7 Rewards You Gain Working 30 Years at One Place

I put in 30 years working for the same company.

Isn’t that a lifetime? Yes, it is. And I always heard the same reaction from people when they found out:

“No way. That’s amazing. Really?”

It was as predictable as tourists in Italy wanting pictures of themselves “holding up” the Tower of Pisa. They absolutely have to take that picture. And you can’t help but be surprised when someone stays at the same company—stays anywhere—for thirty years. My Dad retired after working thirty years for the same company. My sister was a school teacher for thirty years. But nowadays the average time for an employee has fallen to about four years.

People usually move on. The “experts” tell you it’s a bad thing to stay at one place too long. It can make you look unmotivated, reluctant to change, resistant to new circumstances.

Well, I worked for an exceptional company. We were family, especially in the early days. I started when the organization was young. It was a privilege to join something special, to be part of laying the ground work, building the process, forming the culture, and driving the success.

When it suddenly ended I was disappointed and disheartened. Tears of melancholy and nostalgia were shed with companions who had shared a journey none of us would forget, and most would never forge again.

Was it worth it? What does working at the same company for more than thirty years really get you? I mean, after all, it’s tough. I felt like quitting numerous times. There were frustrations, setbacks, problems, doubts. We all have them. Every job has its downside. As we toil in exasperation, we can focus so much on the situation that we fail to see the beauty of where we are.

At times we want to walk away. We’re bored and unchallenged. Or we feel left out. Or the executives are making decisions that seem dreadful, draconian, and destructive. We battle constant demands on our time and energy. There’s a constant stream of questions, complaints, phone calls, and emails.

My son-in-law says it’s like being trapped on the carousel at an amusement park, spinning around and around, faster and faster. Then, when you realize there’s no escape, it catches on fire.

I could easily look back and only see dark and dreary shadows of despair. A lot of the things I would do differently. But what really matters—what’s really important—what about those things? What do you really get after thirty years?

I was fortunate enough to stay on the ride until it ended, until they decided to “wind down” the business, until the doors were locked and closed for the last time. And I realized I had more wealth than I could have ever dreamed.

7 Rewards That Were Unexpected Treasures Collected Along a 30-year Run

1. Memories

A lifetime of memories nothing can replace and no one can take away. As I think back now, I’m overwhelmed as they come swirling around me like giant crashing waves.

The people I met and the places I’ve seen can’t be contained in this article.

I still miss the people. Customers. Sales Associates. Managers. Supervisors. Stockers. Truck Drivers. Store Employees. Warehouse Employees. Home Office Personnel. We built shelves and fixtures. We moved boxes, unloaded trucks, and set up displays, working hard, but playing hard too. We laughed and cried, and laughed until we cried.

I traveled up and down most of the eastern seaboard and gulf coast. Las Vegas, Nashville, the Midwest, Chicago, Texas, New York. Niagara Falls, the Grand Canyon, the Gateway Arch, the Great Smoky Mountains. I’ve been on planes, in cars, in boats, walking, running, and climbing. Sure, none of that is exotic or enchanting, but it all came with the job.

Some of my favorite memories are ones I didn’t personally experience. We were a housewares retailer, selling small appliances, cookware, bakeware, gadgets, etc. Our busiest time of year was the 4^th quarter, when everyone’s imagination turns to the holidays. We played a role in celebrations all over the country. I still think about smiles around Christmas trees when gifts purchased in our stores were opened, and cheerful voices around tables overflowing with feasts prepared and served using tools we suggested.

2. Family

In some miraculous way, when you work with people long enough, they become your family. Your work is a second home. It’s a place to grow, make mistakes, learn, mature, and find out who you are. You share your lives. Kids are born. You watch them grow up. You celebrate together. There are football games, proms, graduations, and marriages. And there are hospital visits, losses, and funerals.

I’ll never forget the outpouring of love I felt from my work family when my wife died. Coworkers drove hundreds of miles—some a whole day—to come to the funeral. Decisions made by our corporate office could only have come from a close-knit, loving family.

As much as I love my work family, my special treasure is immediate family. I literally would not have my daughters if not for my job. I met their mom—you can probably guess—because of work. And it happened twice! That’s a story all its own. Let me just say this: Friends at work introduce you to friends who become family. Sometimes those relationships make it and sometimes they don’t. But you wouldn’t have the chance if you didn’t have the work.

3. Friends

Work friends; life friends. I formed deep and strong connections with friends at work. We went through a lot together. You can’t replace those people in your life. You have a bond that has held together through everything and will last through anything.

Even friends away from work are in my life because of work. How? I wouldn’t live in the place I live if not for my job because it’s why I transferred here. And here is where I met some of my closest friends. Had I not been here, obviously, I would never have known them. And my kids would not have their closest friends.

4. Stories

I could fill this page and a thousand more with stories.

Customers say and do the craziest things. They ask funny questions like, “Do you work here?”

Really? You’re asking if I work here? I’m pushing this fixture, filled with hundreds of items, across the entire store, in the middle of the day, with everyone watching, and a line of customers at the register only five feet away. And you’re asking if I work here. No, I’m trying to steal all this and you’re blowing my cover.

Here’s another one: We had a customer who purchased every plate, every cup, every mug, every fork, knife, spoon, frying pan, cookie sheet, and muffin pan we had. Every one. All of them. She said the world was ending on 12/31/1999 and she wanted to be ready. I don’t know what she planned on doing with her stockpile, but I bet she offered some great deals in her spring yard sale.

There are stories from ordinary work days, and from meetings, dinners, and luaus. Yes, I said luau. Hawaiian luaus. But maybe those tales are best left in the minds of the ones who were there. Besides, years of retelling would probably spark an exaggeration or two.

5. Abilities

I can’t list them all here. From carpentry to psychiatry, from managing to cheerleading, from cooking to coaching, leading, collaborating, and listening. I learned about computers, blenders, plumbing, and avocados. And more about food and foodies than I thought possible. We give a lot of ourselves to our jobs, but the return far outweighs our investment.

6. Accomplishments

I don’t want to start a bragging session complete with look-at-me moments. Individual success is important and I’m proud of all I accomplished during my 30-year career. But achievements, awards, and promotions are not earned alone. Our success was shared. My accomplishments aren’t just mine. We did it together.

7. Contentment

I’m a fan of the television series “The Office.” It’s a little wacky and zany, and sometimes hard to watch. But you can’t help but love the characters. As the series comes to an end, in the final episode, Jim Halpert reflects back over his time working at “the office.” I feel like he’s reading my mind:

“I sold paper at this company for twelve years. Even if I didn’t love every minute of it, everything I have, I owe to this job. This stupid … wonderful … boring … amazing job.”

Jim Halpert, character on “The Office”

And me? I would not live where I live, know who I know, or be who I am without my job. Everything I have is because of that job.

Now, don’t scold me. I know a job can’t give you things. God does. But don’t we pray for that? Isn’t it what we want for our kids? Don’t we ask God to bless our family? Don’t we ask Him for friends, and a home, and a place to belong. Don’t we pray for healthy children and a good life. And happiness. And fun times. And a car and a truck and toys and cell phones. Don’t we hope God will provide a secure future and a stirring past filled with peace and contentment?

Well, I got all that. God gave me all that. And He didn’t have to meticulously answer every prayer one at a time, checking them off a list. He just answered one. All the others were answered because of that one prayer, because of that one job.

I remember the day I was sitting at home eating lunch and the phone rang. From the other end of the line I heard, “Would you like to work for Kitchen Collection?”

I answered, “I guess so.”

“If you go there tomorrow, they’ll hire you.”

And just like that, the carousel started spinning.

To those who rode with me, we made it through the fire. We may never be part of something so special again. We were … no … we are family.

While reminiscing with one of my coworkers, he said it best: “It was a helluva ride.” And I’m absolutely blessed to have been on it. I wouldn’t change a thing. Not even the bad times or bad memories. I wouldn’t change a thing because I’d be afraid of losing part of the good along with removing the bad. I don’t want to lose any of it. I have something no one can ever take away.

I have all the wonderful amazing moments that made it the ride of a lifetime.

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