Yesterday, today, tomorrow. Would I do it again???

Janet BalchOntario Police College

NENA Conference Durham 2012

NENA 2012

Why did I take this job?Did I know what the job was?

• Fast paced/exciting/fun• Good pay• Wanted to help others• It was the first job offered• Benefits• Looking for a partner

Top 10 Job Expectations• Kind of work: best use of one's abilities and gives a

feeling of accomplishment.• Security: provides a steady employment.• Company: has a good reputation, that one can be

proud of working for.• Advancement: ability to progress in career, having

the chance to advance.• Coworkers: who are competent and congenial.

• Pay: enough to meet one's needs, and being paid fairly.

• Supervision: immediate supervisor who is competent, considerate, and fair.

• Hours: that allow one enough time with family and/or pursue other interests and live one's preferred lifestyle

• Benefits: that meet one's needs• Working Conditions: that are safe,

comfortable and not .....stressful

Still enthusiastic? What has changed?

• Geographic locations • Bigger/Combined ComCentres• Less personal interaction• Technology• Workload• Co-workers: Comms, office, on road.

Could it be me?

Geographic location? Traveling further to work, Traffic increase – Longer commute Bigger ComCentres / Loss of Personal

interaction? More rulesMore co-workers- less relationshipsKnew our co workers more intimatelyHeard the whole call from beginning to end

Technology?What hasn’t changed?CAD systems........Radio systems...Records

Management Systems.....Occurrence reporting

Workload?Higher population...more callsBelief that technology would save jobsTaking on calls that are not police matter

Co-workers (in Comm, our offices, and Road)

Belief of new generation that....Want more time offDon’t make decisions based on a 35 year

career - immediate satisfactionWant to stay in touch with friendsDon’t want to do their ‘time’ in certain

positionsHave less work ethic

My newest co-workers? (millenials) Research on post technology era. On-line survey of

adults in 19 countries including Canada. The findings………

dissatisfaction with the direction society is moving (social, economical, political, environmental) so…….

• the idea of the future doesn’t make us dream anymore

• strong level of distrust and unease about what is to come. (moral decline)

• impairing humans’ ability to think deeply

• Social media/data collection are chiseling away at our privacy

• Ironically, with all the technology we are feeling less connected

• Feeling less satisfied with our own lives• Want order and structure…too much

everything “casual”

**Within the survey it was found that the millennial feel the same way

Is it Me?......One common research finding is.... job

satisfaction is correlated with life satisfaction.......It’s reciprocal, satisfied with life tend to be satisfied with their job...... satisfied with their job tend to be satisfied with life.

Unhappiness breeds discontent........with everything/everyone/every situation

Am I stressed? Why?.........

Could it be......• Geographic locations? • Bigger/Combined ComCentres?• Less personal interaction?• Technology?• Workload?• Co-workers: Comms, office and on road?

Or could it be my perception??.....

Finish these lines• The longer I do this job…..…• The more bosses I’ve seen……..• The more times I’ve gone through

change……• The more I’ve been/stay here…...• I find myself less tolerant with………..• The closer I get to retirement…….

top 5 regrets said on deathbeds I wish.......

1. I’d had the courage to live a life true to

myself, not the life others expected of me

2. I didn’t work so hard

3. I’d had the courage to express my feelings

4. I had stayed in touch with my friends

5. That I had let myself be happier

Didn’t work so hard.

• Missed their children growing up, their youth

• Missed their partner’s companionship• Put off going back to school• Had to pay the big mortgage

Simplify your lifestyle and make conscious choices along the way

Courage to live a life true to myself, not others expectations of me.

the most common regret • dreams gone unfulfilled...like

travel ....living somewhere else....trying a new career, hobby etc....

• due to choices made, or not made• freedom very few cherish, until they no

longer have it (or the health to enjoy it)

Courage to express my feelings

• Suppressed feelings to keep peace with others. Settle for a mediocre existence never became who they were capable of being.

• Allowed others to make your decisions

Can’t control the reactions of others. But speaking honestly raises the relationship to a healthier level

Stayed in touch with my friends• So caught up in our own lives and let

friendships slip by over the years. Deep regrets about not giving time for friends

• Feel too ashamed to contact them now• There is a reason you chose them for

friendsSocial networks, ex. Facebook,

allows us to keep up with friends......then make the time to connect

Let myself be happier.• Stayed stuck in old patterns and habits

(complaining, negative talk) • Fear of change allows us to pretend to

others, and ourselves, that we are content. Deep inside, we want to laugh and have silliness in our lives again.

• Can anyone else make you happy??Happiness is a choice. Make the choice!!

still

job satisfaction is correlated with life satisfaction........so.......

Find a way to get back!!