Please read if you are a business owner or corporate executive or anyone who makes decisions that affect most working Americans. I need to use my voice and speak for many people who are struggling with your new rules, policy changes and lack of communication.
Many of the people who seek counseling are doing so because of their rising levels of stress related to their jobs. Mental distress such as depression and anxiety; physical distress such as insomnia, stomach aches, headaches and high blood pressure. People who walked into their jobs with good to excellent health are now rating it poor to fair.
So what is happening in the workplace that in my opinion, is unnecessary? Here are a few examples:
1. Danny worked for a very large company in a job where he unloaded palates of merchandise out of large trucks. In the summer the temperatures in the trucks were over 100 degrees. His company provided water to the workers in this department until SOMEONE decided to make the employees buy their own water. (Will save the company millions……I am sure??)
BUT NO ONE TOLD THE WORKERS!!! They arrived and found out this was the new plan. Now keep in mind this company would not work many of their employees 40 hours so they did not have to pay benefits. Danny and the others could not afford to buy water every day. Danny took a very large jug of water but it was gone in a few hours. So he went without or had to buy it.
2. Terri worked in a health care facility. She found out her co-pay had doubled when she went to her therapist. She was unaware of the change. NO ONE TOLD HER!! Her provider called to find out and the reason was complicated and ridiculous. (The real reason is the hospital wanted the employee to pay more). Terri had to decrease her therapy because instead of paying $20 per session she was now paying $40.
3. Janice also worked in health care as a second job. Initially her contribution to her 401K was matched but she noticed on her pay stubs that she was no longer getting the match contribution. When she inquired, she was told it was stopped because she wasn’t working enough hours. NO ONE TOLD HER!!
The examples are absolutely endless. If you play the workplace movie forward……which for anyone with an ample amount of common sense this shouldn’t be difficult…….people are dying to work for you!!!
End result: The teachers move, the nurses quit, the doctors need doctors, the call center workers file for disability at higher rates and on it goes. Has making a profit wiped out integrity, decency and respect for people? The employee is required to communicate but the company isn’t? When you, Mr. Company Boss find yourself without good employees or a bunch of mediocre workers, its time for you to go to therapy.
