Unjust Procedures
Life is rarely fair. I know this, and yet I can't help but to be almost disillusioned by the unfairness of some things.
Take this new policy at work. It's almost as if I'm being punished for someone else's wrongdoing.
Of course, that's not how it was explained to me when I was told that from here on out I can't leave work until the morning producer gets to the station.
Instead I was told that it makes the transition between shows easier by giving us time to chat about what went wrong, etc. (which is what I thought the discrepancy reports were for); that it would give her a sense of being part of everything (because 5 minutes of interaction will do that); and that they don't want there to be a time during the week when there's no one in the newsroom (which would be legitimate if multiple people didn't stay over far longer than I ever did).
The real reason for this new arrangement is that my morning counterpart hadn't been coming in to work on time (and I assume it was significantly late) and had been fudging her time sheet. That's a big no-no. Corporate can tell when you're doing it, and they pitch a fit.
So instead of informing this producer that they could tell when she altered her time sheet, they come up with this arrangement where she's supposed to come in 15 minutes early and I'm stuck here until she shows up.
At least it's approved overtime, right?
Life is only as good as you make it, and I'm not going to let a little unfairness get me down.
It's like I've been saying all along, it's those times in life that test your patience that show your true character.
So I'm going to take that unfairness and the pettiness that's come along with it and let it make me a stronger, better person.
I won't complain (other than what I did the first nights), and I'll keep smiling. After all, 15 minutes can make or break your day, so why not do my best to make sure it doesn't ruin all the good?
Of course, that's not how it was explained to me when I was told that from here on out I can't leave work until the morning producer gets to the station.
Instead I was told that it makes the transition between shows easier by giving us time to chat about what went wrong, etc. (which is what I thought the discrepancy reports were for); that it would give her a sense of being part of everything (because 5 minutes of interaction will do that); and that they don't want there to be a time during the week when there's no one in the newsroom (which would be legitimate if multiple people didn't stay over far longer than I ever did).
The real reason for this new arrangement is that my morning counterpart hadn't been coming in to work on time (and I assume it was significantly late) and had been fudging her time sheet. That's a big no-no. Corporate can tell when you're doing it, and they pitch a fit.
So instead of informing this producer that they could tell when she altered her time sheet, they come up with this arrangement where she's supposed to come in 15 minutes early and I'm stuck here until she shows up.
At least it's approved overtime, right?
It's like I've been saying all along, it's those times in life that test your patience that show your true character.
So I'm going to take that unfairness and the pettiness that's come along with it and let it make me a stronger, better person.
I won't complain (other than what I did the first nights), and I'll keep smiling. After all, 15 minutes can make or break your day, so why not do my best to make sure it doesn't ruin all the good?
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2 comments
This kind of thing happened to me throughout my career, Ashton. Instead of going right to the source of the problem and confronting it directly management typically takes the path of least resistance and looks for a quick fix. The conscientious employee is usually the one who has to suck it up and do more so that the other guy can coast. All you can do is make the most it it. Use that pocket of time to reflect on your shift and identify improvements that can be made. As the organized and punctual type I can't relate to arriving late for work. When I was producing I usually arrived an hour or two early so that I could get an overview of what was happening in the news and begin to block out the show. I consistently got scripts distributed much earlier than other producers, allowing the anchors time to become familiar with the copy and the director and crew to have a better chance of executing a mistake free newscast.
ReplyDeleteGetting here early is a big no-no unless it's pre-approved. Overtime is frowned upon greatly, especially among producers.
ReplyDeleteThe funny thing about it though is that they keep adding to our responsibilities as producers and expect us to fit it all into a certain time frame. And when you can't because it's literally too much to do, you get treated as if you're some kind of imbecile with poor time management skills.
But with all that being said, I'm still consistently early when it comes to having my shows finished. I find it makes things run more smoothly.