Day 25 of the government shutdown. Trump Crazy Train Rolls.
I’ve been thinking about salary and compensation.
What I realize now, as I am interviewing and hiring people like crazy, and also while I am myself looking to make a change, that we have been gently and quietly conditioned to accept as ‘normal’ the expectation that we should work between 48 – 55 hours each week; that we must be available for evening calls and checking email on weekends and generally accomplishing much more that can be achieved in the 40 hours that forms the basis for our salary.
I have been complicit in this myself; cowed, apparently by the need to have a job and without the confidence I suppose to negotiate a better salary for the work expectations. On the other hand, I routinely see, even at my current organization, a flat refusal to pay for better talent. Companies will accept mediocrity and high turnover rather than pay someone with a higher skill set and higher commitment to excellence, which ultimately is the better value.
I have been averaging around 55 hours or so each week now pretty much since I started here 6 months ago. This is around 25% more hours than I am being paid for. So this needs to change. Or I would gladly keep my salary the same if I could work 40 hours without judgment or punishment—meaning the workload would need to be re-aligned with effort expectations.
Just this week some new finance policy took hold that will result in adding around 3 – 5 hours to my workload each week—with no acknowledgment that I must let something else suffer or increase my time to maintain quality in my core job areas.
I have been in pretty near constant communication with Sue from MYO these past couple of weeks. There are so many alumni still trying to move forward. To find a way to advance their station and circumstances and many still need a helping hand. We have always known that some would not turn out to be academic super stars and so they must find another way. Trades or tourism. Something.
Sue is magnificent. Compassionate but practical and tough. She listens and makes recommendations but always with an eye to promoting personal accountability. But there are just so many kids that need assistance that it is overwhelming.
Feature picture is just an old photo from camping on the Continental Divide between Idaho and Montana. Jamie’s grandkids. Good weekend and amazing place.
The Martini Tales 