Today's young adults move rapidly between jobs. That is a factor which I have observed for about the last 10 years.
Why? There are several theories out there, but my belief is that (in addition to this being a much more mobil society in terms of communication) many of these 30 year olds watched their parents get downsized from their jobs 10-15 years ago. Mom and dad would march off to the job they had for years and one day a decision was made to eliminate 10,000 (fill in the blank) jobs and suddenly there was instability in their homes.
I certainly would not expect a lower management person to remain at a long hour, high stress job simply to climb the management ladder...at least not today.
Ed
MP173I certainly would not expect a lower management person to remain at a long hour, high stress job simply to climb the management ladder...at least not today.
Don't forget the low pay.
It's been fun. But it isn't much fun anymore. Signing off for now.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any
I had a manager that believed, "anybody can do any job". I proved him wrong!
I told him I was the CEO that day and said, "YOU'RE FIRED!" (This was long before 'The Donald' tried to copyright the phrase for his "Idiot Apprentice" TV show.)
Didn't work anyway.
I always considered him the epitome of the 'Peter Principle'.
Semper Vaporo
Pkgs.
MP173Why? There are several theories out there, but my belief is that (in addition to this being a much more mobil society in terms of communication)...
I think the communication is a huge factor. Why send a letter that will take 2-4 days to reach its intended recipient when you can just send a text or an email?
People have moved around for years - my mother and several friends packed up and headed to California for a couple of years shortly after WWII. They all came back to NY. There are plenty of other similar stories, both individuals and en masse (moving to Detroit for auto industry jobs).
The communication means there's a greater awareness of what lies beyond the fence, and it doesn't take days or weeks of word-of-mouth for that information to spread.
Too, I don't think that families and communities are as close-knit as they used to be. You stayed in your home town because, well, it was your home town. That loyalty has faded.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
MP173 Today's young adults move rapidly between jobs. That is a factor which I have observed for about the last 10 years. Why? There are several theories out there, but my belief is that (in addition to this being a much more mobil society in terms of communication) many of these 30 year olds watched their parents get downsized from their jobs 10-15 years ago. Mom and dad would march off to the job they had for years and one day a decision was made to eliminate 10,000 (fill in the blank) jobs and suddenly there was instability in their homes. I certainly would not expect a lower management person to remain at a long hour, high stress job simply to climb the management ladder...at least not today. Ed
Don't forget it's drilled into young people's head that they will change jobs, if not entire career paths, every couple of years.
Jeff
Paul_D_North_Jr After all, the annual reports all say "employees are the most important assets of the company", - Paul North.
- Paul North.
While almost every company, railroad or otherwise, seems to say that quote, they all don't exactly think that. To modify it to how many of them really feel about their workers you need to delete "the most important" and "of the company" and drop the "t" from assets.
zugmann MP173 I certainly would not expect a lower management person to remain at a long hour, high stress job simply to climb the management ladder...at least not today.
MP173 I certainly would not expect a lower management person to remain at a long hour, high stress job simply to climb the management ladder...at least not today.
jeffhergert Don't forget it's drilled into young people's head that they will change jobs, if not entire career paths, every couple of years. Jeff
Speakinga s a 30-something, it wasn't so much drilled as was observed. People working for 20-30 years to walk and and be given a pink slip makes you realize there is no such thing as loyalty in the real world. Get as much as you can when you can. Not many industries that will provide a life of employment. And yes, that includes the railroads anymore. Who knows if I'll be out here another 30 years (by choice or not).
Those golden watch retirement gifts are ancient history. Loyalty is a two-way street; corporations dropped loyalty to employees as a value long ago.
C&NW, CA&E, MILW, CGW and IC fan
When I was working, (I retired 10/2/06) the company still gave employees who were a little higher than I was dinners when they retired. I was given a party in the plant, and some gifts--one of which was a large framed picture of a European train on a bridge (I asked if it was known what and where, and was told that there was something on the back of the picture about it, and there was a paper backing covering it). The best gift was from two employees with whom I had interfaced--a small desktop statuette of a man in a hula skirt and the saying, "Retired, and no longer taking any c**p." The two who gave it to me had never given me any difficulty.
One of my supervisors knew less about my job than I did; two or three times after I did something that was done occasionally, yet I saw the necessity of doing them, he thought I had done something extraordinary, and gave me an award (for doing my job, as I saw it).
Johnny
schlimm Those golden watch retirement gifts are ancient history. Loyalty is a two-way street; corporations dropped loyalty to employees as a value long ago.
The gold-watch retirement gifts aren't totally dead, or they weren't when I retired from my first career in May 2011. I was given a decent little desk clock, which now adorns the credenza at my current job. After 22 years with the same agency, and 32 years with the same government, I felt I had earned it.
However, you are correct that loyalty from employer to employee is pretty much gone. I watched bosses who destroyed people's lives for no good reason serve out their time with no visible consequences. I can only hope that karma is a mutant ninja female dog from Hell, and remembers those bosses.
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