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| sent from: London, UK. destination: NSW, Australia |
A message went out, seeking people in our group to act as mentors to new hires, show them the ropes after they’re dumped unceremoniously at their desks after what is called “induction”. I guess this is instead of training them. Problem is, only one person volunteered to play big brother, and they need more. I’ve mentioned in the past how the team has been assembled from all over the world, and with few exceptions, we are all temporary contract employees. The company makes no promises to us, in fact there’s every chance that with a change in schedule or priorities, we could all be looking for new job, just as hundred of people hired to work on World War Z or Ronin found themselves recently having to do. We are treated like mercenaries, the company has no interest in our personal or career growth. There are aspects of this freedom that I like; I have little or no interest in the company vision or mission – I am there to do a job and that’s that. The only thing is, why should I play big brother to some new person? I’ve had to train a lot of people, but otherwise it’s a sink or swim situation. If they want people to be invested they need to hire for the long term, not a bunch of VFX mercenaries.
company politics and bullshit aside, because its the kind thing to do. who does it hurt, you? you might actually feel pretty good after helping someone else without expecting anything in return….
Hey Rob,
The point isn't whether I help people or not (I do help people, all the time, inside and out of work), it's about what is the implicit compact that exists between employer and employee in this new age when they barely make the commitment to provide you a desk, a chair, a place to work, and where in a heartbeat you could find yourself on the street again.
I used to invest myself more fully in the ideas of a company, whatever their goals were, because, well, it felt good. But after I'd worked at my 5th or 6th facility, I realised that it wasn't worth it, because they weren't hiring me for that.
J-L
Thanks for the postcard. getting the postcard, momentarily, brought back the pleasure of receiving a letter in the mail! Such an unusual experience now. This is a fantastic project!… Nitin