The Requirements of the Job....

I often wrestle with my feelings of expectations as it relates to the work environment. Questions I often ask myself include: as a Supervisor--- Am I being realistic?.... Am I pushing too hard?....Am I doing what the company is paying me to do?.... Do I provide the tools necessary for people to do their job and then get out of the way?....Am I being fair?....and another common question I ask: Does the staff I current supervise make efforts to improve themselves....

I'd like to focus on the last question..... Certainly when staff members are hired, they are typically hired for an existing skill set. A sum of money and benefits (value) are assigned to that person and expectations to perform is expected. What's interesting to me is that over the course of time, "most" employees expect salary adjustments to the positive side with at least an annual occurrence. Why?...I would ask. Are you doing more work? Have you acquired new skill sets that add value to the employer? What is the reason you "deserve" more money?

Seems to me if the salary agreement was made based upon the perceived value you could provide at that time with your existing skill set...then salary shouldn't change...unless you change too! So, looking at it from that perspective, one could argue that unless you are doing more work, providing more value in some way, etc....then your salary should NOT change. You aren't worth anymore ....right?

Often my experience has been that the expectation from some employees is that at minimum....an annual raise in pay is expected/demanded. Is that fair to the Employer? I'd challenge that it is not....I would offer that it is an inherent responsibility of each and every employee to take it upon themselves to grow each and every year.... The old adage of "if you keep on doing what you've been doing, you'll keep getting what you've been getting," sure seems to apply in this case. No new skills or responsibilities...then no new money. ....Seems pretty simple to me.

So, I'd challenge each of us to make the effort to improve ourselves day in and day out....that is where the value to Conservation really lies. If we all remain with the same skill set as the day we were hired....then Conservation is in real trouble. Make the time to invest in yourself...find ways to improve your knowledge and your skill set....GROW. That's my expectation...the effort is yours to make....not the Agency's to force. Take responsibility for your future....today.

TAFN