I have come to the point were I am incredibly frustrated with this concept. I have talked to a few friends about it and I do my best not to be a jerk and make people feel bad... though it is a sensitive subject, I need to talk about it. So if I hurt feelings or step on toes...
...It's me, get used to it ;)
In real estate, there is a "buyers market" and a "sellers market". These markets depend on the economy and other such things. They make it easier or harder for buyers and sellers to get good deals or make good profits. They are simply accepted and these term have been thrown around forever.
In employment, there are two similar circumstances.They are the Employers Market and the Employees Market. They are not recognized or talked about, and although they also relate to the economy...they are controlled more by the people. WE control them, WE effect them, WE allow an employers market to continue. Here are some examples
Employers Market
*Employee-"If I leave this job, it will be impossible to find another"
*Employer-"If they don't like it, there are a dozen others I can replace them with"
Employees Market
*Employee-"If I am not being paid fairly, or treated properly, I can find a job elsewhere"
*Employer-"If I don't treat my employees well, or pay them fairly, I will have no employees and my business will fail"
Employers Market
*Employee-Underpaid, hopeless, helpless, without the ability to take care of day to day expenses
*Employer-Careless, unfeeling, unconcerned with employee well being
Employees Market
*Employee-Secure, established, hopeful, able to manage day to day expenses with the hope and ability to secure pay increases and do even better
*Employer-Fair, kind, appreciative of employees ability, concern about employees well being, greater focus on pay increases and employee appreciation.
Employers Market
*Employee-Less money to spend and put back into the economy, fear of spending funds that are available, lack of medical care, less loyalty to company meaning less customer care.
*Employer-Constant recycling of employees, less stability and fewer long term employees lending to product or service knowledge decreases, and certainly a lack of care for employees seeps over to create a lack of care for customers.
Employees Market
*Employee-More money to put into the economy, less fear of spending, less hoarding of money, more medical care leading to healthier people.
*Employer-Company loyalty leading to better customer care, longer employment lengths meaning more knowledgeable employees, care of employees seeping over into customer support, better quality all around
These are obviously generalizations. They do not extend to all companies or employees but they are the majority. What's my point?
Hold on! I'm getting there.
There are four subjects in my point.
The Spender(Customers who do NOT fear spending because they lack fear of the money they bring in slowing or stopping entirely)
The Hoarder (The Customer who spends only out of necessity due to a fear of income or cash flow slowing or stopping)
The Provider(The Boss/Owner of any company)
The Doer(The Employee/Employees of a Provider, or the Owner without employees)
Everyone is more than one of the above types in different situations.
If Spenders require Providers to treat their Doers well, then they must. In an Employers Market there is a flux of Hoarders and available(or unemployed)Doers, and a decrease in Spenders. The Spenders then have a right and responsibility to select companies that treat people the way that they would like to be treated when they are the Doer. REGARDLESS of the cost difference. Why? Because you DIRECTLY effect the economy by doing so.
You cannot complain about a poor economy and then go spend your money on a Provider that treats it's Doers poorly. If you spend your money on Providers with well paid Doers, not only do you help to create a standard, you give Doers the ability to become Spenders rather than Hoarders. As this cycle continues, we begin to see a flux in Spenders and Providers and a DECREASE in Hoarders and unemployed Doers.
Wow...I hope that makes sense, even I am a little confused ;)
If you are a Doer, and you sit in a job where you are poorly paid, treated badly, and have no hope. You are not a victim, but a part of the problem. (Please don't throw things at me yet!) If you are an employer cutting wages, stopping pay increases, pulling back medical insurance, or treating people like replaceable robots; you may want to reconsider your methods. Your not clever, or a good business person. You are a virus, feeding on the hopelessness and need of others, and when this all comes to an end and you cannot maintain your business because no one wants to work for you, we will feel no compassion. We will look at you as a problem solved.
Low price does not equal value. A company that pays and treats it's Doers poorly can out price a company that pays it's Doers well, provides Medical insurance, and spends in other ways for employee appreciation. So if all I can do is appeal to your pocket book, fine. What kind of quality, service and customer support do you think you'll get from the miserable employees?
Of course no one person can do this on their own, but together we are very powerful. We have to move as one, we have to act as a group. We have to, as Doers, Stand up for ourselves together and as Spenders, patronize Providers that support the common goal.
Essentially if we intend to change the current state of things and move towards the more favorable Employees Market, we will have to work together. It doesn't always seem easy, but then, neither is spending everyday in a job where you are unappreciated and underpaid.
Here is a little place you can put in your opinions and find others who agree.
Add yourself to the list and then go to discussions and add the local businesses that you support to the list. We'll check them out and others can comment if they agree or not.
If you know a company not to be a good company to use, let us know in a private message. We'll check it out and then list them.
