Working hard = spoiling the market?
I’ve been working pretty hard for the past few weeks due to a never-ending project – weekdays, weekends, day and night. A friend of mine knows about this and messaged me in Yahoo Messenger.
Friend : Hey Alvin, working so hard?
Is working hard = spoiling the market?
Alvin : Yeah. Project deadline is coming and still got tonnes to do.
Friend : But today is Saturday leh.
Alvin : Sundays also need to work, not just Saturdays.
Friend : Wah, you shouldn’t do that you know. If you do that, the bosses will think the other people are lazy since they are not working on weekends.
Alvin : Hmm, I just feel its my responsibility to deliver this project on time.
Friend : Aiyo, spoil market lah you.
A year go, when employers are trying to find people desperately, one can always tell his/her friends not to spoil the market by working too hard. But that was a year ago when the global economy was at its peak. Things are pretty different now.
To be honest, what my friend said that day kinda surprised me a little. I thought the news on job cuts have been quite wide-spread to most people. But it seems that there are still some people who realize about the situation….but are unwilling to let down their ego. To them, they are not being paid to work hard and if you want them to work hard….then please, pay them more (OT, claims, etc).
Well, the thing I want to say here is that…….time has changed. The demand for job is higher than before, but the supply is becoming lower each passing day. If you think that you are not being paid to work hard, then by all means, do as you wish. Remember that if you don’t want to do it, someone else will do your job for you HAPPILY.
Sadly but true. We, the employees, no longer have a strong bargaining power. It’s either we do it and become an asset to the company, or we don’t and become a liability.
And when economy is bad, the first thing people will remove is — liability.
Perhaps it’s time to change your mindset that working hard = survival + being responsibile, not spoiling the market.
This is kinda true. I keep thinking I’m underpaid but that’s just my rant. I will still “scarify” my time ’cause of responsibilities issue.
Apple
26 Feb 09 at 10:36 am
@ Apple
A lot of people will think they are being underpaid esp if they’re being slave-driven by the bosses.
Alvin Lim
26 Feb 09 at 3:03 pm
if there’s a deadline, there’s a deadline. we’re paid to do the work no matter how much we feel we’re underpaid right. takkan lah go sabo the project, how is that gonna get u the increment leh. unless u pretend to work every weekends to make ur colleagues look bad then u’re a mean fella lah. still got job there, u’re in a better position than me.
Ashley TwoFish
26 Feb 09 at 3:13 pm
I think that depends on the individual and how do you define work hard. There are people who take 5 hours to finish something others can finish in 3. I’m not saying these people are trying to cash in on OTs. It’s just a fact some are better and faster than others.
Houndini
26 Feb 09 at 4:31 pm
Wonder what an “unspoiled market” means. One where the employee sets the availability and price of his services? Becoz it only fits two professions I know – consultants and hookers. Hahaha.
Damien Tan
26 Feb 09 at 9:26 pm
@ Ashely TwoFish
I would rather finish it off earlier than to have sleepless nights, which is always the case for people rushing project. Haha.
No point pretending to work at weekends when there’s nothing to do
Yea, i’m pretty fortunate that my company is still doing quite okay now – no pay cut and no retrenchment.
@ Houndini
Who cares if you work 24 hours a day and who cares if you’re smarter than the other or not. 
In our line, there’s no OT claim. Either you finish it, or you don’t.
but when it comes to project mgmt n resource allocation, it’s important to know who can do what and don’t force something difficult to someone who is not half as smart as the rest.
@ Damien
Hookers, if working too hard to earn extra, can also be regarded as spoiling the market…coz they’re taking away majority of the customers. LOL.
Consultants? Mmm…bit difficult since consultants need to ‘sell at a high price’ in order to look good and convincing.
Alvin Lim
27 Feb 09 at 8:51 am