Posted by
Jeff Petescia
| August 21, 2019
Funny the way it is, if you think about it, how expectation can differ greatly from reality. We grow up with a certain perception of what work will be like, and in many cases, reality is a lot different than what we had imagined. Now, of course, it's never an apples to apples comparison, as different industries and geographic locations yield different work cultures (and some do remain conservative). But in general, we know the working world has changed and become more flexible compared to twenty years ago. Our perspective of work is shaped by things such as television, print ads, and even stock photos. These can sometimes gloss over the truly human aspect of the workplace and portray a cringe-worthy, robotic, sterile, and unrealistic narrative. That's why we decided to have a little fun and compare situations our company encounters to those of stock images, just to show a glimpse of what #realworldhr looks like. Hence, we present to you....
Expectation vs. Reality: Viventium Edition
The Monday Morning Meeting
Expectation: Buttoned up, graphs galore. Reality: Remote, virtual, productive.
Everyday Hallway Chit Chat
Expectation: Suited up in a sterile alien spaceship office. Reality: Coffee, friendly, always professional.
Leaving the Office After a Productive Day
Expectation: Discussing work on the way out. Reality: Discussing life on the way out.
Munch Time
Expectation: A perfectly presented meal with time to sit down and enjoy. Reality: Grab and go! We have clients to support.
That CEO Life
Expectation: A CEO. Reality: Our CEO (yes, that's ice cream in the cooler).
A Team-Building Event
Expectation: Googling "team building activities" and incorporating them into a meeting. Reality: Teams who "scavenger hunt" together stay together.
An Office Birthday
Expectation: Canned birthday celebrations, one size fits all. Reality: Personalized birthday celebration decor to celebrate individuality.
An Employee Work Station
Expectation: A work space that makes you wonder, "Does anyone even sit here?" Reality: The chaos that creates genius ideas...
Working with a Mentor
Expectation: Learning from a mentor. Reality: Connecting with a mentor.
Attending a Trade Show
Expectation: Show up and work the trade show booth. Reality: Live the experience of SHRM 2019!
An Employee on PTO
Expectation: Time away from work. Reality: Time away from work sporting company swag.
A Company Year-End Party
Expectation: Year-end celebration in the office. Reality: Celebrating year-end off-site.This information is for educational purposes only, and not to provide specific legal advice. This may not reflect the most recent developments in the law and may not be applicable to a particular situation or jurisdiction.