Chasing Cars

We all know this old joke. It has to do with dogs that chase cars. They chase and chase and chase, while not knowing what they would do with the car if they ever caught it. We people do the same thing. In some instances, we marry without giving much thought as to what the full ramifications of making such a commitment to another person entails. In other instances, we have children without properly appreciating the challenges and sacrifices that raising a child means. One example I observed recently pertained to an office set on staff expansion without first giving thought if it was prepared to take on additional workers and adequately meet the needs that new employees bring with them.

Staff expansion is about people. Yes, it is about work load, too. Offices hire additional staff to help handle increasing demand for product and service. New employees enter into their new positions and begin striving to meet the responsibilities they were hired to fill. But there is also what I call a human element involved when new employees are hired. These individuals are strangers when they first enter into a new office environment. They are much like the new kid in class. No matter their level of experience or professional sophistication, they are a bit lost and uncertain. And perhaps they are feeling somewhat vulnerable as well. They need support, guidance and attention to help them get through their beginning days. Unfortunately, not all companies or supervisors are sensitive to this.

When a supervisor takes on a new employee, then they have just entered into a new relationship. With a new employee on board, the supervisor gives up part of his or her work day. Sure, this can be a bother, particularly if they have things to do that were assigned to them by their boss. This is one of the key challenges of being a supervisor: juggling what you have to do with being available to direct, assist and/or oversee what you have assigned to others. New employees are people first and workers second. Supervisors are wise to remember that. It makes for better communication and better employer-employee relations.