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Hear me out! Before you proceed into this post, try to forget about the rigors and stress you face at your workplace. For those living and working in Lagos state, Nigeria, put the nerve-racking traffic and exorbitant transport fares aside. Breathe in and exhale- keep reading.

As with everything in life, employment has its ups, downs, pros and cons. Most workers across the world are experiencing different forms of abuse and exploitation in the workplace. From being paid meagre sums, working over time without extra pay and sexual harassment, the workplace is a nightmare for some and I can only hope that things get better.

To avoid the difficulties of employment, entrepreneurship is the next option for some. Entrepreneurship, I must say, is not for everybody. There are people who thrive in employment but cannot handle the pressures of running a business or even starting one and vice versa. Regardless of these, I believe that being an employee is cool and I have my reasons.

• Employment gives you a guaranteed source of income. Be it on a daily, weekly or monthly basis, there is the assurance that a particular sum of money is incoming. This gives you the advantage of proper financial planning and budgeting. Nobody likes uncertainty and a salary is a good antidote for it.

• No matter how little or insignificant you think your role is in an organization, your actions have ripple effects that can reflect positively or negatively on the organization’s image. Employment makes you responsible to a large extent. Responsibility is a trait that every adult needs to succeed in all spheres of life.

• Employment offers you a large and diverse networking platform. 60% of the people you know are from your workplace. Even though it’s advisable to keep things strictly professional at work, there’s room to socialize with colleagues. This accords you the opportunity to know them on a personal level, form friendships and build a network. People help people and for this reason, no man is an island. We all need each other in one way or the other.

• Your workplace is a learning space. Employment exposes you to organizational systems and structures which can aid you in the future when setting up your own business or switching careers. Each day, you get immersed in the processes of the workplace and how the corporate world operates. If you pay proper and close attention, you can adopt a thing or two which can serve as templates for your own ideas in the near future. Not everything is taught in a classroom.

• Lastly, you get access to trainings and courses that expand your knowledge. This isn’t applicable to most workplaces but standard organizations ensure that their employees upgrade their skills by arranging seminars and trainings for them. On the fun side, retreats, picnics and end of the year activities are also organized for employees to relax and unwind. In the end, all work and no play makes us dull.

There you have it. Cool stuff right? Working for someone else doesn’t mean total enslavement or a waste of time. Employees are the backbone of any organization because without them, nothing gets done. You’re the real MVPs!

To all workers who have recently experienced a salary slash or lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I can only encourage you to stay strong and optimistic in these trying times. This too shall pass.

Hope you have been well. I had to take a break due to health reasons hence my 2 weeks absence. It’s been 21 weeks of consistency on here and I was due for a time out. It feels good to be back.

Enjoy the rest of your week. 💛