Thx, Mgmt.

Although it's been a while since I posted, some things stay the same.  Much has changed in my life but some things, namely poor management don't.

I picked up some part time hours at a retail establishment a couple months ago, just enough to help pay the bills.  I never thought I'd say this but the management techniques and the communication between management and employees there is even worse than I experienced while in graduate school.  At least in grad school, I was trusted and the management was geared towards the overall success of the individuals and the lab as a whole.  Communication was bi-directional and the input of all group members was valid, considered and openly debated.  The power structure was diffuse, employees were trusted.  In this new part time situation, my first experience working retail, management is quite hierarchical, communicates poorly, is very closed to criticism and punitive.

During the interview process, I was asked if I could commit to working for the company for 2 years at quite meager pay rate.  A rate that neither fits my experience in the area nor acknowledges my education and abilities.  I enjoy the work but I feel neither challenged nor full-filled by it.  Nor am I asked to contribute to the overall advancement of the company.  I'm of the opinion that if you, as a manager, are interested in recruiting top quality people to work in your company, you need to give them incentive to work for you.  Utilizing talents and skills of your employees is critical to effective management, IMO, and I have yet to find a situation in which any manager even has a clue on how to do this.