As the Sheriff of Mecosta County, I have found how important dividing your time
is between the people I took an oath to serve and protect, the staff I am leading
and working alongside and the meetings with other law enforcement and
administrative individuals. Due to my role, it has been more evident that
administrators, whether it is governmental, educational, health agencies, or our
secondary educational systems, have become increasingly distant in the care and
wellbeing of their employees. It is because of this, in each of these industries we
are seeing people unhappy and not supported. In some of these cases there has
been an exodus from these employers to better employment opportunities where
their work, and themselves, personally are appreciated for the work they do.

 

In some of these instances, instead of looking at providing their employees the
best environment and tools to be successful, while doing so in a fiscally
responsible way, they instead go the cheap route. Cheaper is not always the right
or best way for you and your employees. In a lot of cases this is just a quick fix
that will come around and cost them more in the long run. Whether it is health
insurance, or the equipment provided, cheaper is not always better. I understand
that health care right now, regardless of what you get, is outrageous, but every
opportunity should be made by employers to shop around to find the most
reasonable and best options available. (And is accepted by medical providers in
the community)

It has been two-plus years since COVID-19 showed how important essential
frontline workers are to governmental agencies, healthcare, secondary education
systems, local businesses, but most importantly to our economy. It is our
frontline workers who make the biggest difference in our society moving forward
in this tumultuous time. Yet, they are regularly treated as a number and cost to
be managed, rather than the asset and people they are that should be
empowered and supported.

 

Before being bought out by one of our health care conglomerates, the prior
health care system in our county had the slogan “High quality healthcare with a
personal touch”. Sadly, this organization and others nationally and locally have
lost sense of personal investment with their employees and the communities they
serve or provide services or products to.

 

Due to a lack of support, too much oversight, or micro-managing I have seen
quality employees resign or be relieved of their posts and positions. Some have
moved on to different positions where they are appreciated locally with other
organizations, but, sadly, some have left the area, finding work elsewhere. Not
only are these organizations losing good people, but we, as a community are
losing morally grounded, well-respected professionals who have been valued
assets to the area we live in.

There has been an increasing demand of employees by a segment of
administrators in our society. They are demanding more and more out of their
employees without providing additional support to aid them in doing their jobs.

 

The pursuit of the almighty dollar by some in our society has made us lose our
way on the path of life. I feel employers, while holding to ideals of providing the
best service possible, need to remember there is often an unseen cost. Is the
bottom line, i.e., profit, worth the type of demands placed upon employees that
keep them from their families? How is that beneficial? Happy employees are good
employees. When you have good employees, whatever they do is done so with a
personal touch.

Government and health agencies, businesses and our education systems need to
start putting their workers on top of their hierarchy of needs and responsibilities
and do more coaching and supporting them rather than controlling their
members. This type of change will aid everyone in that organization.

Our top line administrators need to remember they can support and empower
their employees while not enabling them. A segment of our governmental
agencies, education systems and businesses have lost their path and sense of
what is important. It is time to loosen up the restraints they have on the people
they oversee and revisit their approach on what is important in running a
successful agency or business.

Without Pensions, there are very few things that keep people’s commitment to
an agency or company. We need to create a place of employment where workers
find ‘Job Satisfaction’. The administrators should be spearheading a campaign to
create a culture within their respective agencies or organization which make
perspective workers flock to their front doors wanting to work there.