Dont Trust Employers

8/13/2019 Dont Trust Employers

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NEVERTrust an Employer or Its Bosses

dodie steeo podution Page 1 of 11

I've found that with so much economic uncertainty andcompanies being unsure about so many issues relative to

financial issues, we're seeing companies who are worriedabout making promises to employees. So we have JoeEmployee who asks his manager about a salary increaseor a bonus and the manager goes up the ranks foranswers. Since everyone is worried about protectingthemselves by not making any commitments, there are nostraight answers provided. Joe Employee is leftthinking...'why am I; working all of these hours withoutany reward and if I do; what will that reward be?'

While I don't believe that all managers in organizationsintend to be secretive, it's all about perception. So whensomeone is not able to give an employee a straightanswer and waffles, the perception is that there are secrets w/in the organization and thatresults in a lack of trust. I'm not an advocate of total transparency but I do believe that allemployees have a right to know what is required of them to earn rewards.

In addition, there are companies who are downsizing and asking people to work more hourswith fewer resources. Unfortunately, while that's pretty much been the standard, thismorning I learned of a large company who is doing sporadic layoffs and the packages are

half of what they used to be.

People all talk and compare this stuff. The average employee at this company is working 12 -16 hour days at a minimum! That's unacceptable and unfair, in my opinion. But nothing isfair in Corporate Retail.

Working for a public company is even worse. The 'bottom line' speech can get old. We allknow what we're here for but, as I always say, 'you cannot have a business without people.'

A lot of employers will probably say they listen to and care about their employees, butwithout actively providing their employees with tools to communicate ideas with their

colleagues and management; it appears to employees that they're doing nothing.

This then has a knock-on effect contributing to the first statistic, as employees who areactually working on the front line feel management are out of touch with employee andcustomer feedback, and therefore unlikely to be able to make fully informed decisions.

Think about how many times you've had an executive (the employer) give some rah - rahspeech to employees about how they should and need to work for the 'good of thecompany...blah - blah - blah...and how the company's success is their own...blah - blah -blah...etc.'? Well, I've heard it plenty. The problem with speeches like these is that employers

expect employees to work 'for the good of the company' and often compensate them likethat. All the while, they themselves are working for the 'good of the company', which just sohappens to be also for their own good - because either they own the company, havesignificant equity, or are compensated for that.


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I just think it's difficult for employees to be sold some moral argument about how they

should dedicate their lives to the company, for the good of the company, when the persongiving the argument doesn't have to do the same.

The idea that the good of the company is the good of the employee often falls very short.

Lastly, I think that employees on the ground level, engaging customers often have to facethe fact that the company places them in compromising and uncomfortable positions withcustomers, which feels like a slight betrayal of their own belief system or feelings about whatis right. They have to support 'company policies' that they see are obviously not friendly orhelpful to the customer, but have no power to affect it. It's like being made to do the

company's dirty work.

Some employees don't trust some employers becauseACTIONS (OR INACTION) SPEAKLOUDER THAN WORDS.When you freeze decision styles that challenge the times, good orbad, and layoff 10% + of the workforce, and freeze hiring--and the workload continues togrow even loyal employees lose trust. It's like dropping an anchor on a fast moving ship thatsuddenly stops all movement forward so that you're dead-in-the-water. When that happensemployees are at a decision point. Some will suffer silently, or produce an anonymous letterand some will jump ship, first chance, onto other ships that are still moving forward. You cantrust those result as predictable outcomes when employees see the writing on the wall orfeel their sweat equity is doing little to stoke a stalled ship.

Short answer, because we haven't earned it.We talk about employment at will, but we resent the fact it has be clearly explained andreciprocal to be enforced.

Today we still refer to employees as'human capital' and human assets' ratherthan people. We call the skills of settingappropriate expectations, giving feedback;coaching, selecting and hiring the rightpeople 'soft' skills and build monumentsto technology. We don't teach leadershipvery effectively.

When faced with financial pressure thefirst step taken by most organizations isto reduce employment through 'right sizing', off shoring, etc.

C level compensation the last two years increased 20% per annum while the average workersaw a 2% increase.

In most organizations change is something we try to do 'to' people rather than with people.


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We also don't practice what we preach - executive incompetency is 'punished' by multi

million dollar parachutes while employees get pushed out with minimal severance packages.

I also agree that most managers aren't intentionally secretive at least at the middle levels-we don't share the information with them either and we don't give them the tools to managepeople.

Somebody once said trust and 'loyalty' are reciprocal relationships. You got to give it toreceive it...

Back in the 1980s many companies had a simple form of incentives for store managers

initially. The bonuses that managers received were to be 20% of the store profit. This iseasily track-able and there were many managers that made more in bonus than salary;apparently too much. Then companies decided that they would create budgets to beaccountable to, so rather than giving employees a raw bonus based on performance, theywould set difficult budgets based on what they thought you should make based on their own'expertise'.

When this precedent was set, numbers became subjectiveand a layer of trust was removed from theemployee/employer relationship. When manager bonusesdropped significantly, mistrust ensued. It had been the'American Dream' in the sense that any person that workedhard and was good at managing staff and running a goodoperation was rewarded with a significant stake in theirown operation. It became something where people werehired constantly as 'manager trainees' (basically anassistant manager but making barely over minimum wagewith no benefits) with the simple incentive of a 6-12 monthplan to become a store manager. This allowed many

companies to have a constant stream of getting people in and out of store management. Insubsequent years, I have seen similar incentive programs altered to be in the best interest of

the company. The bottom line is, when an employer takes away incentives, the results willalways be that another layer of trust is removed. Those that either manage or sell for a livingcan relate to this. The issue that I have seen in recent years is that similar incentives areeroded, but since the economy and job market are so bleak, people are merely holding on totheir positions. My guess is that when the economy does turn around, many companies willwonder what happened to their best people, because they will have left, and started work atmove reliable and trustworthy companies.

Trust is a two way street.So why should most workers trust the companies they work for when the companies they

work for don't trust them. Trust like respect, and communications is a two way street.

History has provided us with the Jekyll and Hyde of Leadership.


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There are those who motives authenticate their true concern for the good of the peoplewhile there are others who have chosen such responsibility for selfish reasons.

But is this enough to judge every new opportunity based on wrongly attempts of others inthe past? The truths is we as human no matter the category, either professionally orpersonally are generally insecure due to either our own past choices, mistakes andexperiences. And we often adapt to such culture and mentality, finding it hard to embracechange even when we have been provided a fresh and better opportunity.

Its really fairly simple. At the basis is the fundamental tension between employers andemployees. Wages are recognized as a major cost of doing business, and a cost that can bemore easily addressed than materials, utilities, and other factors that are in others' control.

This of course is detrimental to a major driver of employees - compensation. Publiccorporations simply do not have the same obligation to their employees as to theirshareholders, and to say anything to the contrary is at best naive and at worst a lie. You'llhear talk from corporate leadership about how the greatest capital in their organization ishuman capital but I'm afraid that's simply posturing, aside from the very few creators in theorganization who may merit such praise. By and large employees are a commodity of greaterand lesser unit value, and there's a regional and global market in this commodity just likethere is for oranges or metals. Put things in that perspective and the tension make sense.Platinum doesn't care what is value per ounce is, but a human does.

The legal and cultural environment also has created an ambience in which employees canhold employers more accountable, or at least expose employer activities that may be viewedto be less than compassionate, charitable, etc., so employers take great pains through HRpolicies, internal and external propaganda engines and other practices to mask their truemotivations and activities. This in turn creates an environment in which trust is all butnonexistent and in general an adversarial relationship prevails, which is not at all surprising.

I think that the question here is: Do employees trust thecompany's leadership? These are uncertain times and workerswho don't trust the way the organization is run will simply leave

their jobs. Simple! The company's leadership must reflecttransparency when changes happen, the ability to communicatethese changes, listening to feedback, conducting business withhonesty and integrity, treating employees with respect, givingmoral support, good ethics and openness to diversity or change.In short, lack in one or more of these will result to mistrust.

Trust usually has to be earned over time by keeping one's word,by acting with their best interest in mind and heart, by beingconsistent and respectful. (Do corporations have hearts? I was

told they are people).


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Once earned, never take someone's trust for granted.The challenge is engaging leadership to evoke this spirit. Not only throughout their

workforce. But with their customers, suppliers, and the community!

In order to gain employees trust, employers need to address their wide-ranging needs ashuman beings, including their overall health and well-being.

By improving employee health, employers can increase productivity, boost morale, andgarner mutual trust.

Why do bosses treat their employees like(for the want of a better word)

shit ?!?

I dont have the answer to that question. If you do havethe answer to that question, feel free to drop me theanswer. This is just a story of whats happening in theworld we live in. I need to make it clear that what Imean here is not how corporate treat their employees,but how a boss as a person is treating their employees.

This thought came to me when I first moved back to

England which was 7 years ago after living in East Africafor around 30 years. I was fortunate enough to seethat there are a lot of people treat their employees in areally bad way. What I mean by bad way is that they really get treated like s h i t .

In East Africa, most middle up class family has domestic helpers or house employees (In theEmpire days these were called servants). Some of them get treated well (one of mydomestic helpers has worked for me for over 20 years, so I guess I treat her right), but somehas to coped with verbal abuse (yes, swear words) and physical abuse every day.

Everyone has a limit. Once the employee cant take it anymore, he orshe will quit.Guess what happens next? I hear the same people who abuse theirservants, complain howlife is difficult without havingservants. Naturally they look for a replacement.

This is the part that I dont get. Are you ready for this? Here we go, once they find areplacement, they start the old habit again, they abuse their new servant. They go back tosquare one. Why the f##kpeople do this? Are they f##kingstupid? No, theyre not,because a lot of them are rich and running successful business (among other things thatprove that theyre not an idiot). This is why I wonder why some bosses treat their

employees like s h i t .


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Naturally the same thing happens all over again, and again and again. I really hope thesepeople learn from their mistakes, not only for the sake of their live, but also for the sake of

their future employees.

The same thing applies to the big boys (corporate) out there. We have to understand thatwe need our employees regardless of their job title. They can be a CEO, manager,salesperson,servantor a driver, we need these people. Think about it for a while, what ifyour main salesperson leaves your company, sales will drop; companys income will go down.I dont think any of us want this to happen.

There is no different between a servantand a sales champion. We need these people!

We probably dont think about servantas much as our sales champion, because a servantdoesnt really affect your company financially. However he/she does affect your personallive.

Saying all that, we need to keep the balance between treating our employee right and takinga tough decision from time to time. Im not telling you to treat your worst sales people oryour servantswho you caught stealing right. Obviously we cant keep them as employees.Whats fair is fair.

This is just a thought by the way. In no mean I want to teach anyone how to run theirbusiness or life. You may agree or disagree with me (feel free to drop an opinion).

Do I treat my employee right? Yes I do (I asked all myemployees in the past). However, I ask you Do you?

Then Why do bosses treat their employees likesh i t ?! ? I didnt have the answer to why a lot ofbosses treat their employees like sh i t. I would also liketo share what could be the answer to that question.

Again you may agree or disagree, but feel free to shareyour thought.

To answer the question, let me tell you why I think Sir Richard Bransons should get a firstpost as a good employer. A few years back when I used to Roadie during holidays, I had achance to have a chat with one of Virgin Musics staff about his big boss (at that time,Richard Branson still owned Virgin Music).

Long before I met that guy, I heard stories about Richard Branson. One of the stories isabout his principle in treating his employees. He believes that in order a company can besuccessful; a company needs to make sure that their employees are happy working for theirbosses. His logic is very simple, if the staffs are happy, they will work to their maximum

capacity for the company they work for, therefore the result will be a good one. Really andsimple; It isnt rocket science! He also knows that the only way to make sure that happensis by treating his employees right. In fact if Im not mistaken, he will put his staffs beforehis customers.


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With this knowledge, I made an assumption of why some bosses dont do the same like Sir

Richard Branson even after a few bad experiences with their staff leaving. I think theanswer is simple, they simply dont understand why it is very important to keep their staffhappy (or they never thought about it that way).

The second question is why they dont learn from past mistakes? I can see it as a mistake,but theyve never seen it as a mistake (simply because they dont realize that what theyredoing is wrong). They simply put the wrong in their staff (because most people like to blameothers than themselves, this is the Blame Culture that now exists in the U.K.). So I guess itsall about perception how we see things.

If you or the people you know keep losing good employees, let see it from a different angle.Let ask ourselves a question, what could I have done better?

Everyone knows that healthier employees are happier and more productive. Here are a fewsuggestions you can do to improve the health of your employees.

Help them de-stress.You might not be able to move deadlines or changethe workload (given that were all trying to do morewith less), but you can help your team learn stress-

management techniques. These include meditation,mindfulness and deep breathing exercises, all ofwhich they can do in the workplace.

Consider offering a brown-bag lunchtime workshopon stress management; referrals to local stressmanagement classes, and newsletters with stressmanagement tips.

Encourage physical activity.The benefits of physical activity on health are indisputable; but it can also energizeemployees and help them manage workplace stress. Although not every company canprovide an in-house gym, most can offer discounts for local gyms. Other options includecreating a walking trail throughout the office (dont forget the stairs); encouragingemployees to get up and walk over to co-workers for conversations rather than emailing;giving out pedometers and holding contests to see who can rack up the most steps in aweek; and providing 15 - minute breaks twice a day for some kind of physical activity.

Provide positive feedback.When is the last time you complimented an employee, either verbally or with a brief note oremail? Too often, the only time we provide feedback is when something is wrong, or morework is required. Yet positive feedback motivates employees, improving productivity and

increasing job satisfaction. In addition to the verbal and written approaches, dont forgetpublic recognition through award ceremonies or even just a mention in the employee


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newsletter. Of course, financial rewards are always appreciated, too. But studies find thatnon-financial positive feedback can be even more empowering than money.

Create a comfortable work environment.Most of us spend more time at work than in any other environment. Given that oursurroundings have a major effect on our mood, which means its important that you createan upbeat, comfortable office, shop floor or break areas for your employees. Use energizingcolours, like yellow rather than stark white. Pay attention to temperature - not too hot, nottoo cold - and lighting. Studies find that natural daylight is far more energizing thanfluorescents. Put some thought into designing ergonomically correct work spaces; thesavings on the medical end when your employees avoid back, wrist, shoulder, and arm painwill be worth it.

Encourage self care.This is particularly important with female employees. Research shows that women tend toput their own health on the back burner, particularly women who are juggling jobs andfamily obligations. For instance, one study found that women with numerous obligations whofind a breast lump wait an average of three months before having it checked. To encouragewomen to put their own health first, make it easier for them to access healthcare through in- office clinics and screenings, flexible work hours for doctor appointments, and off - hoursmedical support.

Sorry boss, IM LEAVING...I just dont trust you anymore

Will your office have that empty feeling come the New Year? If so, itscould be because most of your colleagues dont trust the boss and wantto move on.

A new survey says social media-based recruitment specialist, finds thatover 87 per cent of people will be looking for a new job in 2014 - and inwhat will come as unwelcome news to bosses and HR teams aroundthe land, more than half of them find their current boss untrustworthy.

The figures come as a stark warning for bosses as we enter what is traditionally one of thebusiest times for employees changing jobs. Bosses should to do their homework onemployees and get to them know them better - or else risk losing them to a rival.

National statistic claim a massive 87.2 per cent of employees said they wanted to leave theircurrent role. Asked why, a staggering 52.6 per cent of respondents said it was because theydidnt trust their boss or how the company was managed.

These statistics, if correct should act as a wake-up call to employers out there who mightcome back after Christmas to find a lot of empty desks.

Bosses - They should ask themselves do they really know their staff? Do they really know,


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to work. When you let go and trust in peoples competence, they feel confident andcommitted. They want to give their best. Conversely, when you hold the reins too tight, they

recoil, feeling devalued and distrusted. Just as trust begets trust, distrust begets distrust.

1. Three Million People Lost Unemployment Benefits. It Could Get Ugly

2. You ask much, yet fail to acknowledge effort.Odds are that youre asking workers to do more with less these days. You also need them totake the initiative and tackle big, hairy, audacious goals. Yet when employees step up anddeliver, how do you respond? Do you take a moment to personally acknowledge effort andreiterate why their work really matters to the business? Or do you just say Thanks in aperfunctory e-mail and move on to the next request? For people to trust you, they need to

know that you care about them. A little acknowledgment can go a long way.

3. You behave badly.At a client site recently, we witnessed a tirade from a global marketing executivea leadernotorious for his nasty temper. Later, his team members confided that they had come toexpect such fist-pounding and profanity. No one felt safe from being singled out andscreamed at in front of everyone. Weve all been humiliated by him, said one vice-president. If you want your own team to trust and respect you, be aware of your behaviour.Instead of berating people for missing a target, for instance, bring calm, clarity, and concernto the real issues by asking how and why things got off track. Understand what the groupneeds from you in the future.

4. You dont admit your mistakes.To err is human. When you mess up, what do you do? Doyou check your ego at the door and acknowledge yourmistake? Do you say to your team: I made a bad call onthat one or in reflecting on it, my assessment wasnt fairand I apologize?

In a New York Times interview, Siemens(SI) ChiefExecutive Officer Peter Lscher said: Im always telling

people, Look, I make a mistake every day, but hopefullyIm not making the same mistake twice.

By admitting your own mistakes, you not only acknowledgeyour humanity but allow others to acknowledge theirs. As a

result, communication opens up, mutual trust is built, and employees feel free to takecreative risks that can move the business ahead.

Don't Wait Until Next Year: Trash Your New Year's Resolution Now

5. You spin the truth.Do people know that they count on you to tell the truth or do they just assume youll tweakit? Whether the issue is acknowledging financial troubles or announcing the latestrestructuring, you must resist sheltering employees or serving your own agenda. Tell it like it


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is. Spin never passes the sniff test anyway; people see it for what it is and sooner or later,lose trust.

6. You duck people and performance issues.Leadership requires letting people know where they stand. How often do you consciously orunconsciously choose to sweep peoples performance issues under the rug? In turning ablind eye to a weak link and thinking that your stronger performers will pick up the slack, youset yourself up for trouble. Resentment sets in across the team, and employees trust in yougoes out the window. Eventually, you risk not fully engaging your stars or worse, losing themaltogether.

7. You dont walk your talk.

Sure, you say that you value trust. Do your words and actions do more to break trust thanbuild it? For instance, if you proclaim that people come first but you dont invest inemployees growth and development or give workers a voice in the business, what does thatsay? To employees, it speaks volumes - and shatters trust.

The Accounting Wizardry Behind Banks Strong EarningsFinally, a common mistake leaders make is to assume that their position alone makes themworthy of others trust. Nothing could be further from the truth. Its only through behaviourthat leaders can build trust.

Unus pro omnibus, omnes pro uno or "One for all,all for one" in English.

The quote can also be inverted to All for one and one forall and thus each individual should act for the benefit ofthe group, and the group should act for the benefit of eachindividual. To complete the quote one could add unitedwe stand divided we fall. This however is no longer thecase in the 21st Century United Kingdom.

The quote takes on a new (worthless) meaning! By this Imean that it should be refined from "One for all, all for one" or All for one, and one for allor united we stand divided we fall. to So long as I have the upper hand, get my bonusesand things are hunky dory for me!!!!! ..

I bet after reading through the article, you will most likely agree and sympathize with mythoughts and even think It should be like that, BUT immediately you will return to your

Corporation Way Of Thinking, what about my mortgage, my debts, the flashy car on creditand my exorbitant life style, that luxury holiday in summer and then my pension?????

So again I will promise my employees what they want to hear but treat them like sh i t !!!! !!!

Life sucks but it goes on Live with it!!!!!!

Dont Trust Employers

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