but what's the psychology behind working at a shitty company?

롤비매너악질유저박제전국위원회위원장Back in 2019, I was making between 5-8 million won as a waiter. Then I figured I should try the corporate life, so I moved down to Cheonan. At the time, before the Moon Jae-in government's 52-hour workweek law, I worked 6 days a week, 12 hours a day. Actual working time was… 10 hours 20 minutes? 40 minutes? Can't remember exactly, there were breaks in between. Anyway, I worked 6 days a week, 12 hours a day, with one monthly leave day, so I worked 25 days a month. I usually earned between 3.3-3.8 million won (after tax). When I asked people where they were from, most were either from more rural areas than Cheonan, or locals. People like me who came down from Seoul to work at a small company were extremely rare, hard to find. Then I got to talking with a friend who had come up from Gwangju. He said he used to earn 1.8 million won in Gwangju, but now in Cheonan he was making 3.3 million, so he was satisfied. Then the 52-hour workweek law went into effect, and I dropped to making 2.3 million won. At the time, on the small business forum, 99% of people were cursing the 52-hour law, and a ton of people quit. They were all saying shit like 'we wanna work, why are you stopping us, this is fucking shitty.' The place I worked at had about 500 employees.

롤비매너악질유저박제전국위원회위원장i'm writing again as a second comment since the other one got long anyway, it was a place with about 500 people, so my friend was earning 2.3 million won (can only work 52 hours a week) and forced to take 3 days off. anyway, that friend was satisfied with that money? he said he used to earn 1.8 million and came up from there. even with the 52-hour week he was making 2.3 million, so compared to when he was in Gwangju he was earning more and didn't want to move somewhere else. at the time i told him, just come to Seoul with me, i'll help you make at least 500 as a waiter. but i had been working at the 52-hour place for 2 months? or 3 months? then i came up to Seoul and started working as a waiter again. i kept in touch with that friend and told him to come up to Seoul, i'll help you find a spot where you can make at least 4 million guaranteed. after persistent persuasion he came up for a day, tried it, and said he wouldn't do it (i helped him earn 180k for that day). when i asked why, he said he didn't want to bow and scrape and greet people humbly, that it didn't suit him or whatever. as long as he makes money... so he went back down and worked at a small/medium company again... and since i like experiencing different things, i tried loading/unloading work too. the people there also didn't want to try something new even though money comes in right away. for example, they're earning 300-350 from loading/unloading, right? then no matter how much i tell them waiter work is easier and i'll help them make over 400 guaranteed, they won't move. in other words, people working at small/medium companies, loading/unloading, or other jobs - not all of them are like that, but they don't want a new place? new experience? they compare it to their hard times and say this is better now~ this is fine. example: the friend who used to earn 1.8 million in Gwangju, even after the 52-hour week allowed him to earn 2.3 million, he was satisfied with that;; since it's better than Gwangju, even if i introduce him to a waiter job paying 5 million won, he won't take it...

롤비매너악질유저박제전국위원회위원장this is getting long so im writing this as a third reply so from what ive seen at shithole small companies they hate change even if i guarantee i can get them to make 4 million won for sure they wont switch even if i tell them straight up not like 'hey come over you'll probably make some money' but 'you literally cannot make less than 4 million' 9 out of 10 still wont try it theres hardly any pay difference between someone whos been at a shithole small company for 5 years and a new hire and if you stay at one of these places for like 10 years you might become a team lead or something and your pay is still around 3 to 4 million and they probably negotiate salary a bit so people whove been there that long are even less likely to leave they kinda find comfort in remembering how little they used to earn at the shithole small company remember that gwangju example i mentioned earlier they used to make 1.8 million then even with the 52 hour work week they make 2.3 million and that 500k difference is enough to make them feel relieved thats the real small company worker mindset its real i havent worked at shithole small companies for that long but ive been at like 3 places and most people have this mindset they try to settle and be satisfied with their situation for me if someone said guaranteed 10 million a month for shoveling shit no questions asked id quit my current job and switch in a heartbeat but the people at shithole small companies are so settled in their comfort zone that even if you guarantee 10 million a month they wont believe you they keep comparing to their past instead of looking at a better future and just settle into their current reality... most people down in cheonan area came from the bottom so i dont know what the bottom environment is like but they seem mostly satisfied with the small company environment there so they dont switch jobs easily people its a settle for reality mindset no matter how much you explain they absolutely wont change jobs i mean not everyone is like that but most are so unless you grab them by the hair and kidnap them they wont switch jobs warehouses are the same mindset they think if they stay long enough theyll become a team lead or supervisor and someone who actually worked at a warehouse for 5 years and became a regular employee makes about 5 million right so theyre even less likely to leave part timers are satisfied because they get paid right away.. but ive done loading and unloading labor myself and that place is not for humans the pay is way too stingy lol so basically its that gwangju example mindset thats why they dont switch from what ive seen thats how it is