Looking Forward in the Workplace

The Pandemic has changed the world. It has certainly changed how we view work. There was once a time where loyalty to a company paid off: pensions, job security and generous benefits are no longer a guarantee. We are no longer treated as an asset but as a replaceable tool; in many instances, we sacrifice so much with little benefit. The Pandemic has given us time to reconsider the workplace and rethink our futures. How much have we learned about finding our individual happiness? Many have fought back against a work culture that is toxic. Others have achieved a new work/life balance that we don’t want to give up. “Essential workers” have been underpaid and certainly underappreciated. We all want to work hard and do a good job. We want to also be paid for that work and paid enough to be able to plan for a future. Many of us no longer want to spend 20 years working at a company forever. We want to be able to afford to save and be flexible in learning new skills, getting new degrees or creating our own businesses. How can we make political change that helps us all benefit? We’ve been too focused on survival to realize that we can be the change. While we are still a Democracy, we can still vote; I vote to move us Forward.

I am a millennial. I was born in 1985. Modern computer technology had just started, and businesses were just starting to adapt. The period of my parent’s generation drove the messages of many of our upbringings: work hard and you’ll be rewarded; housing is always a good investment; and education is a requirement for your future. As we’ve come to realize, this wasn’t going to always be the case.

I’ve worked for many jobs, ranging from the food industry to retail to real estate agent to owning a small business to software engineering — and many more. Throughout my history, I have met many who show loyalty, work hard, and try to be great employees. Regardless, time and time again, employers have not kept up their side of the bargain. When push comes to shove, I’ve rarely seen loyalty to employees: layoffs, benefit cuts and reduced or unpaid hours were just some of the things I’ve witnessed. Employers often have all of the power due to their size and are able to use that power to enforce a variety of measures meant to protect and produce profit for the business, not the employee. While many large businesses can utilize loopholes to avoid taxes, even minimum wage workers pay around 1.6% income tax. When you’re making so little, every dollar counts. Many people did not see their pay increase during the pandemic, yet corporate profits continue to rise. This has been the case for decades. Are we expected to continue this lopsided arrangement?

We see an employment system that no longer supports us. Being forced to quarantine, some of us have enjoyed being able to work remotely while others have been forced to endure hostile work conditions for low pay, all in the name of essential work. Out of this, we have learned two things: for those who can, working remotely is a life changer that should stay; and for those in essential jobs, the pay, benefits, and protections are not enough to match the “essential” title.

Remote work has had a significant impact across society. Noticeably, there’s been a significant reduction in traffic as millions of workers suddenly could log into work from home; we could spend more time with our families and less time commuting to work. Although not everyone has enjoyed this new workplace freedom, a significant portion of us have benefited from this. Suddenly, we have more time, which means more time for us to do what we love doing, not what makes us money. From work/life balance to lunchtime errands, this newfound time has become invaluable.

The other side of this coin are the essential workers who have had to endure so much. Faced with verbal and physical abuse, they also suffer from low wages and inflexible schedules. Around the country, fast food restaurants and stores are closed or have reduced hours, citing walkouts and inability to hire as the reason. Honestly, would you suffer physical and/or verbal abuse for $7.25 an hour? Many of us would not. Those who do usually end up not having a choice.

This period is being referred to as The Great Resignation because we’re tired of this double standard. There was once a time when working a job meant security, stability, and the ability to afford to save for the future. The agreement was simple: work for a company, get paid enough to live, buy a house, pay off debt, and retire. Now, between student debt, rising housing costs and inflation, many are struggling just to get by. When faced between an employer who takes advantage of you or walking away, some are choosing to just walk away.

For the average worker to quit and find another job, it’s not so easy; workers who find themselves looking for employment are either offered too little pay or simply unable to receive job offers. For these workers, the natural step may be to learn a new skill. Even then, a barrier still exists: you have to pay to learn! This means a loan, which means paying interest on a loan. The interest earnings goes to banks. It’s no wonder that many have lost trust in politics: this is a really bad system and we’re proof.

Our willing worker shortage is a knowledge problem and a pay problem. I write willing worker because many workers are unwilling to work for the wages offered or unable to afford the education to work a better paying job. We must fix this by offering free education and training for anyone who is trying to better their life. Automation has saved companies a lot of labor costs. It’s time to consider updating our tax laws to reflect this shift, and use that money to fund education. Any job that is considered essential needs to have better pay with employee health and safety protections. How about a guarantee of a standard schedule — something that millions of us enjoy already — so these essential workers can balance their lives? Essential workers did their part by providing us with a way to survive during the pandemic. It’s time to pay them back.

During the last couple of decades, automation has completely changed the way we work. People are working less jobs that require menial tasks, and more jobs that require advanced training. Whole segments of the workforce are either already at risk, or will be soon, of being obsolete due to automation. The answer is not to slow automation, but to solve the human problem. These workers don’t want to be without work and living off of a free society; they want to learn new skills and continue to contribute. But when you have to pay or go into significant debt to learn new skills, how can you expect the average person to take this on? Especially in a society that makes it so difficult to get ahead.

There are also people who want to make something of their own: make a business, make art, or even scientific advancements. I am one of these people. I’ve tried to start my own business, and I know that the biggest barrier to all of these things is money. Instead of allowing big businesses to often pay little or no tax, we should be offering financial incentives for people to start small businesses of their own — perhaps consider 0% interest government-backed loans to start their own business. Instead of saddling people with debt to learn, we should be encouraging knowledge without cost. How can we really provide some opportunity? Access to money and access to education opens doors, and when people go through those doors, everyone benefits.

My name is Daniel and I am writing as someone who is looking forward. I see these problems facing us and I’m thinking about solutions. All of the ideas I have mentioned here are just that: ideas. Add your own ideas, because none of us know all the answers. When we work together, we can find a better future. We’re not arguing back and forth with extremist rhetoric: we’re working to move us all forward. We are The Forward Party and it’s time to move forward.