Having been both employee and employer I feel I can shed some realistic light on this whole subject.Currently I am both employee and employer. Here is what I see.

Employees who come looking for a job are of two types. A-they have a genuine interest in doing the job they are applying for and they are eager, ready, and willing to work, learn, and grow within a company. B-they need some money so they will work only as hard as they need to in order to get the money they need and then slack off.

Before anyone looks at how an employer treats them they should think about whether they are doing their job justice. Think about how you are treating your employer.

It costs an employer so much money to train and motivate their staff. An employer never recoups the money lost to training even one part time employee. Anything extra your employer provides in the way of training and motivation should be regarded as extremely valuable experience. That training leaves with you when you leave your job, it is invaluable.

The next thing that needs to be considered is what your employer can afford to do for you. Todays marketplace is extremely competitive and employers have to spend an extraordinary amount of money in marketing costs. If you work for a small company it is possible that your employer simply can not afford to give you more money or better benefits. This also holds true of new businesses. It takes on average five years for a new business to break even. So with all that red ink surrounding them maybe you can realize just how silly a demand for a raise may seem to your very stressed out boss.

I work very hard to make sure my employees are well compensated in every way the company can afford. I work hard to make sure they get bonuses and benefits and I have six meetings a year in which to try to convince the owner to reward his dedicated employees just a little bit more. This is not an easy task. I have given up giving myself a raise in order to give an employee a raise. I have worked extra long days to make sure my employees were safe when it was unsafe to travel to work, or with illness or death in the family.

Of course I realize not every employer has the same dedication to their employees. I also realize that being a compassionate employer doesn't affect a persons bank account very well.

I hope I can inspire loyalty in my employees as they are on the front line and must inspire loyalty in the guests who stay here. I am committed to providing the best environment I can for all of my employees who genuinely wish to be here. I have had to fire people in the past for poor attitudes which generally leads to poor performance.

So if you want your employer to be good to you, be respectful to them and understanding of what they are capable of. If it simply isn't enough, find a job that provides what you are in need of.

Good luck!

Learn more about this author, Nicole Randie.
Click here to send author comments or questions.

---

Add your voice

Know something about Should employers be held to higher standards in their treatment of employees?
We want to hear your view. Write now!