Congratulate me. No really. I’m officially gainfully employed again and survived my first day back in the working world. First days are always tough as I had to go through just the beginning of orientation in the form of a conference call. As the poor HR representative droned through a canned script, all I could think was, “Didn’t anyone else besides me read the employee manual that they sent?” Well, obviously not or Mr. HR wouldn’t have had to highlight sections for everyone. Now, if they could hire Mr. Moviephone to do orientation, that would be cool.
I’m working for a Fortune 500 company now and it’s so wild to work for a place that has some money. I had to have an ergonomic assessment of my work area and will be getting a footrest and glare screen for my computer. Yeah, all of the office chairs are real Herman Miller chairs and my chair retails for $1238! It is amazingly comfortable and adjustable though and this investment must save my employer much more than all the chairs’ cost in workers’ compensation claims.
I am the first female employee in my new office and I’m entering an interesting dynamic. As my trainer (a woman in my role in another office in the region) and I were acquainting ourselves with where all the forms and supplies were located, I was struck by how things were arranged. It’s hard to describe, but it was as if I’d entered a bachelor’s pad except it was an office. If we’d had a drawer of silverware, I would have expected all of the silverware to be in one drawer but not in any kind of drawer organizer. It’s as if the office had a semblance of order, but only the minimum amount. It’s kind of like working with Joey and Chandler from “Friends” — nice guys, but not big on fine-tuned function or the aesthetics. I’m not trying to be mean, I’m just telling it like it is and I was validated in this thought as one of my new male co-workers was trying to figure out where to put away brochures but didn’t know why they were kept where they were, he looked at me and said, “This place needs a woman’s touch.” Call us sexist if you want, but I think having at least one person of the opposite gender on an otherwise one-gendered staff affects the balance somehow.
I am excited about my new job and hope that the opportunities outweigh the daily grind. If not, I can take comfort in the fact that our benefits are heavily subsidized and I got my vacation days this year pre-approved as a condition of being hired. Besides, if I have to sit on my bum all day, at least I get to sit in a super-duper, fancy, comfortable, ergonomically-sound chair. I’ve got that going for me.
Hey, way to go! As I look at my chair with more than a few years on it here, I am jealous! If I may be so bold, which company do you work for? As for a woman’s touch, go all out and put up doilies, posters of cats hanging off branches, laying on dogs, etc, bring in an old rocker and some afghans, and have Steel Magnolia’s playing constantly on your portable DVD player. They’d love it!
Hmmm. . . not the woman’s touch I was thinking but then I’m not much into doilies. I do have to say that when we needed napkins for the pizza lunch today I didn’t find any in the kitchen. One of they guys went to get them from the box of supplies in the back corner that hadn’t yet been unpacked and looked as if it has been there quite a while. He didn’t bring all of the napkins (for us to use a few and then put the rest in the kitchen) but just the few that we might need for lunch. We just think differently or something.
Congratulations! It sounds like they need to get organized (sounds funny coming from me doesn’t it!?!). I know you will be a great asset to them and your good habits and logical approach to work and organization will permeate. Perhaps a feng shui makeover is in order! Ha! Anyway, we wish you well, and we’re happy for you and your “uberchair”. You know how Joe and I appreciate good office chairs. “Show me the most expensive chair you have……..”
Thanks, Karen. It’s very kind of you to say such things. You’re much more organized than you think. Your basement is 100x better than our garages ever looked.
I know you’d love these chairs. I’ll think of you when I lean back in mine tomorrow and work on my online training course.
I love my Aeron Chair! i bought it from www.allmodernfurniture.com, but i got all my information about it from www.aeronchairguide.com. it’s the most comfortable computer / office chair i’ve sat in.