Interview 37

I mostly deal with employee progression. So employee progression is similar to recruiting, but it’s like internal. So we deal with mostly just seeing how we could develop our internal employees, what skills they need for the next associate level. So the whole purpose just to get them promoted and ready. To just continue with our company. So it involves a lot of going out to the production floor, seeing what they’re actually doing to day to day, and then speaking with their supervisors, directors, and see what the need is for that department.

S: I think that’s a really interesting job and also important one, because you need to know who is a right right person who could work on this specific task. So usually you do interview to detect those information. Participant #37: Yeah. So it’s like interviews. Also, it’s really important to kind of do follow ups like throughout the whole process, because them get to build that relationship with the employee to see what their goal is, because at the beginning they might tell you, just like surface level, and little by little they’ll get comfortable. And they’ll tell you. Actually, this is what I really want to accomplish, because sometimes they’ll just tell you I just want to move the next level. But the more you get to know them, they’re like, actually, no, I want to get to a supervisor level at 1 point, and that just kind of shows you. Okay, they’re wanting to be here long term. And I think for our company. It’s really critical to. If we have a really good performing employee. How can we keep that and nourish that? Because it’s very difficult to get talent, because we live very far out. So there’s not many towns nearby, so we can get an employee that’s really talented and really ambitious. We really need to see how we could like keep that talent. There.

S: I think it’s really interesting that your goal in your company and the goal of this research is quite aligned, because you know the purpose of this research is how we can keep talented person in Bakersfield, even though our air quality is bad. Okay, I really like to hear more about you. So do you have some flexibility in your work schedule, or where you can work. Participant #37: So for the most part I do have to work on site in lost hills. I do have some flexibility in time. Where? Because I’m I am salary. I can go in earlier. I can go in later, and the hours might vary and depending. If for some reason I can’t stay late. I will take teams meetings from home, or I could also cause we. Our main facility is in lost hills, but we have 3 other ones. We have some 15 min away, and then one up in Fresno. So for Fresno is quite difficult, so we mostly do everything remote unless we do drive out there. So there’s just flexibility. And like sometimes doing video calls.

S: Okay, just curious. Have you been to Fresno.

S: Okay, can you walk us through a typical day, including your working hours, and after your work.

So that’s typically what we do. And I typically review with my supervisor, what changes have been made to some applications, and what is like my goal for the day. If I have to go meet with employees or talk with supervisors or right now we have an intern. So I also go with her like the plan that we have for our intern. Right now I’m kind of shadowing her showing her what I’m doing so that way she gets comfortable to do stuff on her own independently. And then after that, for the most part, I’m only in the office, like wanna say. 3 to 4 h. The rest of the time is on production floor, so I’ll be out talking with employees. Shadowing their work. One of our big tasks right now is trying to get as many job descriptions done. So it’s they typically will show me their job, and then I’ll try and do it myself, just to get a gauge of the physical restraints. What is required like technology, wise like if they need to use a phone, a tablet so like around 70% of the day is out on the production floor. And then towards the end of the day, it’s just doing our Kpi. So I just report back out to my supervisor. Let him know what needs to be done, what I got completed. and just maybe have, like a 1 on one of what I need like help on and vice versa. And that’s typically the day that happens unless a special project comes up that we need to help other departments.

S: After work. Do you relax? Usually indoors or outdoors.

So typically after work, I like to be indoors just because it my allergies do act up at work because of that. So it’s typically indoors.

S: How do you feel about the air quality in Bakersfield?

But I will say for me, I don’t really appreciate the air quality. My allergies act up really badly. And typically I have to wear like a mask when it gets really windy.

S: So when I interviewed people, I could clearly see the difference between the people who, born and raised in Bakersfield, and who came outside of the State or Bakersfield like me. so did you, born and raised in Bakersfield.

S: So. Do you think? Your more adapted to the air quality than others? Or are you more, you know, feel more vulnerable to the air quality compared to the others.

S: Okay. So you know, you know how to handle the air quality by season.

S: Since you lived in Bakersfield, do you think that your perspective on air quality has been changed. So some people think that the air quality has been improved consistently, or some people might say it is getting worse.

S: It’s natural to have our view changed. But were there any specific moment or event or conversation with others that really caused the change of your thoughts, about air, quality.

S: Were there any folks who had suffered by belly fever around you?

S: But you heard horrible story around belly, fever.

S: Now she is good.

S: so since you are scared about the belly fever, I think I assume that you are also scared about the windy day, because we could face lots of dust. I remember that, you know, in our class when there’s a heavy dust, you know, John Bong. he called me to cancel the class whether I would cancel the class. But until then I’ve never thought about. I can cancel the class because of the dust. I didn’t realize that that was related to the Valley fever, and I know that you missed that class on that day.

S: Do you remember what was your feeling on that day.

S: Yeah, I could still remember my eyesight, how it was short, so I could barely see, like 10 foot away. So how many days we in a year we experienced like that? Do you remember.

S: Okay. So 7 days a year.

S: So like that. In what ways do air quality affect your daily activities?

And it overall. It’s just very inconvenient for me. It’s just mostly like my eyes or my sinuses, but I know some people it could affect like their throat or like their lungs. But for me it’s mostly just my eyes.

S: And you think that that’s not severe compared to others.

you know, take them throughout the day, so I should be fine. But if you have like a breathing condition, I think that could be more detrimental to them.

S: Have you modified any work activities due to air quality concerns.

S: Oh, I think wearing masks is also a good, you know strategy to overcome those, you know difficulties. Do you often wear masks in your workplace?

The wind, it gets really. What is it like strong around this time, especially since we kind of live closer to like the host at work. So the wind picks up, and with the harvest the little like particles of pistachios go into the air. So I wear masks to kind of prevent that, and then I always wear my glasses, or sometimes I’ll switch these out for my safety glass, because they do kind of cover from the side, so they’re a little bit better than my normal ones.

S: I also took that glasses and mask. When I worked in Hyundai motors the factory line. It draws the cylinder block, the aluminum. So it puts lots of vapors towards the air, and when I see the some of the employees who went a surgery and had a hole in their neck. It actually scared me.

S: The condition is really bad in the engine manufacturing factory.

S: Yeah. So so you said, you wear mask in order to deal with the air quality in your workplace. But other than that. Have you ever took any actions to deal with the those difficulties like, you know, for example, changing your work schedule, or meeting your people in other date or other time, slot.

S: Have you noticed that the air quality issue impacts your colleagues around you?

S: How do you feel when you hear their coughing sounds, or when they struggle with the air quality while they work.

S: Do you also feel some, you know, thought that you might end up like them, like coughing, or having more severe symptoms related to respiratory. You know symptoms.

I might get to that point, and it obviously I don’t want to be in pain. So I do think about that.

S: How comfortable are people in your workplace with discussing air quality concerns.

S: Hmm! Are there any colleagues who came from other, you know region outside of San Joaquin Valley?

S: let’s talk about it later in the other section. Have you ever shared your personal or family concerns related to air quality issue with your colleagues.

I’m just like, oh, I’m not looking forward to it. My eyes are gonna get runny. I’m gonna start sneezing a lot, and it’s just overall really inconvenient. So I do kind of vent out to them, and then they’ll vent to me as well.

S: How about your colleagues? Did they share their concerns about air quality issue with you?

S: Yeah, did you hear that during the recess for our elementary school Kiddos. They cannot stay inside. because recess is for the time teacher can rest, so they need to go outside and play. even though the weather’s not good.

S: Okay, I think it depends on the teacher. Have you ever wanted to wear a mask, but felt hesitant due to some pressure in your workplace?

So I didn’t want to wear those. Or right now, whenever I have to go speak with any supervisor Director, just because I don’t want to feel like to me in my head, it might seem like rude, even though I know they know how the wonder weather conditions are. But I just don’t wanna have that barrier between them.

S: So. You don’t want to wear a mask, even though the air quality is not good because you don’t want to hurt your productivity in short, right.

S: So sometimes people feel a sense of connection with others when they face common challenges. So we all face common challenges around air quality issue. So that makes people, you know, stay on the same ground. So when you learn that others share similar, you know, environmental concerns like air quality issue. How does that affect you?

S: When you learn that your colleagues share similar, you know air quality issue. How does that influence you?

I started noticing everyone was basically everything that I was struggling with. They were also struggling with as well. So that’s when I was felt more comfortable wearing a mask when I felt it was okay to. And we started giving each other recommendations on like what could help when it got really bad when the air got really bad. so to me, I guess it made me feel more comfortable and comfortable to actually take precaution, because at 1st I was not taking many precautions.

S: So if you’re so with the people who is not quite close. So during the early stage of the relationship. is talking about, the air quality is a topic you can share with the others who’s developing the relationship in your workplace.

So everyone feels comfortable with it. And that’s kind of like a good like icebreaker. But if it’s like during winter, no one really brings it up, and it’s kind of odd if, like you do. S: when in a typical day, when air quality is especially bad, all people are comfortable talking about about weather and air quality issue as icebreaking, you know. Purpose.

S: Okay? And that discussion is typically popular when air quote is not good, right?

S: Okay, I’m just asking, because that was really important information for me to deal with the research. Thank you. And how does that talking about? You know, air quality impacted your discussion. Does that help talking about other issue more naturally.

S: So if they disclose more, you know context around air quality issue and how they are suffering from that actually opens a door to build a, you know. strong relationship. Can I understand like that?

So they like to clarify like, oh, no, it was just allergies, or it’s just the wind, or if it’s because they were out like where they’re roasting or seasoning, because sometimes it could just be oh, sorry, like I’m act like my eyes are acting up, or their water, because that was where they were seasoning the product. So I guess for us, we like to clarify just in case we are sick, so we can kind of keep a distance and take precaution.

S: Do you think that sharing your experiences with air quality has helped you feel more connected with your organization as well.

S: Hmm, okay, have you ever felt isolated due to your concern about air quality issue? So for previously, we talked about how discussion about the air call issue with your colleagues could build a relationship. But were there any opposite? You know scenario where you felt, you know, isolated or felt unconnected regarding air quality issue.

S: Okay. The reason why I ask this question is that some people might think that there might be the only one who is worried about the air quality issue. and so their sensitivity high. But the they might think that the others might not think that air quality issue is not that bad compared to that, I’m thinking so. Have you ever thought about that? Discrepancies.

But they’ll kind of just keep it short, and I’ll elaborate. But I don’t think I’ve had a time where I thought, oh, why aren’t you worried about the air quality? It’s kind of as sad as it is. I feel like most of us in the Central Valley. We know how bad our air quality is, and we’ve kind of came to terms with it. I think that’s maybe that would be the only negative part where they’ve kind of came to terms where it’s bad, but it’s never going to get better. That could be the only type of interaction where they are not very optimistic of the quality, ever improving.

S: Some people from interviews. They don’t want to talk about air quality issue with their colleagues, because sometimes that lead to lead them to talk about political issue. So in order to avoid that they never talk about. You know they never go deeper into the subject of air quality issue. So do you ever felt like those kind of things.

I just like to tread lightly and think well, I had to make sure not to blame it on something specific, because it might lead them to something political, and I don’t want to bring politics into the workplace, because that could just make it messy. And it’s not very professional. I think that’s something for outside of work. So I think we just tried very lightly. But I have encountered before some like colleagues or people I’ve worked with that do kind of make a side comment about something political. But typically we try to end it at that, especially, at least for me. I try to be very careful with what I say, because if I say something, employees will think it’s okay, especially where I work or the department I work at. They’re kind of gonna see me as an example. So I wouldn’t want to do that.

S: So you don’t want to talk about or blame others who’s the source of the air quality issue because it’s not a professional attitude or behaviors.

S: why do you think that your in your organization people are comfortable talking about air quality issue? So I could see that some organization or team. Some of the employees belong to that team does not want to talk about the air quality issue, but I think in your organization, I think your colleagues are quite comfortable talking about it. What? What? What is the secret recipe for that.

so they’re very vocal, and they do take into consider thankfully. They do take into consideration a lot of the suggestions that they give. they do give a lot of resources. I know they do like preventative exams, they give them medications. I think a couple, I would say a couple of months ago it was really windy, and since we do have employees working outside they were providing, like those the masks that actually have. Like the filter, they were giving them all to the employees. They just had to let their supervisor know. And they’re passing them out. And obviously they’re kind of they’re not very cheap, or they’re kind of pricey to give out to all of our employees, and we do have a lot. But I think for our company. We’re very vocal, just because our owners are about wellness. They want our employees to stay healthy, and for the same reason, because it’s very hard to get employees and maintain them with our company. So we like to give that initiative to them. And I think overall, they’re very big on trying to improve become a better company and make more profit. But also, what waste can we reduce that will impact our environment?

S: Wow! I think. Your company is one of the ideal company. Who train their employees, that you know your welding is also important. like the profit they are making. So do you also? Have you ever found some newsletter from your company that talks about air quality.

S: have your concerns about air quality changed because of your organizational zones effort like distributing mask voluntarily. When you know when there’s a heavy wind.

S: No problem. Have you have your concerns about air quality changed because of your organizational efforts, like, you know, distributing a mask when there’s a heavy wind.

S: Have your feelings of connection to your organization changed, based on how it was addressed. Air quality issues.

S: Considering the air quality issues currently, do you see yourself continuing to live and work in San Joaquin Valley in long, long term?

So I would, even with the air quality. I think I would still stay here and want to change, or maybe get into an organization that would help change or give resources to people.

S: Okay, Anna, you’re one of the few people who thinks air quality can change. So I just wanted to know, some background. Why, how have you end up having hope. You know of that? The air quality can be, you know, improved.

I think it’s also because of that reason, because the city’s becoming bigger. I feel like we are getting more for, like better would say, more talent. More people are coming here. So I’m assuming that there will be some people who are inventors or someone that has an idea, especially if you’ve grown up here for a long time. There has to be someone that would want to create make our community better and health, people from those experiences. And I think, from that one peer that I told you that got a valley fever. Her fiance actually he worked at where she was being treated. At at the same time he was working as like a medical student, or to do research on valley fever. And ha! So that’s when I got more optimistic. It’s like, okay, people are in the medical field are trying to research like, what are the effects of this? How could we prevent this or medication that could help. So I also seen the same thing. Maybe there’s someone or people who could have ideas that could make our air quality better.

S: Hmm. So when you see that the other person is also concerning about the air quality issue and working on that, you feel more hopeful for this country. County right.

S: and what change other than that? What changes would make you feel more optimistic about living and working here in soundhawking valley for long term.

S: Hmm, okay, so this is a last question. And for my future interviewees. can you suggest any questions we can have to, which could be useful for our research.

S: No problem.

S: Yeah, this is the end of the interview. And after this interview we will test the research model. How? Talking about the air quality issue in in our workplace could help in a relationship between the people. But and also, we will, you know, test negative, real negative pathway. Hown fail to discuss about the air quality issue in the workplace could harm their relationship in the workplace. So we would like to see what is a positive outcome and what is a negative outcome, having air having bad air quality in Bakersfield. So I think you know, this common challenges can be also a good thing that buying people in Bakersfield. So I just wanted to prove with this research. So for the survey. or were, are there any chance we can contact your employees to conduct survey about this.

S: Okay.

S: Yeah, definitely, I need to contact your director as well, or your boss.

S: This is a weekend. I know it’s a it’s not easy to have a meeting, but I appreciate your time for this interview.