This past autumn, I celebrated my five-year anniversary at the company where I work.
I’m lying.
Not about the five-year anniversary – I certainly have worked there for five years now. It’s the celebrating thing I’m lying about. I didn’t celebrate – or even really notice that my five-year anniversary came and went. And no one else did either.
I am not surprised.
My company talks a good talk about appreciating its employees – at least twice a year there are employee satisfaction surveys that we are pressured asked to complete. Although the results are always dismal – nothing there really changes. Instead, the next email demands asks politely that we vote for the company so that it makes the list of “Best Places to Work.”
The company has never made the list of “Best Places to Work.”
When I finally realized that my 5-year anniversary had come and gone, I was initially a bit offended that I had not received some sort of recognition for my years of hard work. But then I got to thinking – perhaps there was no system in place for that sort of thing. After all, we’re talking about a company that had consolidated revenues of 2.5 billion dollars last year – but for four out of the past five years gave every employee a generous Christmas bonus of $10.00. That’s not a typo – its $10.00 – not in cash, but in the form of a gift certificate to a local grocery store. If I can combine it with a good sale, it pays for about half a Christmas ham or turkey.
God bless us, everyone!
Now, I know my company has some programs in place to reward employees for good behavior excellent service…such as the “Catch You When We Feel Like It” (name changed). Here’s how it works. If someone (your boss, or another employee, or maybe a patient) is impressed with you for going above and beyond – such as doing work you are not required to do – they can ask for a “Catch You When We Feel Like It” to be issued to you. Each “Catch You When We Feel Like It” is worth $1 – and you have to collect five of them before you can “cash them in” for a $5 gift card. “Catch You When We Feel Like Its” are a scare commodity. In fact, they are doled out as if they are the last remaining ration of bread during a worldwide famine. I recently cashed in five “Catch You When We Feel Like Its” – it only took me two years to get enough for my $5 Subway gift card!
It was an exciting day.
In the scheme of things, I guess that being recognized for five years of employment is really not important – but I was curious, so I did a little research to see if significant anniversaries with the company was even a thing.
Apparently, it is!
“Employees celebrating five years of service in 2014 (Hey, that’s me!) will receive a pin and certificate, sent to your department leader in March 2015. Your managers will present them to you at that time.”
Really?
When I checked last, it is now May. So far, no glorious pin or frame worthy certificate has been “presented” to me (or even unceremoniously dropped on my desk while I’m in the bathroom).
Perhaps the boss is planning a five-year celebration for me when I hit six-years in next fall.
I can dream, can’t I??
Tell me about your workplace — do they appreciate you? How do they show it?
I got a certificate at my last job and told them to make it out to Angelina Jolie. They did.
Baahaahaa! And did you display it right up there with your Oscar?
I’m coming up on five years at my job myself. We get gift cards and sometimes pretty generous bonuses around the holidays, but I don’t think I’ll be getting anything special for my five year anniversary except the satisfaction of having lasted five years at a job that I was not even remotely qualified for when I was hired. Maybe I’ll make my own certificate. The “Best at Pretending She Knows What She’s Doing” award.
Ohhhh…I could be in the running for that award! I wonder if all of that would fit on a cake!
Ergh your job sounds the tiniest bit soul-destroying, m’dear 🙁
A lot of the time, I’m afraid. But, if you can believe it, it’s leaps and bounds better than it was three years ago. There were some horrible personality conflicts with coworkers and I was a different person back then and got much too wrapped up in the drama and angst. It was one of the catalysts for a little nervous breakdown that I had — but I’m thankful for that, because it made me take a long, hard look at my life and myself and start to work on what I could change (which, of course, was myself and my reactions to external shit).
Ohhh that all sounds like such hard work! Ick. I’m glad things aren’t as bad now, but oooof! *hugs* You’re a trooper 🙂
I work for a best places to work company. I’m not sure how it all works, but I’m pretty happy and they did notice my anniversary. Good post!
And how is that? Is it really a great place to work? I just read a notice from our CEO yesterday that we finally made the Best Places to Work list (at least in the state). I’m still baffled by how that happened.
I’m with Lizzi on this one. Sounds soul destroying. No thanks. My husband already works in one of those jobs and there’s no way in hell I’ll go into one. Two miserable people in one household would be a recipe for disaster.
My ex has always had great luck with loving his job. We moved here for a job for him and a few years later, the company went under. He was unemployed for a long time and finally found a job working in a middle-management position — but the job was not something he would have picked normally. The people were crazy and there was much drama and stress. He came home one day and asked, “Is this how it is for you every day? How can you do it?” So, yeah — I get that part about two miserable people in one household. Luckily (for him anyway), he found a new job that he loves — working from home, likes his boss and the work, good money and profit sharing. He always talked about how he would hire me when the company grew — or that we would start our own business together — but that worked out about as well as the marriage. So, I try to be grateful every day for at least having a job — because if I didn’t, I would be in a world of hurt now.
I have worked at companies that recognize anniversaries, but you know what, it seemed a bit obligatory. 5 years at one job is commendable in today’s work environment. Pat yourself on the back and get back to work!
I’m just grateful to have a job. I have a friend whose husband left her after more than 25 years — and she hadn’t worked in all that time (except for the hard work of being a mother and domestic Goddess). Getting a divorce at our age is terrifying enough — I can’t imagine the extra stress of trying to find a job with no previous work experience!
Amen. I am coming to the end of a very difficult work week which has clinched my burnout symptoms. I decided to extend my vacation by taking a week at home next week. The benefit of being on full commission with a great boss.