Small vs. Large

With working at a small business policies and procedures are the main focus. After starting my job in December of last year, I read the employee manual cover to cover and found that I wouldn't be eligible for vacation until after I worked with the company a year. However for a friend of mine who works for a large hospital she received vacation after her 90 day trail period which consisted of 3 weeks with multiple paid holidays. I, on the other hand, only have seven paid holidays. If I should ever be ill and unable to make it through a day of work, that is considered an unpaid absence. However when part of our office expanded to a different state I was given more duties which included working with sensitive company files and was told that after employees have worked with the company for a year, any sick days are like paid holidays.

Most recently, I've found that some people are frequent sick day users and must have really weak immune systems. I understand getting sick or catching the flu every once in a while, but about every 4 weeks a little absurd in my opinion. I should probably knock on wood sometime soon. Also another qualm with working in a small company and inhabiting a small office/work environment...germs seem to linger in the air and wait to pounce on their next victim. This past winter, when one person in our office was sick, it would spread like the plague (I'm not even exaggerating here). At my desk, back in the office, I have anti-bacterial hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes and of course extra swiffer sheets to frequently dust behind my monitors. Having found out that I have allergies in early middle school, I just try to keep out of contact with dust, mold, and cats. I'm not a fan of getting sick and missing work and then not getting paid the full amount, since we only get paid once a month...not a huge fan of this aspect either.

Working in a small business atmosphere is definitely an experience I'll remember if and when I move out bigger and better things. I mean, I can tell you the names of everyone I work with, rather than a large company which remember employee names is a low priority. Some benefits are better than other benefits and then other aren't much to write home about. Sometimes, small is just...frustrating.