Why my company rocks...

First, I mention "company" as a sort of generic term. I'd love to make my thoughts public on the topic of my employer. Since I generally only have positive things to say, I don't see it as an issue. However, there are potentially sticky issues that go along with making public statements about ones employer without their specific permission...so, I will just skip past any potential misunderstanding by keeping my references generic.

So, I love my company. Always have. It's been 10 years of fun so far...not always fun, mind you. There have been bad days, bad weeks, bad months, and even bad years. Last year, frankly, was not a fun year. But, we are working on that.

However, even in a year that hasn't been a ton of fun, there are times were my boss (or bosses) make it worthwhile.

Back at the beginning of Januaray I was asked to help with a company project. It wasn't a glorious project. It wasn't a fun assignment. In fact, it was pretty unpleasant for the week that I was involved. And, even worse, I needed to fly out on New Years Eve morning. So, I was gone, away from my family, on New Years Eve and New Years Day.

It's not unique for a crappy assignment to come along in the business world. It happens all the time. What is unique is for a company to ask for volunteers to take on that project. A lot of companies would have just told me to go, rather than asking me. But, my boss, and his boss, asked me to go. And, I like helping out, so I was glad to do it.

A lot of companies would have payed no mind to the fact that I was going to be away from my family over New Years (and Eve). Many companies woud have considered that a matter of course. That everyone is just going to have to take one for the team on ocassion, and that no further consideration need be given. In fact, I dare say that some companies use these type of instances as a form of "hazing" for the younger members of management. It is a chance for young managers to take their knocks and prove their comittment. Yada, yada, yada.

In my case, I was asked by my boss and his boss. They were conscious of the fact that I would be gone during a holiday. And, they offered me support because of it.

However, they went beyond that as well. They bought my wife and I a gift certificate to the Amyway Grand so that we could go have a nice, fancy, quiet meal together in place of the night out we might have had on New Years Eve. And, so Karin and I went and spent it last night.

We went to the 1913 room, and it was fantastic. I loved it. I loved every part of it. It was a meal/experience that we could never afford to do for ourselves. So, was it worth being a part of an unpleasant project, being away from my family for a week, and missing a holiday?

Well, it meant that I got the chance to help my company when they needed it. And, I got a lovely evening out with my wife because of it. So, yeah, I think it was worth it. And, it only makes me want to help more in the future. I like working for guys who are willing to take care of the people who help them.