Symbiotic Relationship

In my previous blog post What Is A Right? I divided up the four basic variations of human rights as it pertains within a social and political framework. It is important that I go on a brief tangent expressing the relationship between an employer and their employee to define the basic obligations both parties agree upon. There are five main symbiotic relationships: mutualism, commensalism, predation, parasitism and competition.

Mutualism, or the mutually beneficial symbiotic relationship between two entities would generally be the one we all might assume to be the workforce dynamic. Recent research suggests more than half of all Americans are considering a job change because they feel their employers don’t care about their concerns. That is a broad statement lacking sub-context on a variety of reasons to which only a few concerns are justifiable in order for a company to run effectively (from my observations.) Below is a short version of general expectations.

As an employer, their obligation is to take reasonable precautions and care for the health and safety of their employees and the environment they have to work in. Guide and/or instruct policies that regulate work flow in a timely manner so that (A) the employer can grow financially and (B) the employee can live comfortably to support their life. And divide work flow effectively and efficiently amongst an appropriate amount of capable individuals to accomplish the companies goals.

As an employee, their obligation is to take reasonable care for their own health and safety as well as that of others. Comply with any reasonable instructions, policies and procedure given by their employer, business or controller of the workplace. Demonstrate competence and reasonable effort towards one’s job title as it pertains to their assigned roles and responsibilities.

So, what concerns are not being met and are they reasonable one’s to have? From my view, if they people hired are of appropriate skill and experience, they should have an adequate compensation for their time and energy put in based on the size of the market and cost of living within the city they reside in. They desire opportunity to move up and develop within a company as well as those who take initiative to receive recognition for their beneficial effort.

Now, a weakness has been revealed since mandatory quarantining became a thing, pointing out an out-of-date fallacy regarding how companies operate in order to function properly. With the digital age, employees want flexibility to become a permanent part of their work lives. They can get work done without having to be at a desk because communication no longer requires people to be near one another.

Thinking about parents who worry about their child at every turn, the ‘Helicopter Parent’ pays extremely close attention to their kids' activities. These employers worry about what will happen if they let go of their control, doubling down on restrictive measures or monitor privileges, e.i. allows one day a week to work from home, but it cannot be Monday’s or Fridays or alternatively work “nine-nines” (nine hours for nine days) to be granted every other Friday off work.

Meanwhile, the same is true about the opposite. ‘Lawnmower Parents’ are the new Helicopter Parents — only they might be worse. Like the gardening tool they are named after, lawnmower parents cut down any obstacle that could stand in their child's way. These employers fully embrace the concept, trusting their employees to maintain competency and reasonable effort, regardless if they have proven the ability to do so, e.i. allowing their employees the option of a flexible work schedules year-round or work in office eleven months to earn the twelfth month remote anywhere in the world.

-Busy Brain