One good deed too many

As a shop owner, you can develop many valuable relationships through business and community involvement. Successful shop owners and managers are often looked to for community leadership and your contributions will generate respect.

While I applaud such efforts, your role as a professional businessperson will also open you up to numerous requests for help. But for every good deed, more requests will come, because once you’re known for having a willing heart, you may be contacted more frequently than you intended.

Your efforts to help humanity and will likely lead to employment requests from those who “just need a chance.” Problem is, there’s a never-ending supply. As recently as mid-May, I was asked if I’d give a recent parolee “another chance.” Although a few of our current employees have overcome experiences at the “state hotel” and became valuable employees, I couldn’t accommodate this one.

We all know people who’ve encountered difficult circumstances. Our company has certainly employed our share. Unfortunately, most just-need-a-chance candidates don’t last and they aren’t appreciative of the opportunities provided.

Recognition isn’t important to me for whatever good deeds our company may attempt, and I decline most attempts to publicize our efforts, in part because it’s distracting when people look at your company as one suited to employing sketchy characters. It shouldn’t be assumed that companies with blue-collar positions are social organizations looking to employ goofballs with troubled pasts.