Is all of corporate America incompetent?

InTenSity wrote:

Blanch32 wrote:Or is it just manufacturing? Been eroding since 1975 and would make sense because the same idiots are running the show or the baby boomers

Its all of corporate america. It isn't about the business, its about the bonus and the stock price. Where I work, with markets moving on a weekly and sometimes daily basis, I've pretty much been told that I can't make any mistakes and I need to make every buy under the market, otherwise I'm not bringing in any value to the company. Nevermind that just getting product at times is extremely difficult, and none of our sales guys are able to get sale prices higher. I'm the lowest paid, and have unreasonable expectations.

By-Tor wrote:I will do everything I can in my power to prevent my kids from going into a corporate environment.  It is soul crushing.  

By-Tor wrote:I will do everything I can in my power to prevent my kids from going into a corporate environment.  It is soul crushing.  

WhiteBoyHatcher wrote:

By-Tor wrote:I will do everything I can in my power to prevent my kids from going into a corporate environment.  It is soul crushing.  

You guys ever work for smaller companies? Just curious.

My work life went from soul crushing to actually interesting to just about the opposite of soul crushing. Maybe it's my industry. Not sure. None of the typical office norms have been a factor at 3 of the last 4 jobs I've been at, and the 4th was an exception that operated outside of my industry but was trying to find a niche within it.

Other Teams Pursuing That wrote:Want to avoid at all costs.

Toe wrote:

Other Teams Pursuing That wrote:Want to avoid at all costs.

you shouldn't worry.....

kingstonlake wrote:Every day I watch one of those Alaskan frontier shows I get envious.

steveschneider wrote:I work for a smaller company that was booming for a bit. It's become a complete cluster fuck and morale has tanked straight across the board.

I really think it comes down to CEO leadership that defines how good a company is to work for. Last big company I worked at had an amazing CEO and shit just ran so well in the company. Current company is chaos and it creates so many frustrating situations.

InTenSity wrote:

Blanch32 wrote:Or is it just manufacturing? Been eroding since 1975 and would make sense because the same idiots are running the show or the baby boomers

Its all of corporate america. It isn't about the business, its about the bonus and the stock price. Where I work, with markets moving on a weekly and sometimes daily basis, I've pretty much been told that I can't make any mistakes and I need to make every buy under the market, otherwise I'm not bringing in any value to the company. Nevermind that just getting product at times is extremely difficult, and none of our sales guys are able to get sale prices higher. I'm the lowest paid, and have unreasonable expectations.

WhiteBoyHatcher wrote:

By-Tor wrote:I will do everything I can in my power to prevent my kids from going into a corporate environment.  It is soul crushing.  

You guys ever work for smaller companies? Just curious.

My work life went from soul crushing to actually interesting to just about the opposite of soul crushing. Maybe it's my industry. Not sure. None of the typical office norms have been a factor at 3 of the last 4 jobs I've been at, and the 4th was an exception that operated outside of my industry but was trying to find a niche within it.

DWags wrote:

By-Tor wrote:I will do everything I can in my power to prevent my kids from going into a corporate environment.  It is soul crushing.  

do everything in your power to give your kids the ability to make decisions on their own.  I'm not an expert, but Id' say not being able to make a decision for yourself is probably just like the corporations that crushed your soul.   I get that.

NigelUno wrote:

InTenSity wrote:
Its all of corporate america. It isn't about the business, its about the bonus and the stock price. Where I work, with markets moving on a weekly and sometimes daily basis, I've pretty much been told that I can't make any mistakes and I need to make every buy under the market, otherwise I'm not bringing in any value to the company. Nevermind that just getting product at times is extremely difficult, and none of our sales guys are able to get sale prices higher. I'm the lowest paid, and have unreasonable expectations.

Many companies rely on the fear factor for "motivation".

What is the deal with canned pumpkin stuff for bread and pies? Is there a shortage?

Other Teams Pursuing That wrote:Want to avoid at all costs.

Blanch32 wrote:

WhiteBoyHatcher wrote:
You guys ever work for smaller companies? Just curious.

My work life went from soul crushing to actually interesting to just about the opposite of soul crushing. Maybe it's my industry. Not sure. None of the typical office norms have been a factor at 3 of the last 4 jobs I've been at, and the 4th was an exception that operated outside of my industry but was trying to find a niche within it.

My current company longs for 1985.  Did private equity bf that.  Holy shit was that eye opening into the worst of mankind.  Complete boileroom lord of the flies.  Bob would be John candy in planes and trains by lunch time

Jaheab wrote:

steveschneider wrote:I work for a smaller company that was booming for a bit. It's become a complete cluster fuck and morale has tanked straight across the board.

I really think it comes down to CEO leadership that defines how good a company is to work for. Last big company I worked at had an amazing CEO and shit just ran so well in the company. Current company is chaos and it creates so many frustrating situations.

I know the feeling. The last company I worked for was a cluster fuck. The competition was eating our lunch because (despite being small and supposedly nimble) we couldn't do anything quickly and were stuck in the 1980s. They were still spitballing the same tired ideas they were when I started as an entry level employee three years ago. They are a sales company that does 90% of their revenue B2B with 10% to home consumers via ecommerce. The sales force for each department was the same size. B2B did still did all their business via phone and fax. They had been in the "planning stages" of building a B2B site since my first meeting their in 2012. Their idea of marketing was putting a new saleperson on cold-calls and sending out a weekly email.

I accepted a promotion last fall. Ten months later I sit down for my 6 month review (because that is how they roll). Glowing evaluation, 'really appreciate your input, I know we've thrown a lot more at you than you signed up for, blah, blah, blah. Please fill out this questionnaire about your goals, management, ect.'

I answer the questions honestly, point out some of the company's shortcomings, say I don't think the management changeover has gone as smoothly as we would have liked (the Pres/CEO retired just after I took the promotion).

I say that moral is pretty low and offer a few ideas to improve and at the end ask for a raise because of my glowing review (and the fact that we had our best quarter since i got there).  I bring that back to them the next week thinking I was tough but fair and made it clear that I was interested helping grow the company and growing my role in it.

I was called into the office of two women running the company (and the six figure consultant the board hired to teach them how to do their new job) the next day and fired on the spot. They saw me as a "malcontent" and they "needed people that were all in." I was shocked. I had never been fired before. I was pissed initially but after talking with my former coworkers recently I figured it was better to get when I did. Moral is only sinking farther. They shitcanned my direct report a month after me for basically the same reasons. Her replacement quit after two weeks on the job.

Now instead of gearing up for Christmas which is their bread and butter the staff that's left is bouncing from job to job trying to fill the gaps and play catch up. Everyone seems to think the place will be closed in a year or two. I've got to admit that I am enjoying the horror stories I keep hearing.

Thanks to anyone who took the time to read this. Rant over.

Watch Out Pylon! wrote:

Blanch32 wrote:

My current company longs for 1985.  Did private equity bf that.  Holy shit was that eye opening into the worst of mankind.  Complete boileroom lord of the flies.  Bob would be John candy in planes and trains by lunch time

Jaheab wrote:

steveschneider wrote:I work for a smaller company that was booming for a bit. It's become a complete cluster fuck and morale has tanked straight across the board.

I really think it comes down to CEO leadership that defines how good a company is to work for. Last big company I worked at had an amazing CEO and shit just ran so well in the company. Current company is chaos and it creates so many frustrating situations.

I know the feeling. The last company I worked for was a cluster fuck. The competition was eating our lunch because (despite being small and supposedly nimble) we couldn't do anything quickly and were stuck in the 1980s. They were still spitballing the same tired ideas they were when I started as an entry level employee three years ago. They are a sales company that does 90% of their revenue B2B with 10% to home consumers via ecommerce. The sales force for each department was the same size. B2B did still did all their business via phone and fax. They had been in the "planning stages" of building a B2B site since my first meeting their in 2012. Their idea of marketing was putting a new saleperson on cold-calls and sending out a weekly email.

I accepted a promotion last fall. Ten months later I sit down for my 6 month review (because that is how they roll). Glowing evaluation, 'really appreciate your input, I know we've thrown a lot more at you than you signed up for, blah, blah, blah. Please fill out this questionnaire about your goals, management, ect.'

I answer the questions honestly, point out some of the company's shortcomings, say I don't think the management changeover has gone as smoothly as we would have liked (the Pres/CEO retired just after I took the promotion).

I say that moral is pretty low and offer a few ideas to improve and at the end ask for a raise because of my glowing review (and the fact that we had our best quarter since i got there).  I bring that back to them the next week thinking I was tough but fair and made it clear that I was interested helping grow the company and growing my role in it.

I was called into the office of two women running the company (and the six figure consultant the board hired to teach them how to do their new job) the next day and fired on the spot. They saw me as a "malcontent" and they "needed people that were all in." I was shocked. I had never been fired before. I was pissed initially but after talking with my former coworkers recently I figured it was better to get when I did. Moral is only sinking farther. They shitcanned my direct report a month after me for basically the same reasons. Her replacement quit after two weeks on the job.

Now instead of gearing up for Christmas which is their bread and butter the staff that's left is bouncing from job to job trying to fill the gaps and play catch up. Everyone seems to think the place will be closed in a year or two. I've got to admit that I am enjoying the horror stories I keep hearing.

Thanks to anyone who took the time to read this. Rant over.

Blanch32 wrote:Or is it just manufacturing? Been eroding since 1975 and would make sense because the same idiots are running the show or the baby boomers

steveschneider wrote:

Jaheab wrote:

I know the feeling. The last company I worked for was a cluster fuck. The competition was eating our lunch because (despite being small and supposedly nimble) we couldn't do anything quickly and were stuck in the 1980s. They were still spitballing the same tired ideas they were when I started as an entry level employee three years ago. They are a sales company that does 90% of their revenue B2B with 10% to home consumers via ecommerce. The sales force for each department was the same size. B2B did still did all their business via phone and fax. They had been in the "planning stages" of building a B2B site since my first meeting their in 2012. Their idea of marketing was putting a new saleperson on cold-calls and sending out a weekly email.

I accepted a promotion last fall. Ten months later I sit down for my 6 month review (because that is how they roll). Glowing evaluation, 'really appreciate your input, I know we've thrown a lot more at you than you signed up for, blah, blah, blah. Please fill out this questionnaire about your goals, management, ect.'

I answer the questions honestly, point out some of the company's shortcomings, say I don't think the management changeover has gone as smoothly as we would have liked (the Pres/CEO retired just after I took the promotion).

I say that moral is pretty low and offer a few ideas to improve and at the end ask for a raise because of my glowing review (and the fact that we had our best quarter since i got there).  I bring that back to them the next week thinking I was tough but fair and made it clear that I was interested helping grow the company and growing my role in it.

I was called into the office of two women running the company (and the six figure consultant the board hired to teach them how to do their new job) the next day and fired on the spot. They saw me as a "malcontent" and they "needed people that were all in." I was shocked. I had never been fired before. I was pissed initially but after talking with my former coworkers recently I figured it was better to get when I did. Moral is only sinking farther. They shitcanned my direct report a month after me for basically the same reasons. Her replacement quit after two weeks on the job.

Now instead of gearing up for Christmas which is their bread and butter the staff that's left is bouncing from job to job trying to fill the gaps and play catch up. Everyone seems to think the place will be closed in a year or two. I've got to admit that I am enjoying the horror stories I keep hearing.

Thanks to anyone who took the time to read this. Rant over.

Yeah, at my place you have to act like you are 100% on board and that everything is awesome. It's so funny you see the owners talk about how great everything is, you look over across the room and some one will smirk and you know that everyone sees right through the bull shit.

If I did what you did even with the best intentions like you had, I'd definitely be let go. I think the owners just want to sell the place and don't give a fuck about the future of the company.

I.B. Fine wrote:

Blanch32 wrote:Or is it just manufacturing? Been eroding since 1975 and would make sense because the same idiots are running the show or the baby boomers

They hired you, didn't they? Case closed.