The Wheel and Axle

I recently came across this article that complains about “stupid” policies that basically ruin office life and chase employees away. Supposedly.

The author of this stupid article has obviously never been in a leadership role that requires one to manage productivity, quality, risk, and profitability, among other things.

And when I did some research and found her LinkedIn profile based on information on her profile on the website she posted on, yes, it’s true. She is an R&D employee who doesn’t seem to have any legitimate qualifications to discuss how a company should be run. Now, I do not think all millennials are self-entitled, but this one certainly fits the stereotype.

Not only did she just graduate from college a mere three years ago, her primary work experience (which is not bad, to be fair) has been in science-based companies as a research person. This is a person who is not in a position to speak about how a typical office should be run, especially corporate. And certainly, even the companies she worked for? She is in no position to call policies “stupid” when she has never actually truly managed for a company.

Let’s run through her self-entitled laundry list one by one.

1. “Stupid Attendance Policies.” Unless you are an exempt employee on a flexible shift arrangement, proper attendance is key. Many companies rely on punctual front-liners to get the business going.

A store cannot open on time if the opener arrives late; this is revenue lost, especially if waiting customers decide to leave because you’re not open.

If you’re an agent in a call center, every minute counts because call queues are dependent on stringent forecasts that require the right number of staffing on an hourly basis. You may think five minutes of tardiness is fine, but those five minutes spell the difference between one customer waiting on hold for a minute for the next available agent to a dozen customers on hold for several minutes and who are getting pissed off. Abandoned calls can increase, and this equates to cost as well.

Ever get annoyed at long hold times waiting for your credit card or phone company to pickup? This is often a result of lack of staffing – and many times, it’s because of tardiness or absence.

It must be noted that, where I come from at least, non-exempt employees get overtime pay at good rates. So yes, they get compensated if they need to render OT.

Most importantly, however, attendance is basic. Bad attendance means lack of discipline, and it is a reflection of poor work ethics.

2. “Stupid Approvals For Everything.” Financial control is key in managing costs of running a company. This is not a matter of trust. It’s a matter of proper accounting.

You may think it’s just a ream of bond paper. That ream of bond paper represents a certain cost which, when multiplied many times over, adds up.

Also, approval levels also usually vary by cost. It is rare that a CEO, unless it’s a five-man startup, will need to approve your notepad. Most companies will have a tiered approval system, where a supervisor can approve up to X amount. Exceeding that, the manager will be the approver, then the director for higher amounts, and so on.

A person who does not understand business and finances should not attempt to criticize what approvals are for.

3. “Stupid Hiring Processes.” It is nigh impossible for a small HR team in some companies to screen all resumes that come their way if the supply is high and the job markt is eager.

This is why recruiters are trained to quickly read and understand key points in resumes in 30 seconds or less as they screen. This is why there are a lot of “job finder” articles that give advice on how to create a resume that will catch the attention of a recruiter.

Do not expect HR to check 100% of all resumes thoroughly. This isn’t dehumanizing the process. This is being practical.

More importantly: Resumes are not the be-all and end-all of the hiring process. Most hiring processes will include a series of interviews. For some positions, there may even be skills testing involved.

Hiring is never fool-proof – otherwise there won’t be probationary periods that weed out wrong hires – but controls exist.

“Ever wondered how someone with less qualifications than you ended up getting a position above yours?” the author asks. Probably because your poor attitude trumps your qualifications and so you’ve been passed over for a promotion. Skills are not the only thing an employer looks at. Behavior is another, and if you are self-entitled and immature, then your excellent skills will be ignored in favor of someone with sufficient qualifications but with a better attitude.

Continued In:

Stupid? No, you’re just self-entitled. (Part 2)