Stop pandering, pampering and coddling certain employee groups - it's stupid.

Stop pandering, pampering and coddling certain employee groups – it’s Stupid.

Tim Connor

Let me say from the outset – I will guarantee many people who read this article will disagree with my premises, but here’s the problem – just because I wrote it doesn’t make it true and just because you may disagree with it doesn’t make it false. Now that we have that out of the way. Let me also mention that trends over the years have always ended and been replaced with different, newer or more timely ones as the future was unveiled – so consider that this trend of letting the needs, concerns or wants of a current group of people (or employees) dictate the overall strategy of how we should manage our organization may not be the best strategy for the long term – as one group moves into the next phase of life they will be replaced with yet another group who may have different needs, wants or lifestyle. 

The basic question I am asking here is simply – what or who do you want to drive your business – a current group of employees and their mindsets or the overall business goals and strategies you have spent a great deal of time, energy and resources developing?  So, on to my points – if you are still with me.

I am getting so tired over the years of reading articles, hearing speakers and reading social media posts discussing on how we need to do a better job catering to Boomers, Millennials or any other age group because of their unique life position or status or their age group to help them achieve success, job satisfaction or just to feel good about themselves. Enough.  If I hear one more speaker tell me that we need to start adjusting our cultures to help certain people feel like they belong – enough.  If one more link or Facebook post tells me these poor folks deserve more of our compassion and understanding, safe spaces or the ability to enjoy life exceptions that the rest of us don’t enjoy  – get over it – “The world owes you nothing and does not need your approval, it was here first.” Mark Twain.

They are all employees – regardless of their age - doing a job that needs to be done so your organization can survive, compete or thrive.  They have responsibilities and tasks and they get paid for doing them.  Should it be safe?  Yes.  Should you be respectful of them regardless of their age, gender, race etc.? Yes. Should their job be empowering? Yes. Should it be fun? Yes. Should it be defined by them and the way they want to do it?  NO. The job is not about them (any particular group or life segment) and it never has been.  It’s about their skills making a contribution to your effectiveness whether they like their job or not and if they don’t like it, they can quit.

Now don’t get me wrong I’m not referring here to respect, tolerance, giving them the tools and training they need etc.  What I’m talking about is changing the rules or creating a certain culture to make certain people feel more welcome, connected or like they belong. Sure, Google’s culture is defined around the majority of their employees and their wants and needs, and Google has been very successful. Let ask you – are you Google? Apple?  Facebook - or a local or regional business doing your best to compete and survive day after day – year after year?

In the following, I will do my best to share what and why I have stated the above and believe it is a dominant mindset in today’s business world.  Stay with me or click ‘next’ but please don’t email me with your “personal opinion that you think I’m an idiot – (I’ve been called that on more than one occasion speaking to thousands of audience around the world) but one thing I have learned is that sooner or later someone or everyone will disagree with me and/or you and that’s OK.

So, here we go! Just a quick FYI – I’m not going to list all of the special traits, needs, desires etc. of any specific group of employees – I don’t have the time or the interest. “So, Tim, what’s the point of this article then?”

Simple – 1) what are the common needs or desires of all of us. 2) What do we all need to bring to the table if we want to be of value to our employer? 3) What are the common challenges or issues of all of us? And 4) what can we do, or should we do if our needs, talents, goals or desires are not being met or satisfied.

1)What are the common needs or desires of all of us?

I could go back a few thousand years or just a few decades and ask you what are the human needs or desires that have been the foundation of humanity forever?

Well, for starters - there’s the desire for survival, financial security, the need to be loved and love, the desire for respect. The hope of a better future regardless of the status quo of the present. For some - the need for control and fame or fortune and for others the need for appreciation and recognition.  The desire for happiness and health and freedom. The desire to belong to a group, family or some entity.  The desire for safety and the hope of being of value or mattering to someone or some group or somewhere.

And then there are the ones that people say matter but only after they have all of the previous ones - Having high paying jobs - Looking better,

losing weight and toning their bodies - learning new things - living longer with their families - being comfortable - having more pleasure to satisfy their appetite and desires – yada . . . yada . . . yada . . .

Let’s just pick three from the first list and let me ask you – does it matter whether you are 21, 35, 50 or 80 when it comes to these three – for example - survival, the desire for love and the desire to belong?  Not sure – well why not spend a few minutes on social media and see if the posts vary depending on age or gender – yes, they will due to gender, but I ask you do Boomers want to be less valued than Millennials or vice versa?  I don’t think so. It’s ok to have special or personal needs but is it my job to put those ahead of the success of our organization?  I doubt it.

2)As an employee what do we need to bring to the table or job to be of value to our employer? 

We give our employers our time, creativity, talent, effort, skills, experience, and a major part of our life - sometimes even half of our life and as a result, we feel we deserve more or better from them.  No – you chose to give these to your employer. And you say, no, they expect that of me.  OK, so you agreed to give these and others to them - or consider - how about a different career or employer?  You are not a slave – you have a choice – you can stay or leave - or just start your own business - be your own employer and employee – but before you do that - consider this option - you will more than likely end up working longer and harder for yourself than you ever had working for someone else.  Trust me, I know – having been self-employed for over thirty-five years I have worked harder and longer than I ever would have had to working for someone else.

3) What are the common challenges or issues of all of us? 

This list is really long so let me summarize it. We all sooner or later have to deal with - invalidation, uncertainty, poor or no employee training or development, poor or no recognition or appreciation, bosses with a self-serving, stupid or arrogant and egotistical attitude, stupid or incompetent supervisors, insufficient compensation, lousy or even unsafe work environment, and negative organization cultures.  Yes, there are many more, but I’ll wager that if you have ever been terminated or quit it was due to one or more of the above.

If you are tolerating any of the negatives above or others you are doing it for one of three reasons – you are ok with the issue as it is not of significant importance to you as you do your job, you feel stuck and have to put up with it because you don’t feel you can get a different or better position somewhere else or there are self-esteem issues in you that justify what you are receiving as acceptable even deserved.

4) What can we do, or should we do if our needs, talents, goals or desires are not being met or satisfied.

This one is simple – either start growing, learning, adapting, maturing or quit.

In summary – all I’m trying to say here is – as a manager or business owner be careful of letting the desires or even demands of certain groups of employees drive your business model, strategies, marketing and policies, and culture.

As an employee – your employer does not need to create a safe space for you to ensure you can and do your best while on the job – life is not always easy – deal with it – get over it – handle it – learn from it.