Friday, July 5, 2024
I was speaking years ago at the American Press Institute, which was a client for over 20 years. This particular group comprised reporters from major newspapers. I was talking about performance and personal accountability, when a reporter from the New York
Times stopped me and said:
“Management doesn’t care about us. We have old computers, we’re missing basic supplies, our pay is lousy, our hours are terrible, and our bosses treat us like we’re serfs.”
“Why don’t you leave?” I asked.
“Are you crazy?” he said, “I love this work.”
Moral of the story: People such as nurses, police officers, EMTs, firefighters, teachers, and so forth—vital to our society and well-being—often receive substandard pay because they love the work and their employers rely on that connection rather than ensuring excellent working conditions, sufficient resources, and equitable compensation.)