Loving Your Job (Or Not)

The Hubster is struggling with a few things these days.  Work is very stressful and he is right in the thick of it.

We work for a small start-up technology company.  Much of our business revolves around very confidential and proprietary information.  This is true of many small technology companies, as the crux of their business needs to stay private to ensure success.  So all of us have signed a non-disclosure agreement.

The Hubster just uncovered (after a bout with insomnia) that one of his employees (and friend) posted his resume on a very public Internet forum.  After reading this resume, the Hubster found out a few things.  #1 His employee is looking for a new position as the resume had very current information on it.  #2 The employee took credit for doing all of the work that the Hubster did in the accomplishments section of the resume.  #3 (and the most upsetting) A lot of confidential and proprietary was disclosed.  To the Internet.  For everyone and their friends to read.  Including our competitors.  #4 This employee assured the Hubster that he was not looking for new employment and he was totally committed to getting this job done.

This poses multiple problems.  I completely and totally understand how devastating it is to have accomplishments that you worked so hard on, be touted as someone else's idea.  It stinks.  And I know that having someone lie to you about their intentions is frustrating and a betrayal of trust. Unfortunately, this is the least of our problems in this case.

The real problems are that this employee is looking for another job (when we clearly need him to help at *this* job) and that he disclosed all this super confidential information.  There were write-ups and meetings with all supervisors involved and promises to stop disclosing and blah blah blah.

The Hubster is not over this.

My husband, the most awesome husband ever, has only ever worked for one man.  My current boss.  This is so very rare, I'll repeat it again.  Paul has only ever worked for one man in his entire professional career.  They've worked together in Buffalo, Boulder, and now at this current company.  The Hubster has also always worked at small start-up companies.  He has been so supremely dedicated to his boss and the (small) industry that we work in that he really has never contemplated doing anything else.

Me?  I'm the complete opposite.  This is my first time working for a small company.  I'm used to feeling like a number and having the rotating door of people.  My first job out of college was at one of the big four accounting firms.  I'm not sure if you read my blog back then, but I was there for 5 years and the firm worked me to. the. bone.  I'm an accountant for goodness sake - but I have worked 36 straight hours, I've been treated like total dog waste, and fantasized that if I won the lottery, I'd drive to the office, put my laptop into the elevator, hit the 36th floor, and the mean partner and manager would find my laptop in the elevator and know that I quit.

I've also worked for a very large health-care organization.  It was a small company in comparison to the accounting firm, but in many ways I was still just a number and when I quit, they found someone to replace me quite quickly. 

My most recent foray into large companies was a one of the largest (they argued it was *the* largest) camera companies in the world.  A very recognizable Japanese company.  They employed so many people all over the world, that when I left, I think they disinfected my computer and handed it to the next person in the HR line.

The Hubster doesn't get it.  He doesn't understand how people aren't totally in love with their job.  Because Paul is totally in love with his job.  He would be a polygamist if he could with me and this job.  He's a rare find.  And he doesn't get how his employees aren't the same way.  

This makes me very sad for him.  Paul is the most loyal person I have ever known.  And he really is very confused about the fact that other employees might not be as in love with their job and looking for something else.  Poor guy.  I love him to bits.  He just has no idea what it's like to hate your job.

I used to come home from the camera company crying about how much I hated it.  My co-workers just outright mean to me.  I was doing entry-level work and I hated every single minute of that job.  The Hubster couldn't understand why I was so unhappy.  I think because he's never really had a job that he didn't love 99% of the time.

I guess I should just sum this post up to say that the Hubster is having a rough time with someone he thought was a friend and coworker.  So keep both of them in prayers this week as they navigate this new situation.