Jobseeker's Diary: These perks bosses wallow in...

A recent Harvard study highlighted something we already knew. That bosses are less stressed than their employees. Managing people can be challenging but the rewards more than make up for the pain, if any. From fat paycheques and bonuses to exclusive amenities and unlimited travel, these people have it good. What our boss spends on airtime and fuel in a matter of days amounts to what some wait an entire month for. I don’t get to go to his office often but when I do, I don’t want to leave. It’s like a living room. And not just any living room, but that kind that makes you think of a lounge. Wall-to-wall carpeting, 60-Inch Plasma, music system and other gadgets whose names and functions I don’t even know. His desk is so big and uniquely designed, compared to mine which is really a cheap piece of wood spattered with a little vanish. It’s so small that if a friend pulls up a chair for some gossip during lunch break, our legs touch. My boss also has a leather sofa and a mini kitchen in one corner. Yes, there’s that much space in his office. I wonder how he gets anything done with those many distractions. Wait, he doesn’t do that much. I’ve worked here long enough and so know who the real soldiers are. I have a lot of respect for his Personal Assistant. That girl does more than plan his diary and deserves a weekly bonus. It’s not like she can get a promotion! The line managers and supervisors also do quite a lot, as do the rest of us although no one seems to notice. I do know a few things the boss does though. He signs off all the cheques and attends power meetings with stakeholders and other CEOs. And that’s some serious work or else the meetings wouldn’t be held in plush hotels. Our boss always goes out for lunch, often leaving the office at 12:30pm and only returning two or three hours later. You better come in the morning if you want to see him. He has two cars, both provided by the company, and the only reason I don’t have a problem with that is because it presents an opportunity to the second driver. We’re granted paid leave, which I’m grateful for. If only I could do big things with that money and time, say fly to some resort like I’m told the boss does. Instead, I have to endure 10 plus hour bus journeys as do my other colleagues, not to sight-see but to check on relatives and friends. One of the girls is getting married in October and she was telling me how she fought tooth and nail to get the company to even make a contribution. I’m sure if the big man was the one about to take that step, he would have received a generous amount. Reminds me of a senior pastor at an Evangelical Church who was gifted a cruise by his congregation for his birthday a few years ago. Now, he is one hardworking man on top of being a good pastor and if his sheep had no problem sending their shepherd off to a fully paid vacation, neither should I. Except that I do. I think it’s unfair for some people to receive special treatment when they’re not doing anything exceptional. If we work for the same company and generally do about the same amount work, or I actually do more but don’t happen to carry the title of CEO, we should have the same salary range. Why should the boss get full insurance for his family when the salesman with impressive numbers or the guard who secures the premises aren’t covered? When we travel for a conference or training, why should I have to share the cheapest room with another colleague while a senior manager gets the pricey one all to himself? You see the unfairness? To be continued…