The Case for Job Security

The reality of the employee in America today.

Today's business climate is vastly different than those days of yesteryear. There has been a direct shift away from the strong manufacturing middle wage jobs that once dominated our economy over the last 40 years to now one of service ,hospitality and health care industries. The manufacturing sector from the 1950's till the middle of the early 1970's produced many of the worlds most durable and affordable items. It can be arguably said the the quality of goods produced during that period in America can be attributed to one key factor. That one factor that made business so successful was due primarily to the longevity of their employees.

What began in the mid to late 1970's was a shift of corporate attitudes towards employees to increase their bottom line. No longer were employees longevity with a company considered as a valuable asset but were now being considered a hindrance toward employers profitability. Today, this attitude has manifested to the point it is the most common of policies in business. Employees today are steadily moving from job to job. The longest tenure for an employee now on the average is five years or less. With this constant and consistent turnover of employees in business today in the United States we have eroded the very concept of producing quality, affordable, durable, and reliable goods and services. Business and employers may think they can increase their own profits by maintaining a revolving door policy, but there are numerous hidden costs associated with not creating an atmosphere of advocating, promoting, and rewarding employees longevity and service to a company or employer. When employers lock in an employee with no real means to advance within, fewer rewards for a job well done, systematic ways of decreased recognition and stagnant wages leaves very little recourse for employees but to look for advancement and better wages elsewhere.

 

In today's current economic conditions have only enhanced employers ability to have the upper hand in their relationship with employees and are using these times to undermine employees security. Fear is a very poor motivator for producing quality and reliable goods and services. But, that is precisely what is happening in most business today. Instead of embracing new technologies, expanding their product base, and actually capitalizing on the already existing economic conditions the majority of business have contracted while creating an atmosphere for their employees that is counterproductive and contrary to sound business principals. That is one scenario. The other is that companies continue to make huge profits at the expense of their employees who are often forced to work longer hours and see their wages actually decline because of the rising cost of living. Stagnant wages continue to be one of the biggest hurdles for an economy to grow and flourish.  

Since the financial recession of 2008 when the government through the Federal Reserve, remember those QE bailouts to the tune of over billions of dollars, really had nothing to do with stimulating our economy. Instead those QE bailouts was designed specifically to funnel money to those too big to fail banks that sank the economy in the first place. Those bailouts have done nothing but make the banks that much bigger and Wall Street that much fatter leaving Main Street out in the cold. Today, the harsh reality for millions of American workers is that stagnant wages, forced early retirement of worse termination along with longer working hours and increasing cost of living continues to punish the American worker. From an employees stand point in business today where they are constantly in anxiety over their employment this only produces more stress for themselves and their families. Over the long term this escalates to health problems, financial burdens, and family instability. All these factors are directly related to the quality of goods and services produced by business every where.

 

After the second World War the United States was at it's peak of productivity. America was the leading exporter of goods and services  Employees actually stayed with companies for 30 years or more. Whole families, fathers and sons continued to work for the same companies. During this period of business expansion the United States produced the best products any where in the world. Our reputation as the premier producer of goods and services was unmatched by any country. Today the United States has been reduced in its ability to produce quality in their products to all but of a few. This is because business realized that more profits can be made in the shortest amount of time by eliminating their long term employees and replacing some of them with younger less experienced workers at much lower salaries or rates. What most businesses and employers haven't realized is that when experienced personal who have been employed for years with the same company and have steadily advanced within regardless of salaries know how to produce, have an actual desire to produce quality products, can readily diagnose problems, and be able to implement solutions that would otherwise cost employers much more.

 

For long term stability, growth, and profitability of any business and employer having a stable long term relationship with each employee is paramount in the success of any business. This creates quality, which translates to more business and more profits not only for the employer but ensures a stable and secure economy for the whole country.