I demand the right to work hard

After talking to yet another struggling peon caught in the corporate grinding wheel, I stumbled upon this great shortlist of things employees should have a right to. It’s from Mary Jo Asmus and her web site (www.aspiretolead.blogspot.com).
Here are what she considers the three most important employee rights, and the ones most lacking today (run through the keyboard of Edward Miller):

The right to do their best work with guidance but without interference. For decades industrial psychologists have been asking workers what they expect from bosses. The answers are remarkable consistent: autonomy and support.

The right to provide their opinions without consequences. Every leader pays lip service to the idea that subordinates have the right to express opinions without fear. It’s a myth. Leaders who can't protect candid conversation will fail to gather the information and insights required for leadership.

The right to contribute to the organization. This is especially true in journalism, where most of us came into the business to “make a difference.” This is another casualty of downsizing. For most people the focus has moved from “contributing” to “surviving.”

You see – it has nothing to do with more pay, longer holidays or more overtime. Most of all we want to be treated as grown-ups. Everybody else in society treats us that way, so why can’t you employers?