Don’t Work Only for Money!
- Cambodianess
- May 29, 2020 1:18 AM
Samnang and Sothie have resumed their old routine of meeting at the Café. However, the two pals avoid sitting in crowded area and still clean their hands with disinfectant when they arrive. The other day, they discussed a controversial matter, that is, “throwing away the idea of working just for the sake of a salary.”
Samnang: Sothie! If working is not about money, then what is it?
Sothie: I completely understand that work is about getting money to support oneself. Even though this is the case, things may be different at different times.
Samnang: Different times?
Sothie: Some people start working through internships but, surprisingly, they demand to get paid. You have to understand that, being an intern, you cannot just demand a salary. Why? Because you are still at the stage of learning about work. Getting involved in internships is mainly about learning from others. Sometimes, internships even disrupt a firm or institution’s workflow! Interns are not always assets for companies or institutions.
Samnang: Anyway, how about people who actually work, shouldn’t they demand salaries from companies or institutions?
Sothie: It really depends on the job seekers and firms. Which means that it depends on how much experience you have and the contribution you can make to a firm. If a person can contribute a lot, then it is reasonable for the salary to reflect this. If a person’s contribution is to be limited and he or she demands a disproportional amount of money, I don’t think it will work. When seeking a job, you have to ask yourself whether you will boost a firm’s performance or are you going there just to learn more about that work or field? If you are going there to learn, then setting or demanding a specific salary is definitely a mistake.
Samnang: Speaking of salaries, some employees tend to think that small salaries mean little work and a large salary means lots of works. It is correct to think this way, isn’t?
Sothie: This is an out-of-date idea. Do you work with the intention of quality, responsibility and care? Sooner or later, you will be promoted in terms of position or wages. If an employee only works for the sake of salary, then that employee will not get any remarkable things accomplished in the course of in his or her career. An ideal employee values salary less than self-development and making the contribution that the firm needs. Usually, these idealistic employees will receive a great deal back from their firms or institutions.
Samnang: Based on what factors or criteria do firms or institutions increase their employees’ salaries?
Sothie: Your question makes me uncomfortable since I am not the owner or the manager of any firm. However, as a senior with plenty of experience, I can answer that productivity, responsibility and care at work are the essential combination that enables you to receive a bigger salary and promotion to higher positions. When one element is missing, the beautiful scenario I mentioned may not happen so easily.
Samnang: How about employees who may switch jobs twice or even three times every year or two? What is your opinion on that?
Sothie: Some employees are actually good and innocent. They just cannot continue working at their previous place due to various reasons. Yet, employers or managers should really take this phenomenon into consideration. The question is why do those employees jump from one job to the other during a short period of time? Usually, firms have to be extra careful before employing this kind of employees.
Samnang: Sothie, I feel like you are mainly on the employers’ side!
Sothie: I am not putting myself on the employers’ side. Some employers or firms are unfair. Some of them often favor employees who just act nicely but make little or no effort for the company, instead of employees who really want to see their companies grow. Some employers do enjoy exploiting employees and pay them as little as possible. After all, while there are good and bad employees, this also applies to employers.
