Vent about Jewish business owners

amother

Ginger

Thu, Jan 28 2016, 12:26 pm

Vent: What is it about every single Jewish business owner I meet or have worked for (and I’ve worked for many) that they all expect the same thing. They all want the BEST, most PROFESSIONAL, LOYAL, DEDICATED, SMARTEST employee who puts their heart and soul into the job. But when it comes to paying, they want to pay the lowest possible amount, squeezing every penny possible. Seriously?? Do Jewish business owners not understand that you get what you pay for. If you want the best, you gotta pay the best and if you wanna pay cheap, you are gonna get a cheap/not quality employee. It drives me mad. My current boss started off paying me pretty decently (more then I had ever gotten in the past) so I was really motivated and really put my heart and soul into the building up the company. I helped him with running his business, I did sales etc thinking and hoping that he’d let me grow in the company, give me a raise, a bonus, something to encourage me to keep working and striving (as he constantly gave me praise that I was doing a great job). Then when it came time to ask for raise or commission, I was told no and not only that, but I was told I’m getting a pay cut because the budget of the company has changed (hard to believe cuz this company is making money hand over fist). Meanwhile he told me he still wants to keep me around because I do such a great job and he doesn’t wana train someone else. Yuck yuck yuck yuck yuck. So now I’m doing my job and still doing it well (don’t wana get fired) but I don’t put my heart and soul into it anymore and I don’t try to go above and beyond and do the most amazing job like I used to cuz I have zero motivation that I’m actually going anywhere in this job. I’m looking for another job but its not so easy plus I have weird hours. My only saving grace is that my boss is basically too lazy to hire someone new and train them because he doesn’t even know half of what I do and if he fires me, there’s no way I’ll help him out and he’ll be kinda stuck (and he knows it). At least if he lays me off and I get unemployment, I would be willing to help him train someone new in which he knows he needs me to do. Why do I work for such idiots?? (Anon so it doesn't ever get back to my boss that I posted this)

amother

Ginger

Thu, Jan 28 2016, 12:43 pm

tigerwife wrote:

I would say that if you stay in the job after he does this to you, you are encouraging the behavior. Now he sees he can get more out of you for even less. How far will it go?

Changing jobs is really hard and a leap of faith, so I don't blame you for staying. However, you have to be more assertive and explain your bottom line.

FYI- this is not a 'Jewish' boss thing. Please don't generalize like this.

OP here. So the part I didn't mention is that I basically wrote him an email saying that after al the work I did, I'm not okay with taking a cut and if he doesn't have work for me, I understand and he can lay me off. I have been coming in my regular hours and I plan to send I my hours today so we will see what he says. I'm so not ok with cutting my pay and I hate the fact that after all I've done, in fighting to keep the job I was originally hired for.

thunderstorm

Thu, Jan 28 2016, 12:56 pm

OP...I never received a pay cut , but I quit a job where I felt very unappreciated....guess what?! After some trials and tribulations, my boss called me back! He couldnt find a good enough replacement .He offered me double! Worked with my hours and schedule...anything to keep me. I quit a few years later and he called me back again about a year later...I was not working then and wasnt really interested in working at that time, so I gave him a price and told him I'd work if he paid me that amount...he almost agreed but would only agree if I worked for him full time...I declined that offer. It's 10 years later...and he just called me back again, trying to bribe me every which way, but I told him I'm happy where I am and I didnt accept the offer. After working for him, I worked for other frum employers who treated me with great appreciation, often raised me when I didnt even ask for a raise, gave me bonuses and openly thanked me for a job well done.
So it's not all frum bosses. Dont be discouraged...there is something out there for you and you shouldn't subject yourself to mistreatment. It can affect your self esteem...really make an effort into looking for something else. You are going through this now, so that one day when you DO have an appreciative boss, you will be able to appreciate your boss back for how great he treats you. Hatzlacha and hang in there!

thunderstorm

Thu, Jan 28 2016, 1:28 pm

amother wrote:

OP here. Bizzydizzymommy, I WISH I could quit!

Sometimes it's hard to get ourselves to really intensely look for a new job because it's so so hard to start new....but if you give yourself no choice but to leave...Hashem will help you with your search. It may not happen today...but you shouldnt just write a resume and send it out to 2 places. Be aggressive about it. You should spread the word to friends and family ....you never know what could fall into your lap....

tigerwife

Thu, Jan 28 2016, 3:24 pm

amother wrote:

Good for you. Did he respond?

amother

Magenta

Thu, Jan 28 2016, 4:25 pm

Omg my Jewish boss always wants me being perfect and going the extra mile and he literally wipes the floor with me! I wish I could quit but I can't for other reasons!
He pays me pennies and makes me work harder then him, charging clients a fortune for hard work that I did that he didn't even put a second into.
And then he critises me and says that I have to show more commitment to the job when I'm definiteltly the most commuted and honest person he's ever ever hired.
He makes me smoke out of my ears.
Stretches me so thin
Thanks for letting me join in ur vent;)
And get q new job!!!

amother

Peach

Thu, Jan 28 2016, 4:55 pm

We cant generalize. My husband recently started working at his current job. At the interview he was told that he'll be raised in 4,5 months, depending if he does a satisfactory job. Bh he is and his boss indeed raised him without my husband asking for it. He kept his word.

Myself, im a wahm for past few months. I used to go to the office part time. And im working for this firm for almost 9 years. I got a raise ONCE (at a certain point I got health insurance from my employee and then at another point I was paid for childcare so that was kind of considered a raise). At this point none apply (no health ins nor childcare). I was recording the company payroll recently and realized the employees out on the field all got an end of year bonus. I was quit hurt that nothing came my way.

Oh well

Just to prove that to each their own.

SRS

Thu, Jan 28 2016, 5:55 pm

zaq wrote:

Those of you griping about Jewish bosses--have you ever worked for NONJewish bosses to have a basis for comparison? There are princes and there are villains in both camps. Let me point out that sin'as Yisroel is just as ugly when it comes from you as when it comes from a nonjew.

I agree. I've had a lot of bosses and a lot of team leaders and colleagues in the number of years I've worked. I work with a number of different people, Jewish and non-Jewish, and currently I work most my day with one group and the Jewish people I work with are fantastic and I'm having a bit of a struggle with the non-Jewish boss lady. On the other hand, I work with another group (all Jewish) that is miserable. But then I once did a project for a church and oh boy, the grass wasn't greener. But then I work with a number of other businesses that are heavily Jewish and I don't think I could bring myself to leave.

There are some issues that do seem uniquely Jewish, but cutting pay is business sometimes. Unless you are the CFO, your feeling that the money is hand of hand is just a feeling. Also having a boss that wants the best. . .well, who doesn't?

shoshanim999

Thu, Jan 28 2016, 6:04 pm

Bizzydizzymommy wrote:

Here we go again. You say that if she leaves hashem will help with the search for a new job. It doesn't work that way. There are plenty of people with tremendous yiras shamayim that don't have jobs or money. Plz don't imply that if she quits her job and does hishtadlus that hashem will get her a better job.

cookiecutter

Thu, Jan 28 2016, 6:47 pm

zaq wrote:

Frum women who work in secular workplaces are likely in a more corporate environment, with a formal HR structure in place. If they work in a frum workplace, it is just as likely to be a three person office in a Lakewood or Boro Park basement. So there are more likely to be issues in frum workplaces.

Last edited by cookiecutter on Fri, Jan 29 2016, 8:56 am; edited 1 time in total

amother

Slateblue

Thu, Jan 28 2016, 7:19 pm

I work for a frum agency, and I love everything about it. The training is exellent, they supply me with everything I need, and they send me clients according to my personal needs.

Again, this is a small frum agency, run by one kind, caring, humble man, who can accomplish the world in one day, and probably works harder than all of us contractors put together.

I am only giving my account to show you that it is deffinitely not everyone.