Fostering empathy, collaboration, and mutual respect by humanizing the workplace

Employees should demand more

Shareholders should expect more

Management should require more

"9 to 5, Monday to Friday is the 'standard' work week"

Where did this ever come from - who made up this rule?

Henry Ford brought this mainstream in 1926, although it was actually the American labor unions in 1867 who affected a law that brought in the 8-hour workday and it had more to do with the physical nature of the work performed at that time. Thanks to President Roosevelt, the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 saw overtime paid once 40 hours had been worked.

"If I get a salary, it means the company owns my time, 24/7"

Many companies treat salaried employees as though they are always on the clock, whether during "normal working hours" - whatever that means or even on vacation. Better companies are realizing that people need time to decompress and energize themselves to give their best to their jobs.

"People can't work remotely"

Well, COVID-19 smashed that one. Yes, hospitality workers are an exception, but for the most part, companies adapted and changed to allow their workers to work from home. Now, this isn't to say that everyone likes working this way. We are social by nature and some of us even like working in a central location with other people.

"Women will never be paid the same as men for doing the same job"

The gender gap has valid reasons and it is not always fair to simply say women don't make as much as men. There are significant factors that make this a reality. One reason is that more women than men stay at home to raise families or work part-time to support this choice. While this is true, given a working man and a working woman are in the same role with similar experience, there should be no substantial difference in pay. Some say that men just ask for more when they are first hired. This also may be true, but it doesn't make it right. Compensation equity is the company's responsibility.