I don’t like my job, but I don’t hate it most days. I’m only there because I need the money and conditions are decent. I clock in, do my thing, clock out and try to enjoy my hobbies and eat decently.
I don’t believe most people would disagree with what I just wrote.
Mine is a blue collar job, physically demanding. The last 2 weeks have been working non stop from the beginning till clocking out, sometimes doing overtime that my employer pays, but not at a different rate. Yesterday I didn’t do my pause. Today I barely did it.
One younger coworker asked me if I enjoy doing my job and I asked him if he’s here as a volunteer. Obviously he is not, but he kept pestering me about me liking my job. I told him I like my hobbies and I’m here to work because I need money.
His is an office position btw, he sits way longer than I do.
By the look of his face you could tell this wasn’t an answer he was ready to accept. To me however, this younger coworker is naive (and stupid).
I plan to keep my conversations with this person to a minimum and not disclosing personal information around him, and I really hope he doesn’t talk to me anymore.
How would you deal with such a character?
Now I wonder if my answer can be used to fire me for ‘lacking motivation’, which is something any employer would write to justify firing somebody they don’t like.
This person is not a manager and is not a close friend of any manager afaik.
Why is this bothering you so much?
The guy wants to enjoy his job. He might think it’s important to be surrounded by motivated people enjoying their jobs. Maybe he’s looking for identity in his work. Whatever he thinks…let him enjoy whatever his mindset is and let him be.
You have a different outlook and that’s fine. Its a pretty important life skill to be able to adapt to the person you’re interacting with. Everyone doesnt welcome varied opinions. You’ve made your position clear and he can’t accept that. If he asks you if you enjoy your job again then just smile and say “yeah it’s not bad”, if he presses then change the topic or find a reason to excuse yourself from the conversation. Also, everyone should be wary of going around work saying “this is just a paycheck, I don’t care”, so caution is advised anyway. You don’t have to lie, you can just keep some thoughts to yourself.
You think your thoughts. Let him think his thoughts. The different thoughts don’t have to bother each other.