Monday, August 30, 2004

Coworkers - can make it or break it

My daughter was complaining about co-workers at her job. She's doing National Service instead of the army and was put into a desk job at the police. She's been through a lot this year. First co-worker from hell was a secretary who was charming to her and convinced her to date her brother. She did 2-3 times. The guy was so infatuated with her, but she thought he was a bore and broke up with him. Co-worker took this real personal and made daughter's life hell at work until she had to transfer departments. Now the secretary in her present department gives my daughter all her work so the prima donna can do her personal stuff during work hours and leave early. She talks about my daughter behind her back and it gets back to her. My daughter blew her stack and told her bosses everything that went on with this woman. However, once you have permanent status in these government offices, you can't get fired no matter what, so these people become lazy and inefficient, which is why nothing gets done in this country and they want more and more $ and benefits. People feel they can treat other people like shit because what the hell, they can't get fired anyways.

Which made me grateful for the place where I work. Although I work with women who are young enough to be my daughters, the attitude is to work hard and to work to perfection. I rarely see this work ethic in Israel. We protect each other from the wrath of our bosses and no one backstabs the other. I've been working nearly 3 years at this place and though the staff changes frequently, I have never seen awful behavior like what goes on in my daughter's job. My boss once asked me - did she (his secretary) tell you about so and so's e-mail? She hadn't but I didn't want her to get a tongue lashing so I said "of course she did" and when he went to the toilet, I had her brief me on that e-mail. We do that often for each other. It's reciprocal. We all stick up for each other. And when the bosses are away, the girls make communal meals for everyone. And when one person is in tears, and we all take turns with that, there's always a comforting arm or two and coffee/tea is quickly brought to the stricken. So if there is ever a reason for me not to want to leave for greener pastures, it's because the pasture here is lush enough for me.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am so glad for you! It is worth a lot to have good coworkers. Hubby has rarely had either good coworkers or good bosses. He did have one ideal situation that only lasted 5 years till the boss retired and everyone was shifted elsewhere. It has been years ago and still those people keep up with each other, though no one works there any longer. I told my college age daughter that once she is done with college and we can live on less money...I want him to get some kind of job that is wonderful for him and we will just manage on whatever money is there. I am not working...and have little skills that anyone would pay for but when I did work retail...a little low paying job...I often had a wonderful time as we all tried our best to work together and help each other and we usually had a good boss too....just nasty customers to please...but at least we all suffered together...ha!

Blessings on you and may this good situation stay that way! And for your daughter...well, she surely knows what she would do differently when her turn comes to be in a high position, no doubt. Much longer for her to have to be there? I did not realize you had a choice in Israel to take a nonmilitary job instead of doing military service. I am glad to hear that!
Elizabeth

Anonymous said...

Is this blog for real? How can one person have had so many personas in their life. Off the wall Israeli peacenik and Arab-hating New York Kachnik. Anything goes Jewish believer and skirt to the knees Habadnik. Romantic evenings with Hubby at fancy restaurants and Fuck - the bailiffs at the door to take the furniture. Sex, lies and videotapes. I smoked but I didn't inhale. Oh, I forgot - I did inhale. At least there is one constant in your wierd, multi-leveled life and personility and that is the Stones. In particular Ronny Wood. How do you hold it together? Life is just soooo boring for the rest of us it's hard to imagine that your life is real.

Unknown said...

Oh Anonymous! My life is really so weird that I never ever had to take hallucinogens. And I was never all those things at the same time, you see. Just at different stages in my life. Where I am now is where I am now - who knows what will be next year? My sister and brother live monotonous lives, the same lifestyle, the same house, the same friends, well-behaved predictable children. Feh! I wouldn't trade my bohemian lifestyle for theirs. If you want to know if it's real or not, come visit Israel and see for yourself. You'll be most welcome, oh cynical you. And did you have to get my old jets going by mentioning Ronnie Wood?? Why?? :-)

Anonymous said...

Someone ought to suggest to Netanyahu that the best way fix Israel's budget problems is to change the system such that incompetent asses like your daughter's coworkers can get fired.

Unknown said...

Amen. I will eat/drink to that! There are hundreds of useless government workers here. What a waste!