A popular arstist in Nigeria once said
You don't have to hurt me before you win.
You don't have to kill somebody before you sin.
"Mohbad
Sometimes people do things without realizing they are hurting others because of the position they find themselves in. They believe that if they do it, there is nothing anyone can do to them, which is why they hurt people so boldly.
There was an incident that happened at one of the previous organizations where I worked. Back then, I was still an undergraduate who was doing his industrial training at one of the best organizations in which I had worked.
As a new worker in that organization, I am yet to understand some working ethics since this is the first white collar job I have ever done. As a young bachelor who was ready to give his all and learn everything I could during my industrial training, I took all the work my boss gave me and did it to the best of my knowledge.
After my interview, I was taken to the management floor because I passed my assessment test so well. Since I was a staff member, I had to take the staff bus, which departs from the company grounds at 5:30 p.m. The office stops all activities by 5 p.m., which means everyone should round up and be in the bus before 5:30 p.m.
On this very day, I had so much on my table to do, and the reason is because I work in a department with 5 extra staff, and they are all senior staff in their area of expertise. As the youngest and most junior staff of them all, I get to run errands for all 5 of them, like buying their food outside the company grounds and washing their plates before closing.
After, I was done with my job for the day, and I had finished all my errands for them. It was 4:30 p.m. when Mr. Shola brought out an Excel document and asked me to rearrange some of the dates on the document. This document file is over 90 pages. "Sir, these documents are much; will I be able to finish them today?" that was all I asked before Mr. Shola snapped. "Make sure it is ready today." I started working on it, and while I was doing so, I was also checking the time.
Immediately, it was 5 p.m, I shut down my laptop and said my good-bye to my bosses. "Where is the document I asked you to work on?" Mr. Shola asks, "I won't be able to finish it today, sir, but I will finish it up tomorrow morning." That was what I said before Mr. Shola started insulting me. Even the other colleague in the office was surprised. "If you know you can't work, then why did you apply here? We would be here working, and you would be rushing home by 5 p.m. Do you think we are here to play? If you don't finish sorting that file, you are not going anywhere."
It was just my third month in the organization, and I was wondering what I must have done to get Mr. Shola to snap at me like that. As he was saying those harsh words, my feelings were so hurt because I was just a new staff member. I was also thinking of the transportation fee that would get me home because I stayed on the outskirts of the city. The bus was a means to minimize my expenditure, save time, and avoid being struck by traffic on public transport.
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I couldn't do anything, so I just sat down, put on my laptop, and continued with the work. It was already past 5:30 p.m., and I'm very sure the staff bus must have gone. Funny enough, every other person in the office has a car they can drive to their respective home, and we all live in different places. None of them have ever carried me in their car home.
It was 6:30 p.m. when Mr. Wale called me to the board meeting room to ask me what was wrong. I explained it to him, and he told me some words I will never forget.
You have done well. When a person who is in a senior position is talking to you, don't say a word. Let them finish. You will go back and apologize to Mr. Shola and tell me why you wanted to leave the office at 5 p.m. so he can understand you more.
After he said those words, he left, and I burst into tears because I had done nothing wrong to deserve how I was treated that day. I have never refused any job or odd errands, so why did he make me suffer? After I left the office that day, I got home at 11 p.m. due to the traffic. The following day, I was asked when I got home, and I told them. Most of them said they were already in bed at that time. Mr. Shola never apologized, but he became nicer towards me.
