Back in the saddle

This is my first fullish week back at work since I had the baby. It's been an experience.

First, let me say, I really like what I do. I like the IDEA behind what I do. I enjoy Human Resources like nobody's business and I like the feeling of accomplishment that I have when I make a difference. I am ridiculously good at what I do. That's not bragging, it's honest truth. I got my end of the year review today for 2009. My boss said the same thing. I'm professional, honest and respectful. I work hard and I do the job right.

Second, people can be stupid. That is not to say that all people I interact with are stupid or that when people have questions of me they are stupid. That's not the case at all. I need them to have questions. That's why I have a job.

People seem to worry about the small things, more than they should I think. At least that's how it has seemed lately.

People at work fussing over their 2% raise (That was the standard raise across the board this year) and not focusing on the fact that last year we, as a company, laid off over 8000 people. We've already laid off several hundred this year and I suspect the trend for layoffs will continue. People upset that we changed health care providers this year instead of focusing on the fact that they now get better coverage for less money. People worrying about the ability to see their paycheck online on Tuesday instead of Wednesday when in our current economy having a paycheck should be a blessing.

I got yelled at and hung up on yesterday by someone because his remote access to change something tax related wasn't working. I offered to send him the form so I could manually process it for him as well as offered him the phone number of our systems group so they could talk him through the computer issues he was having. Instead he yelled at me because filling out the form would take time (it's a W4 people, not a tough item to fill out) and insisted I should be able to manually process it for him. He also insisted that the website was broken even when I tried to explain that the same process had worked for me not 5 seconds prior and that we often have issues with remote access to the company website.

I don't like being yelled at. But it's part of the job I suppose. I just can't help shaking my head though that he was mad enough at the idea that he would have to take 10 minutes to fill out the form that he yelled and hung up on another human being who had no control of the website. His focus was on the 10 minutes and not on the fact that he was speaking to another human being, a co-worker for all intents, and the fact he had a job at all when another round of layoffs are looming on the horizon.

It was a day where I asked myself if I was sure I wanted to go back to work at all. I am giving up snuggling with my sweet baby for that?

Today a man called me upset about the fact he needed surgery and had to go out on leave. He assumed he would miss all of his pay, that he would have to use all of his vacation and sick time and the he would be without pay for several weeks. I was able to calm him down, explain that we have a disability policy in place and that he would be paid in full for the entire anticipated time off without having to touch his vacation time. He told me I was the nicest person he had ever spoken to in his lifetime. He couldn't thank me enough for calming his fears and letting him know it was safe to have his surgery as his finances would be alright.

And that's why I went back. To help that guy. And the guy that hung up on me. As crappy as it is.

Doesn't mean I miss those chubby cheeks any less though.