Is your company taking advantage.....

[Michael Everson]

Dont even get me started on the whole teachers mess.

[dukegrad98]

Teachers in Texas have "organizations," but they are not "unions" because they lack the right to strike. Chicago is a good example of why.

I own and run a small business. Some of my employees, as good as they may be at their specific jobs, have absolutely no idea how business works in general. I swear, they think that their paychecks just fall from the sky every two weeks. (Probably very similar to how a lot of system-suckers view their welfare checks -- magic money from the government fairy.) One of my assistants in particular is forever telling me not to work too hard, not to come in over the weekend, not to come back to the office after a dinner break. She means well -- but she is apparently unable to make the connection that she is overhead rather than a revenue generator and if I don't work this hard, she gets cut as a cost. I pay for the office space, then I pay for the utilities, then I pay for supplies, then I pay for staff, and then with anything left over, I pay my partners and myself. When this woman leaves at 5:00 on a Friday and I'm still in my office with no sign of slowing down, I'd much rather just hear her say "thank you."

There's nothing "elitist" about it, to reference the asinine post above. There is simply the reality that some of us make the big investment and take the risk and do the real work, and along the way we create these other jobs for people that are unable or unwilling to create professional opportunities for themselves. There's no shame in that -- the world needs lots of worker bees. However, the day one of them feels entitled rather than appreciative is the last day he or she is welcome to work here.

Cheers, John

[AR-cobra]

Originally Posted by dukegrad98

... However, the day one of them feels entitled rather than appreciative is the last day he or she is welcome to work here.

Cheers, John

My sentiments exactly!!!!

It has taken a few lessons to learn this, but the tail can't wag the dog anymore.

[PSB]

I work for a defense contractor. In the past two years our medical coverage went from really good to mediocre, insurance cost went up, company announced no pay raises or bonuses, and they just announced there will be even more cost cutting measures coming in anticipation of the Defense budget sequestration. Latest announcement was no Christmas party this year.

Pete

[RedJoker]

Originally Posted by AR-cobra

My sentiments exactly!!!!

It has taken a few lessons to learn this, but the tail can't wag the dog anymore.

This is were I think the struggle occurs. Employees need business owners for jobs and business owners need good employees to grow / profit. The fact that the current economy is down is allowing the power to shift to the business owners. It's much easier for a business owner to find a 'good' employee and they don't have to do much to keep them because 'they should be happy to have a job'. When the economy is booming, its just the opposite. The business owner is stuck with those employees that are left or they pay the bucks to lure the good ones from other jobs.

Always has been a struggle between labor and management, always will be. Both tend to focus on what benefits themselves and rarely do they agree.

[Highspeed]

No raise in 3 years, just a lump sum each year. We pay more for insurance and deductibles. However, we are automtive and while others shed employess and failed, we didn't lay off anyone.....and lost millions each year. Everyone took cuts though and things are now back to zero and we are hiring. I'm thankful to have a job that still pays above average and with a company that cares. Could have been A LOT worse!

As an employee I do what I have to, not complaining about it. I hear "I hate this place" way too much and politely tell them Mcdonalds is hiring. They agreed to pay me x for working y, with benfits...deal...I have missed one day in 18 years and they still paid me for it...and that's all they owe me. To those who whine.....put up or shut up, no one is blocking the door or stopping you from starting your own business. I hear people do it every day.

Cheers!

[AR-cobra]

Originally Posted by RedJoker

Always has been a struggle between labor and management, always will be. Both tend to focus on what benefits themselves and rarely do they agree.

It all comes down to simply having good work ethic and giving an honest day for an honest dollar. Don't expect anything you didn't earn.

[RedJoker]

Originally Posted by AR-cobra

It all comes down to simply having good work ethic and giving an honest day for an honest dollar. Don't expect anything you didn't earn.

I think most people agree with this statement. Most of the issues I've run into is the difference in opinion of what an honest day is and what an honest dollar is. Just a good reminder to clearly lay out expectations of employees in excrutiating detail.

[AR-cobra]

Originally Posted by RedJoker

I think most people agree with this statement. Most of the issues I've run into is the difference in opinion of what an honest day is and what an honest dollar is. Just a good reminder to clearly lay out expectations of employees in excrutiating detail.

As detailed as you could possibly be still leaves instances of out of the ordinary circumstances that still have to be handled. But, all too often we hear "that's not my job..."

[KillerBox]

Originally Posted by Mike_R

How about your own government paying your clients to outsource your job to India, and it is not being done any cheaper. I'm down from 27 employees to 18 and cut my own pay in almost half.

Not only do I have to fight with tough times but I have to fight DC as well.

I agree with this as well. After Hurricane Katrina a lot of federal grants were given in this area, the shipyards and ports in turn used this grant money to buy high dollar ticket items like cranes. Being in the crane industry this made my tax dollars work against me.

The worse thing is well over 1/3 of these companies have destroyed their government subsided cranes because they put some $15.00 a hour "crane" operator on them.

Then, they get mad at me or other crane companies because we can't give them a crane just for labor cost like they had bid their jobs. I tell them that the government didn't help buy anything here and I have to pay more than $15.00 a hour for an operator or else my crane will be turned over just like theirs.

[Matstng]

I've been lucky... Love my job, our numbers have been up thru most of the downturn and I've even seen a few raises over the past years.

My wife hasn't had a raise in over 5 years. She complains to me but doesn't do anything about it. She did quit this job many years ago and they did come after her but she doesn't want to go thru the stress again. She enjoys what she does and has a lot of friends there so she stays.

[hxly2]

Wow. I feel blessed to work in a location, an industry, and a company that is doing well. My company manages rental properties, and the market has been very good the last few years. Last year the vacancy level was one of the lowest I've ever seen.

Yes, my company did take advantage of the recession -- by buying up a lot of properties, presumably at below market prices.

Around 2008, before the banking crises hit, the company transferred its accounts from BofA to Wells Fargo. At the time I wondered why, but now I know that someone was on the ball.

I feel for those who were hit hard. I truly hope that everything gets better for everyone soon.

[joyridin']

Well, here is my opinon. I work for a company that has 25% growth in the last 3 years. Our ONLY down year was 2009. We totally recovred in 2010, and grew by 25% in 2011. Nothing has been cut, and we all got raises etc.

Now, I go into a LOT of manufacturing companies. In the last 5 years, I have probably been into 500-700 facilities. Out of that number, my guess would be 60% are absolutley clueless what it takes to be competitive and why they are not making money. The other 30% are making money, and the last 10% are making a killing. What is the difference? Management. Those that want to make money find a way to invest in new equipment, tooling, and train their employees. When times were bad, they did whatever was needed to keep their good guys and they trained them. The bought new equipment and upgraded their tooling. They are now the most competitive in the market.

The oher 60% cut their good employees, don't invest in anything, and think they know how to do everything. If you could sum it up in one word, it would be ignorance. You walk into their facilities, and IF they will even see you, the first thing they whine about is China and how they had work stolen by some Chinese firm. Then you look around and see 30 year old machines, 30 year old tooling, and realize the work was taken by the Chinese. This guy GAVE the work to China.

As one small business owner said to me last week, he loves a bad economy because he can get cheap labor to run his garbage machines. Yeah...I see the problem...

[QSL]

Please dont take ANY of this the wrong way, I know that my opinion does not cover 100% of the people out there. I know there are some good guys out there, but...

Originally Posted by RedJoker

It's much easier for a business owner to find a 'good' employee and they don't have to do much to keep them because 'they should be happy to have a job'. .

Not totally true in my opinion. I have found most of the available workforce is un-employed for a good reason. Its MUCH harder to sort through 300 unqualified resumes VS hiring from the competition. ONE good qualified EXPENSIVE employee can out perform 3 cheap bad employees.

One of the things I hate the most is calling people in for a interview because you can just about tell at that point if they are going to work out or not.

Examples:

-Gangster rap music as their ring tone.

-They answer with "What!"

- Its noon, but it sounds like you just woke them up.

- They keep asking what company I am from? (WHAT?! You applied, not me!)

- They ask for directions.

- They ask for YOU to email them the job info?!?

The thing is, its really hard to hire "AVERAGE" workers and thats sad. For us there is only one thing that limits growth... PEOPLE!!!! If we had a pool of unlimited allstars we would be 10 times larger then we are today and thats the truth.

Two sayings i have always lived my life by and i expect any good employee to live by also....

-The harder you work, the "luckier" you get
-If you want to make the big bucks, work like an employee thats getting paid that much TODAY. Dont expect to get paid more and THEN perform.

Again, i know there are exceptions to the rule. Good guys out there that get canned for no good reason. I was there 10yrs ago at a company that I almost killed myself trying to make grow. They even felt bad enough to pay me for 6 more months... but i know it happens. Its just VERY hard to find those guys being an employer because it is NOT the norm.

As to the guys that complain about no more raises and benifits... Well, all I can say, we are in the same boat as you are. Just like how you are stressed about supporting your family? We are stressed how we are going to support our family AND our employees. We work late nights, weekends and go to sleep wondering what we are going to do to pay the bills and buy the equipment we need to make the company grow.

***end of rant****

[R Edgar]

This discussion reminds me of the “old” joke where an employee keep asking the business owner for a raise. After several months of this, the business owner offered to give the employee 5% of his company instead of a raise. The employee gladly excepted the offer.

The 95% owner said “Good! Now you can pay this months bills.”

Roy from Springboro

[bmbuckeye]

In the past 3 years we've received raises that have been OK, but have been more than offset by the cost of increased health care co-pays, prescription co-pays, we've had 2 reductions in our 401k match, letters every quarter stating that the pension is underfunded (which up until 3 years ago was overfunded), and in general have to deal with "lean manufacturing", which in essence means unless it is absolutely broken, wont work and cant be band-aided, it wont be replaced or fixed properly. Its gotten so bad that on an 8 hour shift, the company's production expectation represents only what was once 6 hours worth of production; when I walk in, the equiptment runs so poorly that they expect 2 hours of downtime. My overall responsibility has increased so that now I perform a significant portion of both QA's jobs as well as managements. Managers have lost 2 weeks of vacation, their pension, and haven't had a raise in 3 years. They are now eligible for bonus' but that is a scam. Their bonus' are tied to marketshare (which they have no control over). The end of last year corporate implemented a price increase causing marketshare to go down, but the price increase revenue more than offset the marketshare loss. Since managers bonus' are tied to marketshare, and marketshare went down, not a single manager in the North American zone received a bonus. The company has gone to a 120 day payment policy with our vendors (and brag that we are "taking advantage" of our position in the marketplace!!??), so all of our material wont be paid for four months. In the midst of layoffs and our second 401k cut, the company announced profits were up and the top 40 executives were claiming 2012 bonus' of 1.5 BILLION. Our annual revenue is 38B, and 40 executives are claiming 4% of that. Our CEO alone is receiving a bonus this year of 186 million (on top of his 1.6 million dollar salary............an approximately 10,000% annual bonus).

Believe me, I'm glad to have a good paying job with good benefits that can support my family, but at the same time, It's almost sickening what "we've" become.

[ram_g]

Originally Posted by normand

Well, a little different here with the automotive world. Can't find Engineers, have to steal them away from others, with sign in bonuses and raises ...it was hell in MI in 2009, but came back very strong in the past 2 years.
So for most of us here (at least for Engineers) , $ is not the issue. Issue is the amount of hours and pressure we get. Does not leave much time to drive the snake

+1. Similar to life as an engineer for an oil company. We had a bit of staff trimming in 2009, but since then we're hiring a lot, generous sign on bonuses, etc. No complaints about my pay, but it sure feels like I am working a lot more than in previous years - we simply have more work than we have people.

[jimgood]

I've been really lucky and I count my blessings every day. I'm in IT and I was at HP until October of last year. I hated working there. I was in a government contracting organization that used to be EDS. Work started drying up and, during a meeting, we were told that we could not bill to this or that project, which happened to be everything we were working on. When I asked for a billing code to use if we could not legally bill our time to the government I was told by the PM to "talk to her outside of the meeting". I knew what that meant.

I started looking elsewhere and found a small IT company. Completely different attitude about their employees. I started in October and the project they had slated me for didn't immediately pan out. They kept me "on the bench" until December. There were other employees that had been "on the bench" for six months. The CEO would frequently stop by to tell the employees not to worry. Work was in the pipeline. Just hang tight.

When it came time to give out Christmas bonuses, they gave me a bonus. I had only been there two months and I was on the bench the whole time.

I've been in IT for 17 years, always as a salaried employee or contractor. I have had periods where I had to suck it up and work overtime for the good of the project and have never received overtime pay...until now. This company pays me out of their own pocket if they can't bill the overtime to the customer.

So, it's certainly not EVERY company. This company is run by smart people that plan for good times and bad. Like I said. I feel very fortunate.