Vol. 2.9 Are We Progressing or Regressing?

When I started work with the great State of California over forty years ago, there was a structure and an accepted way of doing things.  Granted it was a bit rigid, but at least most everyone played by the same set of rules.  I began my "illustrious" career at the Department of Motor Vehicles.  It was not a progressive place; employees had to be in their seats and ready to work when the bell rang.  It was the same at quitting time -- folks would line up at the door waiting for the bell to ring so they could dash down the stairs or be the first one to the elevator in order to exit the building.

There were no unions but there were dress codes.  Women wore skirts and dresses -- men wore slacks.  No jeans were allowed and women could not wear pants until 1970 when only pant suits were allowed.  If  you were pregnant and showing, my second state employer, forced women to take leave for their "period of confinement".

Promotions were hard to come by.  My third state employer told me I was well qualified but it would take ten year before I would be promoted because others were waiting ahead of me. There were rules, lots of them, but those who administered those rigid rules showed respect for employees and employees were respectful right back.  We all understood the rules of "engagement" and most worked within them.

The fourth employer, Youth Authority (which no longer exists) was actually a very progressive place for the late 1970's.  They instituted "core hours".  Everybody was expected to work an eight hour day, but they HAD to be at work between the hours of 9:00 am and 3:00 pm -- meetings were scheduled during those hours.   It made life so much easier.  It all worked really well.

With the subsequent advent of unions and contracts, alternative work week schedules were allowed.  Employers and employers made them work.  People were happy.  Of late more state employers, without providing any explanation, have decided to curtail those flexible working hours...And now Governor Brown wants to institute a 9.5 hour, 4 day a week work schedule.

Does anyone care about what works for employees?  Life still happens.  Since my early days in state government, (long ago and far away) the roadways have become congested; parking expensive, and children have many more organized activities. Life has grown more complicated--then why has everything become more rigid rather than more flexible?  Where is the work/life balance?  Are we regressing or progressing?