The Race Goes On

Remember how Marc's boss told him he needed to "show as much energy and enthusiasm in the afternoons as he does in the mornings" in order to get a raise of a few measly pence?

And Marc was like, "Um, no. That would be a charade."?

And his boss stared blankly and was stunned? Yeah that was cool.

So this week his boss brought him the (late) paperwork drawn up from that meeting. It was the boss's report of what they'd agreed on, and Marc needed to sign it. Well the paper had some unexpected "agreements" about extra jobs Marc was going to take on.

And his boss tried to make him sign it in a hurry, because it was already late.

But Marc was like, "Uh, we didn't agree to most of these things in that meeting." So they had to have another meeting.

And Marc said "I get paid at a 'Level 2' salary and I will happily do Level 2 work, but not more than that. I just don't need the added stress." And his boss was all in a huff, angry, taking it personally, not understanding why anyone would not be scraping and scrambling to get up the corprorate ladder. He even got out the pay chart hoping that would entice Marc to strive for that hope of a few extra pence. But it was clear that that did not impress him.

So after getting huffier and huffier, he outright threatened Marc. He said, "Part of being a Level 2 partner [employee] is showing that you care about the financial success of the business. Showing you have interest in personal progression (up the ladder)."

And Marc was like, "I am very interested in personal progression, but we have different definitions of progression."

And his boss responded with a downright threat to dock his pay.

So Marc's like, "To be honest, I will be shocked if my pay is reduced, since I am the best worker on the section. But, we simply disagree on what my personal progression should be, and I can't have things on the form that I did not agree to."

I can just imagine the boss's report: "Marc has been trained in pretty much every course, he's miles ahead of everyone else in the section, a reliable, hard worker, highly competent to run the section when managers are away, very popular with customers, an excellent worker. But he does not cultivate an interest in the profits of the business, nor does he display an eagerness to progress in the company. We shall heretofore pay him much less."

It's beautiful.

Oh the drama! The moral struggle of it all! If he gets downgraded, should we should celebrate it as a sign of personal progression?