reminded: The customer is always right — even if they weren’t technically correct about this. Some people get those meetings every week or two, others get them every month or two. People who consistently do “pretty damn good” or better, eventually get promoted.
My review was very nice. Nothing below satisfactory, many, many satisfactories, and maybe ¼ or 1/3 what my old company called ‘exceeds (standards) ’- above satisfactory. I think this is the first time in my life my punctuality and attendance were at exceeds.
A funny thing that was said — that really made me think — the boss suggested that I speak, especially when on speaker phone, with more confidence or authority. That ‘sometimes you sound sad...’ -— I immediately started to think of what she meant, and whether right or wrong, I thought of something. There’s one woman who will pick up those speaker-call pages, who always sounds put-out. No matter the time of day, no matter how many calls I’m currently dealing with, she sounds like she’s too busy for me.
She sounds like that when we are just chit-chatting while she’s by her locker, before or after working, too. It’s how she sounds.
But it affects how I feel, so if I “sound sad” or just sound ‘off’ when using the speaker phone, I need to figure out how to change that. Like smiling when I answer the phone — just smile when I say, “Hi! Is anyone available?” even though I can barely hear my words through the cacophony of barking, meowing and people speaking coming back to me. Usually I’m just thinking, “I’m SO glad I’m not out there.” :)
I did get a raise, a larger percent that I’ve seen for an increase that didn’t recognize a promotion in a LONG time. And it comes to a lot more than a Costco membership, over the course of the year — I could get that membership, plus make a few purchases at Costco each payday. Or I could save the money. :D
While I am really happy about the money (REALLY!), the recognition that I do my job well was just the best part of the day. I don’t need constant praise or recognition, but it would be really nice to receive SOMETHING semi-official once every month or two. To try to explain what I mean: to recognize the anniversary of the company, the head doctor (aka “Doc”) hand wrote little notes on thank you cards that were left by people’s lockers. I sit next to the lockers for the reception staff — and most of the people got the same look I probably did (is this a pink slip?) before opening, and just expressed total confusion, after.
People who do a good job shouldn’t be confused about having that recognized — and if it’s confusing, that’s really something that management should think about. Maybe the generally crappy attendance and timeliness can be addressed in a different way.
Oh, why did I bring that up? Well, the last time I got asked to “step into an exam room” was just a few weeks ago, when I was asked whether I had any questions about the attendance policy.
Hmmm? No, I don’t think so — the attendance policy had been printed from the Employee Handbook and posted in reception’s “Important to Review” area. The policy? To be an approved absence, you need to let your department manager know that you will not be there at least 2 hours before the start of the shift (no text messages or email.) If you don’t call and don’t show up, you risk being terminated. Sick 3 days or more may require a doctor’s note to return. The thought of phoning someone before 5 am sucks, but whatever. This is similar to the attendance policies I’d had in the past, except that 2 hour window (as adults, we were allowed to call in within 30 minutes of the start of our shift, if I recall correctly.)
But then the attendance policy continues… Excused Absence — anything covered by various programs (fmla, voting, — all spelled out) — any with at least 24 hrs advanced notification ok’d by the manager, or any accompanied by a letter from the employee’s healthcare provider. And then, Unexcused absence — any absence not approved 24 hours ahead, or one not accompanied by a letter by the employee’s healthcare provider. After 3 unexcused absences, they will be written up, and eventually lead to termination.
I worked for nearly 30 years at my previous job. Over that time, I brought in 1 letter from my healthcare provider. If I’d had additional 3 day+ absences, there would have been more. Absences were tracked, and if you were out more than six times over the course of the year, you would get written up, and possibly terminated.
The whole thing about getting a healthcare provider note for every absence is insane. If every company worked like this one, I would be tempted to open a company that provided absence letters for the chronically absent. Anyway, I wrote an email to my sister on my personal account, and asked her about the set up at her vet (which is located much closer to where I’d like to work), said I’d love fewer miles, a little more pay, and a realistic attendance policy, and then sent her the policy, verbatim.
She replied, “Wtf kind of stupid ass policy is that?? You're supposed to anticipate an illness? Do they provide the Magic 8 Ball, or do you have to buy your own?? That's bizarre. ”
My sister and I think a lot alike, sometimes.
So…. then the boss said, “Your private email was logged into the computer.”
Oh, ho. Unspoken: so, even though I have logged onto computers and into personal emails or Facebook accounts or whatever and either closed it or logged out or whatever — Someone here was skeevy enough to realize that I had my email open on the computer assigned to me for 8 hours a day it and chose to read it and REPORT it?
We discussed the policy (which is “just there to protect the people who don’t use it”), but not the spy, because I’m the idiot who trusted people enough to keep their noses out of my business. Now I log into my email at the start of my shift, check for work emails, and then sign out. I do the same toward the end of the shift.
So, while I am very glad to have my job, and grateful for the raise — It’s all far less about looking at life through rose colored glasses. And I’m still planning to apply at the vet near my sister. Finding enough time to complete a pdf application has been an issue.
I also stopped yesterday and purchased the tag for my license plate — after driving on expired tags for several months last year (with the check engine light between me and that tag), I didn’t want to take any chances and not have the tag changed before May 1.
Oh, and I’m trying to re-commit to fewer motel nights. :( I love not being at PADS, but I need to save money. I deserve to not be at PADS, but if I don’t save money, I’m going to be there FOREVER. So, though the last group of nights have been because of a flare up of gout, enough’s enough. Until I am lottoe’d out, or anticipate that because only 1 shelter is open, I am going to PADS locations each night, and saving money.
That’s the news for now — I hope you’re all doing well.