Employees are disposable goods - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

whunter · #1 10-30-2006, 08:04 PM

Note:
I am furious seeing the treatment that loyal employees are getting today.

Many companies treat employees as disposable.

Loyalty is demanded toward the company, but little or NO thought goes into the treatment of employees.

Don't get sick or allow long term illness effect your productivity, they will find a way to terminate you.

Expect them to cut your pay, and give the CEO/CFO a multi mega buck bonus for boosting their stock.

Expect them to phase out your job, then give the CEO/CFO a multi mega buck bonus for eliminating unproductive workers..

Expect them to move your job to Turkey, India or China, then give the CEO/CFO a multi mega buck bonus for reducing labor cost..

Expect them to blame you unproductive workers for everything..

Expect them to cut and slash your health care until you are forced to drop it.

Expect them to dictate your private life.

Expect them to terminate you at the first sign of protest.

Expect them to dump you just before you are able to receive a retirement pension.

Expect the company to DEMAND higher and higher productivity, beyond any possible human level, until you break down, wreck your marriage/family and/or drop dead.

Expect them to terminate you, if you refuse to work sixteen hours a day, seven days per week, and/or until you break down, wreck your marriage/family.

Expect that if you drop dead from physical - psychological stress, it proves you are (BAD) unproductive workers.

You have no more value to most companies than a computer, desk or rental vehicle.

Hmmm.
I may be just a little bit ticked off.

Dubyagee · #2 10-30-2006, 08:34 PM

I completely agree. There is a massive and growing rift between employers and employees. It has progressed into the belief the all employers are heartless and their employees are expendable assets. The company I work with has laid off 300 employees with a few closing in on retirement. They did offer a buyout for some of the employees but its a slap in the face. It sad to see the lack of corporate loyalty to the employees and it seems to be a growing trend.

Botnst · #3 10-30-2006, 08:37 PM

Raw materials are a commodity.

Finished goods are a commodity.

Capital is a commodity.

Labor is a commodity.

Management is a commodity.

All fluctuate with market necessity.

The difference between labor and management is shrinking as increased technological sophistication and education is required of labor.

Market changes are accelerating.

The likely result is that both labor and management will need to be more flexible and more innovative or lose to competition.

B

Carleton Hughes · #4 10-30-2006, 08:56 PM

Unfortunately those above have said it better than I can.

The only time I was indispensable was when I managed an automotive machine shop supervising heads,hot tanks,align boring,semi-sizing and babbit pouring.

THAT didn't last forever,but I gained a great deal of experience and a lasting distaste of working for others,thank the Gods I can control my own destiny.

The only way to profitably utilize your skill and knowledge is to get financial backing and supervise others to do the actual work,I and a friend have set up a shop for restoration with upholsterers,a machinist and a painter,I stop by daily to check on what's happening and occasionally do the mechanical assembly and measurements myself.

Here's the rub...they're all Cuban,Mexican and Nicaraguan,the polisher and final detail guy is 100% American which explains why he always argues about why he is late for work..............

Kuan · #5 10-30-2006, 09:01 PM

The few who survive eventually become one of "them."

aklim · #6 10-30-2006, 09:03 PM

What is this "loyal employee" you speak of. Oh, you mean those that get paid more than $10 an hour? Lets see, my wife stuck with the hospital for 5 years and in that time, she has seen many RNs change jobs like underwear. Wal*Mart? See above. Why? Well the guy across the street pays me $10.25 and you are paying me $10? See ya! People have no loyalty to the company. Many old timers are shocked because they stuck with a company thru the long days, etc, etc. Today, the name of the game is "What have you done for me LATELY?" and it is on both sides. Corps want the max from you and you want the max from them. If their max is less than another's max, you are gone. Loyalty is a thing of the past. At the MB dealership, I see a lot of familiar faces. On the other lots like GM, Ford, Chrysler, today you are dealing with John and tomorrow it might be Susan. Every month it seems like Wal*Mart is changing faces. I hardly see the same people for 6 months. So, everybody is like a Bic not a Zippo.

Kuan · #7 10-30-2006, 09:12 PM

Actually I liked my previous job with Target corporation a lot. Five day weeks, good discounts, lots of vacation, flex schedule, etc. I wouldn't have quit if I felt like we still needed two incomes.

Monomer · #8 10-30-2006, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whunter

Expect the company to DEMAND higher and higher productivity, beyond any possible human level, until you break down, wreck your marriage/family and/or drop dead.

Expect them to terminate you, if you refuse to work sixteen hours a day, seven days per week, and/or until you break down, wreck your marriage/family.

Expect that if you drop dead from physical - psychological stress, it proves you are (BAD) unproductive workers.

oh man.

I'm facing this right now. I get calls from work nearly every weekand (mostly in the morning, a couple of hours right after I fall asleep) to call me in for a half an hour to set up a machine because no-one else in the shop bothers to learn how to turn 2 bloody knobs. Or how about the call in on a sunday morning, when I'm 30 miles away; all for a Pilot valve (ITS FOUR FCUKING BOLTS) And of coarse, the boss uses the other workers as an example - they all log in ungodly hours and are there every weekand; But he never has anyone to do my job.

...and then he wonders why I'm depressed. I'm the only one there with a desire to learn.

/rant.

I'm goona go read "The Jungle" again. It's been awhile.

Austin85 · #9 10-30-2006, 10:09 PM

I have worked for many complete Asses ;
I guess there are fewer companies that actually value the people that make them profitable.
Probably part economy, part technology.

Glad I work for myself now.

aklim · #10 10-30-2006, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Austin85

I have worked for many complete Asses ;
I guess there are fewer companies that actually value the people that make them profitable.
Probably part economy, part technology.

Glad I work for myself now.

It is hard with a larger company to play favorites without attracting a lawsuit of some sort in the world today. So, if you are going to treat everyone the same and most of the people are trash, what would you do?

Hatterasguy · #11 10-30-2006, 10:24 PM

Coming from an accounting perspective employees are either a short or long term expense. They can and are downsized like any other expense.

Good employee's are hard to come by and should be held onto. But in the 21st century they are a commodity like anything else.

Its a complex subject. If you want a job expect to change said job 3-6 times over your working life.

richclan · #12 10-30-2006, 10:34 PM

wow

this post screams of what im going through.
i have been down sized twice, yes twice.
1st job i literally put them on the map. i was the 1st salesman they ever had, the 5th employee. 5 years work, start making great $ the 5th year and WAM have a nice life

i got a job helping my friends company the same day i was fired, its in the same field on a temp position basis.
in about 10 days i replaced the "great job" not! with another at 1/2 pay same field. 1st year i was top sales in my region [mistake] i didnt even know until i was called up @ convention. next year they change every thing i cant sell this, than that, then this account goes away, this territory in now yours [crap]
sales go into toilet and im gone by 2nd year "downsized"

so screw them all

i opened a small store in a small town and soon i can pay some of my bills i hope sooner than later.

Austin85 · #13 10-31-2006, 12:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklim

It is hard with a larger company to play favorites without attracting a lawsuit of some sort in the world today. So, if you are going to treat everyone the same and most of the people are trash, what would you do?

NOt quite sure what you are asking but I''ll give it a shot;
If I am running a larger co.

1- WHy would I want to play favorites?
2- Why do you have to treat everyone the same.??
3- If I was running a large company I wouldn't hire mostly "trashy" employees.
What kind of company is this?
If you run a crappy company , you are going to attract crappy people.
and visa -versa....

aklim · #14 10-31-2006, 12:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Austin85

NOt quite sure what you are asking but I''ll give it a shot;
If I am running a larger co.

1- WHy would I want to play favorites?
2- Why do you have to treat everyone the same.??
3- If I was running a large company I wouldn't hire mostly "trashy" employees.
What kind of company is this?
If you run a crappy company , you are going to attract crappy people.
and visa -versa....

1. Well, some work better than others. So, if I could get away with it in a larger company, I would prefer to play favorites. You are better? I'll give you better treatment. You are so-so? You get so-so treatment. You suck? You are out the door.

2. I'd rather not but I would be afraid of people starting to accuse me of favoritism although they would be right if I could do it.

3. Not always. You can't always get the good employees you want. We have had good employees like our top salesman who later tried to backstab us and steal the clients. So, there might be some places where I want somebody good but not too good. Another thing, certain jobs are just that way. Can't always attract top grade employees to a lowly job.

Austin85 · #15 10-31-2006, 01:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklim

1. Well, some work better than others. So, if I could get away with it in a larger company, I would prefer to play favorites. You are better? I'll give you better treatment. You are so-so? You get so-so treatment. You suck? You are out the door.

2. I'd rather not but I would be afraid of people starting to accuse me of favoritism although they would be right if I could do it.

3. Not always. You can't always get the good employees you want. We have had good employees like our top salesman who later tried to backstab us and steal the clients. So, there might be some places where I want somebody good but not too good. Another thing, certain jobs are just that way. Can't always attract top grade employees to a lowly job.

1- Not necessarily playing favorites, but rewarding good workers for a job well done. Playing favorites is maybe the wrong term.

2- same as point 1

3- You said it..." a lowly job". Glad I don't have any employees. Not that I'm a bad boss, but I would only hire hot chicks......