When Working Too Hard is What Gets You Fired!

I was sitting home with my son today, when I received a very disturbing call from a friend of mine. She'd been fired. However, it was not for the reasons that would normally cross a person's mind.

Apparently, she worked too HARD! In other words, she made those that were lazy look bad, so the boss probably gave in to office politics, and fired the one worker that could do the work of 5 without complaint. As she was new to this job, in my opinion, they didn't give her the chance to prove herself properly. They told her that they supposedly didn't feel she would be able to handle their "busy" season, whatever the heck that means. Although her training left much to be desired, she still managed to learn what she needed to. Apparently, this wasn't good enough.

I have known my friend for over 5 years now, and I had the chance to work with her myself. It is my opinion that she worked harder than just about anyone else that I have ever worked with, with only a few exceptions. She took her breaks when assigned, she worked hard, she did NOT goof around gossiping or wasting the company's time by surfing the net when she should have been working. She did the work assigned to her, often taking on projects that she really didn't have time to do, but she would do it anyways.

To my increasing dismay, as well as my friend's, she was fired for this. She hadn't done anything wrong, while other employees goofed around on company time, and in general didn't do the jobs they were being paid to do. Yet, their managers, to bring the other employees in line with what is right and ethical, did nothing. They were allowed to continue their behavior, while my friend and I were ultimately the ones who suffered.

For me, this is the epitome of stupidity. I'm sorry, but to me, a company that allows employees to get away with so much unethical behavior, and fires the one worker that never breaks any rules, does as she's told and works hard, should have their proverbial heads examined! I realize that in business there are politics, but my goodness, if you keep firing good employees, it will eventually leave the business to the bad employees.

If only the bad employees are left to do the actual work, how much to you really think they are going to do if no one is making them follow the rules? How soon do you think that your business will end up closing its' doors because your clients get fed up with all of the mistakes that are happening on your watch? All because you WON'T keep the good employee who could have caught that major mistake? On the other hand, they would have, if your bad employees hadn't alienated them right out the door, instead of that person being fired. (This happened in my case)

All I am saying is this: I know that being a Manager can be a very daunting task. Seriously, though, you need to think things through before you go firing someone just because they work too hard, or ask a lot of questions. I know of a case where my friend was fired because a corporate person heard her arguing with a co-worker that had been treating her badly. Apparently, this co-worker didn't like being made to look bad. She was lazy, where my friend worked hard. Of course, the corporate person didn't know this when he ordered the dismissal of both of them. If he had all of the facts, my friend would still have had a job, and the perpetrator would have justifiably been fired for trying to sabotage the hard work of a good employee. Alas, business never seems to work like this.

I realize, too, that there are other reasons why a good worker would be dismissed from their position. However, all of this has to be weighed fairly, and not rashly. Don't allow a small thing like one worker doesn't like their co-worker to be the basis of your decision. You're the Boss, right? So, act like one. People often don't get along. It happens. Tell them to sit down, shut up, and do their work. In addition, if they continue to make problems over a personality conflict, fire them instead of the person who is the object of their dislike! Especially, when the person probably is not trying to antagonize anyone, and is really just trying to do his or her work. Get all the facts, and unless it is an order from your boss or the corporate office, don't start firing anyone unless you have to.

This is just something that really upsets me. I have been the victim of unethical and/or lazy co-workers, as has my friend. Why is it, that, we are the ones who don't have a job, while our tormentors continue on in their jobs, and will no doubt continue to behave unethically, and no one is noticing that they are going to take the company down with them?

My feeling is this; if you are feeling threatened by the fact that another co-worker is making you look lazy, then chances are, you are LAZY, or at least need to take a closer look at your own work habits. Don't take it out on them for your shortcomings. No one told you that you had to be lazy. That was your decision. I, for one, don't care if you feel bad about my work ethics being better than yours or production being higher than yours, I will work my hardest and if you don't like it, too bad!

Just remember, when you fire someone who was actually benefiting the company, not hindering its' growth, you could end up regretting your decision down the road. Those people that are bringing you down are the ones that are always pointing the fingers at others, instead of doing their own job. It's one thing to report unethical behavior, it's another to be the cause of the problems. What damage you do will be on your conscience. Do you still have one, or have you lost it completely?

Just something to think about as you move about in the world of business and life.