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BUSINESS CONSULTING AND RELATED ISSUES

* It is not automatic you will develop all the attitudes, conceptions and perceptions listed, while working in a particular job situation (we are talking in general terms). We can resist the downward pull of a bad situation, but it is not easy. However, don't deceive yourself into saying you won't be changed. We change slowly, and don't notice it. The bad working situation can ruin our lives. In the same way the positive working atmospheres can help make our work a pleasure.

Positive Working Environments

Cooperation and goal orientated.
Flexibility in how the job is done, after clear instructions given.
Good communications.
Health and safety rules followed.
Opportunity for on the job training and personal advancement.
Opportunity for social contact on the job.
Profit sharing on a group basis.
Rewards other than monetary.
Steady regular hours of work recognizing the diurnal nature of human beings.
Time off to keep the weekly Sabbath and annual Sabbaths.
Transfers and a system of rotation to share dirty jobs.
Wage scale which keeps up with the cost of living.

Negative Working Environments

Abusive - verbal abuse, sexual harassment, bullying by management and fellow workers, other forms of abuse.
Authoritarian work situation.
Competitive
Constant exposure to death and suffering without enough breaks.
Constant life threatening exposure on the job.
Exploitation of workers.
Health and safety rules and regulations ignored.
Isolated from society.
Lack of societal recognition and respect for essential voluntary, unpaid labour.
Management out of touch with workers.
Mindless repetition and lack of variety.
Political and back stabbing working environment.

Positive Work Environments

1. Co-operation And Goal Orientated Working to get the job done smoothly and effectively, and not beat the other guy.

	One attitude will be that people will work for something, such as reaching a target or completing a project. They will set their eyes on a goal rather on how to beat the guy. Both sides will take the point of view that to achieve the goal they will have to work together and co-operate.
	Workers take the position that it does not make any sense to work like crazy to beat the other guy. It does not make any sense to work just to show how much a better worker you are than them. They will take a team approach, and will realize a team must co-operate in order to win. Workers and management will get the idea that it does not matter who does the job, but whether it's done effectively and efficiently. Workers will develop a team spirit. They will take the attitude of being concerned about the other guy.
	Management will come to the position that to be a winner and survive, they can do this through co-operation. They can work towards a goal and do the best job possible, and produce a quality product and do it all by and through co-operation.
	People take the position that to succeed a person has to work with others. They will come to the point of view that when the other person is doing well then this is helping them. When he or she is performing well this benefits others and does not hurt them.

2. Provisions Made For Flexibility And Adaptability

Provisions made for flexibility and adaptability in how the job is done. Clear instructions as to what needs to be done , but it is left up to the employee to do it in the way he or she believes best.

Workers get the impression that the boss has confidence in their abilities, and considers them to be intelligent enough, and able enough to handle the job properly and it their own way. Labourers will feel more secure and sure when they know exactly what needs to be done.

3. Good Communications

Management and labour are able to understand each others point of view and gain insight into the others position. Management begins to feel more responsible for the situation workers are in. They will feel that instructions given by them or jobs created by them can have a tremendous effect on the worker. They will feel more responsible for the health and well being of their employees.

Labour will take the attitude that what they say will be listened to and taken seriously. This will result in them taking the position of being reasonable and responsible in their demands. Labour and management take the point of view that problems can be dealt with effectively and understood. Employees will have the attitude that they will be able to go to management with problems that come up. They will have a more open attitude and will not be afraid to bring up concerns and discuss problems.

4. Health And Safety Regulations Are Enforced

Steps are taken to insure a safe and healthy work environment.

Workers will feel that the management does care about their health and are really concerned. They will feel more secure and feel like they are being treated like human beings. Workers will indeed feel they are more important than machines.

6. Opportunity For Social Contact On The Job

People begin to take a greater interest in their work and feel work can be fun, because they have the chance to meet people.

7. A System Of Profit Sharing A system of profit sharing so that the employees feel more a part of the organization. More incentives given to the workers so that they will have a reason to do better. Profit sharing is paid out on a group basis rather than individually.

	People feel they are more part of the organization. People will take the point of view that if they work productively and efficiently and in co-operation with others, then there is a good chance they will receive a bonus. There will be more of a incentive to work.
	Workers take the approach of being more conscientious, because they will know that others are depending on them to do their share. Management and labour take the attitude that they are in this together. It is important to work together in harmony instead of destroying and ruining each other in a senseless worthless competitive environment.

8. Rewards Other Than Monetary

	People take the attitude that money isn't the only thing in life. They take the approach that there are certain things that cannot be measured in terms of dollars; such things as personal satisfaction, appreciation from others, gratitude, and pride in ones work.
	People develop the perception that they can make a contribution that is not directly related to money. Their energies need not be applied exclusively to the making of money for themselves and their employer.
	People get the impression that they are worthwhile and worthy and they are needed and wanted as human being not just as workers.

10. Time Off For Holy Days

Attitudes - A community spirit will develop.

11. Opportunities For Transfers Or A System Of Rotation Set Up So To Avoid Boredom.

This also gives people the chance to learn other jobs and have empathy towards the other guy or girl. Dirty jobs are shared so that not only one person has to keep doing them.

Workers are able to identify with the whole business. They are able to view their job from a different point of view. People will feel less bored and take a greater interest in their job. Workers will develop the attitude that there really is such a thing as fairness in the world. Management will take the position, that if the worker is more skilled and flexible then they will be more valuable to the organization.

Negative Working Environments

2. Authoritarian work situation with boss in total control. There is little room for initiative and the work environment is a stifling one. The boss seeks to dominate his workers and be in total control of them. Management strives to dominate workers and control them and be in charge of everything.

Management takes the viewpoint that what is important is being the control of people rather than being in control of the situation. They are not able to look at the situation and what needs to be done, but feel that the situation has to deal with controlling others. They are more concerned about maintaining control than doing the job.

Management has the attitude that the workers under their authority are also interested in power. So they develop a very suspicious attitude towards anyone who might show any self-willed behaviour. Any who might have any other ideas about how to do the job are eyed very carefully. Most of such behaviour is viewed as a threat to the one in authority.

Workers develop an attitude of dependence upon the boss. They feel weak and dependent and unable to develop their own decision making potentials.

Workers under the persons authority begin to get the attitude that there are only two kinds of people in the world. The ones who control power and the ones without power. Solidarity, co-operation and brotherly love are seen to be only dreams.

Labour under such a regime begin to lose faith in their fellow man. They develop a cynical attitude towards people.

Workers may feel humiliated by management and develop a fear of them.

Workers easily take a militant approach towards the employer an attitude of dislike. There can easily develop a deep feeling of anger, and suspicion of management.

People begin to think might is right.

3. Competitive atmosphere. Workers against worker and worker against management and foreman against foreman and business against business. Political working environment with each person trying to get ahead and beat the other guy rather than doing the best job possible. The job is just a competitive arena. A spirit of competition prevails the work place.

Attitudes and perceptions engendered.

Efforts will be made to do the job faster and faster and with more and more efficiency by management. They will get the idea that the job is more important that the worker who does the job. There will be very little concern shown as to what a particular job may do to the health of the workers.

There will develop an attitude of fear and anxiety in those who are on the bottom end of the scale.

Workers will develop an attitude of "looking out for number one" Concern for fellow workers can very easily vanish.

A cynical attitude will form due to the competitive situation, people will become cynical of work.

Employees will take the point of view that the management is just out to exploit them and squeeze as much out of them as possible.

Managers will promote those who are the most competitive and aggressive. Those who strive to work in co-operation with others will be overlooked in promotions.

Labour will feel that they must work harder and faster to keep up with the others. There will be an emphasis on getting the job done as fast as possible and quality will suffer as a result.

There will be perception by the workers that they are on a treadmill and involved in a terrible rat race a constant daily struggle.

There will be a lot of feelings of animosity among and between workers as a result of competitive environment.

People will begin to lose the attitude of taking pride in their work. That feeling of satisfaction a person gets from doing something well will slowly fade away.

Management will take the position that to survive they have to be big and mean. The attitude will be that they must beat their competitors in order to be a winner. Most competitors feel that nice guys finish last and in competition the one who finishes last loses. In order to win they will feel they must beat somebody out of something. The idea of surviving by doing the best job possible will not be very influential. They will be concerned with capturing the market and depriving their competitors of any opportunities.

People working in such an atmosphere will begin to take the attitude that in order to progress and get ahead they will have to step on people. To get ahead they will begin to use others as mere stepping stones and pawns to be manipulated.

Workers will begin to lose the idea that work can be fun. They will have the idea that anyone who is happy on the job and who loves working must be crazy.

Many people after being exposed to the competitive work environment may take the position that if work is this awful then it is better not to work. They may take the position that welfare, stealing or being a hobo is better than working. The competitive atmosphere has soured their attitude towards work.

Those who cannot compete successfully in the competitive environment may begin to feel that they are failures as human beings. They can easily begin to think that they are unworthy or inadequate.

The attitude will develop that those who do not compete are losers. People will begin to think that those who refuse to compete with others must be weak and inferior human beings.

People exposed to this atmosphere will begin to believe it really is true that in order to make it in this world you have to be big and mean and beat the other guy. They will begin to take the position that it is a question of survival of the strongest. They will think that those who do not compete and remain competitive can't make it in this world.

Workers and management exposed to such a system will begin to have the attitude that not working or being unemployed must be enjoyable. They will develop a resentful and bitter attitude towards those who do not work. They will come to the attitude that those who do not work as they do must be happy and enjoying life.

4. Health and safety factors are ignored. The work environment is dirty, dusty with poor ventilation and with fumes from chemicals. There is also much noise from machinery - an excessive amount of noise.

People become irritable and they develop a complaining attitude because the working conditions are so poor.

People get the impression that management does not care about them and could not care less if they were to get sick or die on the job. There will just be others to take your place.

People exposed to much noise are unable to communicate with others because of the noise. They begin to feel that the machines are more important to the company than they are.

Workers begin to feel that the machinery is better taken care of than they are. The machines get more attention than they do and so they feel unwanted.

Workers develop an attitude of dislike and animosity toward management.

Management takes the attitude that they are providing a job and the opportunity to earn money for the worker and watching over their health is the workers own business.

Management or owners take the point of view that they run or own the business and no worker is going to tell them what to do.

Management begins to feel that workers are hired to do a job and if they don't like it they can go home.

Management fails to view the people as human beings, but treat them like machines which don't have feelings. People have feelings but management feels that this is none of their concern.

10. Management is out of touch with labour.

Management becomes alienated from the process of production and feel that they are in a separate class.

Management takes the position that they are running the show and the business could not survive without them. They develop a condescending attitude toward labour.

Management takes the position that the worker should be grateful because they provide a job for them. They also feel that they are serving noble ends and doing everything they can do to help their employees.

Management takes the position that labour feels the same way they do. They are not capable of relating to their employee because they are out of touch and so can't understand their situation. They feel that labour thinks along the same lines as they do.

Workers take the attitude that the bosses just step them into some rotten job which none of them would do but they expect you to be happy with it.

Workers take the position that management thinks along the same lines as they do. They cannot relate to the bosses because they are out of touch yet believe they know what is going on in their heads

11. Mindless repetition and lack of variety. Failing to rotate personnel which results in boredom and high rate of absenteeism. Cliques are formed without the company as a result of the lack of rotation.
Perceptions, attitudes, viewpoints, feelings which are formed due to exposure to this environment.

Failure to rotate personnel is responsible for the development of cliques within organizations. People then fail to identify with the whole but only with one part on department. This creates an attitude of division within the organization.

People get the idea of having a set routine. The work becomes almost automatic and routine. This gives a person the feeling of being frozen in time. As a result there is a mood of unreality and life takes on the appearance of just being routine. Life begins to stop looking like a growing process and seems to just stand still.

Failure to vary work and rotate workers is a cause for moods of depression and so there is more absenteeism.

People get the idea that there is only one way to do a certain job and cannot conceive of other possibilities. They fail to perceive that there can be flexibility and adaptability on the job.

People get the impression that work is boring.

Workers begin to lose the sense of accomplishment a person gets after finishing a job. Work takes on the appearance of a long, endless, dull exercise. A feeling of futility can easily come over the worker.

People have the perception that others are being shown favouritism and that they are being singled out for punishment. This is caused by the failure to rotate personnel. Those doing dirty or difficult jobs feel that they are being discriminated against.

The idea will be that life is just one long stream of work, work, work. People feel like drudges and begin to think that they are boring people.

After a while a person begins to feel that they are not capable of anything better. You get into a mental rut. The mind stays in one grove and people begin to doubt their mental capacity to do anything else. They feel they are only fit for one job in the company.

Who Has The Bad Attitude ?

There is a lot of ignorance as to where bad attitudes come from on the job. If the working environment is negative then it is quite likely those exposed to it for longer periods will develop bad attitudes. On the other hand a positive working atmosphere will have good results on worker moral and perceptions.

Of course people are complex creatures, and we all have our own personal burdens to bear, and personal baggage. We are products of our environment, and the workplace environment is only one influencing factor that shapes our attitudes. The family we grew up in is by far the greatest environmental factor, but there are other factors too.

It is quite pointless for management to be harping about poor attitudes by workers on the job, if they are failing to put in place the positive working atmospheres, and have too many of the negative job environments in their workplace.

Just demanding good attitudes from workers, without providing a positive work situation is ridiculous. Yet this is happening way, way too much. Most of the problems regarding bad attitudes at work are the result of bad attitudes by management! However, to save their hide and deflect blame from themselves, management will too often fire workers needlessly, or label workers as incompetent, or label them as bad apples, with attitude problems.

Please read the list of positive and negative working environments. Most workplaces have a mixture of these. Too many of the negative can cause serious staffing problems. To improve worker moral and productivity managers need to implement as many of the positive as possible, and eliminate as many of the negative as possible.

However, a positive working environment is just one of the things needed to operate a successful business and workplace. The bottom line has to be met. Profits are the lifeblood of any business. Good business practices must be followed. Sound fiscal decisions must be made. The practical matters can't be neglected. However, putting in place the positive working atmospheres, and eliminating the negative will go a long way to help facilitate wise business decisions and practices.

These various working environments produce various perceptions, conceptions and attitudes among those exposed to them. They need clarification and explaining. If you need advice regarding these matters please contact me. Specialize in this field, so please no questions regarding things like investment strategy, or stocks.

We spend a good portion of our lives on the job. If you think you won't be influenced by the working atmosphere, while you spend the best most alive hours of the day at work then you are deceiving yourself. The negative working atmospheres will get to you, if you are exposed to them for too long. The best solutions is to work toward creating the positive atmospheres at work.

FREE TRADE FOLLY

Local home business should be strongly opposed to the Free Trade Agreement (FTA), the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). Why? Because such policies are paving the way for a corporate takeover of our economy by foreign businesses.

A lot of our oil patch has already been bought up by foreign corporations.

Foreign control means loss of domestic control. Loss of domestic control simply means we lose more and more control over our destiny. It also means a lot of the profits from these businesses leave the country. We just end up being hewers of wood and drawers of water.

Domestic companies should also be concerned with being forced to compete with corporations that have operations, or manufacturing plants in very low wage countries. A lot of workers in these foreign plants are just like slave labour.

The proposed FTAA will open up almost all of the Americas to an eventual, virtual free trade zone. There will be more and more pressure for a fair number of home companies to simply pack up and move to low labour cost economies, like in Mexico.

Domestic companies may have a very hard time competing. They will just be easy prey for big corporations, who have the capital and resources to invest in low wage countries where there are very substandard labour laws, and lax environmental regulations.

Domestic business has a responsibility to their own country.

The current soft wood lumber dispute is an example of unfair trading practices by USA companies. They can't compete, so they whine to the Unites States government for support.

It's the same thing in the agricultural sector. Much of American agriculture is heavily subsidized. That should greatly concern our own domestic agricultural sector, because there isn't much fair trade in this area.

Home business leaders have a responsibility to insure we have a healthy business climate in our own country, They have a responsibility to their workers and the jobs of their workers.

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Mailing Address:   Ray Wegner   P.O. Box 475   Stn. Main   Calgary, Alberta T2P-2J1

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