We’ve all heard the stories of the model elite who might have only gulped a Pepsi and a carrot in between shoots for days at a time and the resulting burnout, but what we don’t hear about is the work life balance, or lack there of for those working behind the runway. I’m sure this story is not the norm, but it makes you wonder about how much time we spend working in situations that shun exalting the human experience in the workplace.
I recently spoke with an executive assistant who works for an iconic global fashion company which will go unnamed as my source wants to hang onto the job situation for now despite a tough working environment.
She works in a tiny cubicle in the production area of this organization which she describes as a “two-by-two foot jail cell.” It’s not the size of a regular cubicle. And there are about a dozen of them all bunched together on one side of a large loft-like space. The rest of the room is cluttered with racks of clothing, material, tables with stuff and the constant in and out rush of delivery people.
“I can be on the phone working and despite wearing headphones connected to my computer, I hear everything,” says my source who went on to say it’s one of the most challenging work environments she’s ever had to endure. Here’s why:
- Tiny cubicles bunched together
- A raging manager who apparently screams at the employees on a whim. Apparently they are used to her after 20 plus years.
- The company has blocked all social media sites and doesn’t allow for even music streaming for relaxation.
- Because there are people there from every part of the world, they have different cultural customs that wack into each other in a company without any diversity training.
- The workers also speak different languages and according to my source yell at their husbands in different languages on the phone all day long which is distracting.
- Because the competition is so fierce in high fashion, the office atmosphere is infused with a consistent tension that even the most serene meditative being, which my friend happens to be, gets thrown on occasion.
- There is no effort on the part of management toward boosting morale, employee engagement or loyalty.
- Water cooler gossip is rampant.
- The hours are concrete with no chance of flexible working arrangements.
- Calling in sick period, or especially for family reasons is frowned upon.
- This busy office space is noisy and overloaded with sensory stimulation which is very distracting and makes it hard to concentrate.
- There’s an “every man for himself” mentality that corporate doesn’t seem to mind. Keeps people on their toes.. or does it?
When human beings are not treated well, some of the following might occur:
- They’re unhappy and stressed making them less productive in the workplace
- They have difficulty in their work life merge and take work home with them for fear of not performing
- They become stealth fighters without compassion ready to stomp on everyone in their path
We are living and working in a 24/7 global marketplace. How can we play together in our diverse work pool, better handle the demands of our attention crash due to concerns about competition - and finally – make the workplace healthier? The demands of the time call for nothing less than a culture shift in our attitudes. Is the fashion industry - or just this one persons account - really any different from other sectors? Seems not.
What are some innovative approaches to workplace diversity and handling the stress of a competitive working environment?
