(Published on November 24, 2008)
It's Thanksgiving — a time to reflect on and appreciate all the good things we have in life. Family, friends, health, food, shelter, and yes, work.
Considering the state of the economy, we should be sincerely grateful to have jobs at all this season.
But there's more to work than just picking up a paycheck. Have you stopped recently to think about all the things about your job that you are really and truly thankful for? No? Try it now. To get you going, here are some ideas:
Be thankful for the little things — that fresh pot of coffee in the office kitchen in the mornings (thanks, Fran!), an office door you can shut for a modicum of privacy during your lunch break (trust me, as a former cubicle-dweller, this is BIG on my list!), etc.
Be thankful for your colleagues. They're a source of invaluable empathy and understanding, since they're the only ones who can really "get" what you have to go through each day.
Be thankful for your boss, particularly if he/she doesn't yell at, swear at, or undermine you. Not everyone's so lucky (and no, I'm NOT talking about my bosses at AHI!!!). A supportive boss who wants to help you succeed in both your daily tasks and in your career is a real blessing.
Be thankful for your organization's employees, who may have you at your wit's end at times, but are by and large hard-working and well-meaning and vital to your organization's success.
Be thankful for your company's customers/clients/patients/whomever benefits from all your toil. Without their support, your organization would quickly go under during these hard times.
Be thankful for technology. The next time you send out an e-mail to all company employees, research an employment law topic on the Internet, or just fax something over to another office, take a second to realize how lucky you are that the world is practically at your fingertips.
Be thankful for the laws that prohibit workplace discrimination, harassment, violence, and unsafe conditions. Yes, they may be a burden to learn and to enforce at times, but think of how absolutely awful the workplace would be without any legal protections whatsoever.
And last but not least, be thankful for paid holidays…like Thanksgiving!
Eileen Mager
Writer
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