Do you have an organizational chart? Look in your Policies and Procedures Manual. The chart has little boxes filled with names and job titles for all the employees in your company. It includes (literally) the lines of authority and responsibility that you follow with a clear chain of command. For most of us, it's neat, clear, and easy-to-understand. The chart enables you to understand your place in the work world.
Then, there's the other organizational chart. You won't find this one in any Policies and Procedures Manual. Just when you thought you've figured out who does what for whom -- you realize things are not as they appear. In most companies, you figure this out on your own. Sometimes, other employees will help you. It's elusive. There is no actual document. Every organization has one. It's the ebb and flow. It's the power chart.
The power chart is about the men and women you work with who get special treatment. They're the employees who don't have to follow the chain of command on the organizational chart or the written rules in the Policy and Procedures Manual. Why not? They're "protected" by the powerful people they work for -- or who work for them. They can be male or female -- supervisor or support staff. Either you're in this group, or you're not. In all sorts of groups -- sports teams, extended families, a three-person office, or multi-national corporations -- there's the official chart and the other unwritten, unofficial chart.
If you're one of those "special" people, you may be interested in the following information: An online article written on February 9, 2010, by staff writer Jessica Dickler of CNN Money, reported when the recession began in December 2007, there were only 1.7 workers per job opening. A little over three years ago, if you were unemployed and looking for work -- you were competing with one other person for the same job opening.
In an article dated September 27, 2009, Peter S. Goodman of The New York Times wrote that unemployed Americans now confront a job market that is bleaker than ever in the current recession and employment prospects are getting worse. He said, "Job seekers now outnumber openings six to one." So, if you're unemployed right now, there are five other people applying for the same job you're applying for -- who think they're just as qualified as you are. That's a sobering statistic.
If you believe you're entitled to "special" treatment because of your place on the power chart in your organization, you may want to tread carefully. It may be time to re-think your position.
Have you been playing at plowing your fields, growing and harvesting your crops in FarmVille while at work? Texting your BF? Playing Solitare? Updating your MySpace page? Running your crime business on Mafia Wars?
Facebook statistics show there are more than 400 million active users. Out of those 400 million users -- 50% of them log on to Facebook on any given day. More than 100 million users are currently accessing Facebook through their mobile devices and more than 35 million update their status each day. FarmVille has over 82 million monthly active users. Mafia Wars has over 25 million monthly active users.
On August 10, 2009, Proofpoint.com released a survey concerning social media networking. US companies are taking a much more forceful approach with offending employees -- eight percent of US companies surveyed reported terminating an employee as compared to four percent in 2008.
Have you been taking your breaks more often and for too long? Interrupting the normal workflow of the organization demanding your project has top priority over any other company project? Believing you're exempt from being asked to assist others in the company? Calling in sick more often so other employees have to take up the slack for you?
A survey on absenteeism in 2008 conducted by CareerBuilder.com showed 33% of workers played hooky from the office; calling in sick when they were well at least once that year. In that same survey, 31% of employers surveyed reported that they checked up on their employees who called in sick and 18% of them were fired for missing work without a legitimate excuse.
In these difficult economic times, where many people are losing their jobs, you may think you're immune or that you're "protected" from scrutiny by the power chart. Abusing your "power" could put you in the unemployment line. Check the power chart -- it may have changed.
Imagine for a moment that you're doing something in your workplace -- other than working -- and the person with all the power in your organization walks up right behind you and asks, "What are you doing?"
Why would you want to jeopardize your job if you have one right now?
