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| 03.02.2007On Free Agency
When I first started reading this article I thought to myself "Yep, that's a great idea for managers to get their employees to sign on to the project..." I was expecting an article on how managers could do that. Instead I got an article about "lifting the veil" of "developers jumping ship like clockwork" and that we should embrace an "open marketplace" of free agents.
I think it's sad that people are advocating these kinds of actions. I think it's a bad idea for people to take these kinds of attitudes with their employment relationships and I think it's just an excuse to be selfish. That's what employment really is... a relationship. There are good relationships and bad ones but the idea is that both parties in the relationship benefit in some way. I'll even dare to say that the employment relationship 'should' be a love relationship.
Now let me define what a love relationship is and is not. Love is not a feeling, it's a choice. You can choose to love someone or you can choose not to. There are plenty of times when I don't like my wife, but I choose to love her and stay with her. How would my life be if every time my wife does something that I don't like, I jump ship and go find another wife? No, I choose to ride out those tough times and by doing so, I strengthen our relationship. I choose to be loyal to her and she feels peace that I will be there and that she can depend on me.
It's similar in our employment relationships. People shouldn't just be at a company only when it's convenient for them and jump ship when they get put on a project that's "just not your cup of tea." And in turn, the employee should feel safe that their employer does everything possible to keep them employed.
If people would simply change their attitude, they might see a big difference. You never know what kinds of things you'll learn on projects that you don't like.
"Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference." ~Winston Churchill
"Happiness is an attitude. We either make ourselves miserable, or happy and strong." ~Francesca Reigler
"The only disability in life is a bad attitude." ~Scott Hamilton
"Human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes." ~Norman Vincent Peale
"Free agency allows studios to add talent only when it is required, and to remove that talent from the balance sheet as soon as it is no longer required."
This kind of talent is called contractors. Contractors are a great thing if used correctly but that doesn't mean you shouldn't have the majority of your employees be full-time. When the unfortunate time to downsize comes, the employer has a portion of contractors to let go first. This gives the employer room to try it's hardest to be loyal to the full-time employees and keep them employed. Contractors know that they are contractors and they sign up for this kind of treatment. Both parties know what they are getting into when they sign the contract. But I believe an entire industry of contractors, or "free agents", will increase the "lack of access to good and especially experienced talent."
Just my 2 cents...-Eric Gilbert
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Letters to the Editor
