Mikeypm

I watched that as well and it was interesting to hear about his humble beginnings

scrubbedexpat091

Too many companies these day's see employees as a liability and nothing more.

Former CEO of Southwest said it best, and you know generally overall its worked well for them, not perfect, but their success would not have happened has they not taken care of their employees.

Good quote:

"Your employees come first. And if you treat your employees right, guess what? Your customers come back, and that makes your shareholders happy. Start with employees and the rest follows from that."

-Herb Kelleher

Many people get tied up in titles and don't respect those in low end jobs which is also wrong, doesn't matter if your a doctor, nurse, pilot and so on, all should be treated as humans, not by their title at work.

"One piece of advice that always stuck in my mind is that people should be respected and trusted as people, not because of their position or title."

- Herb Kelleher

These quotes still pertain to today's wold, its just unfortunate companies and business leaders today don't see things this way.

It's simple happy employees = happy customers = happy share holders, its not rocket science.

Shard

+1 on many SME being quite responsible or paying within their means.

One solution would be to offer smaller business tax credits that subsidise the premium on minimum wage.

BristolUK

You're kidding, right? Maybe not.
I suppose it is possible that in every group of McDonalds workers there is a Harvard Business student or someone similar working there to help with course financing who then decides that he or she has a future in selling fast food and, thus, comes up with a business plan.

Assuming that financing is actually not a problem because the banks are lining up to help these entrepreneurs fund the acquiring of all these suitable properties everywhere just crying out for someone to turn them into a burger joint and the cost of the equipment needed etc, most of the staff are likely minimum wagers dependent on a regular income so they can pay their rent. and car loans and stuff.

How do you persuade them to jack in the security of their work for an established company and go work for a new one without the muscle, experience, reputation of their current one?

And if every burger bar manages to sprout up another because a group of workers in each one went there own way that would kind of overload the market wouldn't it? Unless consumption of burgers doubled, each business would be selling fewer wouldn't they?

Sort of makes it a bit less viable. To the point that even if that Harvard student-come-burger flipper came up with an impressive business plan, the banks might think that another 6 burger bars on top of the 6 already in the area might not be sustainable and wouldn't agree the financing.

BristolUK

Or "let them eat burgers" to update it somewhat.

Almost Canadian

I have never told him to eat cake or anything similar. If he wishes to, he can continue to work the same jobs that he has worked and he can continue to complain about his situation and expect it to change.

Personally, I wouldn't do that but, then, that is just me. I came from an incredibly poor background but I chose not to let that fact define my entire life.

Shard

The eat cake remark was not in reference to JS but to the disadvantaged generally. And there is more to disadvantage than mere poverty.

Aviator

...and many business owners (corporations included) help the disadvantaged - from profits!

There are plenty in our society who cannot work or have the luxury of even minimum wage, they have to try and survive on the charity of others and paltry govt. payments that are not even close to minimum wage.

JamesM

Measly donations where they spend more on the PR than the actual cause.

Aviator

Some don't do any PR, they just give for givings sake.

JonboyE

This is spot on. Business makes profit, or keeps prices low, by externalizing its costs. We can only get $3.49 Big Macs if we are prepared to subsidize low wages through our taxes.

JamesM

Not very many and certainly not the corporations. Why do you think sponsorship exits? To promote brands.

Charity should begin at home. Look at the people in your organisation struggling before going external. External is what sells more product.

JamesM

Yes. Then there is the businesses who go off shore taking profits and avoiding taxes completely.

scrubbedexpat091

Well I only have 2 choices, take the jobs offered to me, or not work at all.

It's easy to say go and gain a skill or such, but its very complicated when one lacks the financial ability to pay for school, and isn't academically abled and struggles in school a great deal which eliminates most scholarships, as does age.

Not to mention there are no schools in my region, and moving to Vancouver would be a financial nightmare because rents are beyond what we could pay.

So like many who earn a low wage, i have to take what is offered based on my current skill level, and in 2014 those skills don't lead to a good wage.

Almost Canadian

There are other options. It is a judgement call for you to make whether you choose to look for them.

I was medically discharged from the Army due to contracting diabetes. In a very short space of time, I lost my accommodation, my health and my job. I had little money and I put myself through school (not using any form of scholarship) while also raising a son. It can be done.

There are options available to you and it will make no difference to my life if you choose to exercise them, or if you don't.