SandyR
SandyR
- Location
- Valley Springs, CA
A Good Work Ethic is a Cherished Possession
- Thread starter SandyR
- Start date
SandyR
SandyR
- Location
- Valley Springs, CA
Sad story, but true.
Supernatural
Senior Member
A good work ethic... Humm... When I ended up working at my favourite work-type, I did have a good work ethic.
Sadly, it p...o... a lot of people. Why? I've got (terrifying, according to some people
) organisational skills. I've my Father and Grandfather to thank for. Grandpa had a board on the wall above his workshop in the basement. He'd spray-painted it, with each item in place.
Meaning that if you used, let's say, a paintbrush off said board, Grandpa knew exactly what had been taken and instinctively, he knew who had taken it. It guaranteed his workshop items were returned and were in the correct position. "An item in its place, and a place for each item..." that was his motto.
A wee bit of Compulsive Disorder Syndrome which I've inherited from him. Then again, he trained my Father and so on and so forth. Slammed-dunk from both, I became extremely organised.
I invented a time-sheet record. I'd go through making coffee pot for our office (I was in charge of opening office in morning and closing at day's end (07:00-15:00 in summer months / 08:00-16:00 in other months). I usually ended up making three pots of coffee in morning as they loved it so much.
Then, opening the work envelopes which were delivered within the first half hour, before the lady who was the office clerk would come in at 08:00. With my time-sheet on the incoming jobs, I knew exactly which in-tray to deliver the work. The three back in-trays were for incoming new jobs. The trays were, French, English, Correction/Updates.
I would put long documents at the bottom of each. Memos and letters were on top of each. It made it easier for colleagues to know the priority of each items. After my crazy hour run around, colleagues had came in and after grabbing our coffees and setting our workstations, we'd take breakfast orders. Yeah, I was in charge of that too, as the in-cafeteria person, didn't have English as a first language and since I was the only one he understood lol! He was Portuguese and I had wee bit knowledge, thanks to neighbours back home...
I'd come back up, delivered all, we'd get working while scoffing breakfast sandwiches, that was the norm. The minimum overall time for simple letters and memos was 5 minutes. Fortunately, the ones of us who were quick, the 120 WPM gang, meant that in 5 minutes we did 10 jobs. I was just a junior back in those early days, but I did a fair share of unpaid work.
Proof in the pudding, 5 out of 15 juniors were fas-tracked to level two quickly and we're the recipients of huge chocolate boxes on holidays. Unfortunately, my boss-lady never promoted me, because the level 2 was badly arranged at the time. After 2 years of giving my organisational skills to that office, I left after finding my upgrades tests had been tampered with. Sad, but true.
The level 2 in another department meant that I was alone in my office. No more work supervised and my skills helped a lot. I prioritised, changed my work definition in SOPs and implemented an ink cartridges recycling system.
Another betrayal took place. Found another level 2 position in my last department. It was the longest (with definite goals of reaching level 3) but pregnancy and declining health put an end to that one.
However, my encoding skills meant that my work legacy was assured as each disks were passwords protected and were sent to the National Archives. I'd reach Secret level with Exemption. My encryption remain private to the last time I'd heard about them, almost 20 years after I left. Woohoo!
Due to jealousy, yes-it was felt daily from a few colleagues, I suffered betrayals and lost a special pension I should have received in 2010 but it's okay. I terminated my own employment when it was the right time with my head held high.
At the end of the day, a good work ethic is important and very valuable. As much as I enjoyed passing on my titbits to others and the work, which was fun, the negative energies were too much.
Just last week I was told yet again, "Wow, you're seriously organised and sorry to say, but you know more about this situation than I do..."
Just as @SandyR said it's a cherished possession. Maybe sad, but true, indeed! Keep up the good work.
Sadly, it p...o... a lot of people. Why? I've got (terrifying, according to some people
) organisational skills. I've my Father and Grandfather to thank for. Grandpa had a board on the wall above his workshop in the basement. He'd spray-painted it, with each item in place.Meaning that if you used, let's say, a paintbrush off said board, Grandpa knew exactly what had been taken and instinctively, he knew who had taken it. It guaranteed his workshop items were returned and were in the correct position. "An item in its place, and a place for each item..." that was his motto.
A wee bit of Compulsive Disorder Syndrome which I've inherited from him. Then again, he trained my Father and so on and so forth. Slammed-dunk from both, I became extremely organised.
I invented a time-sheet record. I'd go through making coffee pot for our office (I was in charge of opening office in morning and closing at day's end (07:00-15:00 in summer months / 08:00-16:00 in other months). I usually ended up making three pots of coffee in morning as they loved it so much.
Then, opening the work envelopes which were delivered within the first half hour, before the lady who was the office clerk would come in at 08:00. With my time-sheet on the incoming jobs, I knew exactly which in-tray to deliver the work. The three back in-trays were for incoming new jobs. The trays were, French, English, Correction/Updates.
I would put long documents at the bottom of each. Memos and letters were on top of each. It made it easier for colleagues to know the priority of each items. After my crazy hour run around, colleagues had came in and after grabbing our coffees and setting our workstations, we'd take breakfast orders. Yeah, I was in charge of that too, as the in-cafeteria person, didn't have English as a first language and since I was the only one he understood lol! He was Portuguese and I had wee bit knowledge, thanks to neighbours back home...
I'd come back up, delivered all, we'd get working while scoffing breakfast sandwiches, that was the norm. The minimum overall time for simple letters and memos was 5 minutes. Fortunately, the ones of us who were quick, the 120 WPM gang, meant that in 5 minutes we did 10 jobs. I was just a junior back in those early days, but I did a fair share of unpaid work.
Proof in the pudding, 5 out of 15 juniors were fas-tracked to level two quickly and we're the recipients of huge chocolate boxes on holidays. Unfortunately, my boss-lady never promoted me, because the level 2 was badly arranged at the time. After 2 years of giving my organisational skills to that office, I left after finding my upgrades tests had been tampered with. Sad, but true.
The level 2 in another department meant that I was alone in my office. No more work supervised and my skills helped a lot. I prioritised, changed my work definition in SOPs and implemented an ink cartridges recycling system.
Another betrayal took place. Found another level 2 position in my last department. It was the longest (with definite goals of reaching level 3) but pregnancy and declining health put an end to that one.
However, my encoding skills meant that my work legacy was assured as each disks were passwords protected and were sent to the National Archives. I'd reach Secret level with Exemption. My encryption remain private to the last time I'd heard about them, almost 20 years after I left. Woohoo!
Due to jealousy, yes-it was felt daily from a few colleagues, I suffered betrayals and lost a special pension I should have received in 2010 but it's okay. I terminated my own employment when it was the right time with my head held high.
At the end of the day, a good work ethic is important and very valuable. As much as I enjoyed passing on my titbits to others and the work, which was fun, the negative energies were too much.
Just last week I was told yet again, "Wow, you're seriously organised and sorry to say, but you know more about this situation than I do..."
Just as @SandyR said it's a cherished possession. Maybe sad, but true, indeed! Keep up the good work.
Lewkat
Senior Member
- Location
- New Jersey, USA
My father drilled us with work ethics throughout his lifetime. His family thrived on just that.
SandyR
SandyR
- Location
- Valley Springs, CA
Thanks for the long and interesting response!A good work ethic... Humm... When I ended up working at my favourite work-type, I did have a good work ethic.
Sadly, it p...o... a lot of people. Why? I've got (terrifying, according to some people
Meaning that if you used, let's say, a paintbrush off said board, Grandpa knew exactly what had been taken and instinctively, he knew who had taken it. It guaranteed his workshop items were returned and were in the correct position. "An item in its place, and a place for each item..." that was his motto.
A wee bit of Compulsive Disorder Syndrome which I've inherited from him. Then again, he trained my Father and so on and so forth. Slammed-dunk from both, I became extremely organised.
I invented a time-sheet record. I'd go through making coffee pot for our office (I was in charge of opening office in morning and closing at day's end (07:00-15:00 in summer months / 08:00-16:00 in other months). I usually ended up making three pots of coffee in morning as they loved it so much.
Then, opening the work envelopes which were delivered within the first half hour, before the lady who was the office clerk would come in at 08:00. With my time-sheet on the incoming jobs, I knew exactly which in-tray to deliver the work. The three back in-trays were for incoming new jobs. The trays were, French, English, Correction/Updates.
I would put long documents at the bottom of each. Memos and letters were on top of each. It made it easier for colleagues to know the priority of each items. After my crazy hour run around, colleagues had came in and after grabbing our coffees and setting our workstations, we'd take breakfast orders. Yeah, I was in charge of that too, as the in-cafeteria person, didn't have English as a first language and since I was the only one he understood lol! He was Portuguese and I had wee bit knowledge, thanks to neighbours back home...
I'd come back up, delivered all, we'd get working while scoffing breakfast sandwiches, that was the norm. The minimum overall time for simple letters and memos was 5 minutes. Fortunately, the ones of us who were quick, the 120 WPM gang, meant that in 5 minutes we did 10 jobs. I was just a junior back in those early days, but I did a fair share of unpaid work.
Proof in the pudding, 5 out of 15 juniors were fas-tracked to level two quickly and we're the recipients of huge chocolate boxes on holidays. Unfortunately, my boss-lady never promoted me, because the level 2 was badly arranged at the time. After 2 years of giving my organisational skills to that office, I left after finding my upgrades tests had been tampered with. Sad, but true.
The level 2 in another department meant that I was alone in my office. No more work supervised and my skills helped a lot. I prioritised, changed my work definition in SOPs and implemented an ink cartridges recycling system.
Another betrayal took place. Found another level 2 position in my last department. It was the longest (with definite goals of reaching level 3) but pregnancy and declining health put an end to that one.
However, my encoding skills meant that my work legacy was assured as each disks were passwords protected and were sent to the National Archives. I'd reach Secret level with Exemption. My encryption remain private to the last time I'd heard about them, almost 20 years after I left. Woohoo!
Due to jealousy, yes-it was felt daily from a few colleagues, I suffered betrayals and lost a special pension I should have received in 2010 but it's okay. I terminated my own employment when it was the right time with my head held high.
At the end of the day, a good work ethic is important and very valuable. As much as I enjoyed passing on my titbits to others and the work, which was fun, the negative energies were too much.
Just last week I was told yet again, "Wow, you're seriously organised and sorry to say, but you know more about this situation than I do..."
Just as @SandyR said it's a cherished possession. Maybe sad, but true, indeed! Keep up the good work.