i heard a story on the radio, this is no joke: a job centre refused to display a boss's advert for staff as they wanted hard workers

nobody beleived me when i said that intelligence is futile. (even though it was an exscuse to get out of homework)

But again, everyone tells me that bosses like to have people who think for themselves, but thats crap. if you pick up a problem in their 'perfect' system, you get some heat for 'denouncing' their 'perfect' system. bah, no wonder im cynical about the workplace.

Its not to bad where i am. I will never say to a boss that a particular idea of theirs is rubbish, but within the insurance industry, for the benefits of our policyholders, new ideas are very welcome as new products can spawn from them.

EDIT: I have long been putting pressure on certain insurers to cover Nitrous Oxide kits. For those with a car in the UK, there are only about 2 insurers that will cover a car with this on there. I have been met with hostility on more than one occasion, but when i become a director of a large insurer, we will soon see some NOS coverage!

Edited by - bret bretonian on 11/11/2004 4:40:16 AM

Esquilax, this depends a LOT on what branche you work for.
sure, a bus driver doesnt need much initiative because its always the same what he does. and it the possiblity that many things will change in his job are also rather low.

however, i made some veryvery good experiances with the small company i work for (small software forge with 12 employees). very good working athmosphere, 2 very cool bosses. in such an environment you kinda automatically take initiative sooner or later.
Im perfectly happy with my situation. sure, its mostly hard work and i rarely get home in a week with <45-50 hours of work (although my contract is for 40 - i can take the excess hours as holidays or let them pay out).
but the work is fun and i like to do what i do. and thats the most important thing IMO. once you dont like it, you lose interest and initiative. you accept things as they are and dont question them anymore.

Fjord

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Infinity TC Mod Leading Developer

thats cool fjord i where do you work?

as for esq, like mentioned, it'll depend on who you work for. i dont have much to say as im dont work nor do i know too much about it

I would change this thread title to the death of INDEPENDENT initiative in the workplace.

Employers, on the whole, want worker ants, this is true but, employers always look for the worker ant that shows an ability to do best or better while still operating within the parameters of the employers outlook on how things should be done.

They also stress time ,management, which I will fight tooth and nail. They want you to be efficiant to cram 8 hours of work, into a 6 hour day, at first. Next year, its tak 3 hours more and shove in there. Mean while, the stress level goes up drasticly. Then they decide you don't need X amount of people and remove one or two positions. Then, you must take their work and fit it in as well. If you volentier(sp) to help with something, or do it yourself rather than farming it out, they will enjoy it, and expect you to do it from then on.

I took a task, replacing ceramic tile in bathrooms, we were charged $450 each job to replace an average of 100 4"x4" tiles. I took the job on during the work day, the cost of materials is $45 and 2 hours of my time. Over a five year period, I saved them $45,000.00 Did they apriciate this, NO! they wanted more, like going to another property and doing Due Diligence, evaluating the property to see if it is worth buying, which takes 3 days, and still have all my work done, even though I am not there.

I no longer voluntier for ANY thing. I do my 8hrs and go home. It isn't worth the headachs, trying to be nice and go the extra mile. I left that company 2 days short of a full notice. I had verbal aprovl to be paid for my unused vacation, 2 weeks worth. Last check, it's no where to be found. I confront them and they say because I did not work a full notice, I don't get it. I was with that company 9 years and 6 months

Best news now is, that company is beginning to go under, darn shame.

Edited by - Finalday on 11/11/2004 9:39:30 AM

another thing companies dont appreciat is loyalty

Hmm, I work for a bank in the head office. At times it does seem like some ideas are put down due to 'cost' etc, even though it could solve a multitude of problems.
However, since my last idea has surpassed immagination, and is being pushed past just our bank, and into three other banks......I cannot say they don't listen/like ideas/inniatives!

However, for most ideas/inniatives there is a risk element - and companies NEVER like risk, as risk = potential money loss.
They do reward GOOD ones though - you can get a percentage bonus if its a recommendation that cuts costs! Someone for us got a £7000 bonus only a few years back for coming up with a modification to a process that saved money

I suppose independants may not like inniatives, as they don't have the financial security that we have.........if they cock it up a bit, it may cost the company (if small enough).

It's good to know that *some* people are actually able to show initiative in the workplace. I still maintain however, that jobs like that are becoming harder and harder to get. At least in Aus. they are. Still, I guess that you have to attain a certain amount of seniority in order to offer alternatives (ie. show initiative), otherwise the company won't take you seriously.

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another thing companies dont appreciat is loyalty

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Tell me about it ff .

Edited by - esquilax on 11/12/2004 12:58:46 AM

@kimk: http://www.klngarthur.com/infinityforum ... =1445#1445


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Infinity TC Mod Leading Developer