Sometimes focusing on the negative doesn’t give the positive examples a chance to shine. (Provided photo — Diane Chase)

Two different stories merged when I conversed with a contractor about work ethic. It was a side of the story I hadn’t considered.

Our talk came from his point of view as a worker and employer. It made me think how easy it is to lump everyone into one massive pile of laziness. We often give negativity more airtime and forget to acknowledge the positive side of things.

We discussed how balance is needed. It isn’t helpful to state that all people are lazy. He focuses on his excellent workers and uses their recommendations to widen his pool of workers. Sometimes he’s successful, and sometimes he is not.

He brought up conversations he’d heard focusing on employees’ lack of work ethic, pointing fingers at anyone from students/children to adults. The statement is often followed up with “back in the day” or “when I was growing up,” indicating that the good old days brought only highly functioning, driven, honorable workers. Some employers may reference their childhood and how they were never allowed to be lazy and were such obedient little soldiers. We wondered if their parents remembered their children’s work ethic with the same rose-colored glasses.

He then brought up a side to the business I had not considered. He mentioned risk. It wasn’t the risk of hiring unfamiliar people and taking on new business. Those are standard parts of running a business. The trouble was to his reputation. He didn’t take on specific clients if he found they were keyboard warriors complaining about service or delays. He now makes sure contracts include the possibility of delay. He said impatience and lack of communication were the two most significant obstacles. In a world where people mock cancel culture, the same people also encourage cancel culture. It feels like an ugly cycle where we want jobs completed, but workers are cautious because one bad review can destroy their occupation.

Many employees don’t put in an effort, show up late, or don’t listen. There are also plenty of successful, hardworking people. The focus should be more individual than generational. I also was surprised to find out that some establishments are reluctant to take on new business for fear of how the client will react. We wrapped up our talk without solving any issues but learning more about each other. That may be how we all proceed. We try to see the other person’s view. It doesn’t mean we have to agree.