A Job Is Not an Obligation

What is a job?

Plainly put, a job is essentially a mutual agreement between two parties that have a need for something. A business has a need for someone to conduct a task in order to generate a profit, and a worker has a need to earn a paycheck to take care of his personal financial needs and goals.

That is pretty much all it is.

What is more important to understand within the confines of this agreement is that neither of these two parties involved have any obligation whatsoever to provide for these needs.

This is a part of the equation that many workers miss understanding. A worker can decide to quit without regard for the needs of the business as much as a business can fire a worker without regard for the needs of the worker.

Neither of these actions is unfair. The business can find another worker, and the worker can find another job. Both parties form their decisions based on their needs and desires and best interests.

What are standards and principles?

This is a bit of an interesting question when you think about it. Both the worker and the business should be operating within their agreement with certain standards and principles in mind.

In other words, both the business and the worker, while they are actively engaged in the agreement, should be working toward the best interests and needs of each other. This is often where a bit of contention develops. But a lot of that is based on perceptions, and a misunderstanding.

Standards and principles are basically the parameters within which both parties work.

A business may not have an obligation to provide a job. But it does have an obligation to operate in the best interests of the employee while he is working for them. At the same time, the worker does not have an obligation to work for the business, but he does have the obligation to work in the best interests of the employer while they continue to employ him.

Even when it comes to standards and principles, though, neither of the parties has an obligation to operate within them either.

Let me explain.

A business can choose to be unscrupulous or unfair. It can choose to not offer certain benefits other companies may traditionally offer. That's their decision. But a worker may decide this does not work for them and leave. Conversely, a worker can choose to work in a certain manner not conducive to the business, sort of in retaliation for the things their employer does they do not like. But an employer may decide this does not work for them and fire the worker.

What are some things I consider standards that businesses should offer employees?

• Annual pay increases in the event the company is growing.

• Retirement plans such as pensions, 401k plans, 403b plans, or whatever the governmental retirement incentive programs happen to be where you live.

• Health insurance plans that are affordable and beneficial to the health and well being of the worker, and his family.

• Paid sick time of typically 6 days per year.

• Vacation time.

Annual pay increases are essential in that if the purpose for an employee having a job is to produce a profit and help the business produce more, then the employer should reward the employee for accomplishing that goal. In a way, an annual pay increase offered in a growing company is a way of the company investing in the employee in the hopes that he will continue to produce more for them with an incentive to do so attached.

Retirement offerings are also essential to workers. There will come a time when a worker can no longer do the work, and if he has the ability to have something set aside for when that day comes and he knows it, it makes him more apt to be committed to supporting that future by producing more to help fund the retirement and the company's ability to assist in funding it.

Health insurance is important because the worker can only be productive if he is healthy. At the same time, his family's health can also impact his ability to be productive at work since if family members fall ill, they may have to take more time off to tend to the needs of a sick family.

Regarding paid sick time, a lot of the time this is required by law depending on the state you happen to live in, or even depending on the municipality. Even if it is not law, employers should offer it anyway since an employee cannot reasonably be expected to be "fit for work" all the time.

Down time is also essential to the productivity of anyone. In fact, few companies if any do not offer vacation time. That being said, there is a certain standard that most companies stick to when offering it, and when it comes to nearly every company I have ever worked for, this is the way vacation time is typically determined.

• 1 week after the 1st year of employment.

• 2 weeks after the 3rd year of employment.

• 3 weeks after the 5th year of employment.

• 4 weeks after the 10th year of employment.

What should we take away from all of this?

Basically that both the job we have and the work we offer to a company are an "at will" agreement. We are not obligated to work for a company, and a company is not obligated to employ us.

It is the job of the company to offer a work environment, conditions, standards and principles conducive to encouraging a productive and incentivized workforce. But at the same time it is the job of the workers to be fair in their assessment of all of the above mentioned things and provide to the company the best they can, commensurate with all of that.

Earlier in this commentary I said, "This is often where a bit of contention develops. But a lot of that is based on perceptions, and a misunderstanding." What I meant by that is that the perceptions and misunderstanding can come from both sides.

An employee needs to be fair and honest with himself about his worth, and what the company is actually offering him. And a company needs to be fair and honest about how important the worker is to getting the job done and making money for them and their shareholders.

And again, it's a mutual agreement. If a worker does not feel that the company is operating in their best interests, simply leave and find a better job that will.

Lead image courtesy of Pixabay, user adnkale. Hands Creepy Monochrome - Free photo on Pixabay