“I couldn’t keep up with the paperwork. I’d go home every
night and worry about the piles of un-posted invoices. I never felt successful.”
This employee had worked at our company for twelve years as
an Accounts Payable Associate. She managed the payables for eight of our
stores. Invoices came in daily. Having ALL
of the invoices posted at any one time was an unattainable goal. She would never be 100% caught up.
Several times over the last couple of years, she’s complained
about her piles of unfinished paperwork and I’ve always discredited her concerns
especially when she suggested hiring additional staff. As long as she had the previous month’s
invoices posted (and she always did) by the time I closed that month’s
financial statements I considered her keeping up. Instead I would recommend more efficient ways
she could perform her job.
A few weeks ago, just the two of us were in on a Saturday, she
took this as an opportunity to discuss her workload and our company’s plans
to build a new store this year. This would
mean even more work for my employee. I again
discussed the changes she needs to make in her position to take advantage of
technology and become more efficient. I offered to help her. She still
uses an outdated version of our accounting software that does not support some
of the new features required for her job. She asked if we would consider hiring
additional staff. I again told her no.
The following Monday she resigned. She plans on working for her son at his business.
This employee hates change with a passion and pushes back
when our company requires her to do so, but this does not mean she wasn’t
successful. As she was about to leave for
good I asked her to come into my office, but was interrupted by our company’s
President so I included him in my conversation.
I told him she hadn’t felt successful at our company and the two of us
rattled off all the reasons why she was a success. I could count on one hand the mistakes she
had made. She never voided checks while
her predecessor would hand my boss several voided checks daily. We received
more returned checks mailed to the wrong vendor in one day under her predecessor
than during the entire 12 years this employee worked at our company. Our
President chimed in with how she got along with everyone (he feels this
is more important than her accuracy). He
thanked her for handling all of those irate payable vendors during the
recession with such diplomacy and pleasantness.
He then told her if she ever decided she wanted to come back he would
find a spot for her.
I hope she left feeling like a success.
Personally, I currently feel more successful than I have in the
past. My husband’s semi-retirement at
the end of last year has freed-up my time so I can devote more of it to
work without worrying about cleaning and errands. As much as I complained about the work conference I attended last month, I returned with new ideas and new energy. I’m
also happy with my current blog challenge to live healthy on a budget. I had been floundering in search of a niche
that feels like my purpose and think this may be it.
How about you? Do you
feel successful? Why or why not?
