I work part-time at a distribution center (read: warehouse) for Blockbuster Online. Although it's not physically demanding work, there's nothing all that great about the job. It doesn't pay much, it's boring and repetitive and mindless, and there's no air conditioning (the thermometer hit 92 yesterday, and it's only going to go higher). There just isn't anything inherently exciting about standing and sweating and sticking labels and stuffing envelopes, alliteration notwithstanding.
It should be no surprise, then, that a lot of people don't have a good time at work. People come in looking like they backed over their dog on the way in, complaining about management like they're actually working to make the job more miserable, and feeling like the whole world is conspiring against them.
And who can blame them? Their job really isn't particularly satisfying, and their lives outside of work are pretty tough, too. The place is full of single moms struggling to collect child support, single dudes struggling to work two jobs to pay child support, and night-school students struggling to cram 36 hours of life into each 24.
Some people, however, come in every day with a genuine smile. Their dogs are still alive, management is just trying to get the work done as efficiently as possible, and the world is spinning around because that's how we get gravity. And you know what? They also are single parents, working two jobs, and night-school students.
Happy at Blockbuster and unhappy at Blockbuster. What makes the difference between these two types of people? This much I can tell you for sure -- it's nothing that having a "better" job would fix; proof of that is sitting right next to them.
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3 comments:
As a former 'brother-in-arms' at BBO...I can only take potshots at guessing who you are talking about..since there are new people there that probably fit both categories. Also, there are probably fewer people that I knew there in both categories. BBO was a venerable 'melting pot' of personalities, that's for sure.
Did you just use "venerable"?
For what it's worth, venerable Nick, the post wasn't really about specific individuals as much as just attitudes in general. Which may invalidate the entire premise, but I'm willing to live with that!
Aye, that I did, Sir Leonard of Blockbustershire.
That is what I thought, but I went ahead and used that comment anyway.
Cause, ya know, that's just how I roll.
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