You see, back in 2000, I worked in a food factory as a supervisor. I was newly graduated with my degree in Nutrition and the job was the only way to get money without extorting my parents. The pay was great, with only five hours of work.
I was in charge of the evening shift, starting from 6.30 pm till 11.30 p.m. There were only six men…. oh okay, boys under me, all lowly operators with no great skills. Our job was to cut tapioca roots and prepare them for cooking. The tapioca fritters produced by this factory was phenomenally delicious, but still young for the market. The product was very new and still under development.
I am proud to say that the manager was happy with my job – really happy. Me, with my six men crew, produced TWICE the output than the day shift, which was THRICE our number. Yes, seven guys produced twice the amount of tapioca fritters than the whole day crew of eighteen men strong. And we worked in lesser hours than them too!
The secret to my success was by giving the men what they want, as long as they remember to work hard and on schedule. I admit that I am an anti social from birth, but to make it happen, I had to befriend my co-workers, talk with them and of course WORK with them. Sometimes I felt like a stupid supervisor who never supervise but work with the lowly peons at that factory. Cutting and dicing the tapioca before cooking is hard work, and there were tonnes of the damn roots!
Anyway, let’s get to the baddies of this true story. My success with my men was the thorn at the sides of the three OTHER supervisors of the day shift. Reasons to hate me were many; 1. They hated me because I created better results with fewer manpower in lesser time. 2. I have a degree in Nutrition. They only graduated from secondary school. They thought I am after their job. 3. The little men and women of the factory liked me better because I worked with them, and not sitting in the office all day like some people. 4. The three supervisors were Chinese, and they have this superiority complex about me not being one of their own. etc. I knew I was better than the three of them combined, but I never rub it against their filthy noses….
So, these three evil supervisors ganged up and met the manager of the factory. They told the boss how uncooperative I was to them (dammit, they always speak in Chinese!! How am I supposed to join the talk). They also slandered me by telling lies about me letting the men slack at work etc etc. These three would not want to work with me under the same roof.
The manager was a very wise man, and he knew that most of the accusations were false. But he had to keep these three sons-of-dog-of-female-persuasion because, believe it or not, they were the Director’s relatives!! Nepotism at the very best here.
Anyway, to cut the story short, I was given the sack, with two months payment in advance. The manager was so sorry to see me go, but… Hell, I understand how he felt. It’s hard to make the people up above happy.
But that’s not it the end of this tragic tale…. A week after that, I met one of ex-worker at a night market in town. Expressing my surprise to see him there, not working, he said that he quit – that THEY ALL QUIT the factory after receiving news about me getting fired. All means EVERYBODY, including the day crew.
They all hated the snobbish supervisors anyway.
They all hated the snobbish supervisors anyway.
I am happy to say that the factory had ceased to produce food, the supervisors sent to work somewhere else and now, another company took the building for construction business. The experimental food product is no more.
So what do you think, eh?
Ramblings by
