The Capacity To Choose

Another school year has started, another batch of hopeful-soon-to-be-professionals are striving hard to finish their journey towards graduation. Usually, parents provide their children the gift of education in the hopes that their children will have a better life in the future. Future... hmmm... future of the students, it only means their waiting professional life. And for the most, it is about employment. I would like to share an employment situation that I witness happening to a highly qualified person placed in an "orthodox type" of company.

This person is known in their campus as an "intelligent, down-to-earth" type of student, very active in curricular and extra curricular activities. That garner her credentials and awards. An officer of a national level student organization. After her first project based work, she was hired by a top real estate development firm as a marketing officer.

As usual, like every eager newly hired employee, she submits herself to what the company demands from it's people, but unlike many others, her company usually gives a single day-off per month (in their department), per employee. Marketing officer by job title: marketing officer, events organizer, and supplies purchaser by job description. They were given a high salary grade but still, human body has its own limitations. The management's response is that they give a high pay grade and the extra days are counted as overtime. A fast financial and professional status promotion, but faster toll on an employee's health. Aside from lack of rest, pressure and daily dilemmas in the workplace contribute in a fast health deterioration. Indeed, a high price for a secure employment.

What do you think, would a future professional be eager to work if he or she will be hired by a company with this kind of manpower treatment? I don't think so. We know that money run everything in this world, but bear in mind that there will be no money if there is no people. Manpower, people, human resources, whatever you want them called, are still the most important asset of a company. There is a price in every money, but you cannot put a price on a person. The company pays for the work and service done, not buying a person to be their wage slaves. Sadly, this is how I saw her situation.

But again, the company is being managed by people, so definitely they have emotions, reasons, drive, and heart. We cannot change how the company treat their employees over night, Rome wasn't built in one night. You cannot change your workload, but you can change on how you approach it, on how you handle it. The truth is that a person cannot be depressed by any outside influence, unless he or she permits to. If you feel that a situation is starting to be depressing, stay away from it. And when the pressure is building up, don't worry, regardless on how you approach it, a problem always have an answer, so better deal with it cheerfully. We are all different and unique in our own special way. We have the capacity to decide. To influence and be influenced. Do not expect them to change for you. But you can change for the better and somewhat affect your workplace. An impressed boss usually listens and treasure their outstanding employee. The management do what they do because they think it is the best for the company. Anyways, you definitely not be their employee and being paid by them if they didn't exist at all. Remember that a higher level achieved by a company, the harder it gets to stay or even climb farther. But once excellence become a daily routine, it will never be hard to produce the highest quality of performance permanently. It is not the company that makes honor possible, it is always the people inside and working in it. A boss will always have an ear to those who makes him cheer. You can always take a time out, but once you quit, you can never go back. Every pressure and expectations makes a person better, every problems and challenges makes a person wiser, and every punts taken and experiences learned makes a person stronger. You cannot make your boss look at your situation right now, on how tired and how sick you are, but human boundaries are always meant to be extend beyond limitless . Make yourself better each day. Anyways, if they can't see it, you can always talk it to them. They cannot do anything but to give you your well deserved rest. Just be ready when you return to the office, make them see what an ample amount of rest can do not only for the employee but to the company as well. Anyways, if you think that change is impossible, you can always do yourself the favor of looking for another company while still working, or save enough money to put up a little business then quit. It is always important to pay respect to your company. Make sure that they will have enough time to look for a replacement. We always have a choice. We always have the capacity to decide. We always have the responsibility for the outcome. And regardless the difficulty, the best always comes from the right decision.