interactions with co-workers

OK, I'm up way too late, because I had too much caffeine and sugar too late.

Anyways, for the last few days I have been thinking about relationships you have with co-workers. In each of the jobs I've had, the interactions and relationships I've had with my co-workers has been different.

In the craft store I worked at, they were mostly ladies I thought were much older than my 18 years at the time. I was in my first year of college and was working evenings and weekends to pay for school and my car. I had a good time with all of them and was really said to see that job end. I may not have always felt like I had a lot in common with them, but there were always conversations and laughs to be had.

My second job (and my fourth) was working in fast food - not exactly a glamorous job, but one that many people seem to do at some point in their lives. My co-workers were for the most part in their early 20s as I was. None of us really loved being there. We were just working because we had to. There really wasn't much in common either - we didn't talk much - mostly just worked.

In between the two fast food jobs, I worked in the cafeteria at the college I attended. In many ways, not too different from fast food. When I returned to the same college for a second year, I was working in the Distance Learning office. Both of those jobs I had a lot in common, as I was at a Christian college and we all shared core beliefs. I actually really enjoyed both of those jobs.

After I graduated, I found a job as a bookkeeper for a repair shop. I had gone to school for accounting so I was working in the right field now. That job was probably my least favourite. I really had very little in common with the other five guys who worked there. And, I really didn't enjoy listening to their temper tantrums and throwing things and swearing when something didn't work. It really was just a filler job until I could find something better.

That brings me to my current job - the one that I love! I get to work in my field, but I also get to be a part of something that helps people to change their lives for the better. And, my co-workers . . . for the most part, they're amazing! We have a good time together - lots of laughing and talking (that's what happens when you have 8 women in an office together). And outside of the office staff, we have so many other staff that come through the office for various reasons and it's enjoyable to chat with them too. This is a job where we actually do things together as a staff outside of work and enjoy one another's company. Like tonight with our skating night. Or a few weeks ago when we went bowling.

There's something about co-worker relationships that can make or break your work life. When you think about it, you spend a lot of hours or your week with those you work with. Having a work environment where friendship with one another is encouraged and built is helpful. It makes the work day go by that much faster because you can actually enjoy it and the people you are with.

Really, I'm not completely sure what the point was to this blog. I've been thinking about this lately, but there's no big conclusions or challenges to draw from this. It just interested me that there were these differences in the interactions and co-worker relationships in my jobs, and you stopped to read my blog so you got my synopsis of my employment history.