We Work Too Much in America

I don't know who invented the five day work week, but I'm still looking for him/her.  We work entirely too much in this country.  Work days are getting longer and vacation days are getting shorter.  By law, every country in the European union receives at least four weeks of paid vacation.  In the U.S., the average amount of vacation time in the private section is just 16 days. 

Austria is said to have the most time off with 22 paid vacation days as well as 13 holidays per year. 

Although rested employees may not always translate into higher productivity, it does go a long way towards how happy your they are.  That counts for something, right?

Well, probably not if you own a business.  The only way most companies feel as if they can compete with others is by working the stew out of their employees.  And if you think that it's bad now, then just give it another decade or so because the U.S. has slowly gotten worse over the years.

Back in the early 80's, it was not uncommon to see most businesses closed on a Sunday.  Especially in the South.  Sunday was once a day for families to be together. Outside of a pharmacy and a gas station, you really didn't find too many businesses that were open.  Until someone decided that if they opened on Sundays then they could get a leg up on the competition.  Cha-ching.

The same can be said for holidays.  Thanksgiving is probably the most family-oriented holiday in this country.  I remember families coming together and everyone relaxing after a huge meal.  Now interrupt it for "Good Friday" sales (on Thursday).  Gone are the days where families could enjoy each other's company and/or get some relaxation.  Now they have to interrupt that holiday because someone has to be at work to prepare for the stores to open that evening.

Businesses thrive and make money.  Quality family time suffers. 

And the only thing most businesses love to do more than making a dollar, is making two dollars.  Unless you're Chick-Fil-A.  That's a business that still thrives despite being closed on Sundays.  They think that allowing an opportunity for families to be together for at least one day during the week is more important than money.  Imagine that!  But, for every Chick-Fil-A there's 100 businesses like Walmart who are pretty much open 24/7. 

America doesn't care if you're overworked and underpaid.  After all, what are you going to do about it?  Vote for someone other than a Democrat or a Republican?  LOL!

HORRIBLE Customer Service at @DestinationXL

And I stress the word "HORRIBLE!"  However, this is par for the course in today's America.  A lot of today's companies have little interest in keeping you satisfied as a customer.  They just want your money.  If you're inconvenienced or wronged in any sort of way by them then that's just something you have to deal with on your own.

I went to Destination XL (Jackson, MS) on 3/16 to find a new pair of dress pants.  I've shopped at this particular location for at least 10-15 years.  Before they re-branded themselves as DXL they were known as Casual Male.  I don't know the employees in the store by name, but I've shopped there long enough for us to recognize each other's faces.

I found a pair of pants in my size for the waist, but the length was too long.  After all, they're called "Big & Tall" stores and not"Big & Short."  So, the lady who worked there asked me if I just wanted to order a pair online from within the store and have it shipped to my house.  Although I needed the pants sooner than later, I decided to go with that option rather than buy the lengthy pair I had in my hands and paying someone to hem them.  The lady verified my info, placed the order for me, and told me that it would be 5-7 business days.  I got my receipt and left satisfied.

Today (six business days later) I received a package in my mailbox.  Although I'd hope to get the pants in 3-4 days, I wasn't upset because it did arrive within the window they promised.  I got the package inside and popped it open.  Instead of a pair of black slacks, I pulled out a Carolina blue polo shirt in a size 7XLT.  Now, I'm a big dude, but I'm nowhere near a 7XLT.

I double-checked the receipt to see if I received the wrong package.  But the receipt showed that the package contained one pair of black slacks although that's not what I received.  Go figure.

Now, I'm a bit ticked off that I've waited a week to get the wrong order.  I know that it's not the fault of the employees in the store, so I don't show my frustration.  The lady took my receipt and a manager showed her how to refund my item without the item actually being present.  She asked me to sign a receipt showing a credit back to my card and she handed me a copy.  I said "thank you" and she said "you're welcome" and she went on about her business.

I paused for a second and thought that surely at least I'd get an apology, but no, that wasn't the case.  Despite waiting a week for merchandise I never received and having to make a 2nd trip to the store, I never even got a "we apologize for your inconvenience."  And as petty as that sounds, because I left that store with a bad taste in my mouth I don't plan on ever shopping there or any of their locations again.  I will order my items strictly online or go to the mall.

I'm not one to look for a handout just because a mistake is made.  You don't have to give me a coupon or something free.  However, when a mistake is made I do expect an employee to apologize on the company's behalf.  I definitely expect a manager to know better.  But these two employees didn't feel the need to do that.  They're probably not even trained to do so because why should Destination XL care how I feel?  Either I'm giving them money for their product or I'm not.  Fat people have to shop somewhere, so they know that I'm not going to Old Navy without a serious weight loss plan.  Why bother to put forth the effort to satisfy me?  And I know this may have had more to do with the actual people than the store itself, but I have had other complaints about DXL that I'm omitting at this time.  This was just the icing on the cake.

An apology can go a long way in any situation, business or personal.  I stopped doing business with Edible Arrangements because of their lack of empathy in screwing up a Valentine's Day delivery.  How are you going to deliver something after everyone has pretty much left the office for the day?

But some people wait for you to start to walk away before they apologize.  I'm sure that if I would have said, "I'm never shopping here again" that I would have received an reactionary apology.  But, I've been coming there for 10-15 years.  I'm not going anywhere else, right?

Wrong.

Some Women Can't Help It

What can someone with her shape wear?

Some women can't help the way they're built.  Genetics control your starting point and although you can exercise (or not), you basically are what your parents' DNA decide that you are.  For some women the DNA decides that they are curvaceous.

So, how does that play out in the work place?  Most of Corporate America have dress policies and some of the requirements are strict.  Yet some women can comply to the dress code yet still raise some eyebrows because of their shape.

I've seen on two or three different occasions where a coworker of mine from a previous job got sent home for wearing what was deemed "inappropriate."  But the consensus of the office was that there was nothing wrong with what she had on.  It was how she looked in her outfit that prompted management to react.  So, what is a curvy woman to do?

Look at the photo to the right.  She's in great shape (yoga instructor) and has dangerous curves.  Her dress fits her, but I wouldn't consider it tight.  Should she buy her clothes a size too big to keep the peace in the office?

What about people who aren't curvy who can wear what they want?  Is that fair to someone who has an hourglass shape?

I think not.  As long as a woman isn't wearing an inappropriate material (ex. leather), nightclub attire, skin tight outfits, etc., then leave her alone.  Some people are just attractive and can't help being a distraction in the workplace.  It's not fair to let an Ann Coulter type wear what she wants, but then get upset when Vida Guerra looks curvy in something similar.

I understand that Corporate America doesn't want their employees going goo-goo, gaa-gaa over each other.  Nothing would get done and sexual harassment law suits would go through the roof.  But, you have to be mindful of what you're suggesting to people when you discipline someone for having curves.  It may send a better message by not singling someone out because they have a DD bra size or 42 inch hips.  It's just not right.

To some it borderlines racism given that most black and hispanic women tend to be curvier than others, but that's beside the point.  There are plenty of women of all races who have hourglass shapes.  The point is: don't make them feel bad because they look good.

Some people just can't tone down their sexy.