I have heard a lot of discontented mutterings about the modern work ethic and how various people struggle to meet the demands of work. (People talk disparagingly about the Millennial generation, but I think the problem is going to get worse before it gets better.)
Realizing this article is quickly getting too long for one post, I'm starting with a bit of my personal work experience... starting with the lessons I learned when I worked in the 90s. (I took a 25-year break to raise kids.)
(_[Source](https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-people-woman-relaxation-6466495/)_)
# 1. Housekeeper in Madison, Wisconsin - Fall of 1992
Without going into a lot of detail (which would make this post way too long), I had just landed myself in Wisconsin and was staying at a homeless shelter. Literally the next day, I walked in to the hotel and applied for a job as a housekeeper (maid) and was hired.
As soon as I had money for a deposit, I secured a single room in a building that was always kept far too hot, meaning that even when it was -20F outside, I had my window wide open. But that meant that I had very little money for food - so, for a couple of weeks, I survived on peanut butter sandwiches and leftovers from the expensive hotel rooms. But, I survived - and built my life from there.
I learned a lot at the hotel.
Before long, not only was I doing my own job, but I was asked to train a girl who was there for "work experience" from one of the high schools. (No idea why a hotel housekeeper would be "work experience", but I guess it beat classes!)
I taught her how to clean the bedroom and the bathroom for the first couple of units. After that, I had her clean one part while I cleaned the other. I would check her work and then we'd move on to the next room. Simple.
Then, I heard that the others were having difficulty getting her to do her share, which seemed strange to me until I reflected on the difference that I *expected* her to do the work and moved from there... treated her as the adult she was posing to be... and the others did *not* expect her to do the work.
>***Lesson: People (mostly) live up/down to your expectations.***
I expected the highschooler to work - and she did... the others did not - and she did not.
(_[Source](https://www.pexels.com/photo/clear-plastic-container-and-medicine-capsule-3683051/)_)
# 2. Pharmacy technician in Madison, Wisconsin - 1992-1995
After a couple of months at the hotel, I realized that it was hurting me physically (the repetitive strain of making beds all day was probably the source of hip problems that have followed me throughout life.) I saw a ad in the newspaper (the primary way of job hunting back in those days before universal internet) that included the words "no experience necessary" - and applied immediately. Working in the medical field sounded super interesting.
I was right. I learned a huge amount about medicine and pharmaceuticals - some that I can still recite today, such as the max daily dose of 4 grams for acetominophen (Tylenol/paracetamol). One of my tasks was to send notes to the doctor who prescribed it to our patients (we worked with residential care facilities) to remind them of that fact.
I also learned about the heavy marketing skills of the big pharma giants, even then, who would come to the pharmacy and provide lunch, donuts, and fun things like pens and paper with their logos on it - all to try to sell our pharmacists on the latest and greatest drug. At that time, they were not allowed to advertise directly to patients in the USA... something that changed sometime in the decade that followed.
Anyway, I digress...
To begin with, my job was filling patient trays with the medications that didn't come prepackaged from our state-of-the-art machines (which frequently had problems, such as squashing pills). It required a high degree of accuracy for the safety of the patients. Pharmacists would always check our work afterwards, but even then, mistakes could happen. Usually, the nurses would catch whatever we missed, but in this line of work, mistakes can be damaging or even fatal.
We went through a lot of new hires. They would either prove their worth or leave within the first two weeks. As a high-demand, technical job, it wasn't anything that surprised anyone. Generally, though, if they made the first two weeks, they stayed for months or even years. (Interestingly, the two I was hired with both remained for the entire time I was there.)
Within two weeks of starting this job, I had achieved my first pay raise.
During the course of my 2 1/2 years at this pharmacy, I gained other responsibilities including keeping patient records up-to-date (primarily paper then) and keeping the contingency boxes for the facilities filled and updated among other duties.
>***Lesson: If you play your part well, you will (generally) be rewarded financially and professionally.***
I did my job to a high standard (this is not ability driven, but results driven) and more was given to me/expected of me.
>***Lesson: Teamwork - It doesn't matter your level/qualification, if we all work as a team then the job gets done and everyone succeeds together.***
As a technician, I was every bit as important as the pharmacists. Without everyone, the business would fail.
Sadly, this pharmacy is no longer in operation. I have to wonder if others didn't learn the lessons that I did... I'll probably never know as I have not been able to reconnect with any of the people I worked with at that time.
(_[Source](https://www.pexels.com/photo/clear-plastic-container-and-medicine-capsule-3683051/)_)
# 3. Assistant Teacher at a Daycare in Ossining, New York
This was a before-and-after-school daycare, primarily for single parents.
As a newlywed and mother-to-be, this was a super important job for me. I was never a babysitter in my teen years and my brothers were only a little younger than me, so I didn't have that experience as a youth. I didn't have any teaching qualifications, just the desire to work with children before I had my own. It turned out to be the best pre-parent training I could have had!
In the morning, I would start out giving breakfast to the school-aged children as they came in until their bus took them to school. Then, I would help with the 4-year-olds for another couple of hours.
In the afternoon, I would work primarily with the second-graders (ages 7-8) until their parents picked them up. I worked with a qualified teacher until he got dismissed for alcohol related problems. They didn't replace him for the time I was there, so I ended up being *the* teacher there for that age group until I left (heavily pregnant.)
>***Lesson: Value your job!***
The guy who got fired obviously didn't... he allowed his personal addiction to take over.
>***Lesson: Learn what needs to be learned to do your job better.***
I didn't know very much Spanish (and this group was heavily Hispanic), but I learned enough to work with the children better.
One of the best teaching experiences I had happened spontaneously. It was hot and humid and I had the door open to the fire escape (we were upstairs.) A violent thunderstorm came through and hit the lightning rod on the building next door. The two I had left (always the last two) and I discussed thunder and lightning, so that they didn't have to be afraid.
>***Lesson: Always be ready to share what you've learned.***
These socio-economically disadvantaged children were so curious about everything. I had many opportunities to teach - you don't have to be a teacher to teach! Just share what you know.
When we had snow in New York, the schools would inevitably put off canceling school until they knew we would still be open - because the parents needed to work without the school as a form of daycare... meaning that we would have all the school-agers all day long. We would have to figure out activities for 40-50 kids on the fly... and work a longer day as well.
>***Lesson: Be flexible.***
Things happen. By being flexible, you create a strong work ethic in yourself and show yourself to be dependable - that doing your job doesn't always mean doing exactly what was on the job description.
I learned so much from this group. Not just in the way of child development, but I quickly grew to love many of the kids - especially those who were the difficult ones - or who were just there longer than the others. This group would grow up to be part of the Millennial generation.
>***Lesson: Children must take priority!***
I won't harp on any single parent who absolutely *must* work outside the home, but I think that should be the path of last resort - and, even then, should be worked so that it has the least impact on the children. Even the school-agers who spent the most time with me *missed* their mothers - so much!
I actually think that many of my observations in daycare is very poignant in why the Millennial generation has come to be so maligned... and it's going to take a lot of work to fix the problems in future generations.
And this will have to be it for this post...
I'll continue next time with the observations/lessons that I have gained since returning to the workforce... as well as why I think the current generational problems are occurring.
***
This new series is something I was thinking about as I drove to work (half an hour away.) I've done a bit of the agony aunting in the recent past and figured that if there was a way to work with everyone at once, it would be more productive (though I would definitely consider an agony aunt series, so if you want to shoot me a message, I'll give some sage advice based on my 50 years of life experience.)
***
Sources
Personal experience
Images from Pexels
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**Lori Svensen**
author/designer at **[A'mara Books](https://www.facebook.com/AmaraBooks/)**
photographer/graphic artist for **[Viking Visual](https://www.facebook.com/vikingvisual/)**
(Buy my work at [RedBubble](https://www.redbubble.com/people/vikingvisual/shop?asc=u), [TeePublic](https://www.teepublic.com/user/viking-visual), [PicFair](https://www.picfair.com/users/VikingVisual) and [DeviantArt](https://www.deviantart.com/clatsopduck).)
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(Buy my books at [Books2Read](https://books2read.com/ap/RDD3NR/Lori-Svensen) and at [LBRY](https://lbry.tv/@LoriSvensen:6))
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