labor counterfeiters

Not long ago, Budweiser ran a hilarious TV commercial about its fictional Bud Lite high school, which had invented the “3000 Fake Coffee Cup” that a person could program to run at any time, thus giving the illusion that the person was hard at work somewhere in the office when, in fact, they were lounging somewhere. You may have seen it since it was so much fun.

I’ve met quite a few labor counterfeiters in my time. Most dress quite nicely with sleeves rolled up, ties unbuttoned, or shirts tucked away, anything to make it look like they’re hard at work. They also like to keep their desks cluttered and always bring a lot of paperwork to meetings. You may not have realized it, but they are the same papers they have been carrying around for weeks and they are of no material importance. As the Bud Lite ad indicates, job counterfeiters like to get there early, but they’re hard to find.

Job fraudsters believe that the most important thing is the time they spend during the day, not what they produce. I’m sorry but it’s the opposite. Managers don’t really care how much time you put in during the day, it’s what you produce that they care about most. If they believe otherwise, then they are just as incompetent as the job fraud.

I also see that many young people are aware of the habits of the workplace fraud, particularly the disorganized aspect of the office. Let me ask you something; Since when can a bum get over someone who has the reins? Frankly, I’d rather see people clean up their personal appearance and desk. This would tell me that they are at least organized and disciplined, and not trying to hide anything.

Yes, appearances are important, but being able to produce quality goods and services on time and within budget should be considered paramount.