Social Science Do you enjoy your job?

[Miqar_Baqfhied]

Hey no worries, I know what you mean - I think Im in the same boat. Ive lost all motivation for my job. In OHS I deal with writing and reading documents and making people stupid pointless things. Policies, procedures, rules, red tape - its all such a load of complete w*nk just there to make executives richer and to justify peoples jobs, and I cant help think that you only get one short life why am I wasting it on this sh*t when I could be out making a real difference doing something I love.

Feel free to rant and bounce any ideas you might have, cos Im always looking to do the same to find a way out of this sh*t hole I find myself in.

 

[Run n Spread]

No. I can't really say I've truly enjoyed any job I've done. Also I have never worked for myself/operated my own business for profit, thus I have always been employed by others. My estimate is that 90% of these roles are sh%# would mean I'd be in the majority.

Enjoyment thou is a very secondary consideration when it comes to work.

Furthermore I'd estimate the majority of jobs require a person to be extroverted and to engage heavily with customers, clients and people in general. Either in promotion, selling or representing a business.

Employment and money making in general also requires a person to be good at self promotion, "selling yourself" is the common term used. That involves selling your achievements, promoting your strengths and really attracting the interest of employers/investors/customers. Not really my go a lot of the time. In that it I find it hard work as it doesn't come naturally to me. Combined the nature of the majority of jobs is very unrewarding work. Hence I don't enjoy it.

 

[nicky]

Hey no worries, I know what you mean - I think Im in the same boat. Ive lost all motivation for my job. In OHS I deal with writing and reading documents and making people stupid pointless things. Policies, procedures, rules, red tape - its all such a load of complete w*nk just there to make executives richer and to justify peoples jobs, and I cant help think that you only get one short life why am I wasting it on this sh*t when I could be out making a real difference doing something I love.

Feel free to rant and bounce any ideas you might have, cos Im always looking to do the same to find a way out of this sh*t hole I find myself in.

Yes will do. I can see that we're having a similar existential crisis. I'll stay in touch with any progress i have and you too please

 

[MrCharisma]

Hey no worries, I know what you mean - I think Im in the same boat. Ive lost all motivation for my job. In OHS I deal with writing and reading documents and making people stupid pointless things. Policies, procedures, rules, red tape - its all such a load of complete w*nk just there to make executives richer and to justify peoples jobs, and I cant help think that you only get one short life why am I wasting it on this sh*t when I could be out making a real difference doing something I love.

Feel free to rant and bounce any ideas you might have, cos Im always looking to do the same to find a way out of this sh*t hole I find myself in.

You should read this article:

In 1930, John Maynard Keynes predicted that, by century's end, technology would have advanced sufficiently that countries like Britain or the United States would have achieved a 15-hour working week. There's every reason to believe he was right. In technological terms, we are quite capable of this. And yet it didn't happen. Instead, technology has been marshalled, if anything, to figure out ways to make us all work more. In order to achieve this, jobs have had to be created that are, effectively, pointless. Huge swathes of people in the Western world spend their entire working lives performing tasks they secretly believe do not really need to be performed. The moral and spiritual damage that comes from this situation is profound. It is a scar across our collective soul. Yet virtually no one talks about it...

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/nat...enomenon-of-nonsense-jobs-20130831-2sy3j.html

 

[nicky]

Wow, thanks for posting Charisma, just that snippet resonates deeply within me. I do feel a scar across our collective soul and not many want to acknowledge it.

Looking forward to reading the rest.

 

[Smiling Buddha]

You should read this article:

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/nat...enomenon-of-nonsense-jobs-20130831-2sy3j.html

Thankyou for the link. Terrific article.

 

[nicky]

Thankyou for the link. Terrific article.

Agree, it's brilliant. Brings a tear to my eye.

 

[Miqar_Baqfhied]

Great read.

I can put my hand up and say that my job doesn't need to exist. In fact it exists to make things harder for everyone else. And that's the prime reason why I hate it.

At least if you're a mechanic or a tradie you start a job and finish it, and you have something to show for it.

If youre a teacher or in disability care then youre doing something to help someone else.

OHS is killing productivity in Australia. When it takes 8 days for someone to be inducted to drive 50m to drop off some equipment on a large Oil and Gas company's holding yard, then its not surprising things are slowing down in the resources sector as investors start to look overseas

 

[Tulip]

Work on a cash register at an independent grocery.

Enjoy it. Good relationship with co-workers and boss, good money.

Work can be a tad boring, but very few things I can't do in between customers (read the paper etc.)

Would prefer better hours though.

 

[Scotland]

OHS is killing productivity in Australia. When it takes 8 days for someone to be inducted to drive 50m to drop off some equipment on a large Oil and Gas company's holding yard, then its not surprising things are slowing down in the resources sector as investors start to look overseas

Agree 100%.

Some of the red tape I've seen put in place that slows down productivity significantly but has no actual impact whatsoever on how safely tasks are done has done my head in.

 

[Miqar_Baqfhied]

Agree 100%.

Some of the red tape I've seen put in place that slows down productivity significantly but has no actual impact whatsoever on how safely tasks are done has done my head in.

Apparently productivity has pretty much stayed the same in the mining sector since the mid 70's...and this is despite all the 'amazing' advances in technology/infrastructure/equipment, with a 25% decrease since 2001.

All these advancements have been offset by bureaucracy...there's pretty much procedures and policies for pretty much everything from shaking your dick after a piss - theres someone employed to write it...and someone else to review it...then someone to amend it...then someone to email it back to the person to amend it...then people to meet about implementing it...then someone to implement it...then someone to train everyone up on it...then someone to monitor it and evaluate its effectiveness...then someone to fix up the inevitable **** ups...and someone to discipline everyone for the **** ups..and on it goes...

 

[Run n Spread]

OHS is killing productivity in Australia. When it takes 8 days for someone to be inducted to drive 50m to drop off some equipment on a large Oil and Gas company's holding yard, then its not surprising things are slowing down in the resources sector as investors start to look overseas

Add to that the absolute glacial pace business seems to operate and people/investors/producers and customers lose heart and look elsewhere.

I actually think Australia has the potential to be good at innovation but it is stifled. Mining in this country is considered this sacred cash cow that will keep as afloat for decades. Mining is great no doubt but it can't be the only industry considered.

Who knows what economically drive Australia in the future. Actually can't see much on the horizon.

 

[Miqar_Baqfhied]

Add to that the absolute glacial pace business seems to operate and people/investors/producers and customers lose heart and look elsewhere.

I actually think Australia has the potential to be good at innovation but it is stifled. Mining in this country is considered this sacred cash cow that will keep as afloat for decades. Mining is great no doubt but it can't be the only industry considered.

Who knows what economically drive Australia in the future. Actually can't see much on the horizon.

People are trying to hold onto the belief that the manufacturing industry (particularly the car industry) and farming are still relevant. Manufacturing is not viable in this country because of our scant productivity and wages - car workers and the union kick up a stink at every oppurtunity when it comes to pay and working conditions that just screws things up even more, then they turn around and ask for handouts from the government. Crazy!

With farming/agriculture, this anti-foreign sentiment that exists (thanks Abbott - STOP THE BOATS)means its hard for the country to accept foreign ownership from asian companies, particularly China who have a real interest in coming here, but were set to vote against it on election day (The US arent Asian so its ok for them to do it though MERICA!!!!....).

While Im on anti-foreign sentiment (STOP THE F*CKING BOATS ARGHHHHH SHUT THE F*CK UP), the population cant accept having overseas workers here to fill major skill shortages, further compromising productivity and scaring off investors. We are shooting ourselves in the foot. Meanwhile unions are advocating FIFO chefs should be paid $200k a year.....but are the first to whinge when workers start getting laid off in the downturn...

 

[Lyyynnnchy]

Absolutely hate it. Potentially selling off my assets and looking to start my own business in the next few months

 

[Happy Mastenator]

Did love, not anymore, work as an in-housel lawyer at a company that is currently getting bought out by a larger competitor, so everything has stopped, no motivation to work, morale in the workplace is at an all time low. I'm lucky as have applied for other jobs and waiting to hear back two of them which are looking good. Feel sorry for those who work in other areas who can't find jobs, redundancies are going to hit them hard.

Does mean a heap more time on BigFooty in the meantime though.

 

[Smiling Buddha]

Absolutely hate it. Potentially selling off my assets and looking to start my own business in the next few months

IIRC you bought a house a few years ago, your comments on the Money board led me to believe you had a decent head on your shoulders and had committed yourself to the work-mortgage-earlyish easy-street (own home by late forties) avenue of life. I must say I am quite surprised to hear that you are thinking of packing it in. Not because I think your original plan was the 'right' one, just that you seemed like you had put some good thought into it and were settled with the plan.

 

[Rusty22]

would like to know what people get paid weekly?
say your job and your weekly pay average.
Retail is surprisingly great pay.

 

[Miqar_Baqfhied]

Read this today...its becoming more and more unviable for companies to invest here with all this red tape

Australia ranks 21st in Global Competitiveness survey
Australia has ranked 21st in the Global Competitiveness Report 2013-14 produced by the World Economic Forum (WEF), down one place from last year.

While Australia stacks up well in terms of its infrastructure and education system, the report highlights further slippage in Australia's international cost competitiveness.

"Out of 148 countries, Australia's labour market efficiency ranking has slipped from 13th in 2011-12 to 54th in 2013-14," said Ai Group Chief Executive, Innes Willox. "In fact, when asked to select the five most problematic areas for doing business in Australia, 17.3% of respondents saw restrictive labour regulations as the top difficulty."

 

[Miqar_Baqfhied]

would like to know what people get paid weekly?
say your job and your weekly pay average.
Retail is surprisingly great pay.

What the pay rate like in retail these days?

OHS - hourly rate $45 but Im on a salary so no OT or penalty rates and spend plenty of time travelling during my own time and sometimes working weekends essentially not getting paid for, but its 'expected'.

 

[Rusty22]

What the pay rate like in retail these days?

OHS hourly rate $45 but Im on a salary so no OT or penalty rates

around $30 on normal days, sundays+ public hols and late nights gets around $50 an hour.
Not bad for a simple job.

 

[Miqar_Baqfhied]

around $30 on normal days, sundays+ public hols and late nights gets around $50 an hour.
Not bad for a simple job.

Woah shit yeah..better than the $4.20/hr I started out on at Red Rooster back in the day...

 

[Rusty22]

Woah shit yeah..better than the $4.20/hr I started out on at Red Rooster back in the day...

haha yeah, I have a laugh at the younger workers, they get about $10 an hour.
We get plenty of tradies coming to work, they hate the 3 - 4 years of absolute putrid pay.

 

[nicshata]

Dont mind my job but if a certain stupid old campaigner was to die it would be even better

 

[Lyyynnnchy]

IIRC you bought a house a few years ago, your comments on the Money board led me to believe you had a decent head on your shoulders and had committed yourself to the work-mortgage-earlyish easy-street (own home by late forties) avenue of life. I must say I am quite surprised to hear that you are thinking of packing it in. Not because I think your original plan was the 'right' one, just that you seemed like you had put some good thought into it and were settled with the plan.

Well I have had a few plans

1st plan was to buy as much property in Aus but property rose to quickly and managed to only buy the 1 before prices reached the (IMO) unstable prices they are today.

2nd plan. Sold the house in Perth and brought a property in the US. The plan was to buy as much property as possible in the US over 3 or 4 years before prices started to rise. My property in the US has tripled in price and the bargains you could find 12 months ago are no longer available. I was hoping it was going to be another 3 or 4 years before property started to rise again there

3rd plan is to now sell the US property and use those funds to start my own business...and to also fund someone to develop an app I have come up with

I underestimated both the Aus and US property markets

 

[Miqar_Baqfhied]

Well I have had a few plans

1st plan was to buy as much property in Aus but property rose to quickly and managed to only buy the 1 before prices reached the (IMO) unstable prices they are today.

2nd plan. Sold the house in Perth and brought a property in the US. The plan was to buy as much property as possible in the US over 3 or 4 years before prices started to rise. My property in the US has tripled in price and the bargains you could find 12 months ago are no longer available. I was hoping it was going to be another 3 or 4 years before property started to rise again there

3rd plan is to now sell the US property and use those funds to start my own business...and to also fund someone to develop an app I have come up with

I underestimated both the Aus and US property markets

Hey mate at least you're being fluid and making moves looking for something better rather than standing still doing nothing, like so many other people...all the best with it all, Im sure you'll find your way